Resveratrol protects against myocardial ischemic injury in obese mice via activating SIRT3/FOXO3a signaling pathway and restoring redox homeostasis.

Background: Increasing global overweight and obesity rates not only increase the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI), but also exacerbate ischemic injury and result in worsened prognosis. Currently, there are no drugs that can reverse myocardial damage once MI has occurred, therefore discovering drugs that can potentially limit the extent of ischemic damage to the myocardium is critical. Resveratrol is a polyphenol known for its antioxidant properties, however whether prolonged daily intake of resveratrol during obesity can protect against MI-induced damage remains unexplored.

Inhibition of a novel Dickkopf-1-LDL receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 axis prevents diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice.

Background And Aims: Anti-hypertensive agents are one of the most frequently used drugs worldwide. However, no blood pressure-lowering strategy is superior to placebo with respect to survival in diabetic hypertensive patients. Previous findings show that Wnt co-receptors LDL receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 (LRP5/6) can directly bind to several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate promotes wound healing response in diabetic mice by activating keratinocytes and promoting re-epithelialization.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disorder that causes numerous complications including impaired wound healing and poses a significant challenge for the management of diabetic patients. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a natural polyphenol that exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative benefits in skin wounds, however, the direct effect of EGCG on epidermal keratinocytes, the primary cells required for re-epithelialization in wound healing remains unknown. Our study aims to examine the underlying mechanisms of EGCG's ability to promote re-epithelialization and wound healing in T2D-induced wounds.

Resveratrol prevents Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibition of NF-κB signaling.

Background: Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a hallmark of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including chronic heart failure (HF) and an important target for the treatment of these diseases. Aberrant activation of Angiotensin II (Ang II)/AT1R signaling pathway is one of the main triggers of cardiac hypertrophy, which further gives rise to excessive inflammation that is mediated by the key transcription factor NF-κB. Resveratrol (REV) is a natural polyphenol with multiple anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, however the ability of REV in preventing Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy in combination with NF-κB signaling activation remains unclear.

Babao Dan Alleviates Cancer Cachexia in Mice Via Inhibiting IL-6/STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Background: Cancer cachexia is a common but severe condition that causes muscle wasting, body weight loss, and progressive functional impairment, affecting over 50% of cancer patients. Currently, there are no effective treatments that can alleviate cachexia, and hence the discovery of new therapeutics that can effectively prevent or even reverse cancer cachexia is crucial. Babao Dan (BBD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that has been used clinically in combating various cancers, however, its therapeutic potential in alleviating cancer cachexia remains unexplored.

Liensinine prevents ischemic injury following myocardial infarction via inhibition of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling activation.

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, triggering widespread and irreversible damage to the heart. Currently, there are no drugs that can reverse ischemic damage to the myocardium and hence, finding novel therapeutic agents that can limit the extent of myocardial damage following MI is crucial. Liensinine (LSN) is a naturally derived bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid that is known to exhibit numerous antioxidative and cardiovascular beneficial effects.

Qingda granule prevents obesity-induced hypertension and cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting adverse Akt signaling activation.

Obesity rates have rapidly increased worldwide and obesity-related diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases have become leading factors for global morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are no effective treatments that can prevent or reverse obesity long-term, and hence the prevention of obesity-related adverse effects such as hypertension is critical. Qingda granule (QDG) is a condensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that has been used clinically for treating hypertension, however, its effectiveness in obesity-induced hypertension and cardiac dysfunction remains explored.

Huoxin pill prevents excessive inflammation and cardiac dysfunction following myocardial infarction by inhibiting adverse Wnt/β‑catenin signaling activation.

Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most common cause of cardiac injury, resulting in widespread and irreversible damage to the heart. The incidence of MI gives rise to the excessive production of inflammatory cytokines that further promotes myocardial dysfunction. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is adversely activated during MI and plays an important role in the modulation of the inflammatory response following tissue injury.

Huoxin pill prevents acute myocardial ischaemia injury via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and due to the widespread and irreversible damage caused, new therapeutic treatments are urgently needed in order to limit the degree of ischaemic damage following MI. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway often occurs during cardiovascular diseases including MI, which results in excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and further promotes myocardial dysfunction. Huoxin pill (HXP) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula that has been widely used in the treatment of coronary heart disease and angina; however, its mechanisms remain unclear.

Network pharmacology-based analysis in determining the mechanisms of Huoxin pill in protecting against myocardial infarction.

Context: Huoxin pill (HXP) is a commonly used TCM prescription for treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, its mechanism in protecting against myocardial infarction (MI) remains unknown.

Objective: We performed a network pharmacology analysis to explore the bioactive ingredients, therapeutic effects, and mechanisms of HXP in protecting against MI.

Babao Dan is a robust anti-tumor agent via inhibiting wnt/β-catenin activation and cancer cell stemness.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is being increasingly used worldwide due to its diverse efficacy and relatively low side effects. Babao Dan (BBD) is a well-known TCM formula that is currently used for the effective treatment of various cancers, however its underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown.

Aim Of The Study: Tumor growth and tumor recurrence are characterized by two distinct populations of cells, namely the well-differentiated cancer cells composing the majority of tumor bulk, and cancer stem cells (CSCs) involved in tumor relapse, which are both strongly associated with excessive activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

IGFBP-4 enhances VEGF-induced angiogenesis in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known angiogenic factor, however its ability in promoting therapeutic angiogenesis following myocardial infarction (MI) is limited. Here, we aimed to investigate whether dual treatment with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4), an agent that protects against early oxidative damage, can be effective in enhancing the therapeutic effect of VEGF following MI. Combined treatment with IGFBP-4 enhanced VEGF-induced angiogenesis and prevented cell damage via enhancing the expression of a key angiogenic factor angiopoietin-1.

Deletion of low-density lipoprotein-related receptor 5 inhibits liver Cancer cell proliferation via destabilizing Nucleoporin 37.

Background: LRP5/6 are co-receptors in Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Recently, we discovered multiple β-catenin independent functions of LRP5/6 in tumor cells and in the diseased heart. Nucleoporin 37 (NUP37) is an important component of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), whose elevated expression is associated with worsened prognosis in liver cancer.

LRP6 Ectodomain Prevents SDF-1/CXCR4-Induced Breast Cancer Metastasis to Lung.

Purpose: Lung metastasis is an important cause of breast cancer-related deaths, in which SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling pathway plays a critical role. Single transmembrane protein LRP6 is viewed as an oncogene via activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our work aims to investigate the relationship between SDF-1/CXCR4 and LRP6 in breast cancer lung metastasis.

Alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula (AFNP) ameliorate aortic remodeling via RhoA/ROCK pathway.

The protective role of alkaloids from Nelumbinis Plumula (AFNP) on the aorta during hypertension is not yet fully understood. We hypothesize that AFNP exerts protective effects against Ang II-induced hypertension by mediating RhoA/ROCK pathway and phenotypic switching during hypertension. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of AFNP on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization and aorta remodeling, as well as the involvement of RhoA/Rho-associated coiled kinase (ROCK) pathway in protecting against hypertension.

Effects of midwife-led maternity services on postpartum wellbeing and clinical outcomes in primiparous women under China's one-child policy.

Background: The Midwife-led maternity services have been implemented in China in response to the high rates of primiparous women and Caesarean Sections (CS) which may be related to China's one-child policy. However, few studies in China have been reported on the effectiveness of Midwife-led Care at Delivery (MCD) and the Continuity of Midwife-led Care (CMC) on postpartum wellbeing and other clinical outcomes. Therefore, evidence-based clinical validation is needed to develop an optimal maternity service for childbearing women in China.

Baicalin alleviates H2O2‑induced injury of H9c2 cardiomyocytes through suppression of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway.

Baicalin is one of the active ingredients extracted from the dry root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has been reported to be effective in preventing myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury. However, the mechanisms underlying its cardioprotective activities remain to be elucidated. In the present study, H2O2‑treated cardiomyocyte H9c2 cell line served as an in vitro model of oxidation‑damaged cardiomyocytes to evaluate the effects of baicalin on the cardiac injury, and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism.

Opposing Roles of Wnt Inhibitors IGFBP-4 and Dkk1 in Cardiac Ischemia by Differential Targeting of LRP5/6 and β-catenin.

Background: Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, triggering irreversible myocardial cell damage and heart failure. The role of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 (LRP5/6) as coreceptors of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the adult heart remain unknown. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 and dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk1) are 2 secreted LRP5/6 binding proteins that play a crucial role in heart development through preventing Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation.

Nuclear respiratory factor 1 overexpression attenuates anti-benzopyrene‑7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide-induced S-phase arrest of bronchial epithelial cells.

Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) has important roles in the regulation of several key metabolic genes required for cellular growth and respiration. A previous study by our group indicated that NRF‑1 is involved in mitochondrial dysfunction induced by the environmental pollutant benzo[a]pyrene in the 16HBE human bronchial epithelial cell line. In the present study, it was observed that its genotoxic metabolite, anti‑benzopyrene‑7,8‑diol‑9,10‑epoxide (BPDE), triggered cell cycle arrest in S‑phase in 16HBE cells by activating ataxia-telangiectasia (ATM)/checkpoint kinase (Chk)2 and ATM and Rad3 related (ATR)/Chk1 signaling pathways.

Effects of home and education environments on children's motor performance in China.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of home and educational environments on children's motor performance in China.

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4001 preschool children selected from 160 classes. The children's motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (MABC-2).

Wnt3a suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cancer cell proliferation following serum deprivation.

Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is often aberrantly activated in tumor cells and required for tumor growth. The internalization of Wnt co-receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) induced by Wnt ligands is commonly thought to be critical for Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation. However, in contrast to theses previous studies, we here show that persistent excessive stimulation with a canonical Wnt ligand Wnt3a could induce a long-term decreased expression level of membrane LRP6, which prevented nuclear β-catenin accumulation and tumor cell;proliferation.

The reliability and validity of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire'07 for children aged 4-6 years in mainland China.

An effective population-based screening tool is needed to identify possible cases of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) among preschool children in mainland China. We examined the psychometric properties of the DCD questionnaire'07 (DCDQ'07) in Chinese children aged 4-6. A total of 3316 children from 10 nursery schools were involved in the study.

Dynamic changes in plasma tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and beta-thromboglobulin content in ischemic stroke.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the corresponding variations of plasma tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activities, and beta-thromboglobulin (β-TG) content in patients during different stages of ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke is a common disease among aging people and its occurrence is associated with abnormalities in the fibrinolytic system and platelet function. However, few reports focus on the dynamic changes in the plasma fibrinolytic system and β-TG content in patients with ischemic stroke.

LRP5/6 directly bind to Frizzled and prevent Frizzled-regulated tumour metastasis.

How Wnt signalling including canonical and non-canonical pathways are initiated at the cell surface is not completely understood. Here we report that Wnt receptor Frizzled (Frz) and theco-receptors LRP5 and LRP6 (LRP5/6) directly interact with each other and this interaction is regulated by the LRP6 ectodomain. Importantly, through direct binding to Frz, LRP5/6 are able to prevent Frz-regulated non-canonical pathway activation and further non-canonical pathway-mediated tumour metastasis.

Can we early diagnose metabolic syndrome using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in community population?

Background: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) increased recently and there was still not a screening index to predict MetS. The aim of this study was to estimate whether brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a novel marker for systemic arterial stiffness, could predict MetS in Chinese community population.

Methods: A total of 2 191 participants were recruited and underwent medical examination including 1 455 men and 756 women from June 2011 to January 2012.