Protective activities of probiotics in letrozole-induced polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) rats

Xinyu Li,Chenyang Xie,Qiuping Huang,Eun Mi Hwang,Bin Jin,Zhewen Dong,Zhen Zeng,Wen He,Qi Qi Pang,Jia-Le Song 한국식품영양과학회 2021 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2021 No.10

To investigate the effect of Bifidobacterium, C. butyricum and L. plantarum on the letrozole induced PCOS rats. All female SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, modeling PCOS rats, and respectively given intragastric administration of Bifidobacterium, C. butyricum, and L. plantarum solution (1×10<SUP>9</SUP> CFU/mL) for 30 days, and observed body weight (BW). The serum levels of testosterone (T), LH, E2, FSH, INS, TG, TC, LDL, HDL were determined by ELISA kits. The levels of TGF-β1, smad4, smad3, p-smad3, p-smad2, smad2 were detected by Western Blotting. Compared with normal group, the BW, T, LH, INS, TG, TC LDL-C in PCOS rats were significantly increased, and the levels of E2, FSH and HDL-C were significantly decreased. Administrated with different probiotics can decrease the BW, T, LH, INS, TG, TC,LDL-C, and the levels of E2, FSH and HDL-C increased in PCOS rats. All probiotics significantly decreased the expression of p-smad2, p-smad3, smad4, TGF-β1. Our results showed that Bifidobacterium, C. butyricum and L. plantarum were all effective in regulating hormone levels, improving IR and dyslipidemia, and improving ovarian fibrosis in PCOS rats.

Molecular characterization and expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1, 2 and 3 under acute hypoxia and reoxygenation in pufferfish, Takifugu fasciatus

Dan Wang,Xin Wen,Xinyu Zhang,Yadong Hu,Xinru Li,Wenxu Zhu,Tao Wang,Shaowu Yin 한국유전학회 2018 Genes & Genomics Vol.40 No.11

Hypoxia seriously affects the innate immune system of fish. However, the roles of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS), pivotal anti-inflammatory genes, in response to hypoxia/reoxygenation remain largely unexplored. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the function of SOCS genes under acute hypoxia and reoxygenation in pufferfish (Takifugu fasciatus). In the present study, SOCS1, 2 and 3 were identified in T. fasciatus referred to as TfSOCS1, 2 and 3. Then, qRTPCR and western blot analysis were employed to assess their expressions at both the mRNA and protein levels. Tissue distribution demonstrated that the three SOCS genes were predominantly distributed in gill, brain and liver. Under hypoxia challenge (1.63 ± 0.2 mg/L DO for 2, 4, 6 and 8 h), the expressions of TfSOCS1 and 3 in brain and liver at the mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased, while their expressions showed an opposite trend in gill. Different from the expressions of TfSOCS1 and 3, the expression of TfSOCS2 was inhibited in gill, along with its increased expression in brain and liver. After normoxic recovery (7.0 ± 0.3 mg/L of DO for 4 and 12 h), most of TfSOCS genes were significantly altered at R4 (reoxygenation for 4 h) and returned to the normal level at R12 (reoxygenation for 12 h). SOCS genes played vital roles in response to hypoxia/reoxygenation challenge. Our findings greatly strengthened the relation between innate immune and hypoxia stress in T. fasciatus.

CTLA4-Ig protects tacrolimus-induced oxidative stress via inhibiting the AKT/FOXO3 signaling pathway in rats

Long Jin,Nan Shen,Xinyu Wen,Weidong Wang,Sun Woo Lim,양철우 대한내과학회 2023 The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine Vol.38 No.3

Background/Aims: Although the conversion from tacrolimus (TAC) to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) is effective in reducing TAC-induced nephrotoxicity, it remains unclear whether CTLA4-Ig has a direct effect on TAC-induced renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the effects of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury in terms of oxidative stress. Methods: In vitro study was performed to assess the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and the protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead transcription factor (FOXO) 3 pathway in human kidney 2 cells. In the in vivo study, the effect of CTLA4-Ig on TAC-induced renal injury was evaluated using renal function, histopathology, markers of oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine) and metabolites (4-hydroxy-2-hexenal, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione reductase), and activation of the AKT/FOXO3 pathway with insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Results: CTLA4-Ig significantly decreased cell death, ROS, and apoptosis caused by TAC. TAC treatment increased apoptotic cell death and apoptosis-related proteins (increased Bcl-2-associated X protein and caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2), but it was reversed by CTLA4-Ig treatment. The activation of p-AKT and p-FOXO3 by TAC decreased with CTLA4-Ig treatment. TAC-induced renal dysfunction and oxidative marker levels were significantly improved by CTLA4-Ig in vivo. Concomitant IGF- 1 treatment abolished the effects of CTLA4-Ig. Conclusions: CTLA4-Ig has a direct protective effect on TAC-induced renal injury via the inhibition of AKT/FOXO3 pathway.

Recommendations on management of gynecological malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives from Chinese gynecological oncologists

Yingmei Wang,Shiqian Zhang,Lihui Wei,Zhongqiu Lin,Xinyu Wang,Jianliu Wang,Keqin Hua,Manhua Cu,Jiandong Wang,Shixuan Wang,Wen Di,Yudong Wang,Ruifang An,Mingrong Xi,Ruixia Guo,Qi Zhou,Xing Xie,Fengxia X 대한부인종양학회 2020 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.31 No.4

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratorysyndrome coronavirus 2 has rapidly spread globally. Cancer patients are at a higher risk ofbeing infected with the coronavirus and are more likely to develop severe complications, ascompared to the general population. The increasing spread of COVID-19 presents challengesfor the clinical care of patients with gynecological malignancies. Concerted efforts should beput into managing gynecological malignancies in an orderly manner by strictly implementingthe measures that are specifically developed for controlling the spread of COVID-19. We havedrafted Recommendations on Management of Gynecological Malignancies during the COVID-19 Pandemicbased on our experience on controlling COVID-19 pandemic in China. We recommendthat patients with gynecological malignancies should be managed in hierarchical andindividualized manners in combination with local conditions related to COVID-19. Medicalcare decision should be balanced between controlling COVID-19 pandemic spread and timelydiagnosis and treatment for gynecologic oncology patients.

Associations of racial and ethnic discrimination with adverse changes in exercise and screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

Xia Tong,Gee Gilbert C.,Jian Li,Liu Xinyue,Dai Jin,Shi Lu,Zhang Donglan,Chen Zhuo,Han Xuesong,Li Yan,Li Hongmei,Wen Ming,Su Dejun,Chen Liwei 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

Objectives: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a growing prevalence of racial and ethnic discrimination occurred when many Americans struggled to maintain healthy lifestyles. This study investigated the associations of racial and ethnic discrimination with changes in exercise and screen time during the pandemic in the United States (US). Methods: We included 2,613 adults who self-identified as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, or Hispanic from the Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic (HEAP) study, a cross-sectional survey conducted among a nationally representative sample of US adults between October and November 2020. We assessed self-reported racial and ethnic discrimination by measuring COVID-19-related racial and ethnic bias and examined its associations with changes in exercise and screen time using multivariable logistic regression models. We analyzed data between September 2021 and March 2022.Results: COVID-19-related racial and ethnic bias was associated with decreased exercise time among non-Hispanic Asian (odds ratio [OR]=1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–1.89) and Hispanic people (OR=1.91; 95% CI, 1.32–2.77), and with increased screen time among non-Hispanic Black people (OR=1.94; 95% CI, 1.33–2.85), adjusting for age, gender, education, marital status, annual household income, insurance, and employment status. Conclusions: Racial and ethnic discrimination may have adversely influenced exercise and screen time changes among racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms through which racial and ethnic discrimination can impact lifestyles and to develop potential strategies to address racial and ethnic discrimination as a barrier to healthy lifestyles.

Molecular evolutionary analysis reveals Arctic-like rabies viruses evolved and dispersed independently in North and South Asia

Xin Yu,Hongwei Zhu,Yongheng Bo,Youzhi Li,Jianlong Zhang,Linlin Jiang,Guozhong Chen,Xingxiao Zhang,Yongjun Wen 대한수의학회 2021 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.22 No.1

Background: Arctic-like (AL) lineages of rabies viruses (RABVs) remains endemic in some Arctic and Asia countries. However, their evolutionary dynamics are largely unappreciated. Objectives: We attempted to estimate the evolutionary history, geographic origin and spread of the Arctic-related RABVs. Methods: Full length or partial sequences of the N and G genes were used to infer the evolutionary aspects of AL RABVs by Bayesian evolutionary analysis. Results: The most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of the current Arctic and AL RABVs emerged in the 1830s and evolved independently after diversification. Population demographic analysis indicated that the viruses experienced gradual growth followed by a sudden decrease in its population size from the mid-1980s to approximately 2000. Genetic flow patterns among the regions reveal a high geographic correlation in AL RABVs transmission. Discrete phylogeography suggests that the geographic origin of the AL RABVs was in east Russia in approximately the 1830s. The ancestral AL RABV then diversified and immigrated to the countries in Northeast Asia, while the viruses in South Asia were dispersed to the neighboring regions from India. The N and G genes of RABVs in both clades sustained high levels of purifying selection, and the positive selection sites were mainly found on the C-terminus of the G gene. Conclusions: The current AL RABVs circulating in South and North Asia evolved and dispersed independently.