Yiqi Huoxue preserves heart function by upregulating the Sigma-1 receptor in rats with myocardial infarction

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Yiqi Huoxue preserves heart function by upregulating the Sigma-1 receptor in rats with myocardial infarction Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1308. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10743. Epub 2021 Sep 16. ABSTRACT Yiqi Huoxue (YQHX) is widely used in traditional Chinese medical practice due to its reported cardioprotective effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying these effects of YQHX via the regulation of the Sigma-1 receptor. The Sigma-1 receptor is a chaperone protein located on the mitochondrion-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. It serves an important role in heart function by regulating intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and enhancing cellular bioenergetics. In the present study, male Sprague Dawley rats with myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure were used. MI rats were administered different treatments, including normal saline, YQHX and fluvoxamine, an agonist of the Sigma-1 receptor. Following four weeks of treatment, YQHX was revealed to improve heart function and attenuate my ocardial hypertrophy in MI rats. Additionally, YQHX increased the ATP content and improved the mitochondrial ultrastructure in the heart tissues of MI rats in comparison with acontrol. Treatment was revealed to attenuate the decreased expression of the Sigma-1 receptor and increase the expression of inositol triphosphate type 2 receptors (IP3R2) in MI rats. By exposing H9c2 cells to angiotensin II (Ang II), YQHX prevented cell hypertrophy and normalized the decreased ATP content. However, these positive effects were partially inhibited when the Sigma-1 receptor was knocked down via small interfering RNA transfection. The results of the present study suggested that the Sigma-1 receptor serves an important role in the cardioprotective efficacy of YQHX by increasing ATP content and attenuating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. PMID:34630662 | PMC:PMC8461621 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10743 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Dietary Bacillus subtilis supplementation alleviates alcohol-induced liver injury by maintaining intestinal integrity and gut microbiota homeostasis in mice

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Dietary <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> supplementation alleviates alcohol-induced liver injury by maintaining intestinal integrity and gut microbiota homeostasis in mice Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1312. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10747. Epub 2021 Sep 16. ABSTRACT Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a worldwide health problem with limited therapeutic options, which is associated with gut-derived endotoxins, particularly lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. Recently, probiotics, synbiotics and other food additive interventions have been shown to be effective in decreasing or preventing the progression of ALD. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and its metabolic products are widely used as food additives to maintain intestinal health, but the protective effects of B. subtilis against alcohol-induced liver injury are poorly understood. In the present study a chronic alcohol-induced liver injury model was constructed based on the Lieber-DeCarli diet and it aimed to determine whether dietary B. subtilis supplementation may alleviate alcohol-induced liver injury. Re sults revealed that prophylactic B. subtilis supplementation partially restored gut microbiota homeostasis and relieved alcohol-induced intestinal barrier injury, which significantly decreased the translocation of bacterial endotoxins to the blood. In addition, the decreased serum LPS alleviated hepatic inflammation via the toll-like receptor 4 pathway, resulting in improved hepatic structure and function. These results demonstrated that dietary B. subtilis supplementation imparts novel hepatoprotective functions by improving intestinal permeability and homeostasis. PMID:34630666 | PMC:PMC8461600 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10747 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Skin anomalies in acromegalic patients (Review of the practical aspects)

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Skin anomalies in acromegalic patients (Review of the practical aspects) Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1330. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10765. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder which occurs as the result of growth hormone (GH) and insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) over-secretion; both hormones are related to skin anomalies. The skin acts as a large endocrine organ, hosting GH receptors in every cell while IGF-1 receptors are expressed only in keratinocytes. This review is a literature review of skin anomalies found in acromegaly, either related to the disease itself or associated with related complications such as secondary diabetes mellitus, or involving associated conditions such as genetic syndromes. The following clinical points are mentioned as follows. Excessive skin and enlargement of soft tissue are due to glycosaminoglycan deposits, edema, and hyperhidrosis (mostly facial and acral). Acanthosis nigricans, a body fold dermatosis associated with insulin resistance, involves local o r diffuse hyperkeratotic plaques with or without hyperpigmentation, caused by growth factors including GH/IGF-1. Other findings include cherry angiomas (due to the effects of lipid anomalies on small vessels); oily skin features with keratosis, epidermoid cysts, crochordons, pseudo-acanthosis nigricans; a potentially higher prevalence of varicose veins and psoriasis; low level of evidence for basal cell carcinoma, respective hidroadenitis suppurativa has been noted. In addition, complicated uncontrolled secondary diabetes mellitus (DM) may result in necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, diabetic dermopathy, skin bacterial infections, dermatological complications of diabetic neuropathy, and nephropathy. Finally, associated hereditary syndromes may cause collagenomas, fibromas/angiofibromas, lipomas in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome; café-au-lait macules, early onset neurofibromas, juvenile xanthogranuloma (involving non-Langerhans cell histiocytes), and intertrigi nous freckling in neurofibromatosis type 1. Clinical findings are differentiated from pseudo-acromegaly such as pachydermoperiostosis. Iatrogenic rash, lipodystrophy (lipoatrophy with/without lipohypertrophy) are rarely reported after pegvisomant/somatostatin analogues or after insulin use for DM. Experiments using human cell lines have shown that GH/IGF-1 over-secretion are prone to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in melanoma. In non-acromegalic subjects, the exact role of GH/IGF-1 in skin tumorigenesis is yet to be determined. Skin in acromegaly speaks for itself, either as the first step of disease identification or as a complication or part of a complex syndromic context. PMID:34630684 | PMC:PMC8495547 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10765 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Keratosis pilaris atrophicans faciei: An observational, descriptive, retrospective clinical study

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Keratosis pilaris atrophicans faciei: An observational, descriptive, retrospective clinical study Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1331. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10766. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT Keratosis pilaris atrophicans faciei (KPAF) is a hereditary follicular disorder, an atrophicans subtype of keratosis pilaris (KP) with a highly elusive diagnosis. Clinically, it presents with follicular, horny papules surrounded by an erythematous halo of the cheeks, forehead, chin and eyebrows, and it is followed by a gradual hair loss on the lateral margins of the eyebrows. The onset is as early as a few months after birth, but it is mainly diagnosed in children and adolescents and it can persist through adulthood. At present, the natural progression of the disease is poorly understood, which makes a correct diagnosis highly unlikely. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical characteristics of KPAF in patients encountered in daily practice, in order to find common characteristics that may aid in the earlier recognition of the d isease. An observational, descriptive, retrospective study was performed on 14 patients diagnosed with KPAF between January 2000 and December 2020. The mean age at diagnosis was 17.04 years and the onset of clinical symptoms appeared at a mean age of 4.85 years. The first clinical symptom was KP involving either the upper or lower limbs, or both. Then, erythema of the face appeared at a mean age of 7.21 years, keratotic papules on the face at a mean age of 8.35 years and, finally, loss of hair on the lateral margins of the eyebrows at a mean age of 14 years. The patients also had concomitant xerosis cutis, multiple mole syndrome, acne, contact dermatitis and Laugier-Hunziker syndrome. Evidence of disease progression, associations, as well as efficacious treatment measures are lacking. An earlier diagnosis potentially allows for a more efficacious, targeted treatment option. Either topical emollients, systemic retinoids or laser therapy may prove effective for each patient individual ly. PMID:34630685 | PMC:PMC8495552 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10766 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Metformin attenuates H2O2-induced osteoblast apoptosis by regulating SIRT3 via the PI3K/AKT pathway

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Metformin attenuates H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced osteoblast apoptosis by regulating SIRT3 via the PI3K/AKT pathway Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1316. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10751. Epub 2021 Sep 17. ABSTRACT Osteoporosis is a common metabolic disease that has a high incidence in postmenopausal women. Studies have indicated that oxidative damage plays an important role in the development of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Metformin has been showed to have the ability to relieve excessive oxidation. The aim of the present was to determine the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of metformin in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Oxidative damage was stimulated in vitro by the addition of H2O2 to MC3T3-E1 cells and a mouse menopausal model was also constructed. Cell viability and flow cytometry experiments were performed to determine the effects of H2O2 and metformin treatment on apoptosis. Mitochondrial membrane potential was tested by JC-1 assays. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of mit ochondrial apoptosis markers and antioxidant enzymes. Small interfering RNA was used to knockdown sirtuin3 (SIRT3), which was verified at the mRNA and protein levels. Bilateral ovariectomy was used to prepare menopausal mice, which were analyzed using micro-computed tomography. The results indicated that metformin is able to repair mitochondrial damage and inhibit the apoptosis of osteoblasts induced by H2O2, and also reverse bone mass loss in ovariectomized mice. Western blotting results demonstrated the involvement of SIRT3 in the production of antioxidant enzymes that are essential in protecting against mitochondrial injury. In addition, experiments with SIRT3 knockdown indicated that metformin reverses H2O2-induced osteoblast apoptosis by upregulating the expression of SIRT3 via the PI3K/AKT pathway. The results of the present reveal the pathogenesis of oxidative damage and the therapeutic effect of metformin in postmenopausal osteopor osis. They also suggest that SIRT3 is a potential drug target in the treatment of osteoporosis, with metformin being a candidate drug for modification and/or clinical application. PMID:34630670 | PMC:PMC8495548 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10751 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Effects of Psoralea corylifolia L. seed extract on AGEs-induced cell proliferation and fibrotic factor expression in mesangial cells

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Effects of <em>Psoralea corylifolia</em> L. seed extract on AGEs-induced cell proliferation and fibrotic factor expression in mesangial cells Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1332. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10767. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes that is characterized by mesangial expansion and thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. The production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) increases in diabetic patients. Activation of the receptor of AGE (RAGE) signaling pathway induces mesangial expansion via the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated production of pro-inflammatory and extracellular matrix molecules. The Psoralea corylifolia L. seed (PCS) is a widely used herbal medicine with various biological activities. The current study investigated the effect of PCS extract on mesangial cell proliferation and the RAGE signaling pathway in SV40 MES 13 cells. SV40 MES 13 cells were harvested after treatment with various concentrations of PCS extract at 10 µg/ml AGEs for 24 h. The results revealed that the PCS extract inhibited AGEs-induced mesangial cell proliferation and cyclin protein expression in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the AGEs-induced expression of fibrotic factors, such as transforming growth factor β, fibronectin and collagen, was reduced in mesangial cells after exposure to the PCS extract. The PCS extract also reduced RAGE expression and inhibited the expression of its downstream signaling pathways, such as NADPH oxidase, intracellular ROS and phospho-NF-κB. In conclusion, the data suggested that the PCS extract attenuated AGEs-induced renal mesangial cell proliferation and fibrosis via the suppression of oxidative stress and the downregulation of inflammatory and fibrotic factor expression. PMID:34630686 | PMC:PMC8495585 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10767 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

An enriched environment delays the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 mice

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader An enriched environment delays the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 mice Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1320. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10755. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT A previous study demonstrated that middle-aged (5-6 months of age) senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice can be used as animal models of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). An enriched environment (EE) can mitigate cognitive decline and decrease the pathological changes associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the learning-memory abilities of SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase (5 months of age) was evaluated and neuropathological changes in the hippocampus were examined after the mice were exposed to an EE for 60 days. In the Morris water maze test, EE-exposed mice demonstrated significantly decreased escape latency and increased time spent in the target quadrant and number of platform crossings compared with control mice. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Nissl staining showed that EE-exposed mice had reduced neuronal apoptosis and increased number of surviving neurons compared with control mice. Golgi staining, transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that EE-exposed mice exhibited increased dendritic spine densities among secondary and tertiary apical dendrites; increases in synaptic numerical density, synaptic surface density, and expression of synaptophysin; and reduced deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) and expression of amyloid-precursor protein (APP) in the hippocampal CA1 region compared with control mice. These results demonstrate that EE exposure effectively decreases neuronal loss and regulates neuronal synaptic plasticity by reducing the expression of APP and the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampal CA1 region, thereby mitigating cognitive decline in SAMP8 mice during the MCI phase and delaying the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease. PMID:34630674 | PMC:PMC8495563 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10755 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Spongiotic reaction patterns in autoimmune bullous dermatoses (Review)

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Spongiotic reaction patterns in autoimmune bullous dermatoses (Review) Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1334. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10769. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT Spongiosis or a spongiotic reaction pattern is the histological hallmark of intercellular epidermal edema, viewed as clear spaces within the epidermis. Although considered a histopathological term, spongiosis has clinical correlations, with the variable degrees of spongiotic reaction leading to different dermatological findings. This review aimed to highlight the spongiotic reactive patterns found in different autoimmune bullous dermatoses, considering the paucity of publications in this domain. The pathogenesis of spongiosis assumes the passage of extravasated edema fluid from the dermis into the epidermis, frequently accompanied by dermal inflammatory cells, and classification of the spongiotic reaction patterns, as well as their associated spongiotic dermatitis, take into consideration the type and distribution of these inflammatory cells. It is mandatory to consider different reactive processes, specific for other skin disorders, which act as simulants of different spongiotic patterns for the diagnosis. Considering the possible transient occurrence, the heterogeneity and non-specificity of the histopathological features of these diseases, the diagnosis is very complex, requiring clinicopathological correlations and additional analyses. A deep insight into spongiosis pathogeny may open the perspectives of a classification refinement of autoimmune bullous dermatoses. PMID:34630688 | PMC:PMC8495556 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10769 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A population particularly prone to developing severe forms of COVID-19

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A population particularly prone to developing severe forms of COVID-19 Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1298. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10733. Epub 2021 Sep 16. ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has spread all over the world over the past year. Comorbidities appear to affect the prognosis of patients with such diseases, but the impact of cancer on the course of SARS-CoV2 has remained largely elusive. The aim of the present study is to analyze the outcome of patients affected by squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and a number of their comorbidities, if infected with SARS-CoV2. The clinical data of 100 patients affected by SCCHN, who were undergoing treatment or who had finished their oncologic treatment in the past 6 months, were retrospectively collected and analysed. For each patient, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was calculated to provide a score assessing the real weigh t of comorbidities on the patient's outcome at the time of diagnosis. It was discovered that these patients, besides the SCCHN, frequently presented at diagnosis with several other comorbidities, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiac arrhytmia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and various forms of vasculopathy (and thus a poor CCI). This feature suggest that, given the high frequency of various comorbidities in patients with SCCHN, additional SARS-CoV2 infection could have particularly devastating consequences. PMID:34630653 | PMC:PMC8461515 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10733 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Predictive factors for the recurrence of surgically excised basal cell carcinomas: A retrospective clinical and immunopathological pilot study

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Predictive factors for the recurrence of surgically excised basal cell carcinomas: A retrospective clinical and immunopathological pilot study Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Nov;22(5):1336. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10771. Epub 2021 Sep 20. ABSTRACT Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent form of skin cancer and is not a tumor with a lethal outcome if diagnosed and treated adequately. The gold standard for treatment is surgical excision with histologically safe margins. Even so, tumors excised with free margins may recur after a period of time. The identification of predictive factors for the recurrence of BCCs besides the localization, size and aggressive histology may be useful for the clinician. The aim of the present study was to identify clinical and pathological factors associated with recurrence in tumors with histologically free margins and assess via immunohistochemical staining, the expression of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1), yes-associated protein (YAP), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and E-cadherin as they are involved in the development of BCCs, in the hope of identifying markers that are predictive for recurrence. In total, 8 recurrent BCCs and 38 non-recurrent tumors were analyzed. A Breslow index >2 (Se 100.0%, Sp 67.5%, P=0.008), Clark level >3 (Se 100.0%, Sp 47.5%, P<0.001), and excision margins both lateral (Se 87.5%, Sp 60.0%, P=0.04) and deep (Se 75.0%, Sp 82.5%, P<0.001) free from tumoral cells ≤1 mm proved to be predictive for recurrence in the present study. Recurrence may appear even after more than 3 years since the initial excision (Se 87.50%, Sp 70.0%, P<0.001). The expression levels of GLI1, YAP and E-cadherin were not different in the recurrent vs. non-recurrent BCCs. However, the low expression of CTGF may indicate a tumor with a higher aggressiveness. In conclusion, close follow-up of patients with excised BCCs at least annually is recommended and re-excision should be taken into consideration for locally advanced tumors especially if they are located in high-risk areas or those with histol ogically free margins <1 mm. PMID:34630690 | PMC:PMC8495561 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10771 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.