Bisphenol S exposure induces cytotoxicity in mouse Leydig cells.

Bisphenol S (BPS), an increasingly used alternative to bisphenol A, has been linked to testosterone deficiency and male reproductive dysfunction in laboratory animals. This study aimed to examine the cytotoxicity of BPS exposure to Leydig cells and to investigate its possible mechanisms. After treatment with BPS (100, 200 and 400 μM) for 48 h in vitro, TM3 mouse Leydig cells exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in the viability.

Perfluorooctanoic acid induces cytotoxicity in spermatogonial GC-1 cells.

Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA), a typical perfluorinated chemical, has been suggested to interfere with male reproductive function. In this study, mouse spermatogonial GC-1 cells were in vitro treated with PFOA (250, 500 or 750 μM) for 24 h to investigate the cytotoxicity of PFOA and its underlying mechanisms. Our results indicated that exposure to intermediate and high doses of PFOA suppressed the viability of GC-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner.

Exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid induces oxidative stress and apoptosis in mouse testis.

The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is used worldwide. It has been associated with a variety of toxicities in rodents. In this study, male mice were orally administered 2,4-D at 50, 100 or 200mg/kg/day to investigate testicular toxicity and the possible mechanisms of action.

Moxibustion relieves visceral hyperalgesia via inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in rat bone marrow cells.

Objective: To investigate the effects of moxibustion on visceral hyperalgesia (VH) and bone marrow cell transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in a rat model of VH.

Methods: Mechanical colorectal distension was performed to induce VH in neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. Eight-week-old VH rats were treated with moxibustion at acupuncture point BL25 or an ipsilateral non-acupuncture point.

Involvement of NRF2 in Perfluorooctanoic Acid-Induced Testicular Damage in Male Mice.

Perfluorooctane acid (PFOA) is a hazardous environmental pollutant that has been reported to exert adverse effects on animal and human health. In this study, male mice were orally administered different concentrations of PFOA (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg/day) to evaluate the reproductive toxicity.

Quercetin protects against perfluorooctanoic acid-induced liver injury by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory response in mice.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of quercetin (Que) against perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)-induced liver injury in mice and its possible mechanisms of action. Mice were intragastrically administered PFOA (10mg/kg/day) alone or in combination with Que (75 mg/kg/day) for 14 consecutive days. The hepatic injury was evaluated by measuring morphological changes, liver function, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and hepatocellular apoptosis.

Involvement of oxidative stress and inflammation in liver injury caused by perfluorooctanoic acid exposure in mice.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely present in the environment and has been reported to induce hepatic toxicity in animals and humans. In this study, mice were orally administered different concentrations of PFOA (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg/day).

[Effect of moxibustion of "dachangshu" (BL 25) area on pain reaction and TRPV 1 mRNA expression of bone marrow cells in visceral hyperalgesia rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion of "Dachangshu" (BL 25) on pain reaction and expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV 1) of bone marrow cells in visceral hyperalgesia (VHA) rats so as to explore its mechanism underlying visceral pain-relief.

Methods: Twenty-eight male SD rats were divided into control group, control+moxibustion group, VHA model and VHA+moxibustion group (n = 7/group). The VHA model was made by giving colorectal distension (CRD, 60 mmHg) to the newborn rats for 1 min (repeated once again in 30 min) from postnatal day 8 on, once daily for a week.

Estradiol synthesis and release in cultured female rat bone marrow stem cells.

Bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) have the capacity to differentiate into mature cell types of multiple tissues. Thus, they represent an alternative source for organ-specific cell replacement therapy in degenerative diseases. In this study, we demonstrated that female rat BMSCs could differentiate into steroidogenic cells with the capacity for de novo synthesis of Estradiol-17 β (E2) under high glucose culture conditions with or without retinoic acid (RA).

Prosaposin, a regulator of estrogen receptor alpha, promotes breast cancer growth.

Prosaposin, a secreted protein, is a well-known pleiotropic growth factor. Although a previous report has indicated that prosaposin is overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines, the role of prosaposin in the development of breast cancer remains to be identified. Here, we first revealed that prosaposin upregulated estrogen receptor alpha expression, nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity by western blot, immunofluorescence assay and dual luciferase reporter gene assay, respectively.

Thr-370 is responsible for CDK11(p58) autophosphorylation, dimerization, and kinase activity.

CDK11(p58), a member of the p34(cdc2)-related kinase family, is associated with cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis, and proapoptotic signaling. It is also required for the maintenance of chromosome cohesion, the maturation of centrosome, the formation of bipolar spindle, and the completion of mitosis. Here we identified that CDK11(p58) interacted with itself to form homodimers in cells, whereas D224N, the kinase-dead mutant, failed to form homodimers.

Negative role of trihydrophobin 1 in breast cancer growth and migration.

Trihydrophobin 1 (TH1) is a member of the negative elongation factor complex, which is involved in transcriptional pausing. Although the negative elongation factor complex attenuates the estrogen receptor α-mediated transcription, little is known about the relationship between TH1 and tumor progression. Here, we report that the protein level of TH1 was negatively correlated with the aggressiveness of human breast cancer.

Trihydrophobin 1 attenuates androgen signal transduction through promoting androgen receptor degradation.

The androgen-signaling pathway plays critical roles in normal prostate development, benign prostatic hyperplasia, established prostate cancer, and in prostate carcinogenesis. In this study, we report that trihydrophobin 1 (TH1) is a potent negative regulator to attenuate the androgen signal-transduction cascade through promoting androgen receptor (AR) degradation. TH1 interacts with AR both in vitro and in vivo, decreases the stability of AR, and promotes AR ubiquitination in a ligand-independent manner.

CDK11p58 represses vitamin D receptor-mediated transcriptional activation through promoting its ubiquitin-proteasome degradation.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily and regulates transcription of target genes. In this study, we identified CDK11(p58) as a novel protein involved in the regulation of VDR. CDK11(p58), a member of the large family of p34cdc2-related kinases, is associated with cell cycle progression, tumorigenesis, and apoptotic signaling.

Trihydrophobin 1 Interacts with PAK1 and Regulates ERK/MAPK Activation and Cell Migration.

The Rac1/Cdc42 effector, p21-activated kinase (PAK), is activated by various signaling cascades, including receptor-tyrosine kinases and integrins, and regulates a number of processes such as cell proliferation and motility. PAK activity has been shown to be required for maximal activation of the canonical RAF-MEK-MAPK signaling cascade, possibly because of PAK co-activation of RAF and MEK. Here we have shown that trihydrophobin 1 (TH1), originally identified as a negative regulator of A-RAF kinase, also interacted with PAK1 in cultured cells.

Repression of estrogen receptor alpha by CDK11p58 through promoting its ubiquitin-proteasome degradation.

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates physiological responses to 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). These responses of cells to estrogen are regulated in part by degradation of ERalpha. In this report, we found that CDK11(p58) repressed ERalpha transcriptional activity.

Protection against Helicobacter pylori infection in mongolian gerbil by intragastric or intramuscular administration of H. pylori multicomponent vaccine.

Background: Development of Helicobacter pylori vaccine would be a new effective strategy for prevention and treatment of H. pylori infection. Recombinant H.

Ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of trihydrophobin 1 (TH1) by the human papilloma virus E6-associated protein (E6-AP).

Human Papilloma virus E6-associated protein (E6-AP), which is known as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, mediates ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of a series of cellular proteins. In this paper, we identify here trihydrophobin 1 (TH1), an integral subunit of the human negative transcription elongation factor (NELF) complex, as a novel E6-AP interaction protein and a target of E6-AP-mediated degradation. Overexpression of E6-AP results in degradation of TH1 in a dose-dependent manner, whereas knock-down of endogenous E6-AP elevates the TH1 protein level.