Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) Dissociates Hepatosteatosis from Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is an end-stage complication of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, whether steatosis promotes liver cancer, and the molecular mechanisms that control the progression in this disease spectrum remain largely elusive.

DJ-1 links muscle ROS production with metabolic reprogramming and systemic energy homeostasis in mice.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been linked to a wide variety of pathologies, including obesity and diabetes, but ROS also act as endogenous signalling molecules, regulating numerous biological processes. DJ-1 is one of the most evolutionarily conserved proteins across species, and mutations in DJ-1 have been linked to some cases of Parkinson's disease. Here we show that DJ-1 maintains cellular metabolic homeostasis via modulating ROS levels in murine skeletal muscles, revealing a role of DJ-1 in maintaining efficient fuel utilization.

Adipocyte-specific deficiency of Janus kinase (JAK) 2 in mice impairs lipolysis and increases body weight, and leads to insulin resistance with ageing.

Aims/hypothesis: The growing obesity epidemic necessitates a better understanding of adipocyte biology and its role in metabolism. The Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway mediates signalling by numerous cytokines and hormones that regulate adipocyte function, illustrating the physiological importance of adipose JAK-STAT. The aim of this study was to investigate potential roles of adipocyte JAK2, an essential player in the JAK-STAT pathway, in adipocyte biology and metabolism.

Hepatocyte-specific deletion of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) protects against diet-induced steatohepatitis and glucose intolerance.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming the leading cause of chronic liver disease and is now considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. However, the role of steatosis per se and the precise factors required in the progression to steatohepatitis or insulin resistance remain elusive. The JAK-STAT pathway is critical in mediating signaling of a wide variety of cytokines and growth factors.

Redundant role of the cytochrome c-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway in pancreatic β-cells.

Cytochrome c is one of the central mediators of the mitochondrial or the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Mice harboring a 'knock-in' mutation of cytochrome c, impairing only its apoptotic function, have permitted studies on the essential role of cytochrome c-mediated apoptosis in various tissue homeostasis. To this end, we examined the role of cytochrome c in pancreatic β-cells under homeostatic conditions and in diabetes models, including those induced by streptozotocin (STZ) and c-Myc.

Erythropoietin protects against diabetes through direct effects on pancreatic beta cells.

A common feature among all forms of diabetes mellitus is a functional β-cell mass insufficient to maintain euglycemia; therefore, the promotion of β-cell growth and survival is a fundamental goal for diabetes prevention and treatment. Evidence has suggested that erythropoietin (EPO) exerts cytoprotective effects on nonerythroid cells. However, the influence of EPO on pancreatic β cells and diabetes has not been evaluated to date.

Deletion of Pten in pancreatic ß-cells protects against deficient ß-cell mass and function in mouse models of type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by diminished pancreatic β-cell mass and function. Insulin signaling within the β-cells has been shown to play a critical role in maintaining the essential function of the β-cells. Under basal conditions, enhanced insulin-PI3K signaling via deletion of phosphatase with tensin homology (PTEN), a negative regulator of this pathway, leads to increased β-cell mass and function.

Embryonic survival and severity of cardiac and craniofacial defects are affected by genetic background in fibroblast growth factor-16 null mice.

Disruption of the X-chromosome fibroblast growth factor 16 (Fgf-16) gene, a member of the FGF-9 subfamily with FGF-20, was linked with an effect on cardiac development in two independent studies. However, poor trabeculation with lethality by embryonic day (E) 11.5 was associated with only one, involving maintenance in Black Swiss (Bsw) versus C57BL/6 mice.

FGF-16 is required for embryonic heart development.

Fibroblast growth factor 16 (FGF-16) expression has previously been detected in mouse heart at mid-gestation in the endocardium and epicardium, suggesting a role in embryonic heart development. More specifically, exogenously applied FGF-16 has been shown to stimulate growth of embryonic myocardial cells in tissue explants. We have generated mice lacking FGF-16 by targeting the Fgf16 locus on the X chromosome.

Inhibition of cardiomyocyte contractile/relaxation by MN9202 and mechanisms involved.

Background: The cardiac contractile function of hypertensive patients is higher than non-hypertensive patients so that it is beneficial for lowering cardiac contractile function of hypertensive patients. It remains unclear if MN9202, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, has effects on positive inotropic responses induced by tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA), an antagonist of calcium-activated potassium channels, forskolin (FSK), an activator of adenylyl cyclase, isoproterenol (Iso), an activator of beta-adrenergic receptors, and methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of guanylyl cyclase, in electrically stimulated rat cardiomyocytes. Myocyte shortening and intracellular calcium transients were assessed and the underlying mechanisms were investigated.

FGF-16 is released from neonatal cardiac myocytes and alters growth-related signaling: a possible role in postnatal development.

FGF-16 has been reported to be preferentially expressed in the adult rat heart. We have investigated the expression of FGF-16 in the perinatal and postnatal heart and its functional significance in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. FGF-16 mRNA accumulation was observed by quantitative RT-PCR between neonatal days 1 and 7, with this increased expression persisting into adulthood.

U50,488H depresses pulmonary pressure in rats subjected to chronic hypoxia.

In this study, we determined the effect of U50,488H (a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist) on pulmonary artery in rats and investigated its prevention and treatment effects on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). Isolated pulmonary arterial rings were superfused and the tension of the vessel was measured. The model of HPH was developed and indexes for hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy were measured.

[Effect of vasonatrin peptide on the Ca2+ activated K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from rat mesentery arteries].

Aim: To investigate effect and mechanism of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on Ca2+ activated K+ channels (K(Ca)) of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) isolated from rat mesentery arteries.

Methods: Changes of K(Ca) induced by VNP were measured by the means of whole cell recording mode of patch clamp, furthermore effects of HS-142-1(0.3 g/L), 8-Br-cGMP and methylene blue (MB) were observed.

Vasorelaxing effect of U50,488H in pulmonary artery and underlying mechanism in rats.

Aim: To investigate the relaxation effect and underlying mechanism of U50,488H (a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist) in pulmonary artery in the rat.

Methods: Isolated pulmonary artery ring was perfused and the tension of the vessel was measured.

Results: U50,488H relaxed the pulmonary artery ring in a dose-dependent manner and the effect was abolished by nor-binaltorphimine, a selective kappa-opioid receptor antagonist.

Inhibition of hypoxia-induced proliferation and collagen synthesis by vasonatrin peptide in cultured rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

The aim of the present research is to investigate the effects of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on hypoxia-induced proliferation and collagen synthesis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Smooth muscle cells isolated from rat pulmonary artery were cultured and used at passages 3-5. Cell proliferation and collagen synthesis were evaluated by cell counts, [(3)H] thymidine and [(3)H] proline incorporation.

Suppression of kainate-evoked AMPA receptor mediated responses by lanthanum in rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons.

The effect of lanthanum (La) on kainate (KA) responses in neurons acutely dissociated from the rat sacral dorsal commissural nucleus (SDCN) was investigated using the nystatin-perforated patch-recording configuration under voltage-clamp conditions. The responses to KA were mediated by activation of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in SDCN neurons. La(3+) reversibly inhibited KA (100 microM) activated currents (I(KA)) in a concentration-dependent manner over the range from 30 microM to 30 mM, with IC(50) values of 0.

[Vasonatrin peptide attenuates the enhancement of electrically-induced intracellular calcium transient by isoproterenol in rat cardiac myocytes].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on electrically-induced intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) transient and mechanism of the effects in the cardiac myocytes. The [Ca(2+)](i) transient was measured with a fluoremetric method. The effects of HS-142-1, 8-Br-cGMP and methylene blue (MB) on [Ca(2+)](i) transient in cardiac myocytes were also determined.

Estrogen affects the differentiation and function of splenic monocyte-derived dendritic cells from normal rats.

Aim: To explore the mechanism resulting in the preventive effect of estrogen on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which is an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS), and examine if estrogen can affect the immune response in EAE at dendritic cell (DC) level.

Methods: Flow cytometry was used to reveal the surface marker expression. 3H-thymidine incorporation was applied to examine the cellular proliferation.

Morphological observation of immunological alterations in the spleens from estrogen receptor deficient mice.

Aim: To evaluate some immunological parameters in the spleens from estrogen receptor(ER) deficient mice.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis were used in the study.

Results: Multiple alterations were found in the spleens of ER deficient mice, especially in ERbeta deficient mice, such as increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase, elevated number of proliferating splenocytes and increased IgM/IgG production.

Predominant Th2-type response during normal pregnancy of rats.

The immunological parameters were analyzed during pregnancy of Lewis rats by the methods of flow cytometry, thymidine incorporation and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT). MHC II of spleen mononuclear cells (MNCs) and CD11c of periphery blood MNCs was apparently downregulated in late pregnancy, while the costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2 showed no difference. Increased expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-10, IL-4) and TGFbeta was detected in the spleen and peripheral blood MNCs in the third trimester by flow cytometry.

Disruption of estrogen receptor beta in mice brain results in pathological alterations resembling Alzheimer disease.

Aim: To study the pathological characteristics of the mice with estrogen receptor beta (ER beta) disruption in brain.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry method was applied in the study.

Results: beta-Amyloid peptide(A beta (42)) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) immunoreactive substances were accumulated notably in cortex and limbic structures such as the hippocampus and amygdala in brain, resembling the pathological changes of human Alzheimer disease(AD).

Down-regulation of C-type natriuretic peptide receptor by vasonatrin peptide in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts.

Aim: To investigate the regulatory effects of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on the expression of C-type natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-C) in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts.

Methods: Quantitative RT-PCR was undertaken to evaluate the levels of NPR-C mRNA and radioimmunoassay was used to determine the formation of intracellular cGMP.

Results: Twenty-four hours hypoxic exposure increased the level of NPR-C mRNA in cardiomyocytes, while did not alter the expression of NPR-C in cardiac fibroblasts.

Biphasic action of midazolam on GABAA receptor-mediated responses in rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons.

The effect of the benzodiazepine agonist midazolam on gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptor-mediated currents was investigated in neurons acutely dissociated from the rat sacral dorsal commissural nucleus (SDCN) using the nystatin-perforated patch-recording configuration under voltage-clamp conditions. Midazolam displayed a biphasic effect on GABA responses. Low concentrations of midazolam (1nM-10 microM) reversibly potentiated GABA (3 microM)-activated Cl(-) currents (I(GABA)) in a bell-shaped manner, with the maximal facilitary effect at 0.

[Vasorelaxing role of vasonatrin peptide in human intramammary artery in vitro].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the vasorelaxing effect of vasonatrin peptide (VNP) on human intramammary artery (HIMA).The vasorelaxing effect of VNP on HIMA was measured by means of perfusion in vitro. The effects of HS-142-1, TEA, 8-Br-cGMP and methylene blue (MB) were also observed.