Physiological research最新文献

This current study seeks to examine the pre-protective function of Quercetin in Cadmium (Cd)-induced liver damage, along with its modulation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB signaling pathway. A total of 60 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to four groups: control (C), quercetin (Q, 100 mg/kg/day), Cd (Cd, 2.5 mg/kg/day), and quercetin and Cd (Q+Cd). Before receiving Cd treatment, quercetin was administered intragastrically for 4 weeks. In the present study, liver markers, oxidative stress parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokines, liver histopathology, apoptotic markers and PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB signaling molecules were examined. We observed that the body weight of the Cd-treated mice dramatically rise after 4 weeks of quercetin pre-administration, and the Cd concentration was significantly decreased. Liver function markers like alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly reduced in quercetin treatment in Cd-induced mice. Additionally, we observed that quercetin reduced Cd-mediated liver injury in mice by assessing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione (GSH) concentrations and the histological alterations. By monitoring tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), quercetin successfully reduced the inflammatory cytokines that the Cd metal caused in the liver. Additionally, in the liver tissues of Cd-mediated, quercetin could enhance the expression of Bcl-2 and decrease the expression of p-Akt, p-PI3K, Bax, Caspase-9, Caspase-3, NF-kappaB. In conclusion, quercetin protects against Cd induced liver injury via several pathways, including oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, and its protective effect correlates with antioxidant activity.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrinological malignancy with an increasing incidence over the last 30 years, with women being more frequently affected. In indicated cases, total thyroidectomy followed by adjuvant radioiodine administration is performed, despite current trends towards less aggressive treatment. We would like to investigate the possible adverse effects of radioiodine (RAI) on ovarian function using a simple serum biomarker. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) appears to be the best endocrine marker for assessing physiological age-related oocyte loss for healthy women. The aim of our ongoing prospective study is to determine serum AMH to estimate ovarian reserve for premenopausal women treated with RAI. Over the course of one year, 33 serum samples from women with thyroid cancer and 3 serum samples from healthy women were examined. AMH levels were compared before radioiodine treatment and at regular intervals after treatment. Mean of the AMH level was 5.4 ng/ml (n=33) prior to RAI. The average level of AMH decreased to 1.8 ng/ml in 4-6 months after treatment. In 22.2 % of patients AMH dropped to 0 ng/ml from a non-zero value. Thereafter, we observed an increase in AMH, the average value was 2.7 ng/ml in 8-12 months. We demonstrated a significant decrease in AMH shortly after radioiodine treatment and a subsequent trend of increase at one year after treatment. Consequently, predicting the adverse effects of radioiodine by assessing a serum biomarker could help to select an appropriate treatment strategy for young women planning pregnancy.

Over recent decades, advancements in omics technologies, such as proteomics, genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and microbiomics, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying various physiological and pathological processes. Nonetheless, the analysis and interpretation of vast omics data concerning reproductive diseases are complicated by the cyclic regulation of hormones and multiple other factors, which, in conjunction with a genetic makeup of an individual, lead to diverse biological responses. Reproductomics investigates the interplay between a hormonal regulation of an individual, environmental factors, genetic predisposition (DNA composition and epigenome), health effects, and resulting biological outcomes. It is a rapidly emerging field that utilizes computational tools to analyze and interpret reproductive data, with the aim of improving reproductive health outcomes. It is time to explore the applications of reproductomics in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying infertility, identification of potential biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment, and in improving assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Reproductomics tools include machine learning algorithms for predicting fertility outcomes, gene editing technologies for correcting genetic abnormalities, and single cell sequencing techniques for analyzing gene expression patterns at the individual cell level. However, there are several challenges, limitations and ethical issues involved with the use of reproductomics, such as the applications of gene editing technologies and their potential impact on future generations are discussed. The review comprehensively covers the applications and advancements of reproductomics, highlighting its potential to improve reproductive health outcomes and deepen our understanding of reproductive molecular mechanisms.

This study aims to explore the correlation between renal blood perfusion (RBP) and diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: A total of 72 mice included db/db and db/m mice at the ages of 6, 14, and 22 weeks, forming six groups. RBP was assessed using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI). Kidney function markers and the extent of pathological damage were evaluated. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to predict the relationship between RBP and various indicators of kidney damage.

Results: Compared to db/m mice of all ages, 6-week-old db/db mice showed no significant difference in kidney function markers and had no apparent pathological damage. However, db/db mice at other ages showed deteriorating kidney functions and evident pathological damage, which worsened with age. The RBP in db/m mice of all ages and 6-week-old db/db mice showed no significant difference; however, RBP in db/db mice demonstrated a significant declining trend with age. The correlation between RBP and kidney damage indicators was as follows: 24 h urinary microalbumin (r=-0.728), urinary transferrin (r=-0.834), urinary beta2-microglobulin (r=-0.755), urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (r=-0.786), Masson's trichrome staining (r=-0.872), and Periodic Acid-Schiff staining (r=-0.908).

Conclusion: RBP is strongly correlated with the extent of diabetic kidney damage.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disorder that includes non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis without or with moderate inflammation and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by necroinflammation and a more rapid progression of fibrosis. It is the primary pathological basis for hepatocellular carcinoma. With its prevalence escalating annually, NAFLD has emerged as a global health epidemic, presenting a significant hazard to public health worldwide. Existing studies have shown that physical activity and exercise training have a positive effect on NAFLD. However, the extent to which exercise improves NAFLD depends on the type, intensity, and duration. Therefore, the type of exercise that has the best effect on improving NAFLD remains to be explored. To date, the most valuable discussions involve aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Exercise intervenes in the pathological process of NAFLD by regulating physiological changes in cells through multiple signaling pathways. The review aims to summarize the signaling pathways affected by two different exercise types associated with the onset and progression of NAFLD. It provides a new basis for improving and managing NAFLD in clinical practice.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1) has gained recognition for its role in conferring cardioprotection. However, the extent to which GPER-1 exerts equally important effects in both sexes remains unclear. The study found similar expressions of GPER-1 in rat heart apex in both sexes. In male rats, administering epinephrine (Epi) at a dose of 31.36 microg/100 g resulted in a rapid decline in cardiac function, accompanied by a sharp increase in bax/bcl-2 levels. In contrast, female rats did not display significant changes in cardiac function under the same conditions. Additionally, compared to the injection of Epi alone (at a dose of 15.68 microg/100 g), the administration of G15 (GPER-1 antagonist) further decreased cardiac function in both male and female rats. However, it only increased mortality and lung coefficient in male rats. Conversely, G1 (GPER-1 agonist) administration improved cardiac function in both sexes. Notably, the apex of the male heart exhibited lower levels of inhibitory G protein (Galphai). Furthermore, female and male rats treated with Epi displayed elevated phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt). Compared to their respective Epi groups, the administration of G15 increased p-Akt levels in female rat hearts but decreased them in male rat hearts. Conversely, the administration of G1 decreased p-Akt levels in females but rapidly increased them in male rats. Our study uncovers the vital role of GPER-1 in protecting against stress-induced heart injuries in a sex-specific manner. These findings hold immense potential for advancing targeted cardiac therapies and enhancing outcomes for both females and males.

While 3-N-butylphthalide (NBP) has demonstrated notable cardioprotective effects, its precise role in mitigating myocardial arrhythmia following ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury in diabetes remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms through which NBP mitigates reperfusion-induced myocardial arrhythmia in diabetic rats, with a particular focus on mitochondrial function and biogenesis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and oxidative/inflammatory responses. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into non-diabetic and diabetic groups, subjected to in-vivo myocardial IR injury, and treated with NBP (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) through different modalities: preconditioning, postconditioning, or a combination of both. Electrocardiography (ECG) was employed to assess the incidence and severity of arrhythmia. Fluorometric, Western blotting and ELISA analyses were utilized to measure the mitochondrial, ER stress, and cellular outcomes. Treatment of non-diabetic rats with NBP in preconditioned, postconditioned, and combined approaches significantly reduced cardiotroponin-I and the frequency and severity of arrhythmias induced by IR injury. However, only the combined preconditioning plus postconditioning approach of NBP had protective and antiarrhythmic effects in diabetic rats, in an additive manner. Moreover, the NBP combined approach improved mitochondrial function and upregulated the expression of PGC-1?, Sirt1, and glutathione while concurrently downregulating ER stress and oxidative and pro-inflammatory-related proteins in diabetic rats. In conclusion, the combined approach of NBP treatment was effective in mitigating myocardial arrhythmia in diabetic rats. This approach coordinates interactions within the mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum network and inhibits oxidative and inflammatory mediators, offering a promising strategy for managing myocardial arrhythmia in diabetic patients. Key words: Myocardial Infarction, Mitochondria, Arrhythmia, Reperfusion, Diabetes, Ischemia.

The study of ontogenetic aspects of water and electrolyte metabolism performed in the Institute of Physiology (Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences) led to the research on the increased susceptibility of immature rats to salt-dependent forms of hypertension since 1966. Hemodynamic studies in developing rats paved the way to the evaluation of hemodynamic mechanisms during the development of genetic hypertension in SHR. A particular attention was focused on altered renal function and kidney damage in both salt and genetic hypertension with a special respect to renin-angiotensin system. Renal damage associated with hypertension progression was in the center of interest of several research groups in Prague. The alterations in ion transport, cell calcium handling and membrane structure as well as their relationship to abnormal lipid metabolism were studied in a close cooperation with laboratories in Munich, Glasgow, Montreal and Paris. The role of NO and oxidative stress in various forms of hypertension was a subject of a joint research with our Slovak colleagues focused mainly on NO-deficient hypertension elicited by chronic L-NAME administration. Finally, we adopted a method enabling us to evaluate the balance of vasoconstrictor and vasodilator mechanisms in BP maintenance. Using this method we demonstrated sympathetic hyperactivity and relative NO deficiency in rats with either salt-dependent or genetic hypertension. At the end of the first decennium of this century we were ready to modify our traditional approach towards modern trends in the research of experimental hypertension. Keywords: Salt-dependent hypertension o Genetic hypertension o Body fluids o Hemodynamics o Ion transport o Cell membrane structure and function o Renal function o Renin-angiotensin systems.

The study aims to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of Baicalin (BAI) in alleviating cartilage injury in osteoarthritic (OA) rat models, concentrating on its regulation of the miR-766-3p/AIFM1 axis. An OA rat model was developed with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Interventions comprised of BAI treatment and intra-articular administration of miR-766-3p inhibitor. For evaluation, histopathological staining was conducted to investigate the pathological severity of knee cartilage injury. The levels of oxidative stress (OS) indicators including MDA, SOD, and GSH-Px, were quantified using colorimetric assays. Inflammatory factors (IFs; TNF-?, IL-1?, and IL-6) in knee joint lavage fluids were assessed using ELISA, while RT-PCR was employed to quantify miR-766-3p expression. TUNEL apoptosis staining was utilized to detect chondrocyte apoptosis, and western blotting examined autophagy-related markers (LC3, Beclin, p62), extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis-associated indices (COL2A, ACAN, MMP13), and apoptosis-inducing factor mitochondrion-associated 1 (AIFM1). Histological examination revealed a marked amelioration of cartilage injury in the BAI-treated OA rat models compared to controls. BAI treatment significantly reduced inflammation and OS of knee joint fluid, activated autophagy, and decreased chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degradation. Interestingly, the inhibitory effects of BAI on these pathological markers were significantly decreased by the miR-766-3p inhibitor. Further assessment revealed that BAI efficiently promoted miR-766-3p expression while inhibiting AIFM1 protein expression. BAI potentially mitigates articular cartilage injury in OA rats, likely through modulation of miR-766-3p/AIFM1 axis. Keywords: Baicalin, microRNA, AIFM1, Osteoarthritisv, Rat.

Disorders of ATP synthase, the key enzyme in mitochondrial energy supply, belong to the most severe metabolic diseases, manifesting as early-onset mitochondrial encephalo-cardiomyopathies. Since ATP synthase subunits are encoded by both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, pathogenic variants can be found in either genome. In addition, the biogenesis of ATP synthase requires several assembly factors, some of which are also hotspots for pathogenic variants. While variants of MT-ATP6 and TMEM70 represent the most common cases of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA mutations respectively, the advent of next-generation sequencing has revealed new pathogenic variants in a number of structural genes and TMEM70, sometimes with truly peculiar genetics. Here we present a systematic review of the reported cases and discuss biochemical mechanisms, through which they are affecting ATP synthase. We explore how the knowledge of pathophysiology can improve our understanding of enzyme biogenesis and function. Keywords: Mitochondrial diseases o ATP synthase o Nuclear DNA o Mitochondrial DNA o TMEM70.