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Li-Mian Song,1,&ast; Du-Juan Yao,1,&ast; Lin Xia,1 Xu-Ming Wang,2 Tian Liu,2 Qian-Qian Tang,1 Jun Zhou1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College, Guilin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jun Zhou, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China, Email bbfat51740@sina.comPurpose: To explore the effect of DSG2 on the growth of cervical cancer cells and its possible regulatory mechanism.Methods: The expression levels and survival prognosis of DSG2 and ADAM17 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma tissues and adjacent normal tissues were analyzed by bioinformatics. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay and Transwell assay were used to detect the effects of DSG2 on the proliferative activity, colony formation ability and migration ability of SiHa and Hela cells. The effect of DSG 2 on the level of ADAM17 transcription and translation was detected by qPCR and Western blot experiments. The interaction between DSG2 and c-MYC was detected by immunocoprecipitation. c-MYC inhibitors were used in HeLa cells overexpressing DSG2 to analyze the effects of DSG2 and c-MYC on proliferation, colony formation and migration of Hela cells, as well as the regulation of ADAM17 expression.Results: DSG2 was highly expressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma compared with normal tissues (P< 0.05), and high DSG2 expression suggested poor overall survival (P< 0.05). After DSG2 knockdown, the proliferative activity, colony formation and migration ability of SiHa and Hela cells were significantly decreased (P< 0.05). Compared with adjacent normal tissues, ADAM17 was highly expressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (P< 0.05), and high ADAM17 expression suggested poor overall survival in cervical cancer patients (P< 0.05). The results of immunocoprecipitation showed the interaction between DSG2 and c-MYC. Compared with DSG2 overexpression group, DSG2 overexpression combined with c-MYC inhibition group significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration and ADAM17 expression (P < 0.05).Conclusion: DSG2 is highly expressed in cervical cancer, and inhibition of DSG2 expression can reduce the proliferation and migration ability of cervical cancer cells, which may be related to the regulation of ADAM17 expression through c-MYC interaction.Keywords: cervical cancer, proliferation, migration, DSG2, c-MYC, ADAM17

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a prevalent cerebrovascular disease in clinical practice that is often associated with macrovascular disease. A clear understanding of the underlying causes of CSVD remains elusive., Aim: To explore the association between intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration in CSVD., Methods: This study included patients admitted to Fuyang People's Hospital and Fuyang Community (Anhui, China) between December 2021 and March 2022. The study population comprised 142 patients, including 80 in the CSVD group and 62 in the control group. Depression was present in 53 out of 80 patients with CSVD. Multisequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI were applied in patients to determine the brain volume, cortical thickness, and cortical area of each brain region. Moreover, neuropsychological tests including the Hamilton depression scale, mini-mental state examination, and Montreal cognitive assessment basic scores were performed., Results: The multivariable analysis showed that age [ P = 0.011; odds ratio (OR) = 0.930, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.880-0.983] and ICAM-1 levels ( P = 0.023; OR = 1.007, 95%CI: 1.001-1.013) were associated with CSVD. Two regions of interest (ROIs; ROI3 and ROI4) in the white matter showed significant (both P < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.419-0.837 and 0.366-0.878) differences between the two groups, whereas only ROI1 in the gray matter showed significant difference ( P = 0.046; 95%CI: 0.007-0.680) between the two groups. ICAM-1 was significantly correlated (all P < 0.05) with cortical thickness in multiple brain regions in the CSVD group., Conclusion: This study revealed that ICAM-1 levels were independently associated with CSVD. ICAM-1 may be associated with cortical thickness in the brain, predominantly in the white matter, and a significant increase in BBB permeability, proposing the involvement of ICAM-1 in BBB destruction., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Three previously undescribed pyrrolizidinone alkaloids, penicipyrrolizidinones A and B (1 and 2), possessing an unprecedented 2-methyl-2-(oct-6-enoyl)pyrrolizidin-3-one skeleton, and penicipyrrolizidinone C (3), featuring a rare 1-alkenyl-2-methyl-pyrrolizidin-3,7-dione skeleton, together with four known pyrrolidine derivatives (4-7) were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM27. Their structures were elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, theoretical calculations of ECD spectra, and the modified Mosher's method. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for penicipyrrolizidinones A-C (1-3) was proposed. Compounds 4 and 5 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against B16-F10 melanoma cells with IC 50 values of 10.5 μM and 15.5 μM, respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Apigenin is one of the natural flavonoids found mainly in natural plants, as well as some fruits and vegetables, with celery in particular being the most abundant. Apigenin has antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In this research, we attempted to further investigate the effects of apigenin on the mechanism of repairing oxidative cell damage. The present study hopes to provide a potential candidate for abnormal skin pigmentation disorders. Methods: We used 0.4 mM H 2 O 2 to treat B16F10 cells for 12 h to establish a model of oxidative stress in melanocytes, and then we gave apigenin (0.1~5 μM) to B16F10 cells for 48 h, and detected the expression levels of melanin synthesis-related proteins, dendritic regulation-related proteins, antioxidant signaling pathway- and Nrf2 signaling pathway-related proteins, autophagy, and autophagy-regulated pathways by immunoblotting using Western blotting. The expression levels of PI3K/Akt/mTOR proteins were measured by β-galactosidase staining and Western blotting for cellular decay, JC-1 staining for mitochondrial membrane potential, and Western blotting for mitochondrial fusion- and mitochondrial autophagy-related proteins. Results: Apigenin exerts antioxidant effects by activating the Nrf2 pathway, and apigenin up-regulates the expression of melanin synthesis-related proteins Tyr, TRP1, TRP2, and gp100, which are reduced in melanocytes under oxidative stress. By inhibiting the expression of senescence-related proteins p53 and p21, and delaying cellular senescence, we detected the mitochondrial membrane potential using JC-1, and found that apigenin improved the reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential in melanocytes under oxidative stress, and maintained the normal function of mitochondria. In addition, we further detected the key regulatory proteins of mitochondrial fusion and division, MFF, p-DRP1 (S637), and p-DRP1 (S616), and found that apigenin inhibited the down-regulation of fusion-associated protein, p-DRP1 (S637), and the up-regulation of division-associated proteins, MFF and p-DRP1 (S616), due to oxidative stress in melanocytes, and promoted the mitochondrial fusion and ameliorated the imbalance between mitochondrial division and fusion. We further detected the expression of fusion-related proteins OPA1 and Mitofusion-1, and found that apigenin restored the expression of the above fusion proteins under oxidative stress, which further indicated that apigenin promoted mitochondrial fusion, improved the imbalance between mitochondrial division and fusion, and delayed the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Apigenin promotes the expression of melanocyte autophagy-related proteins and the key mitochondrial autophagy proteins BNIP3L/Nix under oxidative stress, and activates the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway by up-regulating the expression of autophagy-related proteins, as well as the expression of PINK1 and Parkin proteins, to promote melanocyte autophagy and mitochondrial autophagy. Conclusions: Apigenin exerts anti-melanocyte premature aging and detachment effects by promoting melanin synthesis, autophagy, and mitochondrial autophagy in melanocytes, and inhibiting oxidative cell damage and senescence.

Study Objective: Propofol is a commonly utilized anesthetic for painless colonoscopy, but its usage is occasionally limited due to its potential side effects, including cardiopulmonary suppression and injection pain. To address this limitation, the novel compound ciprofol has been proposed as a possible alternative for propofol. This study sought to determine whether there are any differences in the safety and efficacy of propofol and ciprofol for painless colonoscopy., Design: Randomized clinical trial., Setting: Single-centre, class A tertiary hospital, November 2021 to November 2022., Patients: Adult, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I to II and body mass index of 18 to 30 kg m -2 patients scheduled to undergo colonoscopy., Interventions: Consecutive patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive sedation for colonoscopy with ciprofol (group C) or propofol (group P)., Measurements: The primary outcome was the success rate of colonoscopy. The secondary outcomes were onset time of sedation, operation time, recovery time and discharge time, patients and endoscopists satisfaction, side effects (e.g. injection pain, myoclonus, drowsiness, dizziness, procedure recall, nausea and vomiting) and incidence rate of cardiopulmonary adverse events., Main Results: No significant difference was found in the success rate of colonoscopy between the two groups (ciprofol 96.3% vs. propofol 97.6%; mean difference - 1.2%, 95% CI: -6.5% to 4.0%, P = 0.650). However, group C showed prolonged sedation (63.4 vs. 54.8 s, P < 0.001) and fully alert times (9 vs 8 min, P = 0.013), as well as reduced incidences of injection pain (0 vs. 40.2%, P < 0.001), respiratory depression (2.4% vs. 13.4%, P = 0.021) and hypotension (65.9% vs. 80.5%, P = 0.034). Patients satisfaction was also higher in Group C (10 vs 9, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Ciprofol can be used independently for colonoscopy. When comparing the sedation efficacy of ciprofol and propofol, a 0.4 mg kg -1 dose of ciprofol proved to be equal to a 2.0 mg kg -1 dose of propofol, with fewer side effects and greater patient satisfaction during the procedure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background and Aims: The efficacy of achieving HBsAg clearance through pegylated interferon (PEG-IFNα) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains uncertain, especially regarding the probability of achieving functional cure among patients with varying baseline HBsAg levels. We aimed to investigate the predictive value of HBsAg quantification for HBsAg seroclearance in CHB patients undergoing PEG-IFNα treatment., Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to January 11, 2022. Subgroup analyses were performed for HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients, PEG-IFNα monotherapy and PEG-IFNα combination therapy, treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients, and patients with or without liver cirrhosis., Results: This predictive model incorporated 102 studies. The overall HBsAg clearance rates at the end of treatment (EOT) and the end of follow-up (EOF) were 10.6% (95% CI 7.8-13.7%) and 11.1% (95% CI 8.4-14.1%), respectively. Baseline HBsAg quantification was the most significant factor. According to the model, it is projected that when baseline HBsAg levels are 100, 500, 1500, and 10,000 IU/ml, the HBsAg clearance rates at EOF could reach 53.9% (95% CI 40.4-66.8%), 32.1% (95% CI 24.8-38.7%), 14.2% (95% CI 9.8-18.8%), and 7.9% (95% CI 4.2-11.8%), respectively. Additionally, treatment-experienced patients with HBeAg-negative status, and without liver cirrhosis exhibited higher HBsAg clearance rates after PEG-IFNα treatment., Conclusion: A successful predictive model has been established to predict the achievement of functional cure in CHB patients receiving PEG-IFNα therapy., (© 2024. Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.)

Adipose tissue development begins in the fetal period, and continues to expand after birth. Dysregulation of adipose tissue during weaning may predispose individuals to lifelong metabolic disorders. However, the developmental remodeling of adipose tissue during weaning remains largely unexplored. Here we comprehensively compare the changes in mouse subcutaneous white adipose tissue from 7 days after birth to 7 days after weaning using single-cell RNA sequencing along with other molecular and histologic assays. We characterize the developmental trajectory of preadipocytes and indicate the commitment of preadipocytes with beige potential during weaning. Meanwhile, we find immune cells unique to weaning period, whose expression of extracellular matrix proteins implies potential regulation on preadipocyte. Finally, the strongest cell-cell interaction during weaning determined by the TGFβ ligand-receptor pairs is between preadipocytes and endotheliocytes. Our results provide a detailed and unbiased cellular landscape and offer insights into the potential regulation of adipose tissue remodeling during weaning., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a prevalent reproductive disorder in women of reproductive age, features androgen excess, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovaries. Despite its high prevalence, specific pharmacologic intervention for PCOS is challenging. In this study, we identified artemisinins as anti-PCOS agents. Our finding demonstrated the efficacy of artemisinin derivatives in alleviating PCOS symptoms in both rodent models and human patients, curbing hyperandrogenemia through suppression of ovarian androgen synthesis. Artemisinins promoted cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A member 1 (CYP11A1) protein degradation to block androgen overproduction. Mechanistically, artemisinins directly targeted lon peptidase 1 (LONP1), enhanced LONP1-CYP11A1 interaction, and facilitated LONP1-catalyzed CYP11A1 degradation. Overexpression of LONP1 replicated the androgen-lowering effect of artemisinins. Our data suggest that artemisinin application is a promising approach for treating PCOS and highlight the crucial role of the LONP1-CYP11A1 interaction in controlling hyperandrogenism and PCOS occurrence.

Background: Models for predicting hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) after nucleos(t)ide analog treatment are rare., Aim: To establish a simple scoring model based on a response-guided therapy (RGT) strategy for predicting HBeAg seroconversion and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance., Methods: In this study, 75 previously treated patients with HBeAg-positive CHB underwent a 52-week peginterferon-alfa (PEG-IFNα) treatment and a 24-wk follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess parameters at baseline, week 12, and week 24 to predict HBeAg seroconversion at 24 wk post-treatment. The two best predictors at each time point were used to establish a prediction model for PEG-IFNα therapy efficacy. Parameters at each time point that met the corresponding optimal cutoff thresholds were scored as 1 or 0., Results: The two most meaningful predictors were HBsAg ≤ 1000 IU/mL and HBeAg ≤ 3 S/CO at baseline, HBsAg ≤ 600 IU/mL and HBeAg ≤ 3 S/CO at week 12, and HBsAg ≤ 300 IU/mL and HBeAg ≤ 2 S/CO at week 24. With a total score of 0 vs 2 at baseline, week 12, and week 24, the response rates were 23.8%, 15.2%, and 11.1% vs 81.8%, 80.0%, and 82.4%, respectively, and the HBsAg clearance rates were 2.4%, 3.0%, and 0.0%, vs 54.5%, 40.0%, and 41.2%, respectively., Conclusion: We successfully established a predictive model and diagnosis-treatment process using the RGT strategy to predict HBeAg and HBsAg seroconversion in patients with HBeAg-positive CHB undergoing PEG-IFNα therapy., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) development and function are essential for maintaining energy balance. However, the key factors that specifically regulate brown adipogenesis require further identification. Here, we demonstrated that the nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 6 (NR2F6) played a pivotal role in brown adipogenesis and energy homeostasis., Methods: We examined the differentiation of immortalized brown adipocytes and primary brown adipocytes when NR2F6 were deleted, and explored the mechanism through which NR2F6 regulated adipogenesis using ChIP-qPCR in vitro. Male wild type (WT) and Pdgfra-Cre-mediated deletion of Nr2f6 in preadipocytes (NR2F6-PKO) mice were fed with high fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks, and adiposity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and inflammation were assessed., Results: NR2F6 exhibited abundant expression in BAT, while its expression was minimal in white adipose tissue (WAT). Within BAT, NR2F6 was highly expressed in preadipocytes, experienced a transient increase in the early stage of brown adipocyte differentiation, and significantly decreased in the mature adipocytes. Depletion of NR2F6 in preadipocytes inhibited brown adipogenesis, caused hypertrophy of brown adipocytes, and impaired thermogenic function of BAT, but without affecting WAT development. NR2F6 transcriptionally regulated PPARγ expression to promote adipogenic process in brown adipocytes. Loss of NR2F6 in preadipocytes led to increased susceptibility to diet-induced metabolic disorders., Conclusions: Our findings unveiled NR2F6 as a novel key regulator of brown adipogenesis, potentially opening up new avenues for maintaining metabolic homeostasis by targeting NR2F6., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To summarize the application of deep learning in detecting ophthalmic disease with ultrawide-field fundus images and analyze the advantages, limitations, and possible solutions common to all tasks., Methods: We searched three academic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Ovid, with the date of August 2022. We matched and screened according to the target keywords and publication year and retrieved a total of 4358 research papers according to the keywords, of which 23 studies were retrieved on applying deep learning in diagnosing ophthalmic disease with ultrawide-field images., Results: Deep learning in ultrawide-field images can detect various ophthalmic diseases and achieve great performance, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, retinal detachment, and other peripheral retinal diseases. Compared to fundus images, the ultrawide-field fundus scanning laser ophthalmoscopy enables the capture of the ocular fundus up to 200° in a single exposure, which can observe more areas of the retina., Conclusion: The combination of ultrawide-field fundus images and artificial intelligence will achieve great performance in diagnosing multiple ophthalmic diseases in the future., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

The comorbidity of chronic pain and mental dysfunctions such as anxiety disorders has long been recognized, but the underlying mechanisms remained poorly understood. Here, using a mouse model of neuropathic pain, we demonstrated that the thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT) played a critical role in chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behavioral abnormalities. Fiber photometry and electrophysiology demonstrated that chronic pain increased the activities in PVT glutamatergic neurons. Chemogenetic manipulation revealed that suppression of PVT glutamatergic neurons relieved pain-like behavior and anxiety-like behaviors. Conversely, selective activation of PVT glutamatergic neurons showed algesic and anxiogenic effects. Furthermore, the elevated excitability of PVT glutamatergic neurons resulted in increased excitatory inputs to the basolateral complex (BLA) neurons. Optogenetic manipulation of the PVT-BLA pathway bilaterally modulates both the pain-like behavior and anxiety-like phenotypes. These findings shed light on how the PVT-BLA pathway contributed to the processing of pain-like behavior and maladaptive anxiety, and targeting this pathway might be a straightforward therapeutic strategy to both alleviate nociceptive hypersensitivity and rescue anxiety behaviors in chronic pain conditions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.)

Mitochondria are the pivot organelles to control metabolism and energy homeostasis. The capacity of mitochondrial metabolic adaptions to cold stress is essential for adipocyte thermogenesis. How brown adipocytes keep mitochondrial fitness upon a challenge of cold-induced oxidative stress has not been well characterized. This manuscript shows that IFI27 plays an important role in cristae morphogenesis, keeping intact succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) function and active fatty acid oxidation to sustain thermogenesis in brown adipocytes. IFI27 protein interaction map identifies SDHB and HADHA as its binding partners. IFI27 physically links SDHB to chaperone TNF receptor associated protein 1 (TRAP1), which shields SDHB from oxidative damage-triggered degradation. Moreover, IFI27 increases hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunit alpha (HADHA) catalytic activity in β-oxidation pathway. The reduced SDH level and fatty acid oxidation in Ifi27-knockout brown fat results in impaired oxygen consumption and defective thermogenesis. Thus, IFI27 is a novel regulator of mitochondrial metabolism and thermogenesis., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Great progress has been made in identifying positive regulators that activate adipocyte thermogenesis, but negative regulatory signaling of thermogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, we found that cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1) signaling led to loss of brown fat identity, which impaired thermogenic capacity. CLCF1 levels decreased during thermogenic stimulation but were considerably increased in obesity. Adipocyte-specific CLCF1 transgenic (CLCF1-ATG) mice showed impaired energy expenditure and severe cold intolerance. Elevated CLCF1 triggered whitening of brown adipose tissue by suppressing mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistically, CLCF1 bound and activated ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor (CNTFR) and augmented signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling. STAT3 transcriptionally inhibited both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC) 1α and 1β, which thereafter restrained mitochondrial biogenesis in adipocytes. Inhibition of CNTFR or STAT3 could diminish the inhibitory effects of CLCF1 on mitochondrial biogenesis and thermogenesis. As a result, CLCF1-TG mice were predisposed to develop metabolic dysfunction even without external metabolic stress. Our findings revealed a brake signal on nonshivering thermogenesis and suggested that targeting this pathway could be used to restore brown fat activity and systemic metabolic homeostasis in obesity.

Energy-dissipating adipocytes have the potential to improve metabolic health. Here, we identify hypoxia-induced gene domain protein-1a (HIGD1A), a mitochondrial inner membrane protein, as a positive regulator of adipose browning. HIGD1A is induced in thermogenic fats by cold exposure. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) transactivates HIGD1A expression synergistically with peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ coactivator α (PGC1α). HIGD1A knockdown inhibits adipocyte browning, whereas HIGD1A upregulation promotes the browning process. Mechanistically, HIGD1A deficiency impairs mitochondrial respiration to increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. This increases NAD + consumption for DNA damage repair and curtails the NAD + /NADH ratio, which inhibits sirtuin1 (SIRT1) activity, thereby compromising adipocyte browning. Conversely, overexpression of HIGD1A blunts the above process to promote adaptive thermogenesis. Furthermore, mice with HIGD1A knockdown in inguinal and brown fat have impaired thermogenesis and are prone to diet-induced obesity (DIO). Overexpression of HIGD1A favors adipose tissue browning, ultimately preventing DIO and metabolic disorders. Thus, the mitochondrial protein HIGD1A links SIRT1 activity to adipocyte browning by inhibiting ROS levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obesity, particularly increased visceral fat, positively correlates with various metabolic challenges, including atherosclerosis, but the mechanism is not fully understood. The aim of this study is to determine the role of visceral-fat-derived exosomes (Exo) in endothelial cells and atherosclerosis. We show that obesity changes the miRNA profile of visceral adipose exosomes in mice. Importantly, exosomal miR-27b-3p efficiently enters into the vascular endothelial cells and activates the NF-κB pathway by downregulating PPARα. Mechanistically, miR-27b-3p binds directly to the CDS region of PPARα mRNA, thereby promoting mRNA degradation and suppressing translation. In ApoE-deficient mice, administration of miR-27b-3p mimic increases inflammation and atherogenesis, while overexpression of PPARα protects against atherosclerosis. Thus, obesity-induced exosomal miR-27b-3p promotes endothelial inflammation and facilitates atherogenesis by PPARα suppression. We reveal an exosomal pathway by which obesity aggravates atherosclerosis and proposed therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis in people with obesity., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT), an active endocrine organ, exerts direct effect on vascular tone through paracrine. Activation of PVAT metabolism plays an inhibitory role in atherosclerosis via secreting relaxing factors. The present studies were designed to investigate the role of PVAT metabolism in regulation of hypertension., Materials and Methods: Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice with BMP4 knockout in adipose tissue or brown adipose tissue (aP2-DKO or UCP1-DKO, respectively) were used for exploring the role of impaired PVAT metabolism in hypertension. Vascular function was assessed using wire myography. The potential regulatory factor of vascular function was explored using qPCR and ELISA and further confirmed in perivascular fat cell line., Results: Knockout of BMP4 either in adipose tissue or specifically in BAT aggravates high-fat diet (HFD, 40% fat)-induced hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in ApoE -/- mice. In the meanwhile, deficiency of BMP4 also aggravates Ang II (angiotensin II) -induced hypertension and vascular remodeling in ApoE -/- mice. Moreover, deficiency of BMP4 inhibits NO release and induces ROS production. In vitro system, aortic rings pretreated with PVAT extracts from BMP4-DKO mice showed increased vasoconstriction and reduced endothelial-dependent relaxation compared with the controls. We further demonstrated that PVAT of BMP4-DKO mice expressed higher level of angiotensinogen (AGT) and Ang II compared with the controls., Conclusion: Impaired PVAT metabolism aggravates hypertension, and this effect is dependent on the activation of local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). The results of this study first demonstrate the regulatory role of PVAT metabolism in hypertension., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Mu, Song, Yang, Qian, Yang, Liu, Tang and Tang.)

Background: Multiple classes of molecular biomarkers have been studied as potential predictors for rectal cancer (RC) response. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the most widely used blood-based marker of RC and has proven to be an effective predictive marker. Cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is another tumor biomarker used for RC diagnosis and postoperative monitoring, as well as monitoring of the therapeutic effect. Using a panel of tumor markers for RC outcome prediction is a practical approach., Aim: To assess the predictive effect of pre-neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) CEA and CA19-9 levels on the prognosis of stage II/III RC patients., Methods: CEA and CA19-9 levels were evaluated 1 wk before NCRT. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off point of CEA and CA19-9 levels for the prognosis were 3.55 and 19.01, respectively. The novel serum tumor biomarker (NSTB) scores were as follows: score 0: Pre-NCRT CEA < 3.55 and CA19-9 < 19.01; score 2: Pre-NCRT CEA > 3.55 and CA19-9 > 19.01; score 1: Other situations. Pathological information was recorded according to histopathological reports after the operation., Results: In the univariate analysis, pre-NCRT CEA < 3.55 [ P = 0.025 for overall survival (OS), P = 0.019 for disease-free survival (DFS)], pre-NCRT CA19-9 < 19.01 ( P = 0.014 for OS, P = 0.009 for DFS), a lower NSTB score (0-1 vs 2, P = 0.009 for OS, P = 0.005 for DFS) could predict a better prognosis. However, in the multivariate analysis, only a lower NSTB score (0-1 vs 2; for OS, HR = 0.485, 95%CI: 0.251-0.940, P = 0.032; for DFS, HR = 0.453, 95%CI: 0.234-0.877, P = 0.019) and higher pathological grade, node and metastasis stage (0-I vs II-III; for OS, HR = 0.363, 95%CI: 0.158-0.837, P = 0.017; for DFS, HR = 0.342, 95%CI: 0.149-0.786, P = 0.012) were independent predictive factors., Conclusion: The combination of post-NCRT CEA and CA19-9 was a predictive factor for clinical stage II/III RC patients receiving NCRT, and the combined index had a stronger predictive effect., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All author reports no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cysteine dioxygenase 1 (Cdo1) is a key enzyme in taurine synthesis. Here we show that Cdo1 promotes lipolysis in adipose tissue. Adipose-specific knockout of Cdo1 in mice impairs energy expenditure, cold tolerance and lipolysis, exacerbates diet-induced obesity (DIO) and decreases adipose expression of the key lipolytic genes encoding ATGL and HSL, with little effect on adipose taurine levels. White-adipose-specific overexpression of ATGL and HSL blunts the role of adipose Cdo1 deficiency in promoting DIO. Mechanistically, Cdo1 interacts with PPARγ and facilitates the recruitment of Med24, the core subunit of mediator complex, to ATGL and HSL gene promoters, thereby transactivating their expression. Further, mice with transgenic overexpression of Cdo1 show better cold tolerance, ameliorated DIO and higher lipolysis capacity. Thus, we uncover an unexpected and important role of Cdo1 in regulating adipose lipolysis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Kidney injuries may trigger renal fibrosis and lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD), but effective therapeutic strategies are still limited. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid widely distributed in herbal medicines. A large number of studies have demonstrated that quercetin may protect kidneys by alleviating renal toxicity, apoptosis, fibrosis and inflammation in a variety of kidney diseases. Therefore, quercetin could be one of the promising drugs in the treatment of renal disorders. In the present study, we review the latest progress and highlight the beneficial role of quercetin in kidney diseases and its underlying mechanisms. The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of quercetin and its proportion in herbal medicine will also be discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chen, Chen, Tang, Li, Liu, Lu and Gu.)

Brown and beige adipocytes dissipate energy in a nonshivering thermogenesis manner, exerting beneficial effects on metabolic homeostasis. CHCHD10 is a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein involved in cristae organization; however, its role in thermogenic adipocytes remains unknown. We identify CHCHD10 as a novel regulator for adipocyte thermogenesis. CHCHD10 is dramatically upregulated during thermogenic adipocyte activation by PPARγ-PGC1α and positively correlated with UCP1 expression in adipose tissues from humans and mice. We generated adipocyte-specific Chchd10 knockout mice (Chchd10-AKO) and found that depleting CHCHD10 leads to impaired UCP1-dependent thermogenesis and energy expenditure in the fasting state, with no effect in the fed state. Lipolysis in adipocytes is disrupted by CHCHD10 deficiency, while augmented lipolysis through ATGL overexpression recovers adipocyte thermogenesis in Chchd10-AKO mice. Consistently, overexpression of Chchd10 activates thermogenic adipocytes. Mechanistically, CHCHD10 deficiency results in the disorganization of mitochondrial cristae, leading to impairment of oxidative phosphorylation complex assembly in mitochondria, which in turn inhibits ATP generation. Decreased ATP results in downregulation of lipolysis by reducing nascent protein synthesis of ATGL, thereby suppressing adipocyte thermogenesis. As a result, Chchd10-AKO mice are prone to develop high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders. Together, our findings reveal an essential role of CHCHD10 in regulating lipolysis and the thermogenic program in adipocytes., (© 2022 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Objective: Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance, there is an urgent need for better treatment of obesity and its related metabolic disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the role of SERPINA3C, an adipocyte secreted protein, in obesity and related metabolic disorders., Methods: Male wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks, adiposity, insulin resistance, and inflammation were assessed. AAV-mediated overexpression of SERPINA3C was injected locally in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) to examine the effect of SERPINA3C. In vitro analyses were conducted in 3T3-L1 adipocytes to explore the molecular pathways underlying the function of SERPINA3C., Results: Functional exploration of the SERPINA3C knockout mice revealed that SERPINA3C deficiency led to an impaired metabolic phenotype (more severe obesity, lower metabolic rates, worse glucose intolerance and insulin insensitivity), which was associated with anabatic inflammation and apoptosis of white adipose tissues. Consistent with these results, overexpression of SERPINA3C in inguinal adipose tissue protected mice against diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders with less inflammation and apoptosis in adipose tissue. Mechanistically, SERPINA3C inhibited Cathepsin G activity, acting as a serine protease inhibitor, which blocked Cathepsin G-mediated turnover of α5/β1 Integrin protein. Then, the preserved integrity (increase) of α5/β1 Integrin signaling activated AKT to decrease JNK phosphorylation, thereby inhibiting inflammation and promoting insulin sensitivity in adipocytes., Conclusions/interpretation: These findings demonstrate a previously unknown SERPINA3C/Cathepsin G/Integrin/AKT pathway in regulating adipose tissue inflammation, and suggest the therapeutic potential of targeting SERPINA3C/Cathepsin G axis in adipose tissue for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Constructing an ideal model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is of great significance to elucidate its complex pathogenesis. Therefore, we introduce a new and simple method to simulate human AAA and construct a rat AAA model through a retroperitoneal approach., Methods: Forty healthy adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group, elastase + calcium chloride group (PPE+CaCl 2 ), elastase group (PPE), and elastase + beta aminopropionitrile group (PPE+BAPN) according to a male-female ratio of 1:1, with 10 rats in each group. A retroperitoneal approach was used to free the infrarenal abdominal aorta in all four groups. In the PPE + CaCl 2 group, 0.1 ml of elastase (approximately 5 U) was perfused into the arterial cavity for 20 min, and 1.0 mol/L calcium chloride was infiltrated out of the arterial cavity for 10 min. In the PPE group, 0.1 mL of elastase (approximately 5U) was perfused into the arterial cavity for 20 min, and normal saline was infiltrated out of arterial cavity for 10 min; the PPE + BAPN group combined with 0.3% BAPN drinking water/day on the basis of PPE group; the control group was treated with saline instead of elastase and calcium chloride. Abdominal aortic specimens were collected after 4 weeks of feeding. The diagnostic criteria of AAA were 50% dilation of the abdominal aorta or rupture of the aneurysm at 4 weeks after the operation. Histopathology, immunohistochemistry, quantitative PCR (qPCR), western blotting assay, gelatine zymogram, and other methods were used., Results: The operation time of the four groups was controlled at approximately 40 min, and the success rate of the operation was 100%. Survival rate: Control Group (100%) = PPE Group (100%) > PPE + CaCl 2 Group (90%) > PPE + BAPN Group (40%); Aneurysm formation rate: PPE + BAPN Group (100%) > PPE + CaCl 2 Group (80%) > PPE Group (60%) > Control Group (0%); Aneurysm rupture rate: PPE + BAPN group (60%) > PPE + CaCl 2 group (12.5%) > PPE group (0%);Inflammatory cells (macrophages, T cells, B cells, dendritic cells) infiltrated in different degrees in the PPE + CaCl 2 , PPE and PPE + BAPN groups. Vascular thickness, elastic fiber content, collagen fiber content, and vascular smooth muscle cell content in the PPE + CaCl 2 group and PPE + BNPA group were significantly lower than those in Control group ( P < 0.05). The content of elastic fibers and vascular smooth muscle cells in the PPE group were significantly lower than that in Control group ( P < 0.05). The expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 in the PPE + CaCl 2 group, PPE group, and PPE + BNPA group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: A new, simple, and reproducible rat AAA model can be constructed by a retroperitoneal approach. The pathological features of the three models are effective simulation of human AAA inflammatory cell infiltration, protease activity enhancement, and extracellular matrix destruction. The PPE+ CaCl 2 model has the advantages of a high survival rate, high aneurysm formation rate, good stability, and reproducibility. It is an ideal animal model for studying the pathogenesis of AAA. The PPE + BAPN model can simulate the characteristics of spontaneous rupture of aneurysms. It is an ideal animal model to study the mechanism of AAA rupture., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhu, Tang, Zhou, Shi, Yi and Yang.)

Uncontrolled gluconeogenesis results in elevated hepatic glucose production in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is known to catalyze deSUMOylation of target proteins, with broad effects on cell growth, signal transduction, and developmental processes. However, the role of SENP2 in hepatic gluconeogenesis and the occurrence of T2D remain unknown. Herein, we established SENP2 hepatic knockout mice and found that SENP2 deficiency could protect against high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia. Pyruvate- or glucagon-induced elevation in blood glucose was attenuated by disruption of SENP2 expression, whereas overexpression of SENP2 in the liver facilitated high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia. Using an in vitro assay, we showed that SENP2 regulated hepatic glucose production. Mechanistically, the effects of SENP2 on gluconeogenesis were found to be mediated by the cellular fuel sensor kinase, 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), which is a negative regulator of gluconeogenesis. SENP2 interacted with and deSUMOylated AMPKα, thereby promoting its ubiquitination and reducing its protein stability. Inhibition of AMPKα kinase activity dramatically reversed impaired hepatic gluconeogenesis and reduced blood glucose levels in SENP2-deficient mice. Our study highlights the novel role of hepatic SENP2 in regulating gluconeogenesis and furthers our understanding of the pathogenesis of T2D., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brown and beige fat are specialized for energy expenditure by dissipating energy from glucose and fatty acid oxidation as heat. While glucose and fatty acid metabolism have been extensively studied in thermogenic adipose tissues, the involvement of amino acids in regulating adaptive thermogenesis remains little studied. Here, we report that asparagine supplementation in brown and beige adipocytes drastically upregulated the thermogenic transcriptional program and lipogenic gene expression, so that asparagine-fed mice showed better cold tolerance. In mice with diet-induced obesity, the asparagine-fed group was more responsive to β3-adrenergic receptor agonists, manifesting in blunted body weight gain and improved glucose tolerance. Metabolomics and 13 C-glucose flux analysis revealed that asparagine supplement spurred glycolysis to fuel thermogenesis and lipogenesis in adipocytes. Mechanistically, asparagine stimulated the mTORC1 pathway, which promoted expression of thermogenic genes and key enzymes in glycolysis. These findings show that asparagine bioavailability affects glycolytic and thermogenic activities in adipose tissues, providing a possible nutritional strategy for improving systemic energy homeostasis., (© 2021 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.)

Beiging of white adipose tissue (WAT) is associated with an increase of anti-inflammatory M2-like macrophages in WAT. However, mechanisms through which M2-like macrophages affect beiging are incompletely understood. Here, we show that the macrophage cytokine Slit3 is secreted by adipose tissue macrophages and promotes cold adaptation by stimulating sympathetic innervation and thermogenesis in mice. Analysing the transcriptome of M2-like macrophages in murine inguinal WAT (iWAT) after cold exposure, we identify Slit3 as a secreted cytokine. Slit3 binds to the ROBO1 receptor on sympathetic neurons to stimulate Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II signalling and norepinephrine release, which enhances adipocyte thermogenesis. Adoptive transfer of Slit3-overexpressing M2 macrophages to iWAT promotes beiging and thermogenesis, whereas mice that lack Slit3 in myeloid cells are cold-intolerant and gain more weight. Our findings shed new light on the integral role of M2-like macrophages for adipose tissue homeostasis and uncover the macrophage-Slit3-sympathetic neuron-adipocyte signalling axis as a regulator of long-term cold adaptation., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Background and Aims: NAFLD, characterized by aberrant triglyceride accumulation in liver, affects the metabolic remodeling of hepatic and nonhepatic tissues by secreting altered hepatokines. Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is responsible for de-SUMOylation of target protein, with broad effects on cell growth, signal transduction, and developmental processes. However, the role of SENP2 in hepatic metabolism remains unclear., Approach and Results: We found that SENP2 was the most dramatically increased SENP in the fatty liver and that its level was modulated by fed/fasted conditions. To define the role of hepatic SENP2 in metabolic regulation, we generated liver-specific SENP2 knockout (Senp2-LKO) mice. Senp2-LKO mice exhibited resistance to high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis and obesity. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that Senp2 deficiency up-regulated genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and down-regulated genes in lipogenesis in the liver. Additionally, ablation of hepatic SENP2 activated thermogenesis of adipose tissues. Improved energy homeostasis of both the liver and adipose tissues by SENP2 disruption prompted us to detect the hepatokines, with FGF21 identified as a key factor markedly elevated in Senp2-LKO mice that maintained metabolic homeostasis. Loss of FGF21 obviously reversed the positive effects of SENP2 deficiency on metabolism. Mechanistically, by screening transcriptional factors of FGF21, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) was defined as the mediator for SENP2 and FGF21. SENP2 interacted with PPARα and deSUMOylated it, thereby promoting ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation of PPARα, which in turn inhibited FGF21 expression and fatty acid oxidation. Consistently, SENP2 overexpression in liver facilitated development of metabolic disorders., Conclusions: Our finding demonstrated a key role of hepatic SENP2 in governing metabolic balance by regulating liver-adipose tissue crosstalk, linking the SUMOylation process to metabolic regulation., (© 2021 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are widely involved in many biological processes, as well as in control of brown and beige adipose physiology, but the precise molecular mechanisms by which HDACs are assembled into transcriptional machinery to fine-tune thermogenic program remain ill-defined. PWWP domain containing 2b (PWWP2B), which is identified as a component of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation complex (NuRD), interacts and stabilizes HDAC1/2 at the thermogenic gene promoters to suppress their expression. Ablation of Pwwp2b promotes adipocyte thermogenesis and ameliorates diet-induced obesity in vivo. Intriguingly, Pwwp2b is not only a brown fat-enriched gene but also dramatically induced by cold and sympathetic stimulation, which may serve as a physiological brake to avoid over-activation of thermogenesis in brown and beige fat cells., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A growing amount of evidence has indicated immune genes perform a crucial position in the development and progression of breast cancer microenvironment. The purpose of our study was to identify immunogenic prognostic marker and explore potential regulatory mechanisms for breast cancer. We identified the genes related to ImmuneScore using ESTIMATE algorithm and WGCNA analysis, and we identified the differentially expressed gene (DEGs). Then, Glia maturation factor γ (GMFG) was determined as a predictive factor by intersecting immune-related genes with DEGs and survival analysis. We found the expression of GMFG was lower in breast cancer tissues compared with normal breast tissues, which was further verified by immunohistochemical (IHC). Moreover, the decreased expression of GMFG was significantly related to the poor prognosis. Besides, the expression of GMFG was related to the age, ER status, PR status, HER2 status and tumor size, which further suggested that the expression of GMFG was correlated with the subtype and the growth of tumor. The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that age, stage, the expression level of GMFG and radiotherapy were independent factors for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Subsequently, a prognostic model to predict the 3-year, 5-year and 10-year overall survival rate was developed based on the above four variables, and visualized as a nomogram. The values of area under the curve of the nomogram at 3-year, 5-year and 10-year were 0.897, 0.873 and 0.922, respectively, which was higher than stage in prognostic accuracy. In addition, we also found that GMFG expression level was correlated with sensitivity of some breast cancer chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, the results of GSEA indicated immune-related pathways were mainly enriched in GMFG-high-expression group. CIBERSORT analysis for the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) suggested that expression of GMFG was positively association with multiple kinds T-cell in BC. Among them, CD8+ T cells had the strongest correlation with GMFG expression, which revealed that GMFG might has an antitumor effect by increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in breast cancer. Accordingly, GMFG has the potential to become a novel immune biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yang, He, Tang, Shao, Song, Gong, Zeng, Huang, Zhou, Wan, Wei and Zhang.)

Loss of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) impairs endothelial function and enhances atherosclerosis. However, the roles of PVAT thermoregulation in vascular inflammation and the development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) transforms white adipocyte to beige adipocyte, while promotes a brown-to-white shift in inter-scapular brown adipose tissue (BAT). Here, we found that knockdown of BMP4 in PVAT reduced expression of brown adipocyte-characteristic genes and increased endothelial inflammation in vitro co-culture system. Ablating BMP4 expression either in adipose tissues or specifically in BAT in ApoE -/- mice demonstrated a marked exacerbation of atherosclerotic plaque formation in vivo. We further demonstrated that proinflammatory factors (especially IL-1β) increased in the supernatant of BMP4 knockdown adipocytes. Overexpression of BMP4 in adipose tissues promotes browning of PVAT and protects against atherosclerosis in ApoE -/- mice. These findings uncover an organ crosstalk between PVAT and blood endothelial cells that is engaged in atherosclerosis., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

l-Theanine is a nonprotein amino acid with much beneficial efficacy. We found that intraperitoneal treatment of the mice with l-theanine (100 mg/kg/day) enhanced adaptive thermogenesis and induced the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) with elevated expression of Prdm16, Ucp1, and other thermogenic genes. Meanwhile, administration of the mice with l-theanine increased energy expenditure. In vitro studies indicated that l-theanine induced the development of brown-like features in adipocytes. The shRNA-mediated depletion of Prdm16 blunted the role of l-theanine in promoting the brown-like phenotypes in adipocytes and in the iWAT of mice. l-theanine treatment enhanced AMPKα phosphorylation both in adipocytes and iWAT. Knockdown of AMPKα abolished l-theanine-induced upregulation of Prdm16 and adipocyte browning. l-Theanine increased the α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) level in adipocytes, which may increase the transcription of Prdm16 by inducing active DNA demethylation on its promoter. AMPK activation was required for l-theanine-induced increase of α-KG and DNA demethylation on the Prdm16 promoter. Moreover, intraperitoneal administration with l-theanine ameliorated obesity, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and reduced plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, and free fatty acids in the high-fat diet-fed mice. Our results suggest a potential role of l-theanine in combating diet-induced obesity in mice, which may involve l-theanine-induced browning of WAT., (© 2021 by the American Diabetes Association.)

To investigate the effect of zinc (Zn) supplementation on intestinal microflora changes and bacterial translocation in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), the rats were divided into the sham surgery (SS), SAP, SS + Zn, and SAP + Zn groups. Saline (0.1 mL/100g) and 5% sodium taurocholate were injected into the pancreaticobiliary duct of the rats in the SS and SAP + Zn groups, respectively. Intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg Zn was performed immediately after injecting saline or 5% sodium taurocholate into the rats in both groups. Serum amylase and Zn levels, plasma endogenous endotoxin, intestinal permeability, and the positive rate of intestinal bacterial translocation were detected, haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed, and the pancreatic tissue scores were calculated for each group. In addition, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to evaluate the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to quantify the gene copy numbers of Escherichia , Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus in the cecum. The levels of amylase and plasma endotoxin in the SAP group were significantly higher than those in the SS and SS + Zn groups. Intestinal mucosal permeability and intestinal bacterial translocation in the liver, pancreas, and mesenteric lymph nodes were increased in the SAP group. However, the levels of amylase and plasma endotoxin were decreased as a result of zinc supplementation in the SAP group. The expression of IL-1β and TNF-α was also reduced to a greater degree in the SAP + Zn group than in the SAP group. Moreover, alleviated intestinal mucosal permeability and intestinal bacterial translocation in the liver, pancreas, and mesenteric lymph nodes were found in the SAP + Zn group. The results of real-time quantitative PCR showed that the gene copy number of Escherichia increased with time, and the gene copy numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium decreased over time. Zn supplementation prevented the release of TNF-α and IL-1β, alleviated intestinal permeability and endotoxemia, reduced bacterial translocation, and inhibited changes in pathogenic intestinal flora in rats with SAP., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Objective: To explore the clinical features of classical and non-classical paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS). Methods: From 2015 to 2020, 48 cases of definite PNS admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China were retrospectively collected, and classification, clinical characteristics, onconeural antibodies and primary tumors were analyzed. The included cases were divided into classical and non-classical groups according to Graus criteria, and the differences of clinical characteristics, onconeural antibodies, combined tumors, time of diagnosis and mortality were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the 48 confirmed patients, 21 (43.8%) were positive for well-characterized onconeural antibodies. There were 28 cases (58.3%) and 20 cases (41.7%) in classic and non-classical PNS groups, respectively. No significant differences of age, sex, clinical involvement site, characteristic positive antibody type, tumor diagnosis rate and follow-up mortality were found between the two groups (all P >0.05). The time of diagnosis in the non-classical PNS group was 3.0 (2.0, 6.5) months, which was significantly longer than that in the classical PNS group 1.0(0.6, 3.0) months ( P <0.05). Meanwhile, the combination rate of non-characteristic antibodies in the classical PNS group (10 cases, 35.7%) was significantly higher than that in the non-classical PNS group (1 case, 5.0%) ( P =0.016). During the follow-up, 39 patients (81.3%) with tumor were confirmed, and 29 patients (60.4%) were diagnosed with PNS before the tumor was found. Conclusions: The"non-classical"PNSs are common in clinical settings. Diagnosis may be delayed due to the nonclassical symptoms of the patients. When patients have clinical symptoms related to PNS, onconeural antibodies should be detected and the relevant tumors should also be screened. Patients have positive antibodies but with no tumors should be closely followed up for more than 5 years.

Objective: To study the effect of pertussis vaccination on the clinical manifestations of infants and young children with pertussis., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the differences in clinical manifestations and peripheral blood cell levels between pertussis children with different pertussis vaccination status., Results: A total of 1 083 children with pertussisat at age of < 3 years were enrolled, with 551 children in the unvaccinated group and 532 in the vaccinated group. Of all the children, 392 had an age of onset of < 3 months (372 were unvaccinated and 20 were vaccinated) and 691 children had an age of onset of ≥ 3 months (179 were unvaccinated and 512 were vaccinated). Compared with the vaccinated group, the unvaccinated group had a longer length of hospital stay and a higher incidence rate of respiratory failure ( P < 0.05). Among the children ≥ 3 months of age, the incidence of severe pneumonia in the unvaccinated group was higher than that in the vaccinated group ( P < 0.05), and the incidence of severe pneumonia was the highest in the unvaccinated group (10.6%) and the lowest in the 4-dose vaccination group (1.2%). Among the 101 patients with severe pneumonia, 80 (79.2%) were observed in the unvaccinated group and only 21 (20.8%) in the four different doses vaccination groups. For the children with an age of onset of ≥ 3 months, the unvaccinated group had higher white blood cell count, absolute value of lymphocytes, and platelet count than the vaccinated group ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Pertussis vaccination can reduce the incidence of severe pneumonia and respiratory failure and alleviate the severity of respiratory complications in infants and young children with pertussis.

Many Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are specifically expressed in early embryos, but the physiological functions of most of them remain largely unknown. Here, we show that deficiency of lncenc1, an early embryo-specific lncRNA, altering glucose and lipid balance in adult mice. Newly weaned lncenc1-deficient mice prefer to use lipids as a fuel source. When mice were fed a normal chow diet (NCD), glucose intolerance and insulin resistance were observed in adult lncenc1-deficient mice. Under high-fat diet (HFD) conditions, however, lncenc1-deficient mice became healthier and could resist food-induced obesity and metabolic disturbances. Furthermore, AKT/mTOR-regulated lipogenesis in liver was reduced in lncenc1-deficient mice fed a HFD. MEFs lacking lncenc1 showed impaired glycolysis and lipogenesis, suggesting that the metabolic defects may already exist in embryos. Our study demonstrated the essential roles of lncenc1 in adult metabolism, providing experimental data that support the "fetal origin" of adult metabolic disorders., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Adipose tissues, including white, beige, and brown adipose tissue, have evolved to be highly dynamic organs. Adipose tissues undergo profound changes during development and regeneration and readily undergo remodeling to meet the demands of an everchanging metabolic landscape. The dynamics are determined by the high plasticity of adipose tissues, which contain various cell types: adipocytes, immune cells, endothelial cells, nerves, and fibroblasts. There are numerous proteins that participate in regulating the plasticity of adipose tissues. Among these, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were initially found to regulate the differentiation of adipocytes, and they are being reported to have pleiotropic functions by emerging studies. Here, in the first half of the article, we summarize the plasticity of adipocytes and macrophages, which are two groups of cells targeted by BMP signaling in adipose tissues. We then review how BMPs regulate the differentiation, death, and lipid metabolism of adipocytes. In addition, the potential role of BMPs in regulating adipose tissue macrophages is considered. Finally, the expression of BMPs in adipose tissues and their metabolic relevance are discussed., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Beiging of white adipose tissue (WAT) has beneficial effects on metabolism. Although it is known that beige adipocytes are active in lipid catabolism and thermogenesis, how they are regulated deserves more explorations. In this study, we demonstrate that stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) in subcutaneous WAT (scWAT) responded to cold stimulation and was able to promote mobilization of triacylglycerol [TAG (triglyceride)]. In vitro studies showed that SCD1 promoted lipolysis in C3H10T1/2 white adipocytes. The lipolytic effect was contributed by one of SCD1's products, oleic acid (OA). OA upregulated adipose TAG lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase expression. When SCD1 was overexpressed in the scWAT of mice, lipolysis was enhanced, and oxygen consumption and heat generation were increased. These effects were also demonstrated by the SCD1 knockdown experiments in mice. In conclusion, our study suggests that SCD1, known as an enzyme for lipid synthesis, plays a role in upregulating lipid mobilization through its desaturation product, OA., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest—The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2020 Zou et al. Published by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on food intake, body weight, number of taste bud cells and the expression of lipid taste bud receptor (CD36), Gα-gustducin, post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and neurofilament light chain (NFL) proteins in the tongue or hippocampus in obese rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying reducing body weight., Methods: A total of 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups ( n =10 in each group, 5 rats for H.E. staining and immunohistochemistry, and 5 for Western blot). The obesity model was established by feeding the rats with high fat diet for 11 weeks. Following successful modeling, EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1.0-1.2 mA) was applied to "Tianshu" (ST25) for 30 min, once a day, 5 times/week for 5 weeks. The body length, body weight and maximum daily food consumption were recorded every day, followed by calculating the lee's index. Histopathological changes of the circumvallate papillae (CVP) and number of taste bud cells and CD36 were detected by HE staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC), separately. The expression levels of CD36, PSD95 and NFL proteins in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot., Results: The body weight, Lee's index and daily food consumption were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group ( P <0.01), and were significantly lowered after EA intervention in comparison with the model group ( P <0.01), suggesting an improvement of obesity. H.E. staining displayed that the CVP area and the number of taste bud cells were obviously decreased in the model group in contrast to the control group ( P <0.01), and were notably increased in the EA group in contrast to the model group ( P <0.05, P <0.01). IHC and Western blot showed that the expression levels of CD36 in the tongue and hippocampus were obviously up-regulated in the model group relevant to the control group ( P <0.01, P <0.05), and considerably down-regulated in the EA group relevant to the model group ( P <0.05, P <0.01). The expression levels of Gα-gustducin in the tongue, and PSD95 and NFL in the hippocampus were remarkably decreased in the model group relevant to the control group ( P <0.01, P <0.05), and significantly increased in the EA group relevant to the model group ( P <0.01, P <0.05)., Conclusion: EA can reduce daily food consumption and body weight in obese rats, which is associated with its effects in down-regulating the expression of CD36 in taste buds and hippocampus, and up-regulating the expression of Gα-gustducin in the tongue, and PSD95 and NFL proteins in the hippocampus. It suggests that EA may regulate the feeding behavior of obese rats by influencing the cognitive memory mechanism involved in CD36 in hippocampus.

The management of enterocutaneous fistulas (ECF) can be challenging because of massive fluid loss, which can lead to electrolyte imbalance, severe dehydration, malnutrition and sepsis. Nutritional support plays a key role in the management and successful closure of ECF. The principle of nutritional support for patients with ECF should be giving enteral nutrition (EN) priority, supplemented by parenteral nutrition if necessary. Although total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may be indicated, use of enteral feeding should be advocated as early as possible if patients are tolerant to it, which can protect gut mucosal barrier and prevent bacterial translocation. A variety of methods of enteral nutrition have been developed such as fistuloclysis and relay perfusion. ECF can also be occluded by special devices and then EN can be implemented, including fibrin glue application, Over-The-Scope Clip placement and three-dimensional (3D)-printed patient-personalized fistula stent implantation. However, those above should not be conducted in acute fistulas, because tissues are edematous and perforation could easily occur., (Copyright © 2020 Tang, Hong, Ren, Wu, Wang, Gu, Chen, Zheng, Wu, Ren and Li.)

Brown and beige adipocytes harbor the thermogenic capacity to adapt to environmental thermal or nutritional changes. Histone methylation is an essential epigenetic modification involved in the modulation of nonshivering thermogenesis in adipocytes. Here, we describe a molecular network leading by KMT5c, a H4K20 methyltransferase, that regulates adipocyte thermogenesis and systemic energy expenditure. The expression of Kmt5c is dramatically induced by a β3-adrenergic signaling cascade in both brown and beige fat cells. Depleting Kmt5c in adipocytes in vivo leads to a decreased expression of thermogenic genes in both brown and subcutaneous (s.c.) fat tissues. These mice are prone to high-fat-diet-induced obesity and develop glucose intolerance. Enhanced transformation related protein 53 ( Trp53 ) expression in Kmt5c knockout (KO) mice, that is due to the decreased repressive mark H4K20me3 on its proximal promoter, is responsible for the metabolic phenotypes. Together, these findings reveal the physiological role for KMT5c-mediated H4K20 methylation in the maintenance and activation of the thermogenic program in adipocytes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest.

Lithium has been used to treat major depressive disorder, yet the neural circuit mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons that project to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but not to nucleus accumbens (NAc), contributed to the antidepressive-like effects of lithium. Projection-specific electrophysiological recordings revealed that high concentrations of lithium increased firing rates in mPFC-, but not NAc-, projecting VTA DA neurons in mice treated with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS). In parallel, chronic administration of high-dose lithium in CMS mice restored the firing properties of mPFC-projecting DA neurons, and also rescued CMS-induced depressive-like behaviors. Nevertheless, chronic lithium treatment was insufficient to change the basal firing rates in NAc-projecting VTA DA neurons. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of mPFC-, but not NAc-, projecting VTA DA neurons mimicked the antidepressive-like effects of lithium in CMS mice. Chemogenetic downregulation of VTA-mPFC DA neurons' firing activity abolished the antidepressive-like effects of lithium in CMS mice. Finally, we found that the antidepressant-like effects induced by high-dose lithium were mediated by BNDF signaling in the mesocortical DA circuit. Together, these results demonstrated the role of mesocortical DA projection in antidepressive-like effects of lithium and established a circuit foundation for lithium-based antidepressive treatment.

The cuticle of ecdysozoans (Panarthropoda, Scalidophora, Nematoida) is secreted by underlying epidermal cells and renewed via ecdysis. We explore here the relationship between epidermis and external cuticular ornament in stem-group scalidophorans from the early Cambrian of China (Kuanchuanpu Formation; ca 535 Ma) that had two types of microscopic polygonal cuticular networks with either straight or microfolded boundaries. Detailed comparisons with modern scalidophorans (priapulids) indicate that these networks faithfully replicate the cell boundaries of the epidermis. This suggests that the cuticle of early scalidophorans formed through the fusion between patches of extracellular material secreted by epidermal cells, as observed in various groups of present-day ecdysozoans, including arthropods. Key genetic, biochemical and mechanical processes associated with ecdysis and cuticle formation seem to have appeared very early (at least not later than 535 Ma) in the evolution of ecdysozoans. Microfolded reticulation is likely to be a mechanical response to absorbing contraction exerted by underlying muscles. The polygonal reticulation in early and extant ecdysozoans is clearly a by-product of the epidermal cell pavement and interacted with the sedimentary environment.

Adipocyte cell death is pathologically involved in both obesity and lipodystrophy. Inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines are generally regarded as inducers for adipocyte apoptosis, but whether some innate defects affect their susceptibility to cell death has not been extensively studied. Here, we found bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) knockout adipocytes were prone to cell death, which involved both apoptosis and pyroptosis. BMPR2 deficiency in adipocytes inhibited phosphorylation of perilipin, a lipid-droplet-coating protein, and impaired lipolysis when stimulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), which lead to failure of fatty acid oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, impaired lipolysis was associated with mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and pyroptosis as well as elevated inflammation. These results suggest that BMPR2 is important for maintaining the functional integrity of adipocytes and their ability to survive when interacting with inflammatory factors, which may explain why adipocytes among individuals show discrepancy for death responses in inflammatory settings.

Although many studies have shown that histamine and its signaling regulate energy homeostasis through the central nervous system, their roles in adipose tissues remain poorly understood. Here, we identified that the histamine H4 receptor (HrH4) was highly expressed in adipocytes at a level higher than that of the other three receptors (i.e., HrH1, HrH2, and HrH3). The HrH4 expression in adipocytes responded to cold through thermogenesis and lipolysis, supported by results from both mouse and cell models. When HrH4 expression was knocked down in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT), browning and lipolysis effects triggered by cold were ablated, and the oxygen consumption was also lowered both at the normal and cold conditions. Moreover, mice exhibited browned scWAT, accelerated metabolic rates, and tolerance to hypothermia when 4-methylhistamine (4MH), a selective HrH4 agonist, was adjacently injected to the scWAT. Consistent with these findings, 4MH also triggered the browning and lipolytic effects in cultured C3H10T1/2 adipocytes. Mechanically, we demonstrated that p38/MAPK and ERK/MAPK pathways were involved in these processes. In conclusion, our findings have uncovered an effective role of HrH4 in adipose tissue browning.

Taurine, a nonprotein amino acid, is widely distributed in almost all animal tissues. Ingestion of taurine helps to improve obesity and its related metabolic disorders. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the protective role of taurine against obesity is not completely understood. In this study, it was found that intraperitoneal treatment of mice with taurine alleviated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, improved insulin sensitivity, and increased energy expenditure and adaptive thermogenesis of the mice. Meanwhile, administration of the mice with taurine markedly induced the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) with significantly elevated expression of PGC1α, UCP1, and other thermogenic genes in iWAT. In vitro studies indicated that taurine also induced the development of brown-like adipocytes in C3H10T1/2 white adipocytes. Knockdown of PGC1α blunted the role of taurine in promoting the brown-like adipocyte phenotypes in C3H10T1/2 cells. Moreover, taurine treatment enhanced AMPK phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo , and knockdown of AMPKα1 prevented taurine-mediated induction of PGC1α in C3H10T1/2 cells. Consistently, specific knockdown of PGC1α in iWAT of the HFD-fed mice inhibited taurine-induced browning of iWAT, with the role of taurine in the enhancement of adaptive thermogenesis, the prevention of obesity, and the improvement of insulin sensitivity being partially impaired. These results reveal a functional role of taurine in facilitating the browning of white adipose tissue, which depends on the induction of PGC1α. Our studies also suggest a potential mechanism for the protective role of taurine against obesity, which involves taurine-mediated browning of white adipose tissue., (© 2019 Guo et al.)

Hepatic steatosis is a hallmark of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is promoted by dysregulated de novo lipogenesis. ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is a crucial lipogenic enzyme that is up-regulated in individuals with NAFLD. A previous study has shown that acetylation of ACLY at Lys-540, Lys-546, and Lys-554 (ACLY-3K) increases ACLY protein stability by antagonizing its ubiquitylation, thereby promoting lipid synthesis and cell proliferation in lung cancer cells. But the functional importance of this regulatory mechanism in other cellular or tissue contexts or under other pathophysiological conditions awaits further investigation. Here, we show that ACLY-3K acetylation also promotes ACLY protein stability in AML12 cells, a mouse hepatocyte cell line, and found that the deacetylase sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) deacetylates ACLY-3K and destabilizes ACLY in these cells. Of note, the livers of mice and humans with NAFLD had increased ACLY protein and ACLY-3K acetylation levels and decreased SIRT2 protein levels. Mimicking ACLY-3K acetylation by replacing the three lysines with three glutamines (ACLY-3KQ variant) promoted lipid accumulation both in high glucose-treated AML12 cells and in the livers of high-fat/high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet-fed mice. Moreover, overexpressing SIRT2 in AML12 cells inhibited lipid accumulation, which was more efficiently reversed by overexpressing the ACLY-3KQ variant than by overexpressing WT ACLY. Additionally, hepatic SIRT2 overexpression decreased ACLY-3K acetylation and its protein level and alleviated hepatic steatosis in HF/HS diet-fed mice. Our findings reveal a posttranscriptional mechanism underlying the up-regulation of hepatic ACLY in NAFLD and suggest that the SIRT2/ACLY axis is involved in NAFLD progression., (© 2019 Guo et al.)