Int J Med Sci
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In order to investigate the altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), the aberrantly expressed miRNAs in the concanavalin A (Con A)-induced AIH mouse model were identified for the first time with microarray in this study. A total of 49 miRNAs (31 up- and 18 down-regulated) were screened out, and the qRT-PCR validation results of 12 chosen miRNAs were consistent with the microarray data. Combined with the profiling of differently expressed mRNAs in the same model (data not shown), 959 predicted target genes (601 for up- and 358 for down-regulated miRNAs) were obtained according to the intersection of databases miRWalk and miRDB, and several hub genes were obtained from the regulatory networks, including Cadm1 and Mier3. ⋯ In the miRNA-GO-network, mmu-miR-193b-3p were exhibited in 33 GO terms of biological processes (BP), and the most significantly regulated GO term in BP categories was "regulation of transcription, DNA-templated". While in the miRNA-pathway-network, mmu-miR-7005-5p were enriched in 37 pathways, which was more than the other specifically expressed miRNAs, and the most significantly enriched pathways were "Endocytosis" and "MAPK signaling pathway". In conclusion, these differently expressed miRNAs seemed to be associated with the onset of AIH, and have the potential to serve as the new targets on the treatment of this disease.
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Resistant dextrin (RD), a short chain glucose polymer, has been shown to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in clinical studies. However, the improvement of adipose tissue inflammation and specific mechanisms of RD supplementation in obesity have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we examined whether RD attenuates obesity and adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. ⋯ Moreover, serum and mRNA levels of IL-6 were significantly reduced in the RD supplementation group. In addition, RD supplementation reduced macrophage infiltration, regulated polarization of macrophage and inhibited NF-κB signaling in epididymal adipose tissue. In conclusion, RD reduces obesity and attenuates adipose tissue inflammation in HFD-fed mice, and the inhibition of NF-κB signaling may be a presumed mechanism for its effects.
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Background: Burn injury induces long-term skeletal muscle pathology. We hypothesized EPO could attenuate burn-induced muscle fiber atrophy. Methods: Rats were allocated into four groups: a sham burn group, an untreated burn group subjected to third degree hind paw burn, and two burn groups treated with weekly or daily EPO for four weeks. ⋯ Daily EPO group caused significant erythrocytosis compared with untreated burn group but not weekly EPO group. Conclusion: EPO therapy attenuated skeletal muscle apoptosis and fibrosis at four weeks post-burn. Weekly EPO may be a safe and effective option in muscle wasting post-burn.
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Cataracts are the major cause of blindness and are associated with oxidative damage of the lens. In the present study, the aim was to evaluate the protective effects of rosmarinic acid on selenite-induced cataractogenesis in Sprague-Dawley rat pups. The animals were randomly divided into five groups, each of which consisted of 10 rat pups. ⋯ In contrast, treatment with rosmarinic acid could significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorate cataract formation and oxidative damage in the lens. Moreover, rosmarinic acid administration significantly increased the protein expressions of filensin, calpain 2, Nrf2, SOD, HO-1, and NQO1, the antioxidant enzymes activities, and the GSH level, in addition to reducing the calcium, lipid peroxidation, and inflammation indicators in the lens. Taken together, rosmarinic acid is a prospective anti-cataract agent that probably delays the onset and progression of cataracts induced by sodium selenite.
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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer without effective targeted drugs. While breast cancer patients often use acupuncture for the relief of cancer-induced pain or the side effects of chemo- or radiation therapy, little information is known regarding the direct effects of electroacupuncture on TNBC tumor and its potential mechanisms. Here, we created a mice model of TNBC and electroacupuncture with encircled needling around the tumors was given to the animals daily for 3 weeks at 15-20 Hz (3 min, each time). ⋯ Additionally, the expression of semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) p75 in TNBC tissue was significantly upregulated in response to electroacupuncture. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha level in the serum was dramatically reduced after electroacupuncture. These results showed that electroacupuncture could directly inhibit TNBC tumor growth through the inhibition of proteins related to tumor angiogenesis and extracellular matrix, the suppression of TNBC-induced inflammation and the upregulation of nerve growth factor receptors.