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Croatian Medical Journal Apr 2019Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) are proteins that have received increasing attention in the...
Neuroprotective and reparative effects of endoplasmic reticulum luminal proteins - mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor and cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor.
Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) are proteins that have received increasing attention in the last decades. Although they are called neurotrophic factors they are drastically different from neurotrophic factors in their expression and physiological actions. They are located in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and their basal secretion from neurons is very low. However their secretion is stimulated upon ER calcium depletion by chemical probes such as thapsigargin, a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) pump inhibitor. Exogenous MANF and CDNF possess therapeutic properties in several neurological disease models, including Parkinson disease and stroke. Endogenous MANF expression has been shown to be neuroprotective, as well as administration of either CDNF or MANF into the extracellular space. In this review, we focus on their therapeutic effects, regulation of expression and secretion, comparison of their mechanisms of action, and their application to the brain parenchyma as recombinant proteins.
Topics: Animals; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Humans; Nerve Growth Factors; Neurons; Parkinson Disease; Stroke; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 31044581
DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2019.60.99 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2022Berberine, the main bioactive component of Franch., is widely used in the treatment of diabetes. Previous studies have reported that berberine supplementation may play...
Berberine, the main bioactive component of Franch., is widely used in the treatment of diabetes. Previous studies have reported that berberine supplementation may play a multitarget therapeutic role in diabetes-related cognitive impairment (DCI). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effect and possible mechanisms of berberine in animal models of DCI. Relevant studies were searched through PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and three Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP) until March 2022. Twenty studies involving 442 animals were included, and SYRCLE's risk of bias tool was used to assess methodological quality. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 15.0 to calculate the weighted standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The fasting blood glucose (FBG) and Morris water maze test (MWM) were the main outcomes to be analyzed. The overall results showed that berberine could significantly improve FBG, escape latency, the times of crossing the platform, the time spent in the target quadrant, serum insulin, 2hBG of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), amyloid β (Aβ), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), oxidative stress, and inflammation levels. The present meta-analysis demonstrated that berberine could not only lower blood glucose levels but also improve learning and memory in DCI animal models, which might involve regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, improving insulin resistance, anti-oxidation, anti-neuroinflammation, inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress; and improving the cholinergic system. However, additional attention should be paid to these outcomes due to the significant heterogeneity.
PubMed: 35734409
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.917375 -
Urologic Oncology May 2022Determining meta-analysis of transcriptional profiling of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) through Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets has not been investigated.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Determining meta-analysis of transcriptional profiling of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) through Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets has not been investigated. This study aims to define gene expression profiles in MIBC and to identify potential candidate genes and pathways.
OBJECTIVES
To review and evaluate gene expression studies in MIBC through publicly available RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and microarray data in order to identify potential prognostic and therapeutic targets for MIBC.
METHODS
A systematic literature search of the Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Wiley Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was performed using the terms "gene," "gene expression," and "bladder cancer" January 1, 1990 through March 2021 focused on populations with MIBC.
RESULTS
In the final analysis, GEO datasets were included. Fixed effect model was employed in the meta-analysis. Gene networking connections and gene-set functional analyses of the identified genes as differentially expressed in MIBC were performed using ImaGEO and GeneMANIA software. A heatmap for the upregulated and downregulated genes was generated along with the correlated pathways.
CONCLUSION
A total of 9 genes were reported in this analysis. Six genes were reported as upregulated (ProTα, SPINT1, UBE2E1, RAB25, KPNB1, HDAC1) and 3 genes as downregulated (NUP188, IPO13, NUP124). Genes were found to be involved in "ubiquitin mediated proteolysis," "protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum," "transcriptional misregulation in cancer," and "RNA transport" pathways.
Topics: Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Regulatory Networks; Humans; Male; Muscles; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Prognosis; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; rab GTP-Binding Proteins
PubMed: 35039218
DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.11.003 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2020Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic homeostatic process, crucial for cell survival. It has been shown that autophagy can modulate different cardiovascular... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic homeostatic process, crucial for cell survival. It has been shown that autophagy can modulate different cardiovascular pathologies, including vascular calcification (VCN).
OBJECTIVE
To assess how modulation of autophagy, either through induction or inhibition, affects vascular and valvular calcification and to determine the therapeutic applicability of inducing autophagy.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic review of English language articles using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science (WoS) and the Cochrane library. The search terms included autophagy, autolysosome, mitophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-phagy, lysosomal, calcification and calcinosis. Study characteristics: Thirty-seven articles were selected based on pre-defined eligibility criteria. Thirty-three studies (89%) studied vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification of which 27 (82%) studies investigated autophagy and six (18%) studies lysosomal function in VCN. Four studies (11%) studied aortic valve calcification (AVCN). Thirty-four studies were published in the time period 2015-2020 (92%).
CONCLUSION
There is compelling evidence that both autophagy and lysosomal function are critical regulators of VCN, which opens new perspectives for treatment strategies. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as the development of more selective pharmacological agents and standardization of methods to measure autophagic flux.
Topics: Aortic Valve; Aortic Valve Stenosis; Autophagy; Calcinosis; Cell Survival; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Humans; Lysosomes; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle; Vascular Calcification
PubMed: 33255685
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238933 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Diabetes-induced reproductive complications can lead to subfertility and infertility, raising the need to protect reproductive organs. There are limited medications used...
BACKGROUND
Diabetes-induced reproductive complications can lead to subfertility and infertility, raising the need to protect reproductive organs. There are limited medications used to improve reproductive health in diabetic patients. Melatonin, mainly produced by the pineal gland, may improve diabetes-associated reproductive complications through various mechanisms and may be a preferred candidate to protect the reproductive system. The present review aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of melatonin's effect on the reproductive system adversely affected by diabetes mellitus (DM).
METHODS
A comprehensive systematic literature electronic search was done using the PRISMA guidelines. Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched for publications up to June 2022. Search terms were selected based on the study purpose and were explored in titles and abstracts. After screening, out of a total of 169 articles, 14 pertinent articles were included based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria.
RESULTS
The results of studies using rats and mice suggest that DM adversely affects reproductive tissues, including testes and epididymis, prostate, corpus cavernosum, and ovary leading to alterations in histological and biochemical parameters compared to the normal groups. Treatment with melatonin improves oxidative stress, blocks apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress and caspase activation, reduces pro-inflammation cytokines, and enhances steroidogenesis.
CONCLUSION
Melatonin exerted a protective action on the impaired reproductive system in and models of DM. The topic has to be followed up in human pregnancy cases that will need more time to be collected and approved.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Rats; Mice; Animals; Melatonin; Oxidative Stress; Antioxidants; Reproduction; Diabetes Mellitus
PubMed: 36303864
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1022989 -
Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease May 2020Since the first description of galactosemia in 1908 and despite decades of research, the pathophysiology is complex and not yet fully elucidated. Galactosemia is an...
Since the first description of galactosemia in 1908 and despite decades of research, the pathophysiology is complex and not yet fully elucidated. Galactosemia is an inborn error of carbohydrate metabolism caused by deficient activity of any of the galactose metabolising enzymes. The current standard of care, a galactose-restricted diet, fails to prevent long-term complications. Studies in cellular and animal models in the past decades have led to an enormous progress and advancement of knowledge. Summarising current evidence in the pathophysiology underlying hereditary galactosemia may contribute to the identification of treatment targets for alternative therapies that may successfully prevent long-term complications. A systematic review of cellular and animal studies reporting on disease complications (clinical signs and/or biochemical findings) and/or treatment targets in hereditary galactosemia was performed. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched, 46 original articles were included. Results revealed that Gal-1-P is not the sole pathophysiological agent responsible for the phenotype observed in galactosemia. Other currently described contributing factors include accumulation of galactose metabolites, uridine diphosphate (UDP)-hexose alterations and subsequent impaired glycosylation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, altered signalling pathways, and oxidative stress. galactokinase (GALK) inhibitors, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) up-regulation, uridine supplementation, ER stress reducers, antioxidants and pharmacological chaperones have been studied, showing rescue of biochemical and/or clinical symptoms in galactosemia. Promising co-adjuvant therapies include antioxidant therapy and UGP up-regulation. This systematic review provides an overview of the scattered information resulting from animal and cellular studies performed in the past decades, summarising the complex pathophysiological mechanisms underlying hereditary galactosemia and providing insights on potential treatment targets.
Topics: Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Galactokinase; Galactose; Galactosemias; Genotype; Humans; Oxidative Stress; Phenotype; UDPglucose 4-Epimerase; UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase
PubMed: 31808946
DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12202 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis is a common and highly recurrent disease in urology; however, its precise pathogenesis is still unknown. Recent research has shown that...
Calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis is a common and highly recurrent disease in urology; however, its precise pathogenesis is still unknown. Recent research has shown that renal inflammatory injury as a result of the cell-crystal reaction plays a crucial role in the development of calcium oxalate kidney stones. An increasing amount of research have confirmed that inflammation mediated by the cell-crystal reaction can lead to inflammatory injury of renal cells, promote the intracellular expression of NADPH oxidase, induce extensive production of reactive oxygen species, activate NLRP3 inflammasome, discharge a great number of inflammatory factors, trigger inflammatory cascading reactions, promote the aggregation, nucleation and growth process of calcium salt crystals, and ultimately lead to the development of intrarenal crystals and even stones. The renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs)-crystal reaction, macrophage-crystal reaction, calcifying nanoparticles, endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy activation, and other regulatory factors and mechanisms are involved in this process.
Topics: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; Epithelial Cells; Humans; Inflammasomes; Inflammation; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Nephrolithiasis; Reactive Oxygen Species
PubMed: 35154136
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.818625 -
Nutrients Feb 2023The increasing burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) requires innovative management strategies, but an effective pharmacological agent has yet to be found.... (Review)
Review
The increasing burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) requires innovative management strategies, but an effective pharmacological agent has yet to be found. Apart from weight loss and lifestyle adjustments, one isomer of the vitamin E family-alpha-tocopherol-is currently recommended for nondiabetic steatohepatitis patients. Another member of the vitamin E family, tocotrienol (T3), has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that reach beyond those of alpha-tocopherol, making it a potential agent for use in NAFLD management. This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the effects of T3 supplementation on NAFLD from both clinical and preclinical perspectives. A literature search was performed in October 2022 using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Original research articles reporting NAFLD outcomes were included in this review. The search located 12 articles (8 animal studies and 4 human studies). The literature reports state that T3 isomers or natural mixtures (derived from palm or annatto) improved NAFLD outcomes (liver histology, ultrasound or liver profile). However, the improvement depended on the severity of NAFLD, study period and type of intervention (isomers/mixture of different compositions). Mechanistically, T3 improved lipid metabolism and prevented liver steatosis, and reduced mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation and ultimately liver fibrosis. In summary, T3 could be a potential agent for use in managing NAFLD, pending more comprehensive preclinical and human studies.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Tocotrienols; alpha-Tocopherol; Liver; Vitamin E
PubMed: 36839192
DOI: 10.3390/nu15040834 -
BioMed Research International 2021Type 2 deiodinase (Dio2) is a selenoenzyme that is mainly expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum of the central nervous system, brown adipose tissue, and placenta and is... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Type 2 deiodinase (Dio2) is a selenoenzyme that is mainly expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum of the central nervous system, brown adipose tissue, and placenta and is responsible for outer ring deiodination of thyroxine (T4) to form biologically active triiodothyronine (T3). The Thr92Ala polymorphism of Dio2 has been found to be a potential risk factor for various diseases beyond the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis.
METHODS
We searched the relevant studies in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and Google Scholar. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on the Thr92Ala polymorphism and metabolic parameters beyond the HPT axis (e.g., BMI, fasting glycemic traits, plasma lipid levels, and hypertension risk) were performed.
RESULTS
Six eligible studies that analyzed the relationship between the Thr92Ala polymorphism and metabolic parameters beyond the thyroid were identified. All selected studies excluded patients with thyroid dysfunction, and diabetic patients were also excluded when fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels were meta-analyzed. The Thr92Ala polymorphism was found to be a significant risk factor for higher BMI (Std. mean difference 0.31 (0.01, 0.60), = 0.04) and higher fasting glucose levels (Std. mean difference 1.18 (0.05, 2.31), = 0.04). However, fasting insulin levels, plasma lipid levels, and hypertension risk showed a nonsignificant association with the Thr92Ala polymorphism.
CONCLUSION
Compared with euthyroid noncarriers (Thr/Thr), euthyroid Ala92-Dio2 carriers showed increased BMI levels, and Ala92-Dio2 carriers also had higher fasting plasma glucose levels than matched euthyroid nondiabetic noncarriers.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blood Glucose; Body Mass Index; Fasting; Female; Genetic Association Studies; Humans; Hypertension; Iodide Peroxidase; Lipids; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Risk Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 34660805
DOI: 10.1155/2021/9914009 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2022Tumors can survive environmental and metabolic stress by triggering homeostatic responses that re-establish the pre-stress status and permit them to grow and thrive. The...
Tumors can survive environmental and metabolic stress by triggering homeostatic responses that re-establish the pre-stress status and permit them to grow and thrive. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the organelle where proteins undergo post-translational modifications and are folded and exported to the secretory pathway. Its environment and activity are therefore fundamental for proteostasis, i.e., the plethora of mechanisms controlling protein formation, folding, degradation, and secretion, needed to assure protein balance and cellular health. In different tumor-related conditions, such as after the activation of oncogenes or under hypoxia and nutrient deprivation, the ER experiences stress, triggered by a high load of proteins to be folded compared to the limited folding capacity of the organelle. As a consequence, three ER membrane sensors and the related unfolded protein response (UPR) are activated. The UPR comprises a complex interconnection between signal transduction pathways that promote a homeostatic response that acts by increasing the amount of protein chaperones and of proteins involved in ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) on one hand and attenuating protein translation on the other. ER-phagy, literally "eating" the ER, is part of another homeostatic response consisting of the clearance of non-functional ER portions including misfolded proteins. This response is also activated by a set of dedicated ER-phagy receptors after ER stimuli, which overlap the stimuli generating ER stress. Thus, the UPR and ER-phagy are two closely related homeostatic mechanisms that cooperate in re-establishing ER homeostasis. However, while the role of the UPR in favoring cancer growth and thriving by promoting angiogenesis, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is consolidated, that of ER-phagy is still in its infancy. This essay provides an overview of emerging concepts on ER stress, the UPR, and ER-phagy and their crosstalk in tumorigenesis. We also critically review new findings on their pharmacological targeting in cancer.
PubMed: 36408145
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.997235