Hypoxia-inducible factor-1αin myocardial infarction

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1(HIF1)has a crucial function in the regulation of oxygen levels in mammalian cells,especially under hypoxic conditions.Its importance in cardiovascular diseases,particularly in cardiac ischemia,is because of its ability to alleviate cardiac dysfunction.The oxygen-responsive subunit,HIF1α,plays a crucial role in this process,as it has been shown to have cardioprotective effects in myocardial infarction through regulating the expression of genes affecting cellular survival,angiogenesis,and metabolism.Furthermore,HIF1αexpression induced reperfusion in the ischemic skeletal muscle,and hypoxic skin wounds in diabetic animal models showed reduced HIF1αexpression.Increased expression of HIF1αhas been shown to reduce apoptosis and oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes during acute myocardial infarction.Genetic variations in HIF1αhave also been found to correlate with altered responses to ischemic cardiovascular disease.In addition,a link has been established between the circadian rhythm and hypoxic molecular signaling pathways,with HIF1αfunctioning as an oxygen sensor and circadian genes such as period circadian regulator 2 responding to changes in light.This editorial analyzes the relationship between HIF1αand the circadian rhythm and highlights its significance in myocardial adaptation to hypoxia.Understanding the changes in molecular signaling pathways associated with diseases,specifically cardiovascular diseases,provides the opportunity for innovative therapeutic interventions,especially in low-oxygen environments such as myocardial infarction.

The BEL1-like transcription factor GhBLH5-A05 participates in cotton response to drought stress

Drought stress impairs crop growth and development.BEL1-like family transcription factors may be involved in plant response to drought stress,but little is known of the molecular mechanism by which these proteins regulate plant response and defense to drought stress.Here we show that the BEL1-like transcription factor GhBLH5-A05 functions in cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)response and defense to drought stress.Expression of GhBLH5-A05 in cotton was induced by drought stress.Overexpression of GhBLH5-A05 in both Arabidopsis and cotton increased drought tolerance,whereas silencing GhBLH5-A05 in cotton resulted in elevated sensitivity to drought stress.GhBLH5-A05 binds to cis elements in the promoters of GhRD20-A09 and GhDREB2C-D05 to activate the expression of these genes.GhBLH5-A05 interacted with the KNOX transcription factor GhKNAT6-A03.Co-expression of GhBLH5-A05 and GhKNAT6-A03 increased the transcription of GhRD20-A09 and GhDREB2C-D05.We conclude that GhBLH5-A05 acts as a regulatory factor with GhKNAT6-A03 functioning in cotton response to drought stress by activating the expression of the drought-responsive genes GhRD20-A09 and GhDREB2C-D05.

DI-3-n-butylphthalide exerts neuroprotective effects by modulating hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha ubiquitination to attenuate oxidative stress-induced apoptosis

DI-3-n-butylphthalide is used to treat mild and moderate acute ischemic stroke.However,the precise underlying mechanism requires further investigation.In this study,we investigated the molecular mechanism of DI-3-n-butylphthalide action by various means.We used hydrogen peroxide to induce injury to PC12cells and RAW264.7 cells to mimic neuronal oxidative stress injury in stroke in vitro and examined the effects of DI-3-n-butylphthalide.We found that DI-3-nbutylphthalide pretreatment markedly inhibited the reduction in viability and reactive oxygen species production in PC12 cells caused by hydrogen peroxide and inhibited cell apoptosis.Furthermore,DI-3-n-butylphthalide pretreatment inhibited the expression of the pro-apoptotic genes Bax and Bnip3.DI-3-nbutylphthalide also promoted ubiquitination and degradation of hypoxia inducible factor 1α,the key transcription factor that regulates Bax and Bnip3 genes.These findings suggest that DI-3-n-butylphthalide exhibits a neuroprotective effect on stroke by promoting hypoxia inducible factor-1α ubiquitination and degradation and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Exosome-transported IncRNA H19 regulates insulin-like growth factor-1 via the H19/let-7a/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor axis in ischemic stroke

LncRNA(long non-coding RNA) H19 is a transcript of the H19 gene that is expressed during embryogenesis.We previously discove red a role for circular lncRNA H19 in the onset and prognosis of cerebral ischemic stroke.In this study,we used serum from patients with ischemic stroke,and mouse and cell culture models to elucidate the roles of plasma and neuronal exosomes in the regulatory effect of lncRNA H19 on insulin-like growth factor-1 and its mechanism in ischemic stroke,using western blotting,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Plasma exosomal IncRNA H19 was negatively associated with blood levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 in samples from patients with cerebral ischemic stroke.In a mouse model,levels of exosomal IncRNA H19 were positively correlated with plasma and cerebral lncRNA H19.In a cell co-culture model,we confirmed that IncRNA H19 was transported from neuro ns to astrocytes by exosomes to induce downregulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 through the H19/let-7 a/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor axis.This study provides the first evidence for the transpo rtation of IncRNA H19 by exosomes and the relationship between IncRNA H19 and insulinlike growth factor-1.

Brain and spinal cord trauma:what we know about the therapeutic potential of insulin growth factor 1 gene therapy

Although little attention has been paid to cognitive and emotional dysfunctions observed in patients after spinal co rd injury,several reports have described impairments in cognitive abilities.Our group also has contributed significantly to the study of cognitive impairments in a rat model of spinal co rd injury.These findings are very significant because they demonstrate that cognitive and mood deficits are not induced by lifestyle changes,drugs of abuse,and combined medication.They are related to changes in brain structures involved in cognition and emotion,such as the hippocampus.Chronic spinal cord injury decreases neurogenesis,enhances glial reactivity leading to hippocampal neuroinflammation,and trigge rs cognitive deficits.These brain distal abnormalities are recently called te rtiary damage.Given that there is no treatment for Tertiary Damage,insulin growth factor 1 gene therapy emerges as a good candidate.Insulin growth factor 1 gene thera py recove rs neurogenesis and induces the polarization from pro-inflammato ry towards anti-inflammatory microglial phenotypes,which represents a potential strategy to treat the neuroinflammation that supports te rtiary damage.Insulin growth factor 1 gene therapy can be extended to other central nervous system pathologies such as traumatic brain injury where the neuroinflammatory component is crucial.Insulin growth factor 1 gene therapy could emerge as a new therapeutic strategy for treating traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.

Heat shock factor 1 promotes neurite outgrowth and suppresses inflammation in the severed spinal cord of geckos

The low intrinsic growth capacity of neurons and an injury-induced inhibitory milieu are major contributo rs to the failure of sensory and motor functional recovery following spinal cord injury.Heat shock transcription factor 1(HSF1),a master regulator of the heat shock response,plays neurogenetic and neuroprotective roles in the damaged or diseased central nervous system.However,the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated.In the present study,we used a gecko model of spontaneous nerve regeneration to investigate the potential roles of gecko HSF1(gHSF1) in the regulation of neurite outgrowth and inflammatory inhibition of macrophages following spinal cord injury.gHSF1 expression in neurons and microglia at the lesion site increased dramatically immediately after tail amputation.gHSF1 ove rexpression in gecko primary neuro ns significantly promoted axonal growth by suppressing the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3,and fa cilitated neuro nal survival via activation of the mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase/extracellular regulated protein kinases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathways.Furthermore,gHSF1 efficiently inhibited the macrophagemediated inflammatory response by inactivating 1kappa B-alpha/NF-kappaB signaling.Our findings show that HSF1 plays dual roles in promoting axonal regrowth and inhibiting leukocyte inflammation,and provide new avenues of investigation for promoting spinal co rd injury repair in mammals.

Single-nuclei RNA sequencing uncovers heterogenous transcriptional signatures in Parkinson's disease associated with nuclear receptor-related factor 1 defect

Previous studies have found that deficiency in nuclear receptor-related factor 1(Nurr1),which participates in the development,differentiation,survival,and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons,is associated with Parkinson s disease,but the mechanism of action is perplexing.Here,we first asce rtained the repercussion of knocking down Nurr1 by pe rforming liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.We found that 231 genes were highly expressed in dopaminergic neurons with Nurr1 deficiency,14 of which were linked to the Parkinson’s disease pathway based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis.To better understand how Nurr1 deficiency autonomously invokes the decline of dopaminergic neurons and elicits Parkinson’s disease symptoms,we performed single-nuclei RNA sequencing in a Nurr1 LV-shRNA mouse model.The results revealed cellular heterogeneity in the substantia nigra and a number of activated genes,the preponderance of which encode components of the major histocompatibility Ⅱ complex.Cd74,H2-Ab1,H2-Aα,H2-Eb1,Lyz2,Mrc1,Slc6α3,Slc47α1,Ms4α4b,and Ptprc2 were the top 10 diffe rentially expressed genes.Immunofluorescence staining showed that,after Nurr1knockdown,the number of CD74-immunoreactive cells in mouse brain tissue was markedly increased.In addition,Cd74 expression was increased in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease induced by treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine.Ta ken togethe r,our res ults suggest that Nurr1 deficiency results in an increase in Cd74 expression,thereby leading to the destruction of dopaminergic neuro ns.These findings provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Long non-coding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via E2F transcription factor 1/G protein subunit alpha Z axis

BACKGROUND A series of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)have been reported to play a crucial role in cancer biology.Some previous studies report that lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 is involved in some human malignancies.However,its role in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has not been fully deciphered.AIM To decipher the role of CDKN2B-AS1 in the progression of HCC.METHODS CDKN2B-AS1 expression in HCC was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.The malignant phenotypes of Li-7 and SNU-182 cells were detected by the CCK-8 method,EdU method,and flow cytometry,respectively.RNA immunoprecipitation was executed to confirm the interaction between CDKN2B-AS1 and E2F transcription factor 1(E2F1).Luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation were performed to verify the binding of E2F1 to the promoter of G protein subunit alpha Z(GNAZ).E2F1 and GNAZ were detected by western blot in HCC cells.RESULTS In HCC tissues,CDKN2B-AS1 was upregulated.Depletion of CDKN2B-AS1 inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells,and the depletion of CDKN2B-AS1 also induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.CDKN2B-AS1 could interact with E2F1.Depletion of CDKN2B-AS1 inhibited the binding of E2F1 to the GNAZ promoter region.Overexpression of E2F1 reversed the biological effects of depletion of CDKN2B-AS1 on the malignant behaviors of HCC cells.CONCLUSION CDKN2B-AS1 recruits E2F1 to facilitate GNAZ transcription to promote HCC progression.

Role of brahma-related gene 1/brahma-associated factor subunits in neural stem/progenitor cells and related neural developmental disorders

Different fates of neural stem/progenitor cells(NSPCs)and their progeny are determined by the gene regulatory network,where a chromatin-remodeling complex affects synergy with other regulators.Here,we review recent research progress indicating that the BRG1/BRM-associated factor(BAF)complex plays an important role in NSPCs during neural development and neural developmental disorders.Several studies based on animal models have shown that mutations in the BAF complex may cause abnormal neural differentiation,which can also lead to various diseases in humans.We discussed BAF complex subunits and their main characteristics in NSPCs.With advances in studies of human pluripotent stem cells and the feasibility of driving their differentiation into NSPCs,we can now investigate the role of the BAF complex in regulating the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of NSPCs.Considering recent progress in these research areas,we suggest that three approaches should be used in investigations in the near future.Sequencing of whole human exome and genome-wide association studies suggest that mutations in the subunits of the BAF complex are related to neurodevelopmental disorders.More insight into the mechanism of BAF complex regulation in NSPCs during neural cell fate decisions and neurodevelopment may help in exploiting new methods for clinical applications.

Synaptotagmins family affect glucose transport in retinal pigment epithelial cells through their ubiquitination-mediated degradation and glucose transporter-1 regulation

BACKGROUND Synaptotagmins(SYTs)are a family of 17 membrane transporters that function as calcium ion sensors during the release of Ca2+-dependent neurotransmitters and hormones.However,few studies have reported whether members of the SYT family play a role in glucose uptake in diabetic retinopathy(DR)through Ca2+/glucose transporter-1(GLUT1)and the possible regulatory mechanism of SYTs.AIM To elucidate the role of the SYT family in the regulation of glucose transport in retinal pigment epithelial cells and explore its potential as a therapeutic target for the clinical management of DR.METHODS DR was induced by streptozotocin in C57BL/6J mice and by high glucose medium in human retinal pigment epithelial cells(ARPE-19).Bioinformatics analysis,reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction,Western blot,flow cytometry,ELISA,HE staining,and TUNEL staining were used for analysis.RESULTS Six differentially expressed proteins(SYT2,SYT3,SYT4,SYT7,SYT11,and SYT13)were found between the DR and control groups,and SYT4 was highly expressed.Hyperglycemia induces SYT4 overexpression,manipulates Ca2+influx to induce GLUT1 fusion with the plasma membrane,promotes abnormal expression of the glucose transporter GLUT1 and excessive glucose uptake,induces ARPE-19 cell apoptosis,and promotes DR progression.Parkin deficiency inhibits the proteasomal degradation of SYT4 in DR,resulting in SYT4 accumulation and enhanced GLUT1 fusion with the plasma membrane,and these effects were blocked by oe-Parkin treatment.Moreover,dysregulation of the myelin transcription factor 1(Myt1)-induced transcription of SYT4 in DR further activated the SYT4-mediated stimulus-secretion coupling process,and this process was inhibited in the oe-MYT1-treated group.CONCLUSION Our study reveals the key role of SYT4 in regulating glucose transport in retinal pigment epithelial cells during the pathogenesis of DR and the underlying mechanism and suggests potential therapeutic targets for clinical DR.

转录因子HNF1A、HNF4A和FOXA2调节肝细胞蛋白质N-糖基化

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha(HNF1A),hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha(HNF4A),and forkhead box protein A2(FOXA2)are key transcription factors that regulate a complex gene network in the liver,cre-ating a regulatory transcriptional loop.The Encode and ChIP-Atlas databases identify the recognition sites of these transcription factors in many glycosyltransferase genes.Our in silico analysis of HNF1A,HNF4A.and FOXA2 binding to the ten candidate glyco-genes studied in this work confirms a significant enrich-ment of these transcription factors specifically in the liver.Our previous studies identified HNF1A as a master regulator of fucosylation,glycan branching,and galactosylation of plasma glycoproteins.Here,we aimed to functionally validate the role of the three transcription factors on downstream glyco-gene transcriptional expression and the possible effect on glycan phenotype.We used the state-of-the-art clus-tered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/dead Cas9(CRISPR/dCas9)molecular tool for the downregulation of the HNF1A,HNF4A,and FOXA2 genes in HepG2 cells-a human liver cancer cell line.The results show that the downregulation of all three genes individually and in pairs affects the transcrip-tional activity of many glyco-genes,although downregulation of glyco-genes was not always followed by an unambiguous change in the corresponding glycan structures.The effect is better seen as an overall change in the total HepG2 N-glycome,primarily due to the extension of biantennary glycans.We propose an alternative way to evaluate the N-glycome composition via estimating the overall complexity of the glycome by quantifying the number of monomers in each glycan structure.We also propose a model showing feedback loops with the mutual activation of HNF1A-FOXA2 and HNF4A-FOXA2 affecting glyco-genes and protein glycosylation in HepG2 cells.

Effects of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α silencing on the proliferation of CBRH-7919 hepatoma cells

AIM:To study the effects of hypoxia-inducible factor1α(HIF-1α) silencing on the proliferation of hypoxic CBRH-7919 rat hepatoma cells.METHODS:The CBRH-7919 rat hepatoma cell line was used in this study and the hypoxic model was constructed using CoCl2.The HIF-1α-specific RNAi sequences were designed according to the gene coding sequence of rat HIF-1α obtained from GeneBank.The secondary structure of the HIF-1α gene sequence was analyzed using RNA draw software.The small interfering RNA(siRNA) transfection mixture was produced by mixing the siRNA and Lipofectamine2000TM,and transfected into the hypoxic hepatoma cells.Real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RTPCR) and Western blotting assay were used to detect the expression levels of mRNA and protein.HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) mRNA was determined using real time RT-PCR;the protein expression levels of AKT,p-AKT,p21 and cyclinD1 were determined using Western blotting.The proliferation of hepatoma cells was observed using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay and the bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) incorporation cell proliferation assay.RESULTS:Under induced hypoxia,the viability of the hepatoma cells reached a minimum at 800 μmol/L CoCl2;the viability of the cells was relatively high at CoCl2 concentrations between 100 μmol/L and 200 μmol/L.Under hypoxia,the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF were significantly higher than that of hepatoma cells that were cultured in normaxia.HIF-1α-specific RNAi sequences were successfully transfected into hepatoma cells.The transfection of specific siRNAs significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF,along with the protein expression levels of p-AKT and cyclinD1;the protein expression of p21 was significantly increased,and there was no significant difference in the expression of AKT.The MTT assay showed that the amount of hepatoma cells in S phase in the siRNA transfection group was obviously smaller than that in the control group;in the siRNA transfection group,the amount of hepatoma cells in G1 phase was more than that in the control group.The BrdU incorporation assay showed that the number of BrdU positive hepatoma cells in the siRNA transfection group was less than that in the control group.The data of the MTT assay and BrdU incorporation assay suggested that HIF-1α silencing using siRNAs significantly inhibited the proliferation of hepatoma cells.CONCLUSION:Hypoxia increases the expression of HIF-1α,and HIF-1α silencing significantly inhibits the proliferation of hypoxic CBRH-7919 rat hepatoma cells.

Early expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor increase the neuronal plasticity of activated endogenous neural stem cells after focal cerebral ischemia

Endogenous neural stem cells become ＂activated＂ after neuronal injury, but the activation sequence and fate of endogenous neural stem cells in focal cerebral ischemia model are little known. We evaluated the relationships between neural stem cells and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in a photothromobotic rat stroke model using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. We also evaluated the chronological changes of neural stem cells by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine（BrdU） incorporation. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression was initially increased from 1 hour after ischemic injury, followed by vascular endothelial growth factor expression. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α immunoreactivity was detected in the ipsilateral cortical neurons of the infarct core and peri-infarct area. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactivity was detected in bilateral cortex, but ipsilateral cortex staining intensity and numbers were greater than the contralateral cortex. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactive cells were easily found along the peri-infarct area 12 hours after focal cerebral ischemia. The expression of nestin increased throughout the microvasculature in the ischemic core and the peri-infarct area in all experimental rats after 24 hours of ischemic injury. Nestin immunoreactivity increased in the subventricular zone during 12 hours to 3 days, and prominently increased in the ipsilateral cortex between 3–7 days. Nestin-labeled cells showed dual differentiation with microvessels near the infarct core and reactive astrocytes in the peri-infarct area. BrdU-labeled cells were increased gradually from day 1 in the ipsilateral subventricular zone and cortex, and numerous BrdU-labeled cells were observed in the peri-infarct area and non-lesioned cortex at 3 days. BrdU-labeled cells rather than neurons, were mainly co-labeled with nestin and GFAP. Early expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor after ischemia made up the microenvironment to increase the neuronal plasticity of activated endogenous neural stem cells. Moreover, neural precursor cells after large-scale cortical injury could be recruited from the cortex nearby infarct core and subventricular zone.

Inhibition of chemokine-like factor 1 improves bloodbrain barrier dysfunction in rats following focal cerebral ischemia

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of chemokine-like factor 1(CKLF1),a novel C-C chemokine,on brain-blood barrier(BBB)integrity in rat focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion model.METHODS Antibodies against CKLF1 was applied to the rightcerebral ventricle immediately after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.Brain water content,Evans blue leakage and the expression of aquaporin-4(AQP-4),matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1)and occludin were measured.RESULTS After treatment with antiCKLF1 antibody,brain water content and Evans blue leakage in ipsilateral hemisphere were decreased in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h after reperfusion,but not changed in contralateral hemisphere.Anti-CKLF1 antibody reduced the expression of AQP-4 and MMP-9,and upregulated the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin.These results suggest that CKLF1 is involved in BBB disruption after reperfusion.CONCLUSION Inhibition of CKLF1 protects against cerebral ischemia by maintaining BBB integrity,possibly via inhibiting the expression of AQP-4 and MMP-9,and increasing the expression of tight junction protein.

Roles of Smad3 and Smad7 in rat pancreatic stellate cells activated by transforming growth factor-beta 1

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a major role in promoting pancreatic fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a critical mediator of this process. This study aimed to determine the expression of the Smad3 and Smad7 genes in the process of PSC activation, and explore the mechanisms of chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: The expressions of Smad3 and Smad7 in PSCs before and after TGF-beta 1 treatment were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis. Smad3 expression was detected in PSCs after treatment with 5 ng/ml of TGF-beta 1 for 24 hours. RESULTS: Smad7 expression was decreased in TGF-beta 1 -activated PSCs (P<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. When TGF-beta 1 concentration reached 10 ng/ml, the expression of p-Smad3, Smad3, and Smad7 was inhibited (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TGF-beta 1 promotes the expression of Smad3 and inhibits the expression of Smad7 during the activation of PSCs. In contrast, high-dose TGF-beta 1 downregulates the expression of Smad3 in completely activated PSCs.

Molecular cloning, pathologically-correlated expression and functional characterization of the colony- stimulating factor 1 receptor （CSF-1R） gene from a teleost, Plecoglossus altivelis

Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor （CSF-1R） is an important regulator of monocytes/macrophages （MO/MФ）. Although several CSF-1R genes have been identified in teleosts, the precise role of CSF- 1R in ayu （Plecoglossus altivelis） remains unclear. In this study, we characterized the CSF-1R homologue from P. altivelis, and named it PaCSF-1R. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that PaCSF-1R was most closely related to that of Japanese ricefish （Oryzias latipes）. Tissue distribution and expression analysis showed that the PaCSF-1R transcript was mainly expressed in the head kidney-derived MO/MФ, spleen, and head kidney, and its expression was significantly altered in various tissues upon Vibrio anguillarum infection. After PaCSF-1R neutralization for 48 h, the phagocytic activity of MO/MФ was significantly decreased, suggesting that PaCSF-1R plays a role in regulating the phagocytic function of ayu MO/M（P.

Human insulin-like growth factor 1-transfected umbilical cord blood neural stem cell transplantation improves hypoxic-ischemic brain injury

Human insulin-like growth factor 1-transfected umbilical cord blood neural stem cells were transplanted into a hypoxic-ischemic neonatal rat model via the tail vein. BrdU-positive cells at day 7 post-transplantation, as well as nestin- and neuron specific enolase-positive cells at day 14 were increased compared with those of the single neural stem cell transplantation group. In addition, the proportion of neuronal differentiation was enhanced. The genetically modified cell-transplanted rats exhibited enhanced performance in correctly crossing a Y-maze and climbing an angled slope compared with those of the single neural stem cell transplantation group. These results showed that human insulin-like growth factor 1-transfected neural stem cell transplantation promotes the recovery of the leaming, memory and motor functions in hypoxic-ischemic rats.

Effect of sericin on diabetic hippocampal growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis

Previous studies have shown that sericin extracted from silk cocoon significantly reduces blood glucose levels and protects the nervous system against diabetes mellitus. In this study, a rat type 2 diabetes mellitus model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg/kg streptozotocin for 3 successive days, following which the rats were treated with sericin for 35 days. After treatment, the blood glucose levels of the diabetic rats decreased significantly, the growth hormone level in serum and its expression in the hippocampus decreased significantly, while the insulin-like growth factor-1 level in serum and insulin-like growth factor-1 and growth hormone receptor expression in the hippocampus increased significantly. The experimental findings indicate that sericin improves disorders of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis to alleviate hippocampal damage in diabetic rats.

Feedback regulation between phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent Rac exchange factor 1 and transforming growth factor β1 and prognostic value in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent Rac exchange factor 1(PREX1)was reported to be overexpressed in some cancers and involved in cancer development,but its expression and significance in gastric cancer remain unclear.AIM To evaluate the expression of PREX1 in gastric cancer and its significance in the development of gastric cancer,especially to evaluate the potential mechanism of PREX1 in gastric cancer.METHODS Bioinformatic analysis was performed in order to examine the expression of PREX1 in gastric cancer.The relationship between the survival rate of gastric cancer patients and PREX1 expression was assessed by Kaplan Meier portal.The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and the correlation between PREX1 and transforming growth factor(TGF)β1 pathway-related mediators were evaluated by cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics.Western blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay were used to test the role of TGFβ1 on the expression of PREX1.Western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter system was used to evaluate the effect of PREX1 on the activation of TGFβ1 pathway.Wound healing and Transwell assay were used to assess the effect of PREX1 on the metastasis activity of gastric cancer cells.RESULTS PREX1 was overexpressed in the gastric tumors,and the expression levels were positively associated with the development of gastric cancer.Also,the high expression of PREX1 revealed poor prognosis,especially for those advanced and specific intestinal gastric cancer patients.PREX1 was closely involved in the positive regulation of cell adhesion and positively correlated with TGFβ1-related mediators.Furthermore,TGFβ1 could induce the expression of PREX1 at both the protein and mRNA level.Also,PREX1 could activate the TGFβ1 pathway.The induced PREX1 could increase the migration and invasion activity of gastric cancer cells.CONCLUSION PREX1 is overexpressed in gastric cancer,and the high level of PREX1 predicts poor prognosis.PREX1 is closely associated with TGFβsignaling and promotes the metastasis of gastric cancer cells.

Cloning and Expression of Rat Transforming Growth Factor β1 cDNA in Osteoblasts

Summary: Rat transforming growth factor β1 (rTGFβ1) cDNA from rat lymphocytes was cloned by RT-PCR and inserted into pcDNA3 to construct an eukaryotic expression vector, which was named pcDNA3-TGFβ1. The cloned gene was confirmed to code rat TGFβ1 by restriction enzyme analysis. pcDNA3-TGFβ1 plasmid was transfected into rat osteoblasts by using liposome-mediated gene transfer technique and the expression of TGFβ1 was detected by using irnmunohistochemical staining assay. It was found that the rat TGFβ1 expression product was obviously detectable in the transfected osteoblasts in 48 h. High expression of TGFβ1 was obtained in the rat osteoblasts in which the constructed TGFβ1 expression vector was transfected.