Dexmedetomidine is Resistant to Ferroptosis by Activating mTOR-TFR1 Signaling

Background: With the development of society, Neurodegenerative disease (ND), such as alzheimer's disease, is more and more important to the researchers. Metal iron may play a crucial role in this disease, so our research constructed the iron overloading model in nerve cells, induce the ferroptosis, simulate the state of the nerve in the body, and used the anesthesia Dexmedetomidine (Dex), and study whether the Dex can inhibit the ferroptosis and reduce the ND.Methods: Cell proliferation kit CCK8 and PI/Hoechst fluorescence double staining were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of HT22 cells. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the expression of PTGS2 and ACSL4, pathway proteins mTOR, TFR1. ROS content in HT22 cells was determined by DHE fluorescence probe. Lipid Peroxidation in nerve cells was detected by MDA Assay. Mito-ferrorange fluorescent probe was used to detect the level of ferrous ions in cells to demonstrate that ferroptosis occurred in nerve cells and Dex could protect nerve cells from ferroptosis.Results: Dex inhibits ferroptosis by regulating the mTOR-TFR1 pathway, reducing lipid peroxidation, intracellular reactive oxygen accumulation (ROS), reducing iron ions, and alleviating mitochondrial damage. mTOR is a well-known autophagy target and has been found to be closely related to ferroptosis. Dex activates the mTOR pathway, inhibits iron entry into the cell, reduces iron influx, and prevents ferroptosis by fenton reaction between excessive iron and lipids in the cell.Conclusion: Dex protects nerve cells from ferroptosis by regulating the mTOR-TFR1 pathway.

Scalp Acupuncture and Treadmill Training Inhibits Neuronal Apoptosis through Activating cIAP1 in Cerebral Ischemia Rats

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in developed countries. Multitudinous evidence suggests that treadmill training treatment is beneficial for balance and stroke rehabilitation; however, the need for stroke therapy remains unmet. In the present study, a cerebral ischemia rat model was established by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training on ischemic stroke. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN) double staining and cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 (cIAP1) and NeuN immunofluorescence double staining were used to detect the short-term and long-term neuroprotective effects of scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training on pMCAO rats. In addition, the antiapoptotic effect of the combined treatment was evaluated in pMCAO rats transfected with cIAP1 shRNA. Western blotting was used to detect the relative protein expression in the caspase-8/-9/-3 activation pathway downstream of cIAP1 to further clarify its regulatory mechanism. Our results showed that scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training successfully achieved short-term and long-term functional improvement within 14 days after stroke, significantly inhibited neuronal apoptosis, and upregulated the expression of cIAP1 protein in the ischemic penumbra area of the ischemic brain. However, no significant functional improvement and antiapoptotic effect were found in pMCAO rats transfected with cIAP1 shRNA. Western blotting results showed that the combined therapy markedly inhibited the activation of the caspase-8/-9/-3 pathway. These findings indicate that scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training therapy may serve as a more effective alternative modality in the treatment of ischemic stroke, playing an antiapoptotic role by upregulating the expression of cIAP1 and inhibiting the activation of the caspase-8/-9/-3 pathway.

PKM2 Is a Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Target for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a major cause of blindness that is difficult to diagnose and treat. PKM2, a subtype of pyruvate kinase, is strongly associated with oxidative stress and is expressed in photoreceptors. We investigated whether PKM2 reduces photoreceptor cell apoptosis and evaluated possible antiapoptotic mechanisms in RP. We established RP models by exposing 661W cells to blue light and modulated PKM2 activity using a PKM2 inhibitor. We measured the apoptosis rates using calcein-acetoxymethyl ester/propidium iodide double staining and Cell Counting Kit-8, the oxidative stress levels using a reactive oxygen species assay, and the changes in protein expression by western blotting. Photodamage increased PKM2 expression, cellular oxidative stress, and apoptosis of 661W cells. PKM2 inhibition significantly reduced the levels of apoptosis and oxidative stress induced by photodamage. Our data suggest that PKM2 is a potential disease marker and therapeutic target for RP.

Anticancer and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) on oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (KB cell lines)- An In-vitro study

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) as been used as traditional medicine for many years and they possess antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Clove is known for its anticancer property on various cancer cell lines and is well established, but its anticancer effect on OSCC cell lines is less known. Aim of the study was to determine the anticancer and antioxidant effect of Syzygium aromaticum extract on OSCC cell lines (KB cell lines) and compare the same with normal mouse fibroblasts cell lines (L292 cell lines). KB cell lines and L292 cell lines were commercially obtained. Clove was obtained from local market and ethanolic extract (EC) of clove was prepared. Anticancer activity was assessed by MTT, neutral red, DAPI and Double staining assay and antioxidant assay was carried out by FRAP, PM and DPPH assay. The antioxidant property of EC of clove increased with increase in the concentration in a dose dependent manner. Both MTT and Neutral Red assay showed increase in cell death with increase in concentration of EC of clove. Double staining and DAPI showed increase in cell death when treated with EC of clove. The anticancer and antioxidant activity of EC of clove was comparable with standard drug used in the assay. This in vitro study demonstrates effective anticancer and antioxidant activity on KB cell lines when compared to standard control. However, further studies are to be conducted in order to characterize other potential antitumor components of the clove, so that it can be used as therapeutic agent in treating oral carcinoma.

Comparative evaluation of the results of an immunocytochemical study of P16/Ki-67 coexpression in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia associated with human papillomavirus

Aim. To evaluate the results of an immunocytochemical study of p16/Ki-67 double staining in the cervical epithelium of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPVhr) in comparison with patients without cervical pathology. Materials and methods. The comparative study included the results of examination of 75 patients divided into 4 groups. Patients with CIN1 comprised the 1st main group (n=21), women with CIN2CIN3 the 2nd main group (n=26), the comparison group consisted of patients with latent HPV infection (n=15) and the control group (n=13). The average age of women with cervical HPV infection was 26.46.13 years. Methods of investigation: liquid cytology, colposcopic, histological examination; methods for determining HPVhr DNA; immunocytochemical examination for determining double staining of p16/Ki-67 markers, statistical analysis. Results. A positive p16/Ki-67 double staining test prevailed among patients with CIN (31.9%) compared to patients without cervical pathology (3.6%) (p=0.003) and correlated with the severity of colposcopic signs (rs=+0.397, p=0.0004). In the 1st main group of patients with verified CIN1 and in the comparison group of patients with latent infection, isolated cases of a positive test of double staining of p16/Ki-67 markers in the epithelium were recorded without significant differences between the groups (9.5 и 6.6%, p0.05). In the 2nd main group of patients with verified CIN2, CIN3, a positive test of double staining of p16 and Ki-67 was observed in every second case, dominating relative to the 1st group, the comparison group and the control group (p=0.003, p=0.005, р=0.001 respectively). In the control group, a negative double staining test was established in all cases. Conclusion. Every second patient with CIN2+ associated with HPVhr has a positive test of double staining of the cervical epithelium, with CIN1 it is observed in 9.5% of cases (p=0.003). Among patients with CIN1, there were no differences in the expression of p16/Ki-67 in epithelial cells compared to women without cervical pathology. The data of the immunocytochemical study of p16/Ki-67 in the cervical epithelium of HPVhr positive patients with CIN should be taken into account when choosing a differentiated management strategy.

Improvement in Double Staining With Fluoro-Jade C and Fluorescent Immunostaining: FJC Staining Is Not Specific to Degenerating Mature Neurons

Fluoro-Jade C (FJC) staining has been used to detect degenerating neurons in tissue sections. It is a simple and easy staining procedure and does not depend on the manner of cell death. In some experiments, double staining with FJC and fluorescent immunostaining (FI) is required to identify cell types. However, pretreatment for FJC staining contains some processes that are harsh to fluorophores, and the FI signal is greatly reduced. To overcome this issue, we improved the double staining protocol to acquire clear double-stained images by introducing the labeled streptavidin–biotin system. In addition, several studies indicate that FJC can label non-degenerating glial cells, including resting/reactive astrocytes and activated microglia. Moreover, our previous study indicated that degenerating mesenchymal cells were also labeled by FJC, but it is still unclear whether FJC can label degenerating glial cells. Acute encephalopathy model mice contained damaged astrocytes with clasmatodendrosis, and 6-aminonicotinamide-injected mice contained necrotic astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Using our improved double staining protocol with FJC and FI, we detected FJC-labeled degenerating astrocytes and oligodendrocytes with pyknotic nuclei. These results indicate that FJC is not specific to degenerating neurons in some experimental conditions: