Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs) in the brain. These LBs are primarily composed of α‐Synuclein (α‐Syn), which has aggregated. A recent report ...proposes that CCAAT/enhancer‐binding proteins β (C/EBPβ) may act as an age‐dependent transcription factor for α‐Syn, thereby initiating PD pathologies by regulating its transcription. Potential therapeutic approaches to address PD could involve targeting the regulation of α‐Syn by C/EBPβ. This study has revealed that Nrf2, also known as nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (NFE2L2), suppresses the transcription of C/EBPβ in SH‐SY5Y cells when treated with MPP
+
. To activate Nrf2, sulforaphane, an Nrf2 activator, was administered. Additionally, C/EBPβ was silenced using C/EBPβ‐DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide (HDO). Both approaches successfully reduced abnormal α‐Syn expression in primary neurons treated with MPP
+
. Furthermore, sustained activation of Nrf2 via its activator or inhibition of C/EBPβ using C/EBPβ‐HDO resulted in a reduction of aberrant α‐Syn expression, thus leading to an improvement in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) in mouse models induced by 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,5,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and those treated with preformed fibrils (PFFs). The data presented in this study illustrate that the activation of Nrf2 may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for PD by inhibiting the abnormal C/EBPβ/α‐Syn signaling pathway.
The transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play a key role in depression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk ...between Nrf2 and BDNF in depression remain unclear. We examined whether Nrf2 regulates the transcription of Bdnf by binding to its exon I promoter. Furthermore, the role of Nrf2 and BDNF in the brain regions from mice with depression-like phenotypes was examined. Nrf2 regulated the transcription of Bdnf by binding to its exon I promoter. Activation of Nrf2 by sulforaphane (SFN) showed fast-acting antidepressant-like effects in mice by activating BDNF as well as by inhibiting the expression of its transcriptional repressors (HDAC2, mSin3A, and MeCP2) and revising abnormal synaptic transmission. In contrast, SFN did not affect the protein expression of BDNF and its transcriptional repressor proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus, nor did it reduce depression-like behaviors and abnormal synaptic transmission in Nrf2 knockout mice. In the mouse model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), protein levels of Nrf2 and BDNF in the mPFC and hippocampus were lower than those of control and CSDS-resilient mice. In contrast, the protein levels of BDNF transcriptional repressors in the CSDS-susceptible mice were higher than those of control and CSDS-resilient mice. These data suggest that Nrf2 activation increases the expression of Bdnf and decreases the expression of its transcriptional repressors, which result in fast-acting antidepressant-like actions. Furthermore, abnormalities in crosstalk between Nrf2 and BDNF may contribute to the resilience versus susceptibility of mice against CSDS.
A novel Lewis base-catalyzed 4 + 3 annulation process for the construction of benzoboxepine scaffolds has been developed. 1,4-Diazabicyclo2.2.2octane (DABCO) promotes the union of o-QMs and ...Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates in reasonable to excellent yields and good stereoselectivities (dr > 20:1). This straightforward, catalytic approach offers access to a variety of synthetically useful benzoboxepine derivatives bearing oxindole scaffolds containing all-carbon spiro-quaternary stereocenters.
Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with lung cancer; however, the functions of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) rs13213007 and ...HDAC2 in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. Here we identified HDAC2 rs13213007 as a risk SNP and showed that HDAC2 was upregulated in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and NSCLC tissues with the rs13213007 A/A genotype compared with those with the rs13213007 G/G or G/A genotype. Patient clinical data indicated strong associations between rs13213007 genotype and N classification. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed that higher expression of HDAC2 was associated with NSCLC progression. Furthermore, we generated 293T cells with the rs13213007 A/A genotype using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 gene editing. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing followed by motif analysis showed that HDAC2 can bind to c-Myc in rs13213007 A/A 293T cells. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound-healing, and Transwell assays revealed that HDAC2 upregulates c-Myc and cyclin D1 expression and promotes NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Co-immunoprecipitation, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis assays showed that MTA3 interacts with HDAC2, decreases HDAC2 expression, and rescues the migration and invasion abilities of NSCLC cells. Taken together, these findings identify HDAC2 as a potential therapeutic biomarker in NSCLC.
The artificial engineering of an enzyme’s structural conformation to enhance its activity is highly desired and challenging. Anisotropic reticular chemistry, best illustrated in the case of ...multivariate metal–organic frameworks (MTV-MOFs), provides a platform to modify a MOF’s pore and inner-surface with functionality variations on frameworks to optimize the interior environment and to enhance the specifically targeted property. In this study, we altered the functionality and ratio of linkers in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), a subclass of MOFs, with the MTV approach to demonstrate a strategy that allows us to optimize the activity of the encapsulated enzyme by continuously tuning the framework–enzyme interaction through the hydrophilicity change in the pores’ microenvironment. To systematically study this interaction, we developed the component-adjustment-ternary plot (CAT) method to approach the optimal activity of the encapsulated enzyme BCL and revealed a nonlinear correlation, first incremental and then decremental, between the BCL activity and the hydrophilic linker’ ratios in MTV-ZIF-8. These findings indicated there is a spatial arrangement of functional groups along the three-dimensional space across the ZIF-8 crystal with a unique sequence that could change the enzyme structure between closed-lid and open-lid conformations. These conformation changes were confirmed by FTIR spectra and fluorescence studies. The optimized BCL@ZIF-8 is not only thermally and chemically more stable than free BCL in solution, but also doubles the catalytic reactivity in the kinetic resolution reaction with 99% ee of the products.
Hematological malignancies possess a distinctive immunologic microenvironment compared with solid tumors. Here, using an established computational algorithm (CIBERSORT), we systematically analyzed ...the overall distribution of 22 tumor-infiltrating leukocyte (TIL) populations in more than 2000 bone marrow (BM) samples from 5 major hematological malignancies and healthy controls. Focusing on significantly altered TILs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we found that patients with AML exhibited increased frequencies of M2 macrophages, compared to either healthy controls or the other four malignancies. High infiltration of M2 macrophages was associated with poor outcome in AML. Further analysis revealed that CD206, a M2 marker gene, could faithfully reflect variation in M2 fractions and was more highly expressed in AML than normal controls. High CD206 expression predicted inferior overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in two independent AML cohorts. Among 175 patients with intermediate-risk cytogenetics, the survival still differed greatly between low and high CD206 expressers (OS; P < .0001; 3-year rates, 56% v 32%; EFS; P < .001; 3-year rates, 47% v 25%). When analyzed in a meta-analysis, CD206 as a continuous variable showed superior predictive performance than classical prognosticators in AML (BAALC, ERG, EVI1, MN1, and WT1). In summary, M2 macrophages are preferentially enriched in AML. The M2 marker CD206 may serve as a new prognostic marker in AML.
Promoter hypermethylation‐mediated inactivation of ID4 plays a crucial role in the development of solid tumours. This study aimed to investigate ID4 methylation and its clinical relevance in myeloid ...malignancies. ID4 hypermethylation was associated with higher IPSS scores, but was not an independent prognostic biomarker affecting overall survival (OS) in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, ID4 hypermethylation correlated with shorter OS and leukaemia‐free survival (LFS) time and acted as an independent risk factor affecting OS in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Moreover, ID4 methylation was significantly decreased in the follow‐up paired AML patients who achieved complete remission (CR) after induction therapy. Importantly, ID4 methylation was increased during MDS progression to AML and chronic phase (CP) progression to blast crisis (BC) in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Epigenetic studies showed that ID4 methylation might be one of the mechanisms silencing ID4 expression in myeloid leukaemia. Functional studies in vitro showed that restoration of ID4 expression could inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis in both K562 and HL60 cells. These findings indicate that ID4 acts as a tumour suppressor in myeloid malignancies, and ID4 methylation is a potential biomarker in predicting disease progression and treatment outcome.
High intake of phytoestrogen has been reported to be associated with the prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). Calycosin belongs to the phytoestrogen that has been shown to suppress CRC cells in our ...previous study. However, its anticancer activity and molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the effect of calycosin on the viability and apoptosis of human CRC HCT116 and SW480 cells via MTT assay, flow cytometry assay, and caspase‐3/7 activity assay. The protein expressions of estrogen receptor β (ERβ), PTEN, and PI3K/Akt signal pathways were determined by Western blot analysis. And then, the alterations of biological behavior in CRC cells transfected with ERβ siRNA were analyzed. Mouse xenograft models were further performed to detect the antitumor effect in vivo. The results show that calycosin reduces CRC cell viability, induces cell apoptosis, and suppresses xenograft tumor growth. The protein expressions of ERβ and PTEN are significantly upregulated following calycosin treatment, whereas p‐AKT/AKT ratio and Bcl‐2 level are downregulated. Suppressing ERβ with siRNA partially attenuates the reduction in viability and apoptosis induced by calycosin. Our results indicate that calycosin shows inhibitory effects on CRC cells, which might be obtained by targeting ERβ, upregulating PTEN, and inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signal pathway.
Reports have highlighted an association between connexins (CXs) or gap junction proteins and non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present study, it was aimed to elucidate the regulatory ...mechanism of CX26 and CX43 under hypoxic conditions in NSCLC. Clinical samples were collected for analysis of CX26 and CX43 expression and clinical cancerization followed by quantification of CX26 and CX43 expression. Following the establishment of an in vitro hypoxia model, P53/murine double minute‑2 (MDM2) signaling pathway‑, proliferation‑ and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT)‑related genes were quantified to evaluate the influence of CX26 and CX43 on the biological functions of pulmonary epithelial cells in NSCLC. In addition, the proliferation and tumorigenicity of cancer cells were assessed by EdU staining and xenograft tumors, respectively. Decreased expression of CX26 and CX43 was found in cancer tissues compared with surrounding normal tissue. Hypoxia was shown to activate the P53/MDM2 axis and stimulate the downregulation, ubiquitination and degradation of CX26 and CX43, which were translocated from the membrane to the cytoplasm. Low levels of CX26 and CX43 were demonstrated to further promote EMT and the induction of the proliferation and tumorigenicity of cancer cells. These results were reflected by decreased E‑cadherin expression and increased N‑cadherin expression, along with increased cell migration, promoted cell proliferation ability and elevated relative protein expression of Oct4 and Nanog, and accelerated tumor growth, accompanied by a higher number of metastatic nodes. Taken together, the key observations of the present study demonstrate that the internalization of CX26 and CX43 promoted proliferation, EMT and migration and thus induced NSCLC via aberrant activation of the P53/MDM2 signaling pathway under hypoxic conditions.
Accumulating studies have proved EZH2 dysregulation mediated by mutation and expression in diverse human cancers including AML. However, the expression pattern of EZH2 remains controversial in acute ...myeloid leukaemia (AML). EZH1/2 expression and mutation were analysed in 200 patients with AML. EZH2 expression was significantly decreased in AML patients compared with normal controls but not for EZH1 expression. EZH2 mutation was identified three of the 200 AML patients (1.5%, 3/200), whereas none of the patients harboured EZH1 mutation (0%, 0/200). EZH2 expression and mutation were significantly associated with −7/del(7) karyotypes. Moreover, lower EZH2 expression was associated with older age, higher white blood cells, NPM1 mutation, CEBPA wild‐type and WT1 wild‐type. Patients with EZH2 mutation showed shorter overall survival (OS) and leukaemia‐free survival (LFS) than patients without EHZ2 mutation after receiving autologous or allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, EZH2 expression has no effect on OS and LFS of AML patients. Notably, in EZH2 low group, patients undergone HSCT had significantly better OS and LFS compared with patients only received chemotherapy, whereas no significant difference was found in OS and LFS between chemotherapy and HSCT patients in EZH2 high group. Collectively, EZH2 dysregulation caused by mutation and under‐expression identifies specific subtypes of AML EZH2 dysregulation may be acted as potential biomarkers predicting prognosis and guiding the treatment choice between transplantation and chemotherapy.
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