Wedelolactone facilitates Ser/Thr phosphorylation of NLRP3 dependent on PKA signalling to block inflammasome activation and pyroptosis.

Objectives: Wedelolactone exhibits regulatory effects on some inflammatory diseases. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of wedelolactone has not been entirely unravelled. Therefore, the present study focuses on investigating the mechanism of wedelolactone on NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and its influence on MSU-induced inflammation.

(+)4-Cholesten-3-one promotes differentiation of neural stem cells into dopaminergic neurons through TET1 and FoxA2.

In this paper, we report the results of treating cells with an effective small molecule, (+)4-cholesten-3-one (PubChem CID: 91477), which can promote neural stem cell(NSC) differentiation into dopaminergic neurons. This study used rat neural stem cells stimulated with two different concentrations (7.8 μM and 78 μM) of (+)4-cholesten-3-one.

Plastrum Testudinis Extracts Promote NSC Differentiation into Dopaminergic Neuron by Regulating the Interaction of TET1 and FoxA2.

In recent years, stem cells have gained much attention for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, inducing neural stem cell directionally differentiation is a difficult problem in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) by stem cell therapy. Plastrum Testudinis (PT) can enhance the number of TH-positive neurons in the PD rat brain substantia nigra, but the underlying mechanism has not been clarified.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Shenfu Injection against Acute Lung Injury through Inhibiting HMGB1-NF-B Pathway in a Rat Model of Endotoxin Shock.

Shenfu injection (SFI), a Chinese herbal medicine with substances extracted from and , is widely used as an anti-inflammatory reagent to treat endotoxin shock in China. However, the mechanism of SFI in endotoxin shock remains to be illuminated. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a vital inflammatory factor in the late stage of endotoxin shock, may stimulate multiple signalling cascades, including B (NF-B), a nuclear transcription factor, as well as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- and interleukin (IL)-1, among others in the overexpression of downstream proinflammatory cytokines.

miR‑134‑5p/Foxp2/Syn1 is involved in cognitive impairment in an early vascular dementia rat model.

Forkhead box P2 (Foxp2) is a transcription factor involved in vocal learning. However, the number of previous studies that have investigated the role of Foxp2 in early vascular dementia (VD) is limited. The aim of the present study was to determine whether microRNA (miR)‑134‑5p/Foxp2 contributes to cognitive impairment in a chronic ischemia‑induced early VD model.

miR‑335 promotes stress granule formation to inhibit apoptosis by targeting ROCK2 in acute ischemic stroke.

Under harmful environmental conditions, stress granules (SGs), macromolecular aggregates that are associated with cell survival and death, are produced in the eukaryotic cytoplasm. However, whether and how microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) modulate SG formation induced by acute ischemic stroke has not been investigated. In the present study, a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was utilized and miRNA array profiling and reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed.

Profiling the miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA interaction network in MSC osteoblast differentiation induced by (+)-cholesten-3-one.

Background: Our previous study showed that (+)-cholesten-3-one (CN) has the potential to induce the osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, the roles of CN in targeting miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA interactions to regulate osteoblast differentiation remain poorly understood.

Results: A total of 77 miRNAs (36 upregulated and 41 downregulated) and 295 lncRNAs (281 upregulated and 14 downregulated) were significantly differentially expressed during CN-induced MSC osteogenic differentiation.

TET2-Mediated Spatiotemporal Changes of 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine During Organogenesis in the Late Mouse Fetus.

Genomic DNA demethylation is important for mammalian embryonic development and organ function. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is considered a novel epigenetic marker. Ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes convert 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5hmC.

miR‑339‑5p negatively regulates loureirin A‑induced hair follicle stem cell differentiation by targeting DLX5.

Our previous study indicated that loureirin A induces hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) differentiation through Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway activation. However, if and how microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) modulate loureirin A‑induced differentiation remains to be elucidated. In the present study, HFSCs were separated from the vibrissae of rats and identified by CD34 and keratin, type 1 cytoskeletal (K)15 expression.

Paeonol attenuates acute lung injury by inhibiting HMGB1 in lipopolysaccharide-induced shock rats.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a highly conserved DNA-binding nuclear protein that facilitates gene transcription and the DNA repair response. However, HMGB1 may be released by necrotic cells as well as activated monocytes and macrophages following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Extracellular HMGB1 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) through activating the nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) P65 pathway, thus, it may be a promising therapeutic target in shock-induced ALI.

Paeonol Reduces the Nucleocytoplasmic Transportation of HMGB1 by Upregulating HDAC3 in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Cells.

Extracellular high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a lethal pro-inflammatory mediator in endotoxin shock. Hyperacetylation of HMGB1, regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), changes its subcellular localization and secretion to the extracellular matrix. Paeonol (2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone), one of the main active components of Paeonia suffruticosa, exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

MiR-351 negatively regulates osteoblast differentiation of MSCs induced by (+)-cholesten-3-one through targeting VDR.

Our previous reports indicated that (+)-cholesten-3-one induces osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by activating vitamin D receptor (VDR). However, whether and how miRNAs modulate osteogenic differentiation induced by (+)-cholesten-3-one have not been explored. In this study, miRNA array profiling and further validation by quantitative real-time PCR revealed that miR-351 was downregulated during (+)-cholesten-3-one-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.

(+)-Cholesten-3-one induces osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by activating vitamin D receptor.

In our previous reports, it was revealed that steroids in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have the therapeutic potential to treat bone disease. In the present study, an model of a vitamin D receptor response element (VDRE) reporter gene assay in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was used to identify steroids that enhanced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. (+)-cholesten-3-one (CN), which possesses a ketone group that is modified in cholesterol and cholesterol myristate, effectively promoted the activity of the VDRE promoter.

Paeonol Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced HMGB1 Translocation from the Nucleus to the Cytoplasm in RAW264.7 Cells.

Transport of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a highly conserved non-histone DNA-binding protein, from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Secretion of HMGB1 appears to be a key lethal factor in sepsis, so it is considered to be a therapeutic target. Previous studies have suggested that paeonol (2'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone), an active compound of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

The protective effects of the supercritical-carbon dioxide fluid extract of Chrysanthemum indicum against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice via modulating Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway.

The supercritical-carbon dioxide fluid extract of Chrysanthemum indicum Linné. (CFE) has been demonstrated to be effective in suppressing inflammation. The aim of this study is to investigate the preventive action and underlying mechanisms of CFE on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.

Inhibitory effect of hydroxysafflor yellow a on mouse skin photoaging induced by ultraviolet irradiation.

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is believed to be the major cause of skin damage that results in premature aging of the skin, so called photoaging, characterized by increases in skin thickness, formation of wrinkles, and loss of skin elasticity. UV induces damage to skin mainly by oxidative stress and collagen degradation. In this study, we examined the photo-protective effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a major active chemical component isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L.

β-Asarone inhibits neuronal apoptosis via the CaMKII/CREB/Bcl-2 signaling pathway in an in vitro model and AβPP/PS1 mice.

β-Asarone, an active component of the Acori graminei rhizome that has been used as traditional Chinese herb, has been reported to be capable of inhibiting neuronal apoptosis. However, the signaling mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of β-asarone has remained elusive. This study was aimed to investigate whether the CaMKII signaling pathway is involved in the β-asarone mediated neuroprotection.

Muscone exerts neuroprotection in an experimental model of stroke via inhibition of the fas pathway.

Identifying small molecules that are neuroprotective against stroke injury will be highly beneficial for treatment therapies. A cell viability assay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to identify active small molecules in XingNaoJing, which is a well known Chinese medicine prescribed for the effective treatment of stroke. Studies have found that muscone is the active compound that prevents PC12 cell and cortical neuron damage following various injuries.

Houttuynia cordata inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced rapid pulmonary fibrosis by up-regulating IFN-γ and inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad pathway.

This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of H. cordata vapor extract on acute lung injury (ALI) and rapid pulmonary fibrosis (RPF). We applied the volatile extract of HC to an RPF rat model and analyzed the effect on ALI and RPF using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, routine blood tests, a cell count of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) content, van Gieson (VG) staining, hydroxyproline (Hyp) content and the dry/wet weight ratio.

Rapid pulmonary fibrosis induced by acute lung injury via a lipopolysaccharide three-hit regimen.

Based on the common characteristic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and highly pathogenic avian influenza and the mechanism of inflammation and fibrosis, it is speculated that there should exist a fundamental pathological rule that severe acute lung injury (ALI)-induced rapid pulmonary fibrosis is caused by various etiological factors, such as SARS coronavirus, H5N1-virus, or other unknown factors, and also by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the most common etiological factor. The investigation employed intratracheally, and intraperitoneally and intratracheally applied LPS three-hit regimen, compared with bleomycin-induced chronic pulmonary fibrosis. Inflammatory damage and fibrosis were evaluated, and the molecular mechanism was analyzed according to Th1/Th2 balance, Sma- and MAD-related proteins (Smads) and signal transducer and activator of transcriptions (STATs) expression.

[Effects of Niupo Zhibao Pellet on high-mobility group box-1 protein expression in lung tissues of endotoxin shock rats].

Objective: To observe the effects of Niupo Zhibao Pellet, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on high-mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) expression in lung tissues of rats with endotoxin shock.

Methods: Thirty SPF Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group and Niupo Zhibao Pellet group. Rats in Niupo Zhibao Pellet group were consecutively administered 7 days with 3 mL (1 g/L) Niupo Zhibao Pellet saline suspension every day by intragastric administration.

[Effect of Niupo Zhibao Pellet on expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in brain of endotoxin-induced shock rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Niupo Zhibao Pellet (NPZBP) on the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the brain of endotoxin-induced shock rats.

Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, endotoxin-induced shock model group and NPZBP-treated group. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1.

[Long-term toxicity experiment with tea for descending lipid and declining fat].

Objective: To investigate the chronic toxicity of tea for descending lipid and declining fat (TDLDF).

Methods: 4 groups Sprague-Dawley rats had respectively been fed with distilled water and TDLDF in 7 g/kg (high dosage), 3.2 g/kg (middle dosage) and 1.