Studies reported the positive and negative osteogenic effects of MEG3 in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This study aims at clarifying the osteogenic potential of MEG3 and the underlying mechanism. Bone morphogenetic protein 9- (BMP9-) transfected MSCs were recruited as an osteogenic model in vitro, and ectopic bone formation were used in vivo to explore the effect of MEG3 on osteogenesis. We found that overexpression of MEG3 facilitated BMP9-induced osteogenic markers, ALP activities, and matrix mineralization. However, knockdown of MEG3 attenuated BMP9-induced osteogenic markers. MEG3 increased the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and the protein level of β-catenin. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) can also combine with GSK-3β and increase the latter phosphorylation. Moreover, MEG3 increased the mRNA level of PDK4. The ceRNA analysis showed that MEG3 may regulate the expression of PDK4 via microRNA 532-5p (miR-532-5p). The MEG3-enhanced GSK-3β/β-catenin axis can be attenuated by miR-532-5p, and miR-532-5p inhibitor partly rescued endogenous PDK4 and MEG3-mediated expression of PDK4. MEG3 may potentiate PDK4 and GSK-3β/β-catenin by inhibiting miR-532-5p.

Studies have reported that miR-204-5p is involved in multiple biological processes. However, little is known about the expression and mechanism of miR-204-5p in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. This study found that miR-204-5p expression was significantly downregulated in the blood of patients with ischemic stroke, MCAO/R rat brains, and OGD/R neurons. Overexpression of miR-204-5p markedly reduced infarct volume and neurological impairment and alleviated the inflammatory response in vivo. miR-204-5p promoted neuronal viability and reduced apoptotic cells in vitro. Mechanically, miR-204-5p was negatively regulated by the expression lncRNA TUG1 upstream and down-regulated COX2 expression downstream. Therefore, the TUG1/miR-204-5p/COX2 axis was involved in ischemia and reperfusion-induced neuronal damage. This finding may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-702-5p on diabetic encephalopathy (DE) and the interaction of miR-702-5p/12/15-LOX in the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, db/db mice were used as DE animal model and HT22 cells were treated with high-glucose (HG). Based on the bioinformatics prediction of possible binding sites between miR-702-5p and 12/15-LOX, we found that the expression of miR-702-5p was significantly down-regulated while 12/15-LOX up-regulated in vivo and in vitro, and the expression changes were inversely correlated. In vivo, diabetic mice with cognitive dysfunction and hippocampal neuronal damage had a concomitant increase in amyloid precursor protein (APP), amyloid beta(Aβ), tau, BAX protein expressions; by contrast, Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly decreased. Overexpression of miR-702-5p significantly reduced the histopathological damage of the hippocampus, improved the learning and memory function of db/db mice, down-regulated 12/15-LOX, APP, Aβ, tau, BAX protein expressions significantly and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. In vitro, miR-702-5p mimic reversed the decline in cell viability and the increase in cell apoptosis induced by HG. Simultaneously, reduced 12/15-LOX, APP, Aβ, BAX protein expressions, and increased Bcl-2 protein expression were detected in the miR-702-5p mimic group. Moreover, combined administration of miR-702-5p mimic and 12/15-LOX overexpression lentivirus significantly reversed the protective effect of up-regulation of miR-702-5p. In conclusion, miR-702-5p has a neuroprotective effect on DE, and this effect was achieved by inhibiting 12/15-LOX. However, miR-702-5p had an endogenous regulatory effect on 12/15-LOX rather than a direct targeting relationship.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most severe complications of diabetes mellitus. The pathomolecular events behind DN remain uncertain. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) play essential functions in the development of DN. Meanwhile, 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) also plays central roles in the regulation of renal function. However, the relationship between PPARs and 20-HETE is rarely studied in DN. It was revealed in our study that both PPARs expression and CYP4A-20-HETE level were decreased under DN conditions in vivo and in vitro. Supplementation with bezafibrate, a PPAR pan-agonist, improved the damage of kidney in DN mice and in high glucose-induced NRK-52E cells, following the up-regulation of PPARs and the increase of CYP4A-20-HETE. PPARα antagonist (MK886), PPARβ antagonist (GSK0660), and PPARγ antagonist (GW9662) reversed the protection of bezafibrate in NRK-52E, and abrogated the up-regulation of CYP4A-20-HETE produced by bezafibrate. Noteworthily, 20-HETE synthetase inhibitor, HET0016, also blocked the bezafibrate-mediated improvement of NRK-52E, and abolished the up-regulation of PPARs expression. Collectively, our data suggest that the concurrent down-regulation and interaction of PPARs and 20-HETE play crucial roles in the pathogenesis process of DN, and we provide a novel evidence that PPARs/20-HETE signaling may be served as a therapeutic target for DN patients.

Naringenin is a flavanone compound found in citrus fruits. Recent researches showed that naringenin has many potentially pharmacological effects. However, the therapeutic effect and the potential mechanism of naringenin on diabetic nephropathy (DN) remain to be elucidated. DN model was established by a high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ), which was confirmed by the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG, more than 11.1 mmol/L) and urinary albumin (10 times higher than the normal mice). After 5 weeks of STZ injection, the DN was developed in model mice. Then naringenin (25 or 75 mg/kg·d) were supplemented for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the injury of the renal function and structure was deteriorated. Concomitantly, peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors (PPARs) protein expression was down-regulated, and CYP4A expression and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) level were reduced in DN mice. Naringenin administration improved the renal damage of DN mice, and up-regulated PPARs expression, increased CYP4A-20-HETE level. Consistent with the results of in vivo, glucose at 30 mmol/L (high glucose, HG) significantly induced cell proliferation and hypertrophy in NRK-52E cells, following the reductive PPARs protein expression and the downward CYP4A-20-HETE level. Naringenin (0.01, 0.1, 1 μmol/L) reversed these changes induced by HG in a dose-dependent manner. HET0016, a selective inhibitor of 20-HETE synthase, partially blocked the effects of naringenin. In conclusion, naringenin has a therapeutic effect on DN, which may be, at least partly, related to the activation of CYP4A-20-HETE and the up-regulation of PPARs.

Polydatin has a wide range of pharmacological activities, yet the underlying effects on diabetic hepatopathy remain unclear. Diabetic model was established by feeding mice a high-energy diet for 4 weeks combined with streptozotocin, then hepatopathy model was confirmed by histopathological observation after another 4 weeks. Polydatin supplementation (50 or 100 mg/kg/day, i.g.) for an additional 4 weeks improved signs of liver damage compared to untreated mice. The protein and mRNA expressions of PPARs were down-regulated, while of NF-κB, iNOS and COX-2 were up-regulated following diabetic hepatic injury, and TNF-α and IL-1β were increased in serum. Polydatin supplementation up-regulated PPAR-β expression, but elevated PPAR-α only at 100 mg/kg/day, while had no influence on PPAR-γ. Polydatin also corrected the above abnormal proinflammatory cytokines levels. In conclusion, polydatin can improve hepatic injury in diabetic mice, which may be due to a reduction of proinflammatory cytokines through the promoted expressions of PPAR-β and -α.

Sesamin has been described to exert anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In present study, we investigated the potential effects and mechanisms of sesamin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in d-galactosamine (D-GalN)-sensitized mice. Our results showed that pretreatment with sesamin dose-dependently improved LPS/D-GalN-induced mortality and liver injury as indicated by reduced serum levels of aminotransferases and alleviated pathological damage as well as hepatocyte apoptosis in mice. Additionally, sesamin markedly attenuated LPS/D-GalN-induced adhesion molecules expression, and decreased neutrophils recruitment. Furthermore, sesamin inhibited LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and NF-κB activation, and Toll like receptor (TLR) 4 expression in mice and in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. In summary, these results demonstrate that sesamin protects mice from LPS-induced FHF and the molecular mechanisms may down-regulate the expression of TLR4, block MAPK and NF-κB activation, decrease the production of TNF-α.

Objective: To investigate the role of the PPAR gamma-PI3K/AlCf-NO signaling pathway in cardiac hypertrophy induced by high glucose and insulin.Methods: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose (25.5 mmol/L) and insulin (0.1 mu mol/L) (HGI) was characterized in rat primary cardiomyocytes by measuring the cell surface area, protein content, and atrial natriuretic factor mRNA expression level. Protein and mRNA expressions were measured by Western blotting and real time RT-PCR, respectively. A spectrophotometric assay was used to measure the enzymatic concentration of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), and the Griess assay measured the NO concentration.Results: HGI induced significant cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and decreased the expression of PPAR gamma, Ala and eNOS at the mRNA and protein levels, which occurred in parallel with declining eNOS activity and NO concentration (P < 0.05). The effects of HGI were inhibited by rosiglitazone (0.1 mu mol/L), a selective PPAR gamma agonist (P < 0.05). However, GW9662, a selective PPAR gamma antagonist, abolished the effects of rosiglitazone (P < 0.05). LY294002, a PI3K/AKT inhibitor, and N-G-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester, an NOS inhibitor, partially blocked the effects of rosiglitazone (P < 0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest that the PPAR gamma-PI3K/AKT-NO signal transduction pathway might be involved in HGI-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AIM:To investigate the potential effect of curcumin on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and a possible mechanism involving the PPARγ/Akt/NO signaling pathway in diabetes.METHODS:The cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose (25.5mmol/L) and insulin (0.1μmol/L) (HGI) and the antihypertrophic effect of curcumin were evaluated in primary culture by measuring the cell surface area, protein content and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA expression. The mRNA and protein expressions were assayed by reverse transcription PCR and Western blotting, whereas the NO concentration and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity were determined using nitrate reduction and ELISA methods, respectively.RESULTS:The cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by HGI was characterized by increasing ANF mRNA expression, total protein content, and cell surface area, with downregulated mRNA and protein expressions of both PPARγ and Akt, which paralleled the declining eNOS mRNA expression, eNOS content, and NO concentration. The effects of HGI were inhibited by curcumin (1, 3, 10μmol/L) in a concentration-dependent manner. GW9662 (10μmol/L), a selective PPARγ antagonist, could abolish the effects of curcumin. LY294002 (20μmol/L), an Akt blocker, and N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (100μmol/L), a NOS inhibitor, could also diminish the effects of curcumin.CONCLUSIONS:The results suggested that curcumin supplementation can improve HGI-induced cardiomyocytes hypertrophy in vitro through the activation of PPARγ/Akt/NO signaling pathway.

目的 观察退黄合剂对异硫氰酸-1-萘酯(ANIT)诱导的胆汁淤积性肝损伤的保护作用.方法 SD大鼠随机分成5组,即空白对照组,ANIT模型组,退黄合剂低、中、高剂量组,大鼠在ANIT处理48 h后被处死,检测血清中丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)和碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性及总胆红素(TBIL)和直接胆红素(DBIL)含量;肝组织做组织切片HE染色;分析肝组织中SOD和MPO活性;酶联免疫法分析肝组织中巨噬细胞炎性蛋白(MIP)-2生成;免疫印迹法检测细胞间黏附分子(ICAM)-1表达.结果 与空白对照组相比,模型组ALT、AST、ALP、DBIL、TBIL、MPO和MIP-2显著增高(P＜0.01),肝脏病理病变明显,肝组织Ⅰ-CAM-1表达上调;与模型组相比,退黄合剂呈剂量依赖地降低ALT、AST、ALP、DBIL、TBIL、MPO和MIP-2,减轻肝脏病变,下调ICAM-1的表达(P＜0.05或P＜0.01).结论 退黄合剂能保护ANIT诱导的胆汁淤积性肝损伤,其作用机制可能与抑制MIP-2和ICAM-1,减少中性粒细胞浸润,减轻炎症性肝脏损伤有关.