Inhibition of miR-135a-5p attenuates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and vascular remodeling in hypertensive rats.

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) greatly contributes to vascular remodeling in hypertension. This study is to determine the roles and mechanisms of miR-135a-5p intervention in attenuating VSMC proliferation and vascular remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). MiR-135a-5p level was raised, while fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) mRNA and protein expressions were reduced in VSMCs of SHRs compared with those of Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs).

Interleukin-1β in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus mediates excitatory renal reflex.

Chemical stimulation of kidney causes sympathetic activation and pressor responses in rats. The excitatory renal reflex (ERR) is mediated by angiotensin type 1 receptor (ATR) and superoxide anions in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). The aim of this study is to determine whether interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the PVN mediates the ERR, and whether the IL-1β production in the PVN is dependent on the ATR-superoxide anion signaling.

MiR155-5p Inhibits Cell Migration and Oxidative Stress in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.

Migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is essential for vascular reconstruction in hypertension and several vascular diseases. Our recent study showed that extracellular vesicles derived from vascular adventitial fibroblasts of normal rats inhibited VSMC proliferation by delivering miR155-5p to VSMCs. It is unknown whether miR155-5p inhibits cell migration and oxidative stress in VSMCs of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in angiotensin II (Ang II)-treated VSMCs.

Atg5-independent autophagy regulates mitochondrial clearance and is essential for iPSC reprogramming.

Successful generation of induced pluripotent stem cells entails a major metabolic switch from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis during the reprogramming process. The mechanism of this metabolic reprogramming, however, remains elusive. Here, our results suggest that an Atg5-independent autophagic process mediates mitochondrial clearance, a characteristic event involved in the metabolic switch.

Discovery of new antimalarial chemotypes through chemical methodology and library development.

In an effort to expand the stereochemical and structural complexity of chemical libraries used in drug discovery, the Center for Chemical Methodology and Library Development at Boston University has established an infrastructure to translate methodologies accessing diverse chemotypes into arrayed libraries for biological evaluation. In a collaborative effort, the NIH Chemical Genomics Center determined IC(50)'s for Plasmodium falciparum viability for each of 2,070 members of the CMLD-BU compound collection using quantitative high-throughput screening across five parasite lines of distinct geographic origin. Three compound classes displaying either differential or comprehensive antimalarial activity across the lines were identified, and the nascent structure activity relationships (SAR) from this experiment used to initiate optimization of these chemotypes for further development.

[Distributional difference of fat-soluble compounds in the roots, stems and leaves of four Salvia plants].

To illustrate distribution of fat-soluble compounds in the roots, stems and leaves of four Salvia plants, the methods of Histochemistry and HPLC were adopted to analyze different parts of the four Salvia plants in this paper. The results showed that distribution was differential, and following as this: the roots, stems and leaves of four Salvia plants contained fat-soluble compounds, moreover, the fat-soluble compounds of the roots located in periderm and the stems and leaves in epidermis. The main components of the fat-soluble compounds were Tanshinone IIA, Tanshinone I and Dihydrotanshinone I in the toots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and Salvia miltiorrhiza bge.

Synthesis studies toward chloroazaphilone and vinylogous gamma-pyridones: two common natural product core structures.

Chloroazaphilone is a common structure found in a number of natural products. Reported herein is a practical synthesis of a model chloroazaphilone that utilizes Pb(OAc)4 oxidation of HClO4/HOAc pyrinium salt in a key one-pot operation. Reaction of this chloroazaphilone with various primary amines to afford the corresponding vinylogous gamma-pyridones was also fully investigated.