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The cover shows an immunofluorescent image of a flat-mounted mid-ventral retina from a thirteen-lined-ground squirrel. To learn about the ground squirrel as a superb model for retinal ganglion cell disorders and optic neuropathies, see the paper by Xiao et al, this issue, p 1289.
The authors show that the long non-coding RNA XIST, together with the microRNA miR-150-5p and c-Fos, regulate sepsis-induced myocardial injury via the TXNIP pathway. XIST affects pyroptosis, and XIST knockdown attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced injury. These results suggest that the XIST/miR-150-5p/c-Fos axis may be a novel therapeutic strategy for sepsis-induced myocardial injury.
This paper demonstrates that PHLDA3 is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinomas and correlates with poor outcome. PHLDA3, in conjunction with GSK3β, promotes the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells by activating the Wnt signaling pathway, and facilitates epithelial–mesenchymal transition.
Hyperglycemia is a pivotal driver of vascular complications in diabetes. The present study shows that the long non-coding RNA SNHG15 is downregulated under hyperglycemic conditions. Its overexpression improves hyperglycemia-impaired endothelial dysfunction via reduced expression TXNIP, a thioredoxin-interacting protein. As a novel regulator of endothelial function in diabetes, SNHG15 is a potential therapeutic target for diabetic endothelial dysfunction.
The long non-coding RNA UCC acts as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-143-3p and upregulates SOX5 by absorbing miR-143-3p, resulting in proliferation and migration of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells both in vitro and in vivo. UCC enhances carcinogenesis of NSCLC cells via the miR-143-3p/SOX5 axis, which may function as a novel target for NSCLC treatment.
This study investigated the effect of valproic acid (VPA) on epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vitro, VPA prevents EMT in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, pretreatment with VPA attenuates pulmonary fibrosis development through EMT inhibition in mice, which was associated with Smad2/3 deactivation but without Akt signal involvement.
This study shows that surfactant protein A effectively prevents the development of asthma, which is mainly achieved by inhibiting Th1 and Th17 polarization and JAK/STAT pathway activation. The present study reveals the novel immunomodulatory activity of SPA and highlights the importance of further investigating its effects on asthma.
Lymphangiogenesis (LA) is a process that occurs as a response to tissue injury, though the precise role of de novo lymphatic vessel development remains unclear. Here, authors describe quantitative three-dimensional imaging and tissue cytometry, a novel technique with which to study the distribution and spatial dynamics of LA in the context of acute kidney injury.
Uremic toxin accumulation can alter hepatic drug metabolism. Advanced oxidation protein products significantly decrease the expression and activity of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 via direct activation of the NF-κB pathway. Induction of nuclear translocation of NF-κB inhibits the transcription and translation of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. The inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and/or TNF-α may mediate this process.
Prostacyclin synthase (PTGIS) levels are decreased by elevated miR-140-3p.1 expression in chronic alcoholic liver disease. Inducing PTGIS expression alleviates chronic alcohol-induced liver injury by promoting macrophage M2 polarization and inhibiting the M1 phenotype through the JAK/STAT pathway. Interestingly, inducing PTGIS expression also increases IL-6 expression, which has not yet been explained.
Nicotinamide riboside (NR), a natural nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) precursor, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by activating sirtuin 1 in alcohol-stimulated macrophages. Also, NR counteracts hypoxia-induced factor 1α-induced metabolic reprogramming favoring lactate formation. The effects of NR are likely attributable to the replenishment of the cellular NAD+ pool depleted by metabolizing ethanol.
overexpression of the microRNA miR-182 promotes functional recovery and reduced histopathological changes in spinal cord injury mice. miR-182 overexpression reduces apoptosis and attenuates the inflammatory response in spinal cord tissues by blocking the IKKβ/NF-κB pathway. These findings suggest that upregulation of miR-182 may be a novel therapeutic target for SCI.
This study reveals that the long non-coding RNA H19 is highly expressed in exosomes derived from adipose mesenchymal stem cells and accelerates the proliferation, migration and invasion of human skin fibroblasts by upregulation of SOX9 and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway The authors show that H19 affects SOX9 expression via the microRNA miR-19b to promote wound healing in injured skin.
The mineralization of MDA-MB-231 breast cells was investigated using Raman micro-spectroscopy. Mineralization was induced by two osteogenic agents: inorganic phosphate (Pi) and β-Glycerophosphate (βG). The results show that the uptake of Pi allows a faster mineralization and the uptake of βG indicated the presence of a precursor phase during the hydroxyapatite crystal formation.
New diagnostic strategies are needed to distinguish rarely arising urachal adenocarcinomas (UrC) from other types of adenocarcinomas, as therapy regimes differ. In situ metabolic differences between UrC and colorectal adenocarcinomas were revealed using mass spectrometry imaging combined with digital pathology. A classification accuracy of 87% was achieved, exceeding currently available approaches.
This study characterizes the composition of the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer and the distribution of RGCs in the cone-dominant ground squirrel retina. The RGC density and the anatomical features of axon-astrocyte interaction in the ground squirrel resemble primates, rendering it an excellent alternative model for RGC neurodegeneration and neuroprotection.