Publications by authors named "Renyuan Zhou"

Parkinson's disease (PD) is mainly characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and neuroinflammation mediated by overactivated microglia and astrocytes. NLRC5 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family caspase recruitment domain containing 5) has been reported to participate in various immune disorders, but its role in neurodegenerative diseases remains unclear. In the current study, we found that the expression of NLRC5 was increased in the nigrostriatal axis of mice with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride (MPTP)-induced PD, as well as in primary astrocytes, microglia and neurons exposed to different neurotoxic stimuli.

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  • Cell senescence is a key mechanism of aging, and while its role in tissues like fat, pancreas, and liver in relation to type 2 diabetes is established, its direct effects on neurons are still unclear.
  • In this study, researchers created a high glucose and palmitic acid (HGP) environment to simulate diabetes in neuronal cells and found that this condition triggered significant senescence-like traits in the neurons, linked to changes in specific proteins and cellular processes.
  • The findings suggest that diabetes can directly lead to neuronal senescence by increasing NRSF/REST levels, which then disrupts the mTOR-autophagy pathway, indicating a potential target for future therapies.
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  • Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and chronic inflammation are key factors in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition affecting prostate health.
  • The study found that DHT enhances the secretion of a pro-inflammatory factor called TNF-α from M1 macrophages, which then promotes the growth of prostate stromal cells through specific cellular pathways.
  • Higher levels of TNF-α were linked to larger prostate volumes in BPH patients, suggesting that targeting TNF-α might be a better treatment approach than focusing on DHT itself.
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Introduction: Dapoxetine on demand has been approved for premature ejaculation (PE) management in China; however, studies on the efficacy and safety of this treatment in the Chinese population are scarce.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of dapoxetine 30 mg and 60 mg on demand in Chinese men with PE.

Methods: Phase IV real-world study on 1,252 patients with PE.

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The lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) and acute urinary retention (AUR) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can seriously affect the quality of life of elderly men. Studies suggest that both androgens and inflammation greatly influence the occurrence and development of BPH in most patients. These two factors combined can also affect each other, leading to pathological changes in the stromal and epithelial tissue of the prostate transition zone in BPH patients.

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Microglia-induced neuroinflammation plays a vital role in the etiology and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. The neuroprotective role of androgens, including testosterone and its metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT), has been increasingly demonstrated in these diseases, but few studies investigated the effects of androgen on neuroinflammation. This study investigated the role of DHT in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, neuronal damage and behavioral dysfunction, as well as underlying mechanisms.

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Objective: MAPK kinase 1 (MEK1) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis through activation of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. It was found that the expression of miR-195 in bladder cancer was abnormally decreased, suggesting that miR-195 may affect the development of bladder cancer. In this study, we examined the expression of miR-195 and MEK1 in bladder cancer tissues and analyzed the relationship between miR-195 and MEK1 in cell proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells.

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Hyperglycemia is considered to induce neuronal apoptosis via activating microglia inflammatory responses, thus involving in the development and progression of diabetic encephalopathy and neurodegenerative disorders. Increasing evidences suggest that androgen exerts neuroprotective functions including antiapoptosis, anti-inflammation and antioxidative stress. In this study, we investigate the anti-inflammatory role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in high glucose (HG)-induced neuroinflammatory response in BV-2 microglia.

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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia, and other movement disorders. In contrast to the strong positive effects that have been documented for motor symptoms, the effects of DBS on nonmotor symptoms have not been fully elucidated. Some reports suggest that stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus may improve lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with PD; however, reports of the effects of globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS on urinary symptoms are limited.

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Objective: To explore the genetic basis for pedigree affected with hereditary nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (HNDI).

Methods: Next generation sequencing (NGS) with an osteology system gene panel was carried out for the proband. Suspected mutation was validated by Sanger sequencing of two relatives with similar symptoms and two unaffected relatives from the pedigree.

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Age-related androgen depletion has been implicated in compromised neuroprotection and is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia. Emerging data revealed that reduction of both serum and brain androgen levels in males is associated with increased amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, a putative cause of AD. It has been demonstrated that androgens can function as the endogenous negative regulators of Aβ.

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Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) ultimately occurs after a period of treatment with androgen deprivation therapy. Furthermore, CRPC patients can only derive limited survival benefits from traditional cytotoxic drugs. HSP90, which is a molecular chaperone, plays a vital role in client protein processing and maintaining the function of cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on identifying the key criteria for late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in Han Chinese men, particularly the link between low testosterone levels and certain sexual symptoms.
  • Researchers tested blood samples for total testosterone and related hormone levels while also using a questionnaire to assess symptoms in a group of 944 men aged 40 to 79 years.
  • Findings indicated specific testosterone thresholds that relate to sexual symptoms, with a prevalence of 9.1% of LOH in men showing low testosterone levels and associated symptoms, potentially enhancing diagnostic accuracy for LOH.
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Objective: To investigate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and the age-related growth pattern of the prostate among 40 -70 year-old males in Shanghai community.

Methods: Using cluster and stratified random sampling and IPSS, we investigated the prevalence of LUTS among 1000 males aged 40 -70 years in the general population of Shanghai from November 2009 to June 2010. We measured the transverse, anteroposterior and vertical diameters of the prostate and its transition zone in each volunteer by transrectal ultrasonography and established the equation for the age-related growth pattern of the prostate.

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Objective: To explore the clinical features and related factors of sexual dysfunctions in male patients with pituitary adenomas.

Methods: The questionnaires of sexual functions were collected from 86 male patients with pituitary adenomas. We examined the clinical features of sexual dysfunctions and analyzed the correlations between sexual behaviors and age, tumor type, invasiveness, tumor size, serum levels of prolactin (PRL) and testosterone.

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Deregulated translation plays an important role in human cancer. We previously reported decreased eukaryotic initiation factor 3 subunit f (eIF3f) expression in pancreatic cancer. Whether decreased eIF3f expression can transform normal epithelial cells is not known.

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The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K is an essential RNA and DNA binding protein involved in gene expression and signal transduction including DNA transcription, RNA splicing, RNA stability and translation. The role of hnRNP K in cancer is relatively understudied. However, several cellular functions strongly indicate that hnRNP K is involved in tumorigenesis.

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