Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

Background: This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).

Methods: High glucose (HG)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to construct DFU cell models. Cell functions were determined using CCK8 assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, wound healing assay and tube formation assay. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were applied to measure the gene expression.

Results: HG treatment suppressed HUVECs proliferation, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis, while enhanced apoptosis. HIPK2 was overexpressed in DFU patients, and its knockdown alleviated HG-induced HUVECs dysfunctions. USP7 stabilised HIPK2 protein by reducing its ubiquitination. USP7 overexpression promoted HG-induced HUVECs dysfunctions, and HIPK2 upregulation also reversed the regulation of USP7 knockdown on HG-induced HUVECs dysfunctions. USP7/HIPK2 axis inhibited the activity of PI3K/AKT pathway.

Conclusion: Our study revealed that USP7-stabilised HIPK2 contributed to HG-induced HUVECs dysfunctions, thus accelerating DFU process.

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine gynaecological disorder that affects many women of childbearing age.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucose-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for obese women with PCOS.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, WOS, and Cochrane Libarary databases up to June 2023. Studies were eligible if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GLP-1RAs against any other treatments for patients with PCOS.

Results: Overall, a total of 8 RCTs were included in this review, 7 of the RCTs compared GLP-1RAs with metformin, and 1 RCT compared GLP-1Ras with dapagliflozin. Compared with control group, GLP-1RAs were more effective at improving insulin sensitivity, reducing BMI, and resulting in a smaller waist circumference.

Conclusions: GLP-1RAs may be a good option for obese women with PCOS, especially those with insulin resistance. However, high-quality studies are also needed in the future to assess the efficacy of GLP-1RAs in women with PCOS.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to provide comprehensive details on the α-G inhibitory potential of various bioactive compounds derived from natural sources.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using various databases and search engines, including Science Direct, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Web of Science, and PubMed until May, 2023.

Results and conclusions: The enzyme alpha-glucosidase (α-G) is found in the brush border epithelium of the small intestine and consists of duplicated glycoside hydrolase (GH31) domain. It involves the conversion of disaccharides and oligosaccharides into monosaccharides by acting on alpha (1 → 4) and (1 → 6) linked glucose residue. Once absorbed, glucose enters the bloodstream and elevates postprandial glucose, which is associated with the development of type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Epidemic obesity, cardiovascular disease, and nephropathy are linked to T2D. Traditional medicinal plants with α-G inhibitory potential are commonly used to treat T2D due to the adverse effects of currently used α-G inhibitors miglitol, acarbose, and voglibose. Various bioactive compounds derived from natural sources, including lupenone, Wilforlide A, Baicalein, Betulinic acid, Ursolic acid, Oleanolic acid, Katononic acid, Carnosol, Hypericin, Astilbin, lupeol, betulonic acid, Fagomine, Lactucaxanthin, Erythritol, GP90-1B, Procyanidins, Galangin, and vomifoliol retain α-G inhibitory potential for regulating hyperglycaemia.

Diabetes is an important chronic disease that can lead to various negative consequences and complications. In recent years, several new alternative treatments have been developed to improve diabetes. Carvacrol found in essential oils of numerous plant species and has crucial potential effects on diabetes. The anti-diabetic effects of carvacrol have also been comprehensively studied in diabetic animal and cell models. In addition, carvacrol could improve diabetes through affecting diabetes-related enzymes, insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, glucose uptake, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The use of carvacrol alone or in combination with anti-diabetic therapies could show a significant potential effect in the treatment of diabetes. This review contributes an overview of the effect of carvacrol in diabetes and anti-diabetic mechanisms.

Backgound: Celastrol, a leptin sensitiser, has been shown to inhibit food intake and reduce body weight in diet-induced obese mice, making it a potential treatment for obesity and metabolic diseases. Adiponectin signalling has been reported to play an important role in the treatment of obesity, inflammation, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Materials and methods: Wild-type (WT) and AdipoR1 knockout (AdipoR1^-/-) mice were placed on a chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) and several metabolic parameters were measured. Celastrol was then administered to the HFD-induced mice and the response of WT and AdipoR1^-/- mice to celastrol in terms of body weight, blood glucose, and food intake was also recorded.

Results: AdipoR1 knockout caused elevated blood glucose and lipids, impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in mice, as well as increased susceptibility to HFD-induced obesity. After 14 days of treatment, WT and AdipoR1^-/- mice showed significant reductions in body weight and blood glucose and improvements in glucose tolerance.

Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that AdipoR1 plays a critical role in metabolic regulation and that the improvement of weight and metabolic function by celastrol is independent of the AdipoR1-mediated signalling pathway.

Context: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) of RNA is involved in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Objective: This study investigated the role of METTL14 in NSCLC and the mechanism.

Materials and methods: Expression levels were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA assays. Cells viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8. M6A methylation was analysed by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RIP, luciferase assay, and mRNA stability assay.

Results: The results showed that METTL14 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of METTL14 inhibited the cell viability while induced ferroptosis of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, METTL14 interacts with GPX4, mediates m6A modification of GPX4, enhances its mRNA stability, and upregulates its expression. In addition, IGF2BP1 recognises the m6A-methylated GPX4 and mediates the elevated mRNA stability. Moreover, GPX4 reversed the effects of METTL14 depletion.

Discussion and conclusion: The METTL14/GPX4 axis promotes NSCLC progression by inhibiting cell ferroptosis through the recognition of m6A modification mediated by IGF2BP1.

Objective: To investigate the effects of tomatidine (Td) on the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in mice and uncover the mechanism.

Methods: T2DM mice model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and intrabitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The mice were grouped as follows: 1, control; 2, T2D; 3, T2D + tomatidine (5 mg/kg); 4, T2D + tomatidine (10 mg/kg); 5, T2D + tomatidine (20 mg/kg). Fasting blood glucose was detected by glucose metre and fasting insulin was detected by the kit to determine the effect of Td on T2DM mice. ELISA, qPCR, and Immunoblot assays were performed to detect the effects of Td on the hepatic glucose homeostasis and inflammation of mice. Immunoblot assays further confirmed the mechanism.

Results: Td improved blood glucose and insulin resistance in T2DM mice. In addition, Td improved liver function and lipid metabolism disorder in T2DM mice. Td also affected the liver glucose homeostasis related genes in T2DM mice. Td alleviated serum inflammation in T2DM mice. We further found that Td activated AMPK pathway, therefore ameliorating T2DM.

Conclusion: Td ameliorated HFD/STZ-induced T2DM in mice, suggesting that it could serve as a drug of T2DM.

Objectve: The purpose of the research was to investigate the effects of aerobic training on renal function, oxidative stress, intrarenal renin-angiotensin system, and mortality of hypertensive and diabetic (SHR-STZ) rats.

Materials and methods: Blood pressure, creatinine, urea levels, urinary glucose, urine volume, and protein excretion were reduced in trained SHR-STZ rats.

Results: Aerobic training not only attenuated oxidative stress but also elevated the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the kid'ney of SHR-STZ rats. Training increased intrarenal levels of angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE and ACE2) as well as the neprilysin (NEP) activity, along with decreased intrarenal angiotensin II (Ang II) levels. Aerobic training significantly improved the survival of STZ-SHR rats.

Conclusion: The protective role of aerobic training was associated with improvements in the renal antioxidative capacity, reduced urinary protein excretion along with reduced intrarenal Ang II and increased NEP activity. These findings might reflect a better survival under the combined pathological conditions, hypertension, and diabetes.

Objective: Improvement of cell survival is essential for achieving better clinical outcomes in stem cell therapy. We investigated the effects of hyperoxic pre-treatment (HP) on the viability of human adipose stromal stem cells (ASCs).

Materials and methods: MTT and Western blot tests were used to assess cell viability and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, respectively. For the in-vivo trial, the rats were subjected to renal ischaemia-reperfusion (IR).

Results: The results showed that HP could significantly increase the viability of ASCs and decrease apoptotic markers (Bax/BCL-2 ratio and Caspase-3) compared with control cells. There were some additional effects with regard to the improvement of renal structure and function in the animal model. However, the difference between the treated and non-treated transplanted ASCs failed to reach significance.

Conclusion: These results suggested that HP could increase the survival of ASCs against oxidative stress-induced damages in the in-vitro condition, but this strategy was not highly effective in renal IR.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a huge global health issue and one of the most studied diseases, with a large global prevalence. Oxidative stress is a cytotoxic consequence of the excessive development of ROS and suppression of the antioxidant defense system for ROS elimination, which accelerates the progression of diabetes complications such as diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy. Hyperglycaemia induced oxidative stress causes the activation of seven major pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. These pathways increase the production of ROS and RNS, which contributes to dysregulated autophagy, gene expression changes, and the development of numerous pro-inflammatory mediators which may eventually lead to diabetic complications. This review will illustrate that oxidative stress plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, and the use of antioxidants will help to reduce oxidative stress and thus may alleviate diabetic complications.