AEG-1 aggravates inflammation via promoting NALP3 inflammasome formation in murine endometriosis lesions

Juan Zhao,Wei Ma,Weizhi Chen,Jie Gao,Chunling Li,Yahong Tong,Qin Zhou,Xiuling Zhao,Menghua Wang,Huan Xiao,Yanrong Jin 한국통합생물학회 2019 Animal cells and systems Vol.23 No.6

Endometriosis (EMs) is one of the most common gynaecological diseases in women of childbearing age. Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is associated with the invasion, migration, apoptosis and prognosis of various cancers. However, the roles of AEG-1 in EMs and its corresponding molecular mechanism are still unknown. In this study, animal models of EMs were established and mice were divided into two groups (n = 10): Sham group and EMs group. The EMs cells were isolated from EMs model. The AEG-1 gene was knocked down by shRNA, while the SOCS1 gene was knocked down by siRNA. Histological changes, AEG-1 expression in tissues and inflammatory factors level were detected by H&E staining, immunohistochemistry and ELISA, respectively. RTqPCR and western blotting were used to determine the expression level of related proteins. The present study found AEG-1 was up-regulated in the EMs model. Enhanced AEG-1 promoted inflammatory cell infiltration, and elevated the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in EM group (p < 0.05). Besides, AEG-1 overexpression promoted the expression of NALP3, ASC and Cleavedcaspase- 1, while decreased SOCS1 level (p < 0.05). Decrease of SOCS1 further promoted the formation of NALP3 inflammasome. The inhibitory effect of AEG-1 on SOCS1 was weakened after the addition of MG-132 (p < 0.01). Furthermore, silencing AEG-1 alone increased SOCS1 level, decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines, thereby inhibited the formation of NALP3 inflammasome. All these results demonstrated that AEG-1 aggravated inflammation via promoting NALP3 inflammasome formation in murine endometriosis lesions.

Superwetting TiO2-decorated single-walled carbon nanotube composite membrane for highly efficient oil-in-water emulsion separation

Yahong Sun,Ruiguang Zhao,Quanyong Wang,Yuanyuan Zheng,Gongrang Li,Dejun Sun,Tao Wu,Yujiang Li 한국화학공학회 2020 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.37 No.11

With the advantages of one-dimensional hollow structure, high porosity and prominent mechanical strength, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been extensively utilized to improve conventional filtration membranes for oil/water separation. Their intrinsic hydrophobicity, however, adversely affects the anti-fouling performance of the SWCNT membrane. Herein, a super-hydrophilic and underwater super-oleophobic hierarchical modified membrane with enhanced permeability and anti-fouling property was fabricated using the vacuum-assisted filtration technique by synergistically assembling SWCNTs and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on a cellulose acetate membrane. Highly dispersed SWCNTs were obtained by carboxylating treatment of agglomerate SWCNTs. The controlled stacking of SWCNTs fibers and a controllable amount of TiO2 rendered a modified membrane with high porosity and hierarchical structure, leading to an ultrahigh water flux up to 4,777.07 L·m2·h1, and excellent separation performance with efficiency greater than 99.47%. Most importantly, the membrane exhibited excellent anti-fouling ability during ten cycles with the aid of the super-wetting property of TiO2 nanoparticles. The results indicated that coating TiO2 nanoparticles on SWCNTs modified the surface topography of the obtained SWCNT/TiO2 membrane, which improved hydrophilicity, permeability and anti-fouling property, manifesting attractive potential applications in oil/water separation.

Equol Induces Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer Cells via the Sustained Activation of ERK1/2 Pathway

Yang, Zhiping,Zhao, Yan,Yao, Yahong,Li, Jun,Wang, Wangshi,Wu, Xiaonan Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2016 Molecules and cells Vol.39 No.10

The cancer chemo-preventive effects of equol have been demonstrated for a wide variety of experimental tumours. In a previous study, we found that equol inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic death of human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. However, the mechanisms underlying equol-mediated apoptosis have not been well understood. In the present study, the dual AO (acridine orange)/EB (ethidium bromide) fluorescent assay, the comet assay, MTS, western blotting and flow cytometric assays were performed to further investigate the pro-apoptotic effect of equol and its associated mechanisms in MGC-803 cells. The results demonstrated that equol induced an apoptotic nuclear morphology revealed by AO/EB staining, the presence of a comet tail, the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP and the depletion of cIAP1, indicating its pro-apoptotic effect. In addition, equol-induced apoptosis involves the mitochondria-dependent cell-death pathway, evidenced by the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, the cleavage of caspase-9 and the depletion of Bcl-xL and full-length Bid. Moreover, treating MGC-803 cells with equol induced the sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and inhibiting ERK by U0126, a MEK/ERK pathway inhibitor, significantly attenuated the equol-induced cell apoptosis. These results suggest that equol induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells via the sustained activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. Therefore, equol may be a novel candidate for the chemoprevention and therapy of gastric cancer.

Adsorption characteristics of methylene blue onto the N-succinyl-chitosan-gpolyacrylamide/ attapulgite composite

Qi Li,Li Wang,Yahong Zhao,Wang Aiqin 한국화학공학회 2011 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.28 No.8

N-succinyl-chitosan-g-polyacrylamide/attapulgite (NSC-g-PAM/APT) composite was applied as adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The initial pH value of the dye solutions, the contact temperature, the contact time and the concentration of the dye solutions on adsorption capacity of the composite for MB dye were investigated. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were also studied. It was shown that all the sorption processes were better fitted by pseudo-second-order equation and the Langmuir equation. The results indicated that the adsorption capacity of the composite was higher than those of chitosan (CTS) and attapulgite (APT). The desorption studies revealed that the composite provided the potential for regeneration and reuse after MB dye adsorption, which implied that the composite could be used as quite effective adsorbent for the removal of MB from aqueous solution.

Biodegrading of Pyrene by a Newly Isolated Pseudomonas putida PL2

Lifeng Ping,Chunrong Zhang,Yahong Zhu,Min Wu,Xiuqing Hu,Zhen Li,Hua Zhao 한국생물공학회 2011 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.16 No.5

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of persistent organic compounds derived from natural sources and anthropogenic processes, which have been recommended as priority pollutants. Degradation of PAHs in the environment is becoming more necessary and urgent. In the current study, strain PL2, which is capable of growing aerobically on pyrene (PYR) as the sole carbon source, was isolated from hydrocarbons-contaminated soil and then identified as Pseudomonas putida by morphological and physiological characteristics as well as 16S rDNA sequence. The strain PL2 was able to degrade 50.0%of the pyrene at 28°C within 6 days in the presence of 50mg/L pyrene, while the strain PL2 degraded 50.0% of the pyrene within 2 days when a solution of 50 mg/L pyrene and 50 mg/L phenanthrene was used. In addition, phenanthrene was shown to increase the biodegradation efficiency of pyrene by the strain PL2. The order of degradation by the strain PL2 was pH 6.0 > pH 7.0 > pH 5.0 > pH 8.0. The degradation rate of PYR in the soil by the strain PL2reached 70.0% at the 10^th day. The dynamics of PYR degradation in soil by PL2 was fit to the first order model and the strain PL2 was shown to efficiently degrade PYR in soil. The current study showed that P. putida PL2 was a novel bacterium that could degrade pyrene and holds great promise for use in PAHs bioremediation in soil.

Equol Induces Mitochondria-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer Cells via the Sustained Activation of ERK1/2 Pathway

Xiaonan Wu,Zhiping Yang,Yan Zhao,Yahong Yao,Jun Li,Wangshi Wang 한국분자세포생물학회 2016 Molecules and cells Vol.39 No.10

The cancer chemo-preventive effects of equol have been demonstrated for a wide variety of experimental tumours. In a previous study, we found that equol inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic death of human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. However, the mechanisms underlying equol-mediated apoptosis have not been well understood. In the present study, the dual AO (acridine orange)/EB (ethidium bromide) fluorescent assay, the comet assay, MTS, western blotting and flow cytometric assays were performed to further investigate the pro-apoptotic effect of equol and its associated mechanisms in MGC-803 cells. The results demonstrated that equol induced an apoptotic nuclear morphology revealed by AO/EB staining, the presence of a comet tail, the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP and the depletion of cIAP1, indicating its pro-apoptotic effect. In addition, equol-induced apoptosis involves the mitochondria-dependent cell-death pathway, evidenced by the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, the cleavage of caspase-9 and the depletion of Bcl-xL and full-length Bid. Moreover, treating MGC-803 cells with equol induced the sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and inhibiting ERK by U0126, a MEK/ERK pathway inhibitor, significantly attenuated the equol-induced cell apoptosis. These results suggest that equol induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells via the sustained activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. Therefore, equol may be a novel candidate for the chemoprevention and therapy of gastric cancer.