Apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide inhibits atherosclerosis by altering plasma metabolites in hypercholesterolemia

2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (6) ◽  
pp. E683-E694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Jun Ou ◽  
Li Li ◽  
Xiao-Long Liao ◽  
Yi-Ming Wang ◽  
Xiao-Xia Hu ◽  
...  

An apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide, D-4F, has been shown to improve vasodilation and inhibit atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic low-density lipoprotein receptor-null (LDLr−/−) mice. To study the metabolic variations of D-4F ininhibiting atherosclerosis, metabonomics, a novel system biological strategy to investigate the pathogenesis, was developed. Female LDLr−/− mice were fed a Western diet and injected with or without D-4F intraperitoneally. Atherosclerotic lesion formation was measured, whereas plasma metabolic profiling was obtained on the basis of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography in tandem with time-of-flight mass spectrometry operating in both positive and negative ion modes. Data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis to graphically demonstrate metabolic changes. The partial least-squares discriminate analysis model was validated with cross-validation and permutation tests to ensure the model's reliability. D-4F significantly inhibited the formation of atherosclerosis in a time-dependent manner. The metabolic profiling was altered dramatically in hypercholesterolemic LDLr−/− mice, and a significant metabolic profiling change in response to D-4F treatment was observed in both positive and negative ion modes. Thirty-six significantly changed metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers. A series of phospholipid metabolites, including lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LysoPE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SM), and diacylglycerol (DG), particularly the long-chain LysoPC, was elevated dramatically in hypercholesterolemic LDLr−/− mice but reduced by D-4F in a time-dependent manner. Quantitative analysis of LysoPC, LysoPE, PC, and DG using HPLC was chosen to validate the variation of these potential biomarkers, and the results were consistent with the metabonomics findings. Our findings demonstrated that D-4F may inhibit atherosclerosis by regulating phospholipid metabolites specifically by decreasing plasma long-chain LysoPC.

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 303-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shipeng Wang ◽  
Xia Gu ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Xiling Zhang ◽  
Yilan Li ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Angiotensin II (Ang II) regulates the expression of some core clock genes; excess Ang II leads to atherosclerosis advancement. Macrophage Rev-erbα mediates clockwork and inflammation, and plays a role in atherosclerotic lesion progression. However, the role of Ang II in regulating Rev-erbα expression in macrophages remains unclarified. Methods: We induced THP-1 macrophages by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and investigated the effect of Ang II on Rev-erbα expression via real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and small interfering RNA (siRNA) techniques. The cytotoxicity of the Rev-erbα agonist SR9009 was analyzed using a (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl])-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Results: Ang II suppressed Rev-erbα mRNA and protein expression in THP-1 macrophages in a dose and time dependent manner. This effect was mediated via Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), and not Ang II type 2 receptor or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Consistent with Rev-erbα expression regulated by Ang II, the liver X receptor α (LXRα) protein expression was downregulated in a time-dependent manner after Ang II treatment. The activation or silence of LXRα significantly increased or decreased Rev-erbα expression regulated by Ang II, respectively. This suggests that LXRα is involved in the effect of Ang II on Rev-erbα expression. MMP-9 mRNA expressions were significantly suppressed by SR9009 in THP-1 and RAW264.7 macrophages; moreover, SR9009-treatment significantly reduced Ang II–induced MMP-9 protein expressions in two types of macrophages. Conclusion: Ang II downregulates Rev-erbα expression in THP-1 macrophages via the AT1R/LXRα pathway.


2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (5) ◽  
pp. R514-R524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto S. Moreira ◽  
Maria Irigoyen ◽  
Talita R. Sanches ◽  
Rildo A. Volpini ◽  
Niels O. S. Camara ◽  
...  

Kidney injury, heart injury, and cytokine-induced vascular hyperpermeability are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality in sepsis. Although the mechanism remains unknown, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) mimetic peptide 4F reduces inflammation and protects HDL levels, which are reduced in sepsis. We hypothesized that 4F also protects kidneys and hearts in a rat model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We divided Wistar rats into groups: sham-operated (control), CLP, and CLP+4F (10 mg/kg body wt ip, 6 h after CLP). At 24 h post-CLP, we evaluated cardiac function, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), baroreflex sensitivity, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, serum cytokines, and inulin clearance. We performed immunoblotting for protein regulators of vascular permeability (Slit2 and Robo4) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in kidney tissue. We evaluated heart mitochondria with electron microscopy. Although there was no difference in MAP, the HR was significantly higher in CLP rats than in control and CLP+4F rats. In CLP+4F rats, baroreflex sensitivity and cardiac function were completely protected from the effects of CLP, as was glomerular filtration; heart mitochondria morphology was improved; sepsis-induced changes in serum cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and apoA-I were less common; all cytokines were lower than in CLP rats; and expression of Slit2, Robo4, and eNOS was completely restored. Administration of 4F inhibits inflammatory responses and strengthens the vascular barrier, protecting kidneys and hearts in an HDL-dependent manner. To determine the extent of the protective effect of 4F, further studies are needed.


Author(s):  
Hongtao Li ◽  
Peng Chen ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Xinning Wang

Background: Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is usually activated in Wilms tumor (WT) cells and plays a critical role in WT development. Objective: The study purpose was to screen a NF-κB inhibitor from natural product library and explore its effects on WT development. Methods: Luciferase assay was employed to assess the effects of natural chemical son NF-κB activity. CCK-8 assay was conducted to assess cell growth in response to naringenin. WT xenograft model was established to analyze the effect of naringenin in vivo. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to examine the mRNA and protein levels of relative genes, respectively. Results: Naringenin displayed significant inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation in SK-NEP-1 cells. In SK-NEP-1 and G-401 cells, naringenin inhibited p65 phosphorylation. Moreover, naringenin suppressed TNF-α-induced p65 phosphorylation in WT cells. Naringenin inhibited TLR4 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in WT cells. CCK-8 staining showed that naringenin inhibited cell growth of the two above WT cells in dose-and time-dependent manner, whereas Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) over expression partially reversed the above phenomena. Besides, naringenin suppressed WT tumor growth in dose-and time-dependent manner in vivo. Western blot found that naringenin inhibited TLR4 expression and p65 phosphorylation in WT xenograft tumors. Conclusion: Naringenin inhibits WT development viasuppressing TLR4/NF-κB signaling


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (18) ◽  
pp. 4293
Author(s):  
Zhen-Wang Li ◽  
Chun-Yan Zhong ◽  
Xiao-Ran Wang ◽  
Shi-Nian Li ◽  
Chun-Yuan Pan ◽  
...  

Novel imidazole derivatives were designed, prepared, and evaluated in vitro for antitumor activity. The majority of the tested derivatives showed improved antiproliferative activity compared to the positive control drugs 5-FU and MTX. Among them, compound 4f exhibited outstanding antiproliferative activity against three cancer cell lines and was considerably more potent than both 5-FU and MTX. In particular, the selectivity index indicated that the tolerance of normal L-02 cells to 4f was 23–46-fold higher than that of tumor cells. This selectivity was significantly higher than that exhibited by the positive control drugs. Furthermore, compound 4f induced cell apoptosis by increasing the protein expression levels of Bax and decreasing those of Bcl-2 in a time-dependent manner. Therefore, 4f could be a potential candidate for the development of a novel antitumor agent.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Angelo Iacobino ◽  
Giovanni Piccaro ◽  
Manuela Pardini ◽  
Lanfranco Fattorini ◽  
Federico Giannoni

Previous studies on Escherichia coli demonstrated that sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fluoroquinolones induced the SOS response, increasing drug tolerance. We characterized the transcriptional response to moxifloxacin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Reference strain H37Rv was treated with moxifloxacin and gene expression studied by qRT-PCR. Five SOS regulon genes, recA, lexA, dnaE2, Rv3074 and Rv3776, were induced in a dose- and time-dependent manner. A range of moxifloxacin concentrations induced recA, with a peak observed at 2 × MIC (0.25 μg/mL) after 16 h. Another seven SOS responses and three DNA repair genes were significantly induced by moxifloxacin. Induction of recA by moxifloxacin was higher in log-phase than in early- and stationary-phase cells, and absent in dormant bacilli. Furthermore, in an H37Rv fluoroquinolone-resistant mutant carrying the D94G mutation in the gyrA gene, the SOS response was induced at drug concentrations higher than the mutant MIC value. The 2 × MIC of moxifloxacin determined no significant changes in gene expression in a panel of 32 genes, except for up-regulation of the relK toxin and of Rv3290c and Rv2517c, two persistence-related genes. Overall, our data show that activation of the SOS response by moxifloxacin, a likely link to increased mutation rate and persister formation, is time, dose, physiological state and, possibly, MIC dependent.


2021 ◽  
Vol 187 ◽  
pp. 108493
Author(s):  
Gerardo Ramirez-Mejia ◽  
Elvi Gil-Lievana ◽  
Oscar Urrego-Morales ◽  
Ernesto Soto-Reyes ◽  
Federico Bermúdez-Rattoni

Author(s):  
Hong Wang ◽  
Wenjuan Zhang ◽  
Jinren Liu ◽  
Junhong Gao ◽  
Le Fang ◽  
...  

Abstract Blast lung injury (BLI) is the major cause of death in explosion-derived shock waves; however, the mechanisms of BLI are not well understood. To identify the time-dependent manner of BLI, a model of lung injury of rats induced by shock waves was established by a fuel air explosive. The model was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining and pathological score. The inflammation and oxidative stress of lung injury were also investigated. The pathological scores of rats’ lung injury at 2 h, 24 h, 3 days, and 7 days post-blast were 9.75±2.96, 13.00±1.85, 8.50±1.51, and 4.00±1.41, respectively, which were significantly increased compared with those in the control group (1.13±0.64; P<0.05). The respiratory frequency and pause were increased significantly, while minute expiratory volume, inspiratory time, and inspiratory peak flow rate were decreased in a time-dependent manner at 2 and 24 h post-blast compared with those in the control group. In addition, the expressions of inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, FosB, and NF-κB were increased significantly at 2 h and peaked at 24 h, which gradually decreased after 3 days and returned to normal in 2 weeks. The levels of total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase were significantly decreased 24 h after the shock wave blast. Conversely, the malondialdehyde level reached the peak at 24 h. These results indicated that inflammatory and oxidative stress induced by shock waves changed significantly in a time-dependent manner, which may be the important factors and novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of BLI.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 619-628
Author(s):  
Chen Yuan ◽  
Ya Mo ◽  
Jie Yang ◽  
Mei Zhang ◽  
Xuejun Xie

AbstractAdvanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) are harmful factors that can damage the inner blood–retinal barrier (iBRB). Rat retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMECs) were isolated and cultured, and identified by anti-CD31 and von Willebrand factor polyclonal antibodies. Similarly, rat retinal Müller glial cells (RMGCs) were identified by H&E staining and with antibodies of glial fibrillary acidic protein and glutamine synthetase. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value was measured with a Millicell electrical resistance system to observe the leakage of the barrier. Transwell cell plates for co-culturing RMECs with RMGCs were used to construct an iBRB model, which was then tested with the addition of AGEs at final concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/L for 24, 48, and 72 h. AGEs in the in vitro iBRB model constructed by RMEC and RMGC co-culture led to the imbalance of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelial derivative factor (PEDF), and the permeability of the RMEC layer increased because the TEER decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. AGEs increased VEGF but lowered PEDF in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The intervention with AGEs led to the change of the transendothelial resistance of the RMEC layer likely caused by the increased ratio of VEGF/PEDF.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natsumi Funeshima ◽  
Ryotaro Miura ◽  
Taiga Katoh ◽  
Hikari Yaginuma ◽  
Takeshi Kitou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Repeat breeding is a critical reproductive disorder in cattle. The problem of repeat breeder cattle remains largely unmanageable due to a lack of informative biomarkers. Here, we utilized metabolomic profiling in an attempt to identify metabolites in the blood plasma and uterine luminal fluids. We collected blood and uterine fluid from repeat breeder and healthy cows on day 7 of the estrous cycle. Results Metabolomic analysis identified 17 plasma metabolites detected at concentrations that distinguished between the two groups, including decreased various bile acids among the repeat breeders. However, no metabolites that varied significantly were detected in the uterine luminal fluids between two groups. Among the plasma samples, kynurenine was identified as undergoing the most significant variation. Kynurenine is a metabolite produced from tryptophan via the actions of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). As IDO is key for maternal immune tolerance and induced in response to interferon tau (IFNT, ruminant maternal recognition of pregnancy factor), we examined the responsiveness to IFNT on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from healthy and repeat breeder cows. The mRNA expression of IFNT-response makers (ISG15 and MX2) were significantly increased by IFNT treatment in a dose-dependent manner in both groups. Although treatment with IFNT promoted the expression of IDO in PBMCs from both groups, it did so at a substantially reduced rate among the repeat breeder cows, suggesting that decreased levels of kynurenine may relate to the reduced IDO expression in repeat breeder cows. Conclusions These findings provide valuable information towards the identification of critical biomarkers for repeat breeding syndrome in cattle.


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