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Background In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a combined adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADMSC) and ADMSC-derived exosome therapy protected rat kidney from acute ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury (i.e., ligation of both renal arteries for 1 h and reperfusion for 72 h prior to euthanization). Methods and results Adult-male SD rats (n = 40) were equally categorized into group 1 (sham control), group 2 (IR), group 3 [IR + exosome (100 μg)], group 4 [IR + ADMSC (1.2 × 10 6 cells)], and group 5 (IR-exosome-ADMSC). All therapies were performed at 3 h after IR procedure from venous administration. By 72 h, the creatinine level and kidney injury score were the lowest in group 1 and the highest in group 2, significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 4 and 5, and significantly higher in group 4 than in group 5 (all P < 0.0001). The protein expression of inflammatory (TNF-α/NF-κB/IL-1β/MIF/PAI-1/Cox-2), oxidative-stress (NOX-1/NOX-2/oxidized protein), apoptotic (Bax/caspase-3/PARP), and fibrotic (Smad3/TGF-β) biomarkers showed an identical pattern, whereas the anti-apoptotic (Smad1/5, BMP-2) and angiogenesis (CD31/vWF/angiopoietin) biomarkers and mitochondrial cytochrome-C showed an opposite pattern of creatinine level among the five groups (all P < 0.001). The microscopic findings of glomerular-damage (WT-1), renal tubular-damage (KIM-1), DNA-damage (γ-H2AX), inflammation (MPO/MIF/CD68) exhibited an identical pattern, whereas the podocyte components (podocin/p-cadherin/synaptopodin) displayed a reversed pattern of creatinine level (all P < 0.0001). Conclusion Combined exosome–ADMSC therapy was superior to either one for protecting kidney from acute IR injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested whether combined therapy with melatonin and apoptotic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (A- ADMSCs) offered additional benefit in ameliorating sepsis-induced acute kidney injury. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 65) were randomized equally into five groups: Sham controls ( SC), sepsis induced by cecal-ligation and puncture ( CLP), CLP-melatonin, CLP-A- ADMSC, and CLP-melatonin-A- ADMSC. Circulating TNF- α level at post- CLP 6 hr was highest in CLP and lowest in SC groups, higher in CLP-melatonin than in CLP-A- ADMSC and CLP-melatonin-A- ADMSC groups (all P < 0.001). Immune reactivity as reflected in the number of splenic helper-, cytoxic-, and regulatory-T cells at post- CLP 72 hr exhibited the same pattern as that of circulating TNF- α among all groups ( P < 0.001). The histological scoring of kidney injury and the number of F4/80+ and CD14+ cells in kidney were highest in CLP and lowest in SC groups, higher in CLP-melatonin than in CLP-A- ADMSC and CLP-melatonin-A- ADMSC groups, and higher in CLP-A- ADMSC than in CLP-melatonin-A- ADMSC groups (all P < 0.001). Changes in protein expressions of inflammatory ( RANTES, TNF-1 α, NF- κB, MMP-9, MIP-1, IL-1 β), apoptotic (cleaved caspase 3 and PARP, mitochondrial Bax), fibrotic (Smad3, TGF- β) markers, reactive-oxygen-species ( NOX-1, NOX-2), and oxidative stress displayed a pattern identical to that of kidney injury score among the five groups (all P < 0.001). Expressions of antioxidants ( GR+, GPx+, HO-1, NQO-1+) were lowest in SC group and highest in CLP-melatonin-A- ADMSC group, lower in CLP than in CLP-melatonin and CLP-A- ADMSC groups, and lower in CLP-melatonin- than in CLP-A- ADMSC-tretaed animals (all P < 0.001). In conclusion, combined treatment with melatonin and A- ADMSC was superior to A- ADMSC alone in protecting the kidneys from sepsis-induced injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Procedural failure and untoward clinical outcomes after surgery remain problematic in critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients. This study tested a clopidogrel-cilostazol combination treatment compared with either treatment alone in attenuating CLI and improving CLI-region blood flow in rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 40) were equally divided into five groups: control, CLI induction only, CL I + cilostazol (12.0 mg/day/kg), CLI + clopidogrel (8.0 mg/kg/day) and CLI + combined cilostazol-clopidogrel. After treatment for 21 days, Laser Doppler imaging was performed. Results: On day 21, the untreated CLI group had the lowest ratio of ischemic/normal blood flow (p < 0.001). Inflammation measured by VCAM-1 protein expression; oxidative stress; PAI-1, MMP-9 and TNF-α mRNA expressions; and immunofluorescence staining (IF) of CD68+ cells was lower with combined treatment than with the other treatments, and lower in the two single-treatment groups than the untreated CLI group (all p < 0.01). Antiinflammatory mRNA expression of interleukin-10, and eNOS showed a reverse pattern among these groups. Apoptosis measured by Bax, caspase-3 and PARP; and muscle damage measured by cytosolic cytochrome-C, and serum and muscle micro-RNA-206 were all lowest with combination treatment, and the two single-treatment groups showed lower values than the untreated group (all p < 0.001). Angiogenesis measured by eNOS, IF staining of CD31+ and vWF + cells; and number of vessels in CLI region were highest with combination treatment and higher in the single-treatment groups than the untreated group (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: Combined cilostazol-clopidogrel therapy is superior to either agent alone in improving ischemia in rodent CLI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous long RNAs were detected in extracellular vesicles (EVs), some of which were related with the tissue origins and immune cell types. This study examined the molecular basis of different traditional Chinese medicine syndrome diagnoses (also called syndrome differentiation) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Methods: 128 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients with different syndrome diagnoses were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Long RNA sequencing was conducted to analyze the EV long RNA profile of plasma samples. Differentially regulated EV long RNAs were annotated and assessed for Gene Ontology pathway enrichment using DAVID. The online program xCell were used to perform the cell-type enrichment analysis. Results: An average of 15,000 annotated genes, mainly including messenger RNAs, were stably detected per sample. Different syndrome diagnoses exhibited unique EV mRNA expression profiles and therefore different enriched pathways. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis discovered transforming growth factor-ß and kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog signaling activation as the hallmarks of cancer with Shi-Re syndrome. Cell-type enrichment analysis also revealed a varied inflammation/immune cell type distribution among patients with or without Shi-Re diagnosis. Mast cells, platelets and Tregs were significantly enriched but basophils, common lymphoid progenitors, dendritic cells, and conventional dendritic cells were decreased in patients with Shi-Re diagnosis compared with patients without Shi-Re diagnosis. Conclusion: We identified the hallmarks of cancer with different syndrome diagnoses based on plasma EV long RNA sequencing. In particular, transforming growth factor-ß and kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog signaling activation were the hallmarks of Shi-Re syndrome, which contribute to shape an inflammatory/immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Western diet and dysbiosis are the most prominent environmental factors associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), the corresponding host factors and cellular mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here we report that the TSC1/mTOR pathway in the gut epithelium represents a metabolic and innate immune checkpoint for intestinal dysfunction and inflammation. mTOR hyperactivation triggered by Western diet or Tsc1 ablation led to epithelium necroptosis, barrier disruption, and predisposition to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis and inflammation-associated colon cancer. Mechanistically, our results uncovered a critical role for TSC1/mTOR in restraining the expression and activation of RIPK3 in the gut epithelium through TRIM11-mediated ubiquitination and autophagy-dependent degradation. Notably, microbiota depletion by antibiotics or gnotobiotics attenuated RIPK3 expression and activation, thereby alleviating epithelial necroptosis and colitis driven by mTOR hyperactivation. mTOR primarily impinged on RIPK3 to potentiate necroptosis induced by TNF and by microbial pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and hyperactive mTOR and aberrant necroptosis were intertwined in human IBDs. Together, our data reveal a previously unsuspected link between the Western diet, microbiota, and necroptosis and identify the mTOR/RIPK3/necroptosis axis as a driving force for intestinal inflammation and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the ability of extracorporeal shock wave (ECSW)-assisted melatonin (Mel) therapy to offer an additional benefit for alleviating the neuropathic pain (NP) in rats. Left sciatic nerve was subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) to induce NP. Animals (n = 30) were randomized into group 1 (sham-operated control), group 2 (CCI only), group 3 (CCI + ECSW), group 4 (CCI + Mel) and group 5 (CCI + ECSW + Mel). By days 15, 22 and 29 after CCI, the thermal paw withdrawal latency (TPWL) and mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MPWT) were highest in group 1, lowest in group 2, significantly higher in group 5 than in groups 3 and 4, but they showed no difference between the later two groups (all p < 0.0001). The protein expressions of inflammatory (TNF-α, NF-κB, MMP-9, IL-1ß), oxidative-stress (NOXs-1, -2, -4, oxidized protein), apoptotic (cleaved-caspase3, cleaved-PARP), DNA/mitochondrial-damaged (γ-H2AX/cytosolic-cytochrome C), microglia/astrocyte activation (ox42/GFAP), and MAPKs [phosphorylated (p)-p38, p-JNK, p-ERK] biomarkers in dorsal root ganglia neurons (DRGs) and in spinal dorsal horn were exhibited an opposite pattern of TPWL among the five groups (all p < 0.0001). Additionally, protein expressions of Nav.1.3, Nav.1.8 and Nav.1.9 in sciatic nerve exhibited an identical pattern to inflammation among the five groups (all p < 0.0001). The numbers of cellular expressions of MAPKs (p-ERK1/2+/peripherin + cells, p-ERK1/2+/NF200 + cells and p-JNK+/peripherin + cells, p-JNK+/NF200 + cells) and voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav.1.8+/peripherin + cells, Nav.1.8+/NF200 + cells, Nav.1.9+/peripherin + cells, Nav.1.9+/NF200 + cells) in small and large DRGs displayed an identical pattern to inflammation among the five groups (all p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the synergistic effect of combined ECSW-Mel therapy is superior to either one alone for long-term improvement of mononeuropathic pain-induced by CCI in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Liver damage is a typical manifestation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It originates from excessive fat accumulation, leading to hepatocyte death, inflammation, and fibrosis. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a type of NAFLD with a prevalence of 49% in morbidly obese patients. Pyroptosis plays an important role in the development of NASH; thus, it is important to elucidate the effect of lipid accumulation on pyroptosis. Genipin (GNP), a natural water-soluble cross-linking agent, has hepatoprotective effects and decreases lipid accumulation in the liver; however, the mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. Methods: In this study, qPCR and Western blot were used to examine pyroptotic gene expression in high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice and free fatty acids (FFAs) treated hepatocytes. At the same time, relative lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and Hoechst & propidium iodide (PI) staining were done to verify cell death. To explore the molecular mechanism, cell transfection were constructed with siRNA or plasmid to obtain knockdown or overexpression hepatocytes. Results: We found that HFD-fed mice and FFAs-treated hepatocytes had obvious pyroptosis, and addition of GNP reversed liver damage and inhibited pyroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, UCP2 knockdown cells showed suppressed FFAs-mediated pyroptosis, as determined by decreased pyroptotic gene expression, reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and reduced cell death. Consistent with this, cells transfected with UCP2 had upregulated pyroptotic gene expression, increased LDH release, and increased cell death. Conclusion: GNP reverses HFD-induced liver damage and inhibits UCP2-mediated pyroptosis. Thus, GNP may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanisms for cancer-related inflammation remain to be fully elucidated. Non-apoptotic functions of Fas signaling have been proposed to play an important role in promoting tumor progression. It has yet to be determined if targeting Fas signaling can control tumor progression through suppression of cancerrelated inflammation. In the current study we found that breast cancer cells with constitutive Fas expression were resistant to apoptosis induction by agonistic anti-Fas antibody (Jo2) ligation or Fas ligand cross-linking. Higher expression of Fas in human breast cancer tissue has been significantly correlated with poorer prognosis in breast cancer patients. To determine whether blockade of Fas signaling in breast cancer could suppress tumor progression, we prepared an orthotopic xenograft mouse model with mammary cancer cells 4T1 and found that blockade of Fas signaling in 4T1 cancer cells markedly reduced tumor growth, inhibited tumor metastasis in vivo, and prolonged survival of tumor-bearing mice. Mechanistically, blockade of Fas signaling in cancer cells significantly decreased systemic or local recruitment of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in vivo. Furthermore, blockade of Fas signaling markedly reduced IL-6, prostaglandin E2 production from breast cancer cells by impairing p-p38, and activity of the NFB pathway. In addition, administration of a COX-2 inhibitor and anti- IL-6 antibody significantly reduced MDSC accumulation in vivo. Therefore, blockade of Fas signaling can suppress breast cancer progression by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine production and MDSC accumulation, indicating that Fas signaling- initiated cancer-related inflammation in breast cancer cells may be a potential target for treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]