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Shikonin is a naturally occurring naphthoquinone pigment and a major constituent present in Lithospermum erythrorhizon . Since microRNAs (miRNAs) are one of the key post-transcriptional regulators of adipogenesis, their manipulation represents a potential new strategy to inhibit adipogenesis. Our aim was to investigate shikonin-dependent inhibition of adipogenesis with an emphasis on miRNA-related processes. Mir-34a increased during induced adipogenesis, and this was suppressed in the presence of shikonin. mRNA expression of FKBP1B, a suggested target of mir-34a according to bioinformatics studies, decreased during adipogenesis, but was recovered by shikonin treatment, which reversely correlated with mir-34a expression. A mir-34a inhibitor suppressed MDI-induced adipogenesis by blocking PPARγ and C/EBPα expression, while suppression of mir-34a recovered MDI-induced down-regulation of FKBP1B expression. A mir-34a mimic decreased FKBP1B mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. We also observed that mir-34a bound directly to the 3′-untranslated region of FKBP1B. Finally, FKBP1B overexpression attenuated MDI-induced adipogenesis, PPARγ, and C/EBPα expression. These results suggest that mir-34a regulates adipogenesis by targeting FKBP1B expression. Our findings reveal that shikonin prevents adipogenesis by blocking the mir-34a-FKBP1B pathway which represents a promising potential target for preventing obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Water, methanol and ethanol extracts of freeze-dried leaves of wild ginseng were examined for their antioxidant properties. All leaf extracts were capable of free radicals scavenging activity. Among solvent extracts of wild ginseng leaves, ethanol extract showed the highest DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging and ferrous ion chelating activity. Otherwise, the highest superoxide radical scavenging activity was found in water extract followed by ethanol and methanol extracts of wild ginseng leaves. Ethanol extracts contained more phenolics (2333.2mg/100g) and flavonoids (1199.1mg/100g) than other extracts. These differences in concentrations of key antioxidants among various solvent extracts seemed to be responsible for their differences in antioxidant activities. When various solvent extracts were hydrolysed by acid, two aglycons of flavonoid, quercetin and kaempferol, were detected. According to the results obtained from this study, wild ginseng leaves showed marked antioxidant activities due to their abundant antioxidants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dysfunction of pancreatic β-cell is a major determinant for the development of type 2 diabetes. Because of the stimulated insulin secretion in metabolic syndrome, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a central mediator for β-cell failure. In this study, we investigated whether an antioxidant phenolic compound, tyrosol protects against β-cell dysfunction associated with ER stress. To address this issue, we exposed pancreatic β cells, NIT-1 to tunicamycin with tyrosol. We found tyrosol diminished tunicamycin-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. We also detected tyrosol decreased the expressions of apoptosis-related markers. Exposure to tunicamycin evoked UPR response and co-treatment of tyrosol led to reduction of ER stress. These effects of tyrosol were mediated by the phosphorylation of JNK. Moreover, we confirmed supplement of tyrosol ameliorated β-cell loss induced by high fat feeding. Taken together, our study provides a molecular basis for signaling transduction of protective effect of tyrosol against ER stress-induced β-cell death. Therefore, we suggest tyrosol could be a potential therapeutic candidate for amelioration of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal and aggressive astrocytoma of primary brain tumors in adults. Although there are many clinical trials to induce the cell death of glioblastoma cells, most glioblastoma cells have been reported to be resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Here, we showed that gingerol as a major component of ginger can induce TRAIL-mediated apoptosis of glioblastoma. Gingerol increased death receptor (DR) 5 levels in a p53-dependent manner. Furthermore, gingerol decreased the expression level of anti-apoptotic proteins (survivin, c-FLIP, Bcl-2, and XIAP) and increased pro-apoptotic protein, Bax and truncate Bid, by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also found that the sensitizing effects of gingerol in TRAIL-induced cell death were blocked by scavenging ROS or overexpressing anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2). Therefore, we showed the functions of gingerol as a sensitizing agent to induce cell death of TRAIL-resistant glioblastoma cells. This study gives rise to the possibility of applying gingerol as an anti-tumor agent that can be used for the purpose of combination treatment with TRAIL in TRAIL-resistant glioblastoma tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy are regulated by shared signaling pathways, and their dysfunction is directly related to pathological conditions. This study investigated the function of the unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1)-autophagy related 13 (ATG13) complex in ER stress conditions through a knockout (KO) approach. Unlike other autophagy genes, KO of ULK1 or ATG13 attenuated ER stress and promoted mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activation. Compared with wild type (WT) cells, ULK1 and ATG13 KO cells displayed increased viability, while beclin 1, ATG14 , and ULK1/2 KO cells did not. Tunicamycin treatment upregulated the expression of ER stress markers (DNA damage inducible transcript 3, heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 5, and phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 3, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alpha, and endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1); however, these were decreased in ULK1 and ATG1 3 KO cells. Insulin treatment upregulates the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1 (RPS6KB1) and AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), which was suppressed by tunicamycin. Notably, ATG13 and ULK1 deficiency ameliorated tunicamycin-induced insulin resistance, with enhanced RPS6KB1 and AKT1 phosphorylation in KO cells compared to WT cells. Although ULK1 and ATG13 are necessary for autophagy induction after tunicamycin-induced ER stress, autophagy does not seem to directly affect tunicamycin-induced cell death, ER stress, or insulin resistance. Our results indicate that loss of the ULK1-ATG13 complex attenuates ER stress and cell death and increases mTORC1 signaling. • Tunicamycin-induced apoptosis is enhanced by autophagy inhibition. • Loss of the autophagy genes ULK1 and ATG13 reduced tunicamycin-induced apoptosis. • ULK1 and ATG13 loss reduced tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. • ULK1 and ATG13 loss alleviated insulin resistance caused by ER stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest an alternative pathway of lipid breakdown called lipophagy, which delivers lipid droplets (LDs) to lysosomes for degradation of LDs. However, molecular mechanisms regulating lipophagy are still largely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of oleic acid (OA) on lipophagy in cells. We found that OA treatment results in accumulation of p62 and LC3-II proteins and reduces red fluorescence in cells stably expressing mCherry-GFP-LC3. In addition, OA inhibits the co-localization of LC3 with LAMP1 under serum-deprived condition, suggesting that OA blocks autophagosome-lysosome fusion. In the cells with ATG5 or ULK1 gene deletion, LDs did not increase upon OA treatment more than in wild type cells. However, cell starvation following OA removal resulted in reduced lipid accumulation by lipophagy and recovery of autophagy flux, suggesting that the specific condition of OA treatment and cell starvation are important for lipophagy flux activity. • Autolysosome is inhibited in oleic acid-treated cells under serum starvation. • ATG5 or ULK1 deficiency did not show further increase in the lipid accumulation than the wild types. • OA inhibits autophagy flux by blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion. • Defective autolysosome by OA results in impaired lipid degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces hepatic steatosis and inflammation in the liver. Although melatonin ameliorates ER stress-target genes, it remains unknown whether melatonin protects against hepatic steatosis as well as inflammation through regulation of miRNA. MicroRNAs have been identified as pivotal regulators in the field of gene regulation and their dysfunctions are a common feature in a variety of metabolic diseases. Especially, among miRNAs, miR-23a has been shown to regulate ER stress. Herein, we investigated the crucial roles of melatonin in hepatic steatosis and inflammation in vivo . Tunicamycin challenge caused increase of hepatic triglyceride and intracellular calcium levels through activation of ER stress, whereas these phenomena were partially disrupted by melatonin. We also demonstrated that expression of miR-23a stimulated with tunicamycin was rescued by melatonin treatment, resulting in reduced ER stress in primary hepatocytes. Overall, these results suggest a new function of melatonin that is involved in ameliorating ER stress-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation by attenuating miR-23a. Melatonin may be useful as a pharmacological agent to protect against hepatic metabolic diseases due to its ability to regulate expression of miR-23a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]