-
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is more prevalent in post- compared to pre-menopausal women. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood....
Cardiac Left Ventricular miRNA-26a Is Downregulated in Ovariectomized Mice, Upregulated upon 17-Beta Estradiol Replacement, and Inversely Correlated with Collagen Type 1 Gene Expression.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is more prevalent in post- compared to pre-menopausal women. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Data in humans is confounded by age and co-morbidities. We investigated the effects of ovariectomy and estrogen replacement on the left ventricular (LV) gene expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors involved in HFpEF and putative regulating miRNAs. Nine-week-old C57BL/6 female mice were subjected to ovariectomy (OVX) or SHAM operation. OVX and SHAM groups were sacrificed 1-, 6-, and 12-weeks post-surgery (T1/SHAM; T1/OVX; T6/SHAM; T6/OVX, T12/SHAM). 17β-estradiol (E) or vehicle (VEH) was then administered to the OVX groups for 6 weeks (T12/OVX/E2; T12/OVX/VEH). Another SHAM group was sacrificed 12-weeks post-surgery. RNA and miRNAs were extracted from the LV apex. An early 3-fold increase in the gene expression of , , , , , and was observed one-week post-surgery in T1/OVX vs. T1/SHAM, but not at later time points. miRNA-26a was lower in T1/OVX vs. T1/SHAM and was inversely correlated with and expression 1-week post-surgery (r = -0.79 < 0.001; r = -0.6 = 0.007). miRNAs-26a, 29b, and 133a were significantly higher, while , , , , , , and gene expression was significantly lower in E- compared to vehicle-treated OVX mice. miRNA-26a was inversely correlated with in T12/OVX/ E (r = -0.56 = 0.02). OVX triggered an early increase in the gene expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors, highlighting the importance of the early phase post-cessation of ovarian function. E replacement therapy, even if it was not immediately initiated after OVX, reversed these unfavorable changes and upregulated cardiac miRNA-26a, previously unknown to be affected by menopausal status.
Topics: Animals; MicroRNAs; Ovariectomy; Female; Estradiol; Mice; Collagen Type I; Heart Ventricles; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Collagen Type III; Gene Expression Regulation; Down-Regulation; Heart Failure; Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; Up-Regulation; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-1alpha; Estrogen Replacement Therapy
PubMed: 38791190
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105153 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Menopause is characterized by a reduction in sex hormones in women and is associated with metabolic changes, including fatty liver and insulin resistance. Lifestyle...
Menopause is characterized by a reduction in sex hormones in women and is associated with metabolic changes, including fatty liver and insulin resistance. Lifestyle changes, including a balanced diet and physical exercise, are necessary to prevent these undesirable changes. Strength training (ST) has been widely used because of the muscle and metabolic benefits it provides. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of ST on hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in ovariectomized mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) divided into four groups as follows: simulated sedentary surgery (SHAM-SED), trained simulated surgery (SHAM-EXE), sedentary ovariectomy (OVX-SED), and trained ovariectomy (OVX-EXE). They were fed an HFD for 9 weeks. ST was performed thrice a week. ST efficiently reduced body weight and fat percentage and increased lean mass in OVX mice. Furthermore, ST reduced the accumulation of ectopic hepatic lipids, increased AMPK phosphorylation, and inhibited the de novo lipogenesis pathway. OVX-EXE mice also showed a better glycemic profile, associated with greater insulin sensitivity identified by the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, and reduced markers of hepatic oxidative stress compared with sedentary animals. Our data support the idea that ST can be indicated as a non-pharmacological treatment approach to mitigate metabolic changes resulting from menopause.
Topics: Animals; Insulin Resistance; Female; Ovariectomy; Diet, High-Fat; Mice; Resistance Training; Fatty Liver; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Oxidative Stress; Liver; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Body Weight; Lipogenesis
PubMed: 38791103
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105066 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jul 2024Obesity is a multifaceted medical condition characterized by the pathological accumulation of excessive lipids in the body. We investigated the effects of morroniside, a...
Obesity is a multifaceted medical condition characterized by the pathological accumulation of excessive lipids in the body. We investigated the effects of morroniside, a bioactive compound derived from Cornus officinalis, on adipogenesis. We used a preadipocyte 3T3-L1 stable cell line and primary cultured adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in vitro and ovariectomized (OVX) and a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mouse model in vivo. Preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells and ADSCs incubated with morroniside during adipocyte differentiation and obese mice subjected to OVX and HFD received oral morroniside treatment for 12 weeks. Morroniside treatment significantly reduced adipocyte differentiation and fatty acid accumulation and downregulated adipogenesis-related gene expression, concomitant with a decrease in triglyceride content and an increase in glycerol release in cells. The results of the in vivo study showed that morroniside ameliorated obesity-related phenotypes by reducing body weight gain, hepatic steatosis, and adipose tissue in obese mice. These findings suggest that morroniside is a promising compound for preventing and treating obesity.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Adipogenesis; 3T3-L1 Cells; Obesity; Anti-Obesity Agents; Female; Diet, High-Fat; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Adipocytes; Glycosides; Adipose Tissue; Cell Differentiation; Mice, Obese; Triglycerides; Ovariectomy; Fatty Liver
PubMed: 38788597
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116762 -
Journal of Functional Biomaterials May 2024The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of local administration of melatonin (MLT) on molecular biomarkers and calvaria bone critical defects in female rats...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of local administration of melatonin (MLT) on molecular biomarkers and calvaria bone critical defects in female rats with or without osteoporosis, associated or not with a xenogeneic biomaterial. Forty-eight female rats were randomly divided into two groups: (O) ovariectomized and (S) placebo groups. After 45 days of osteoporosis induction, two critical-size defects (5 mm diameter) were created on the calvaria. The groups were subdivided according to the following treatment: (C) Clot, MLT, MLT associated with Bio-Oss (MLTBO), and Bio-Oss (BO). After 45 days, the defect samples were collected and processed for microtomography, histomorphometry, and biomolecular analysis (Col-I, BMP-2, and OPN). All animals had one femur harvested to confirm the osteoporosis. Microtomography analysis demonstrated a bone mineral density reduction in the O group. Regarding bone healing, the S group presented greater filling of the defects than the O group; however, in the O group, the defects treated with MLT showed higher mineral filling than the other treatments. There was no difference between the treatments performed in the S group ( = 0.05). Otherwise, O-MLT had neoformed bone higher than in the other groups ( = 0.05). The groups that did not receive biomaterial demonstrated lower levels of Col-I secretion; S-MLT and S-MLTBO presented higher levels of OPN, while O-C presented statistically lower results ( < 0.05); O-BO showed greater BMP-2 secretion ( < 0.05). In the presence of ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis, MLT treatment increased the newly formed bone area, regulated the inflammatory response, and increased OPN expression.
PubMed: 38786635
DOI: 10.3390/jfb15050124 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... May 2024Elderly patients suffering from osteoporotic fractures are more susceptible to delayed union or nonunion, and their bodies then are in a state of low-grade chronic...
BACKGROUND
Elderly patients suffering from osteoporotic fractures are more susceptible to delayed union or nonunion, and their bodies then are in a state of low-grade chronic inflammation with decreased antioxidant capacity. Tanshinone IIA is widely used in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in China and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We aimed to observe the antioxidant effects of Tanshinone IIA on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which play important roles in bone repair, and the effects of local application of Tanshinone IIA using an injectable biodegradable hydrogel on osteoporotic fracture healing.
METHODS
MSCs were pretreated with or without different concentrations of Tanshinone IIA followed by HO treatment. Ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6 mice received a mid-shaft transverse osteotomy fracture on the left tibia, and Tanshinone IIA was applied to the fracture site using an injectable hydrogel.
RESULTS
Tanshinone IIA pretreatment promoted the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and antioxidant enzymes, and inhibited HO-induced reactive oxygen species accumulation in MSCs. Furthermore, Tanshinone IIA reversed HO-induced apoptosis and decrease in osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. After 4 weeks of treatment with Tanshinone IIA in OVX mice, the bone mineral density of the callus was significantly increased and the biomechanical properties of the healed tibias were improved. Cell apoptosis was decreased and Nrf2 expression was increased in the early stage of callus formation.
CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, these results indicate that Tanshinone IIA can activate antioxidant enzymes to protect MSCs from HO-induced cell apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation inhibition. Local application of Tanshinone IIA accelerates fracture healing in ovariectomized mice.
Topics: Animals; Abietanes; Female; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Apoptosis; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Fracture Healing; Ovariectomy; Mice; Antioxidants; Hydrogen Peroxide; Osteogenesis; Osteoporotic Fractures
PubMed: 38783358
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04793-x -
Veterinary Journal (London, England :... Jun 2024General anesthesia and surgical stress can suppress the immunological response by acting both directly on the immune system and indirectly on the...
General anesthesia and surgical stress can suppress the immunological response by acting both directly on the immune system and indirectly on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Disturbance of the immune system during the perioperative period can lead to complications such as wound-healing disorders and infections up to sepsis. Effectiveness of acupuncture in regulating the immune function by increasing leukocyte numbers and inhibiting inflammatory response has been proven. This study aimed to explore the impact of electroacupuncture (EAP) on the dynamic balance of the immune system and immune cell populations in dogs undergoing surgery. Twelve healthy bitches scheduled for elective ovariectomy were divided into two groups according to whether (EAP, n=6) or not (CTR, n=6) a peri-operative electroacupuncture treatment was performed. Levels of leukocytes (neutrophils, monocytes, T- and B-cells) and immunoglobulins M (IgM) and A (IgA) were measured in blood samples collected before (T0), 1 h (T1) and 2.5 h (T2) after anesthesia induction. Leukocytes count decreased from T0 to T1 in both groups and restored within 1.5 h in EAP group whereas remained significantly lower in CTR group (P<0.02). In particular, neutrophils and monocytes increased in dogs receiving EAP (P<0.01) while T-cells decreased in CTR group (P<0.04) at T2. B-cells and cytotoxic T-cells decreased in EAP dogs (P<0.04) at T2. No differences in helper T-cells, IgM and IgA levels were recorded between groups and over time. Our results suggest a modulatory effect of EAP on the immune system which is early expressed on neutrophils, monocytes and T-cells.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Electroacupuncture; Female; Pilot Projects; Ovariectomy; Leukocyte Count; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin M
PubMed: 38782236
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106140 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2024Stress cardiomyopathy (SCM) is associated with cardiovascular mortality rates similar to acute coronary syndrome. Myocardial injuries driven by inflammatory mechanisms...
Stress cardiomyopathy (SCM) is associated with cardiovascular mortality rates similar to acute coronary syndrome. Myocardial injuries driven by inflammatory mechanisms may in part account for the dismal prognosis of SCM. Currently, no inflammation-targeted therapies are available to mitigate SCM-associated myocardial injuries. In this study, acute catecholamine surge-induced SCM was modeled by stimulating the ovariectomized (OVX) mice with isoproterenol (ISO). The effects of ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) on SCM-associated myocardial injuries were assessed in the OVX-ISO compound mice. RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) or STING agonist DMXAA were adopted to further understand the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Rb1. The results show that estrogen deprivation increases the susceptibility to ISO-induced myocardial injuries. Rb1 mitigates myocardial injuries and attenuates cardiomyocyte necrosis as well as myocardial inflammation in the OVX-ISO mice. Bioinformatics analysis suggests that cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway is closely linked with ISO-triggered inflammatory responses and cell death in the heart. In macrophages, Rb1 lowers ctDNA-stimulated production of TNF-α, IL-6, CCL2 and IFN-β. RNA-seq analyses uncover that Rb1 offsets DNA-stimulated upregulation in multiple inflammatory response pathways and cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway. Furthermore, Rb1 directly mitigates DMXAA-stimulated STING activation and inflammatory responses in macrophages. In conclusion, the work here demonstrates for the first time that Rb1 protects against SCM-associated myocardial injuries in part by counteracting acute ISO stress-triggered cardiomyocyte necrosis and myocardial inflammation. Moreover, by evidencing that Rb1 downregulates cytosolic DNA-sensing machineries in macrophages, our findings warrant further investigation of therapeutic implications of the anti-inflammatory Rb1 in the treatment of SCM.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Ginsenosides; RAW 264.7 Cells; Female; Membrane Proteins; Macrophage Activation; Isoproterenol; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Macrophages; Catecholamines; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Ovariectomy; Myocardium; Myocytes, Cardiac
PubMed: 38776673
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116794 -
Theriogenology Aug 2024The vaginal microbiota of the queen (i.e., female cat) has never been described using culture independent methods. The objectives of the present research were to...
The vaginal microbiota of the queen (i.e., female cat) has never been described using culture independent methods. The objectives of the present research were to describe the vaginal microbiota of healthy domestic shorthair queens using both 16S rRNA sequencing and culture, and to assess the effects of age, living environment, and reproductive season on its composition. Thirty queens undergoing elective ovariectomy were included in the study. The vaginal samples were collected just before surgery, from animals under general anaesthesia. Two consecutive mini-swabs were introduced in the queens' vaginal tract. A preliminary study with 10 healthy queens aimed to negate sampling order's effect. Two consecutive samples for sequencing (5 queens, 10 swabs) and culture (5 queens, 10 swabs) were collected, confirming a match (100 % in culture, Bray-Curtis P = 0.96 in sequencing). The experiment included 20 queens that were prospectively grouped based on age (prepubertal N = 10, adult N = 10), living environment (indoor N = 10, outdoor N = 10), and time of the year, whether during the reproductive season (N = 10) or during seasonal anoestrous (N = 10). Bacteria were identified through metataxonomic analysis, amplifying the V1-V2 regions of 16S rRNA gene, and through standard culture followed by MALDI-TOF MS. The feline vaginal microbiota is dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteria. Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, and Pasteurella were the most abundant genera. Although culture underestimated bacterial richness and diversity compared to sequencing, Escherichia and Streptococcus were the most isolated bacteria. No bacterial growth was observed in 15 % of samples (N = 3/20), whereas growth of one or two bacterial species was observed in 64.7 % (N = 11/17) and 35.3 % (N = 6/17) of cases, respectively. No differences in terms of alpha (Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test P = 0.65) and beta diversity (Bray-Curtis, Unweighted and Weighted UniFrac analyses P > 0.5) were observed. Although a difference in alpha diversity based on phylogenetic tree (P = 0.02) was detected between indoor and outdoor queens. In conclusion, mixed and monoculture of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus canis, Staphylococcus felis, and Enterococcus spp. are normal findings within the cat vagina. Age and reproductive season do not influence the feline vaginal microbiota, whereas further research is needed to elucidate the role of the living environment.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Female; Vagina; Microbiota; Bacteria; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Seasons
PubMed: 38772246
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.05.021 -
World Journal of Diabetes May 2024Visceral obesity is increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young adults and is commonly recognized as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Estrogen [17β-estradiol...
BACKGROUND
Visceral obesity is increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young adults and is commonly recognized as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Estrogen [17β-estradiol (E2)] is known to offer protection against obesity diverse me-chanisms, while its specific effects on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) remain to be fully elucidated.
AIM
To investigate the impact of E2 on the gene expression profile within VAT of a mouse model of prediabetes.
METHODS
Metabolic parameters were collected, encompassing body weight, weights of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT), random blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, and overall body composition. The gene expression profiles of VAT were quantified utilizing the Whole Mouse Genome Oligo Microarray and subsequently analyzed through Agilent Feature Extraction software. Functional and pathway analyses were conducted employing Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, respectively.
RESULTS
Feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) moderately increased the weights of both VAT and SAT, but this increase was mitigated by the protective effect of endogenous E2. Conversely, ovariectomy (OVX) led to a significant increase in VAT weight and the VAT/SAT weight ratio, and this increase was also reversed with E2 treatment. Notably, OVX diminished the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism compared to HFD feeding alone, signaling a widespread reduction in lipid metabolic activity, which was completely counteracted by E2 administration. This study provides a comprehensive insight into E2's local and direct protective effects against visceral adiposity in VAT at the gene level.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the HFD-induced over-nutritional challenge disrupted the gene expression profile of visceral fat, leading to a universally decreased lipid metabolic status in E2 deficient mice. E2 treatment effectively reversed this condition, shedding light on the mechanistic role and therapeutic potential of E2 in combating visceral obesity.
PubMed: 38766434
DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i5.988 -
Research Square May 2024In multiple myeloma (MM), increased osteoclast differentiation leads to the formation of osteolytic lesions in most MM patients. Bisphosphonates, such as zoledronic acid...
In multiple myeloma (MM), increased osteoclast differentiation leads to the formation of osteolytic lesions in most MM patients. Bisphosphonates, such as zoledronic acid (ZA), are used to ameliorate bone resorption, but due to risk of serious side effects as well as the lack of repair of existing lesions, novel anti-bone resorption agents are required. Previously, the absence of osteolytic lesions in MM was strongly associated with elevated levels of cystatin M/E (CST6), a cysteine protease inhibitor, secreted by MM cells. In this study, both MM- and ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporotic mouse models were used to compare the effects of recombinant mouse CST6 (rmCst6) and ZA on preventing bone loss. μCT showed that rmCst6 and ZA had similar effects on improving percent bone volume, and inhibited differentiation of non-adherent bone marrow cells into mature osteoclasts. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that rmCst6 and not ZA treatment reduced bone marrow macrophage percentage in the MM mouse model compared to controls. Protein and mRNA arrays showed that both rmCst6 and ZA significantly inhibit OVX-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines. For OVX mice, ERα protein expression in bone was brought to sham surgery level by only rmCst6 treatments. rmCst6 significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of ERα and significantly increased total intracellular estrogen concentrations for osteoclast precursor cell cultures. Based on these results, we conclude that CST6 improves MM or OVX bone loss models by increasing the expression of estrogen receptors as well as the intracellular estrogen concentration in osteoclast precursors, inhibiting their maturation.
PubMed: 38766009
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4313179/v1