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Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most hazardous tumors in the urinary system. The regulation of oxygen consumption in renal clear cell carcinoma is a consequence of adaptive reprogramming of oxidative metabolism in tumor cells. APPL1 is a signaling adaptor involved in cell survival, oxidative stress, inflammation, and energy metabolism. However, the correlation of APPL1 with regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration and prognostic value in KIRC remain unclear. In this study, we comprehensively predicted the potential function and prognostic value of APPL1 in KIRC. For KIRC patients, relatively low expression of APPL1 was associated with high degree of metastasis, pathological stage, and shorter overall time or poor prognosis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses suggested that low expression of APPL1 may be adapted to the malignant progression of tumors via affecting oxygen-consuming metabolism. In addition, the expression level of APPL1 was negatively correlated with Treg cell infiltration and chemotherapy sensitivity, which indicated that APPL1 may regulate the tumor immune infiltration and chemotherapy resistance by decrease oxygen-consuming metabolic process in KIRC. Therefore, APPL1 may become one of the important prognostic factors, and it may serve as a candidate prognostic biomarker in KIRC.

Blood-brain-barrier (BBB) disruption is an important pathological characteristic of ischemic stroke (IS) and mainly results from dysfunction of brain vascular endothelial cells and tight junctions. Zebularine is a novel inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT). Here, we assessed its effects on BBB disruption in IS. Firstly, we reported that Zebularine maintained BBB integrity in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice by increasing the expressions of zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin. Importantly, we found that Zebularine reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, attenuated brain edema, and improved neurological deficits. In in vitro experiments, the bEnd.3 brain endothelial cells were exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R), and the protective effects of Zebularine were assessed. Our findings demonstrated that Zebularine prevented OGD/R-induced cytotoxicity by reducing the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Additionally, Zebularine protected bEnd.3 cells against OGD/R-induced hyper-permeability and reduction of trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER). Notably, we found that treatment with Zebularine activated the Adenosine 5ʹ-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway by increasing the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα). Blockage of AMPKα using its specific inhibitor compound C abolished the beneficial effects of Zebularine in mitigating endothelial hyper-permeability by reducing the expressions of ZO-1 and VE-cadherin. These findings suggest that the protective effects of Zebularine against OGD/R-induced endothelial hyper-permeability are mediated by the activation of AMPKα. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the potential application of Zebularine in the treatment of IS.

Advanced age correlates with higher morbidity and mortality among patients affected with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Because systemic inflammation and neurological symptoms are also common in severe COVID-19 cases, there is concern that COVID-19 may lead to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this review, we summarize possible mechanisms by which infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, may cause AD in elderly COVID-19 patients and describe preventive measures to mitigate risk. Potential mechanisms include NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β release, renin-angiotensin system hyperactivation, innate immune activation, oxidative stress, direct viral infection, and direct cytolytic β-cell damage. Anti-inflammatory therapies, including TNF-α inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidants such as the vitamin E family, nutritional intervention, physical activity, blood glucose control, and vaccination are proposed as preventive measures to minimize AD risk in COVID-19 patients. Since several risk factors for AD may converge during severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, neurologists should be alert for potential symptoms of AD and actively implement preventive measures in patients presenting with neuropsychiatric symptoms and in high-risk patients such as the elderly.

Previous findings have demonstrated, in a rat model, that chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) decreases cortical cerebral blood flow (CBF) while Dl-3-n-Butylphthalide (DNB) accelerates the timely recovery of CBF. However, potential biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and underlying mechanisms for these processes are unclear. In this study, a solid-phase antibody microarray for simultaneously detecting multiple proteins was used to search cortex biotargets in CCH compared to a sham control group, and these results were further examined by biological functional analysis. After DNB treatment, western blot and immunostaining were used to verify candidate protein expression. Importantly, we identified seven proteins that may serve as novel biotargets contributing to CCH. The levels of Tie-2, CNTFRα, IL-4, IL-10, ITGAM, MDC, and TROY were uniquely altered in the CCH. The Tie-2 level was significantly decreased and identified in CCH 2 week (W), CCH 4 W and CCH 8 W. In addition, Ang-1 level and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio were significantly decreased in CCH 2 W and CCH 4 W while Ang-2 level was increased in the CCH, whereas DNB treatment created the inverse effect to some extent. Moreover, the expression of VEGF and CD34 in the earlier stage of CCH and the diameters of bilateral vertebral arteries (VAs), were significantly enlarged by DNB treatment. Together, we found that the Ang-1/Ang-2/Tie-2 signaling axis was altered in the CCH rat cortex, and DNB treatment could timely regulate this angiopoietin/Tie signaling axis to promote neovascularization in early stages.

To investigate the differentiation potential of purified CD90+ cells sorted from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), CD90+ cells were sorted from rabbit ADSCs using flow cytometry. Then, cell expansion of CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was observed using an inverted microscope. Furthermore, cell surface markers including CD40, CD105, and CD90 on CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs were quantified using flow cytometry. Additionally, multi-lineage differentiation ability between CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was compared, and expression of adipocyte-related genes PPAR-r and CEBPA as well as stem cell-related gene SOX2 in CD90+ cells and unsorted ADSCs was determined using real-time quantitative PCR. We found that CD90+ cells had a stronger cell proliferation ability than unsorted ADSCs. CD90+ cells showed a stronger ability of osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation than unsorted ADSCs and CD90- cells, whereas the adipose differentiation ability of CD90+ cells was similar to that of ADSCs and CD90- cells. CD14, CD105, and CD90 on CD90+ cells were expressed more highly than those on ADSCs. Additionally, the mRNA expression level of SOX2 in CD90+ cells was significantly higher than that in ADSCs, whereas the expression of PPAR-r and CEBPA was markedly lower than that in ADSCs. These results suggested that the purified CD90+ cells sorted from ADSCs exhibit a stronger differentiation potential than the unsorted ADSCs.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) is the ninth member of the proprotein convertase family. It is an important regulator of cholesterol metabolism. PCSK9 can bind to low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs) and induce the degradation of these receptors through the endosome/lysosome pathway, thus decreasing the LDLR levels on the cell surface of hepatocytes, resulting in increased serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations. Recent studies have found that gene polymorphisms of PCSK9 are associated with hypercholesterolemia, risk of atherosclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Furthermore, monoclonal antibodies, peptide mimetics, small molecule inhibitors and gene silencing agents that are associated with PCSK9 are some of the newer pharmaceutical therapeutic strategies and approaches for lowering serum LDL-C levels. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in PCSK9 research, which show that PCSK9 is correlated with lipid metabolism, atherosclerosis, and, in particular, ischemic stroke. We will also discuss the current state of PCSK9 therapeutics and their potential in modulating these diseases.