The Nogo-66 receptor (NgR1), a receptor for Nogo-A, contributes to the inhibition of axonal regeneration in the adult central nervous system after traumatic injuries. Thus, NgR1 has been considered a critical target in axon regeneration therapy. Here, we identified a specific NgR1 antagonist peptide (HIYTALV, named NAP2) which promotes neurite regeneration in vitro from a phage display heptapeptide library. NAP2 was co-localized with NgR1 on the surface of PC12 cells and cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) by immunofluorescence assay. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-streptavidin-biotin assay further showed that NAP2 binds to NgR1 and the dissociation constant (Kd) was 0.45 μM Functional analyses indicated that NAP2 could reduce the inhibitory effects of Nogo-66 on neurite outgrowth in differentiated PC12 cells and CGCs by blocking the Nogo-66-induced activation of Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK), collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) and myosin light chain (MLC). Taken together, the small molecule NgR1 antagonist peptide NAP2 (MW: 815.98Da) has a potential ability in crossing blood brain barrier and will be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases.

Pairing of Schistosoma males and females leads to and maintains female sexual maturation. However, the mechanism by which pairing facilitates sexual maturation of females is not clear. An increasing body of evidence suggests that ribosomal proteins have regulatory rather than constitutive roles in protein translation.

A series of novel 3,5-diaryl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines as tubulin polymerization inhibitors targeting the colchicine site were designed via ring tethering strategy, which was supported by conformational analysis. The general, chemically unstable and rotational linker, carbanyl group, was locked by 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine to avoid carbonyl reduction and restrict the instability of molecular conformation caused by the rotation of the carbon-carbon single bond beside carbonyl group. All of target compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against three human cancer lines (SGC-7901, A549 and HeLa) by MTT assay. Most of these compounds showed prominent in vitro potency and the most potent compound in this scaffold 13d (SGC-7901: IC50 = 13 nM) could significantly inhibit tubulin polymerization and strongly disrupt cytoskeleton. The results of molecular modeling study revealed that 13d interacts with tubulin by binding to the colchicine site.

Autophagy plays a central role in degrading misfolded proteins such as mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), which forms aggregates in motor neurons and is involved in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Autophagy is activated when UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) is phosphorylated at S555 and activated by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Autophagy is suppressed when ULK1 is phosphorylated at S757 by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Whether p70 S6 kinase 1 (S6K1), a serine/threonine kinase downstream of mTOR, can also regulate autophagy remains uncertain. Here we report that inhibition of S6K1 by A77 1726, the active metabolite of an anti-inflammatory drug leflunomide, induced mTOR feedback activation and ULK1S757 phosphorylation in NSC34 cells, a hybrid mouse motoneuron cell line. Unexpectedly, A77 1726 did not suppress but rather induced autophagy by increasing AMPKT172 and ULK1S555 phosphorylation. Similar observations were made with PF-4708671, a specific S6K1 inhibitor, or with S6K1 siRNA. Further studies showed that A77 1726 induced AMPK phosphorylation by activating the TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1). Functional studies revealed that A77 1726 induced co-localization of mutant SOD1G93A protein aggregates with autophagosomes and accelerated SOD1G93A protein degradation, which was blocked by inhibition of autophagy through autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7) siRNA. Our study suggests that S6K1 inhibition induces autophagy through TAK1-mediated AMPK activation in NSC34 cells, and that blocking S6K1 activity by a small molecule inhibitor such as leflunomide may offer a new strategy for ALS treatment.

Microglial activation plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases by producing several proinflammatory enzymes and proinflammatory cytokines. The phenolic glucoside gastrodin, a main constituent of a Chinese herbal medicine, has been known to display anti-inflammatory properties. The current study investigates the potential mechanisms whereby gastrodin affects the expression of potentially pro-inflammatory proteins by cultured murine microglial BV-2 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Curcumin, a selective phosphorylase kinase inhibitor, is a naturally occurring phytochemical present in turmeric. Curcumin has been confirmed to have anti-inflammatory properties in addition to the ability to decrease the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in keratinocytes. The interleukin-23 (IL-23)/IL-17A cytokine axis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Here, we report that topical use of a curcumin gel formulation strongly inhibited imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like inflammation, the development of which was based on the IL-23/IL-17A axis. IMQ-induced epidermal hyperplasia and inflammation in BALB/c mouse ear was significantly inhibited following curcumin treatment. Real-time PCR showed that mRNA levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α cytokines were decreased significantly by curcumin in ear skin, an effect similar to that of clobetasol. In addition, we found that curcumin may enhance the proliferation of epidermis γδ T cells but inhibit dermal γδ T cell proliferation. We inferred that curcumin was capable of impacting the IL-23/IL-17A axis by inhibiting IL-1β/IL-6 and then indirectly down-regulating IL-17A/IL-22 production. In conclusion, curcumin can relieve the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like inflammation in a mouse model, similar to the effects of clobetasol. Therefore, we have every reason to expect that curcumin will be used in the treatment of psoriasis in the future.

Osteoblasts are responsible for the formation and mineralization of the skeleton. To identify novel regulators of osteoblast differentiation, we conducted an unbiased forward genetic screen using a lentiviral-based shRNA library. This functional genomics analysis led to the identification of the microtubule-associated protein DCAMKL1 (Doublecortin-like and CAM kinase-like 1) as a novel regulator of osteogenesis. Mice with a targeted disruption of Dcamkl1 displayed elevated bone mass secondary to increased bone formation by osteoblasts. Molecular experiments demonstrated that DCAMKL1 represses osteoblast activation by antagonizing Runx2, the master transcription factor in osteoblasts. Key elements of the cleidocranial dysplasia phenotype observed in Runx2(+/-) mice are reversed by the introduction of a Dcamkl1-null allele. Our results establish a genetic linkage between these two proteins in vivo and demonstrate that DCAMKL1 is a physiologically relevant regulator of anabolic bone formation.

Geobacter metallireducens was the first organism that can be grown in pure culture to completely oxidize organic compounds with Fe(III) oxide serving as electron acceptor. Geobacter species, including G. sulfurreducens and G. metallireducens, are used for bioremediation and electricity generation from waste organic matter and renewable biomass. The constraint-based modeling approach enables the development of genome-scale in silico models that can predict the behavior of complex biological systems and their responses to the environments. Such a modeling approach was applied to provide physiological and ecological insights on the metabolism of G. metallireducens.

HIV is a neurotropic virus, and it can bring about neurodegeneration and may even result in cognitive impairments. The precise mechanism of HIV-associated white matter (WM) injury is unknown. The effects of multiple clinical contributors on WM impairments and the relationship between the WM alterations and cognitive performance merit further investigation.

mTOR activation suppresses autophagy by phosphorylating ULK1 at S757 and suppressing its enzymatic activity. Here we report that feedback activation of mTOR in the PI-3 kinase pathway by two p70 S6 kinase (S6K1) inhibitors (PF-4708671 and A77 1726, the active metabolite of an immunosuppressive drug leflunomide) or by S6K1 knockdown did not suppress but rather induced autophagy. Suppression of S6K1 activity led to the phosphorylation and activation of AMPK, which then phosphorylated ULK1 at S555. While mTOR feedback activation led to increased phosphorylation of ULK1 at S757, this modification did not the disrupt ULK1-AMPK interaction nor dampen ULK1 S555 phosphorylation and the induction of autophagy. In addition, inhibition of S6K1 activity led to JNK activation, which also contributed to autophagy. 5Z-7-oxozeaenol, a specific inhibitor of TAK1, or TAK1 siRNA blocked A77 1726-induced activation of AMPK and JNK, and LC3 lipidation. Taken together, our study establishes S6K1 as a key player in the PI-3 kinase pathway to suppress autophagy through inhibiting AMPK and JNK in a TAK1-dependent manner.

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) show dysregulation in a variety of cancers. However, the function and specific mechanism of LncRNA GSEC in the progression of osteosarcoma remain mostly unknown. In this study, we sought to elucidate the role and mechanism of LncRNA GSEC in the occurrence and progression of osteosarcoma.

Congenital hearing loss affects approximately 1-2 infants out of every 1000, with 50% of the cases resulting from genetic factors. Targeted gene panels have been widely used for genetic diagnosis of hearing loss. This study aims to reveal new diagnoses via reanalyzing historical data of a multigene panel, and exam the reasons for new diagnoses.

Diatoms are a successful group of marine phytoplankton that often thrives under adverse environmental stress conditions. Members of the Skeletonema genus are ecologically important which may subsist during silicate stress and form a dense bloom following higher silicate concentration. However, our understanding of diatoms' underlying molecular mechanism involved in these intracellular silicate stress-responses are limited. Here an iTRAQ-based proteomic method was coupled with multiple physiological techniques to explore distinct cellular responses associated with oxidative stress in the diatom Skeletonema dohrnii to the silicate limitation. In total, 1768 proteins were detected; 594 proteins were identified as differentially expressed (greater than a two-fold change; p < 0.05). In Si-limited cells, downregulated proteins were mainly related to photosynthesis metabolism, light-harvesting complex, and oxidative phosphorylation, corresponding to inducing oxidative stress, and ROS accumulation. None of these responses were identified in Si-limited cells; in comparing with other literature, Si-stress cells showed that ATP-limited diatoms are unable to rely on photosynthesis, which will break down and reshuffle carbon metabolism to compensate for photosynthetic carbon fixation losses. Our findings have a good correlation with earlier reports and provides a new molecular level insight into the systematic intracellular responses employed by diatoms in response to silicate stress in the marine environment.

Nano‑selenium (nano-Se) shows high biological activity and low toxicity, and has emerged as an ideal antioxidant. Our goal was to determine the underlying mechanism of nano-Se-mediated heat stress tolerance in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics, histomorphology, and conventional biochemical assays, we investigated the physiological responses of heat-stressed rainbow trout to nano-Se. Fish were fed to two levels nano-Se at 18 °C for 9 days: CG18 (0 mg/kg) and Se18 (5 mg/kg). The water temperature of all groups was increased to 24 °C and maintained for 8 h (CG24, Se24). The results showed that most glycerophospholipids and CoA levels were decreased in CG18-CG24, and pathway enrichment analysis showed that it mainly interfered with glycerophospholipids and fatty acid metabolism. Meanwhile, hematoxylin and eosin and Oil Red O staining showed significant damage to CG18-CG24, which was ameliorated by Se18-Se24. The results combining analysis of antioxidant enzymes and heat shock proteins further support the notion that nano-Se supplementation inhibited galactose metabolism and activated the glutamate-glutamine metabolic pathway as the key metabolic strategy against heat stress. These results could establish heat stress defense strategies and increase our understanding of the mechanism of nutrient participation in fish's response to adverse environments. SIGNIFICANCE: Global warming is affecting the distribution and survival of cold-water fish worldwide, through seasonal water temperature increases and an increase in the frequency of extreme heat wave events. Surprisingly, Nano‑selenium (Nano-Se) with its outstanding advantages of high biological activity and low toxicity, making it a good Se nutrient supplement and free radical scavenger, and also an ideal and ecological way to supplement Se. How to utilize the metabolome to better address the complexity of the interactions that may occur with Nano-Se during the process of heat stress resistance is an important challenge. In the present study, this is the first publicly available metabonomics study of the anti-heat stress effect of Nano-Se as a nutrient on rainbow trout liver. These data indicated that Nano-Se effectively alleviated stress damage in rainbow trout, in which heat stress interfered with the metabolism of glycerophospholipids and fatty acids significantly, causing liver cell membrane damage and lipid metabolism disorders in rainbow trout. Meanwhile, supplementation of Nano-Se downregulated galactose metabolism and activated glutamate and glutamine metabolic pathways, which seems to be a key metabolic strategy to combat heat stress. The results provide a scientific basis for the development of an anti-heat-stress feed for rainbow trout that help maintain their health, productivity and welfare under unfavorable heat conditions.

To assess the tibio-femoral contact forces before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) models and gait analysis.

Despite an increase in ocean warming and acidification that is expected to increase the number of harmful algal species worldwide, the population of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo has been reported to be reduced. However, how this species physically and metabolically modifies transitional C:N:P ratio and macromolecule accumulation is unknown. Considering 1st, 10th, and 20th culture generations under present (low-temperature; low-carbon-dioxide [LTLC] 21 °C; pCO2 400 ppm) and future (high-temperature; high-carbon-dioxide [HTHC] 25 °C; pCO2 1000 ppm) ocean conditions, we examined transitional C:N:P ratio and macromolecule level changes and performed transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that compared to 1st generation cells, 20th generation cells under HTHC conditions showed a large decrease in carbon quota (QC: 34%), nitrogen quota (QN: 36%), and phosphorus quota (QP: 32%), which were reflected in an overall reduction in DNA and RNA quantity. Decreased activation of photosynthetic, carbon fixation and lipid metabolic pathways coincided with changes in photosynthetic efficiency, carbon concentration, and lipid accumulation after long-term (20th generation) exposure to HTHC conditions. We observed that these variations in internal metabolic pathways were caused by external changes in temperature, which activated the (Ca+) signaling pathway, and external changes in pCO2, which altered proton exchange pathways. Our results suggest that H. akashiwo in a temperate environment will undergo profound changes in C:N:P ratio and macromolecular properties, leading to programmed cell death, in the future.

It is controversial whether the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele (APOE ε4) is a risk gene for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related neurocognitive impairment. This meta-analysis aimed to summarize evidence of the associations between APOE ε4 and cognitive impairment in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Radiation damage is associated with inflammation and immunity in the intestinal mucosa, including gut microbiota. Melanin has a unique capacity to coordinate a biological reaction in response to environmental stimuli, such as radiation exposure. Thus, melanin and melanized microbes have potential to be used for mitigation of injury induced by radiation. The purpose of the current study is to examine the safety of these agents for future targeting gut microbiome to prevent radiation-induced injury. We administered mice with soluble allomelanin and observed its effect on the intestinal physiology and body weight. We then established a melanized bacterial strain in probiotic E. coli Nissle. We measured the body weight of the mice treated with melanized E. coli Nissle. We showed the enhanced bacterial abundance and colonization of the melanized bacteria E. coli Nissle in the intestine. Melanized E. coli Nissle colonized the colon in less than 3 h and showed consistent colonization over 24 h post one oral gavage. We did not find significant changes of bodyweight in the mice treated with melanized bacteria. We did not observe any inflammation in the intestine. These results demonstrate the safety of soluble melanin and melanin-producing bacteria and will support the future studies to treat radiation-induced injuries and restore dysbiosis.

Hedgehog signaling is essential for bone formation, including functioning as a means for the growth plate to drive skeletal mineralization. However, the mechanisms regulating hedgehog signaling specifically in bone-forming osteoblasts are largely unknown. Here, we identified SLIT and NTRK-like protein-5(Slitrk5), a transmembrane protein with few identified functions, as a negative regulator of hedgehog signaling in osteoblasts. Slitrk5 is selectively expressed in osteoblasts and loss of Slitrk5 enhanced osteoblast differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Loss of SLITRK5 in vitro leads to increased hedgehog signaling and overexpression of SLITRK5 in osteoblasts inhibits the induction of targets downstream of hedgehog signaling. Mechanistically, SLITRK5 binds to hedgehog ligands via its extracellular domain and interacts with PTCH1 via its intracellular domain. SLITRK5 is present in the primary cilium, and loss of SLITRK5 enhances SMO ciliary enrichment upon SHH stimulation. Thus, SLITRK5 is a negative regulator of hedgehog signaling in osteoblasts that may be attractive as a therapeutic target to enhance bone formation.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) and osteopetrosis are 2 different, rare hereditary diseases. Here we report clinical and molecular genetics investigations on an infant patient with persistent thrombocytopenia and prolonged fever. He was clinical diagnosed as osteopetrosis according to clinical presentation, radiologic skeletal features, and bone biopsy results. Gene sequencing demonstrated a de novo homozygous mutation in 5'-untranslated region of TNFRSF11A, c.-45A>G, which is relating to osteopetrosis. Meanwhile, a hemizygous transition mutation in WAS gene, c.400G>A diagnosed the infant with WAS. This is the first clinical report for the diagnosis of osteopetrosis coinheritance with WAS in a single patient.