The microbial metabolite imidazole propionate dysregulates bone homeostasis by inhibiting AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling.

Microbial metabolites provide numerous benefits to the human body but can also contribute to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, and bone disorders. However, the role of imidazole propionate (ImP), a histidine-derived metabolite produced by the intestinal microbiome, in bone metabolism and the development of osteoporosis is still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of ImP and its underlying mechanisms in regulating bone homeostasis.

Schistosoma japonicum EKLF/KLF1 is a potential immune target to tackle schistosomiasis.

Background: Interruption of parasite reproduction by targeting migrating schistosomula is a promising strategy for managing schistosomiasis. Hepatic schistosomula proteins previously identified based on second-generation schistosome DNA sequencing were found to hold excellent potential for schistosomiasis japonica diagnosis and as vaccine candidates. However, there are still many unknown schistosomula proteins that warrant further investigations.

Boeravinone B, a natural rotenoid, inhibits osteoclast differentiation through modulating NF-κB, MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern, which requires novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or mitigate bone loss. Natural compounds have attracted attention as potential therapeutic agents due to their safety and efficacy. In this study, we investigated the regulatory activities of boeravinone B (BOB), a natural rotenoid isolated from the medicinal plant Boerhavia diffusa, on the differentiation of osteoclasts and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the two main cell components responsible for bone remodeling.

Schistosoma japonicum Tyrosine Hydroxylase is promising targets for immunodiagnosis and immunoprotection of Schistosomiasis japonica.

Identification of promising schistosome antigen targets is crucial for the development of anti-schistosomal strategies. Schistosomes rely on their neuromuscular systems to coordinate important locomotory behaviors. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is critical in the initial rate-limiting step in biosynthesis of catecholamine, the important neuroactive agents, which promote the lengthening of the worm through muscular relaxation and are therefore of great importance to the movement of the organism both within and between its hosts.

Pirfenidone Inhibits Alveolar Bone Loss in Ligature-Induced Periodontitis by Suppressing the NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Mice.

There has been increasing interest in adjunctive use of anti-inflammatory drugs to control periodontitis. This study was performed to examine the effects of pirfenidone (PFD) on alveolar bone loss in ligature-induced periodontitis in mice and identify the relevant mechanisms. Experimental periodontitis was established by ligating the unilateral maxillary second molar for 7 days in mice (n = 8 per group), and PFD was administered daily via intraperitoneal injection.

A Novel Thioredoxin-Like Protein of Involved in Parasite Pathogenicity.

Babesiosis poses a serious threat to immunocompromised individuals and the major etiological species of for human babesiosis is . Merozoites are a critical stage in the life cycle of . Several merozoite proteins have been demonstrated to play important roles in this process; however, most of the merozoite proteins of remain unknown.

Novel Hepatic Schistosomula Antigens as Promising Targets for Immunodiagnosis and Immunoprotection of Schistosomiasis japonica.

Background: Antigens of migrating schistosomula are promising candidates as schistosomiasis vaccine targets, since immune attack on hepatic schistosomula would interrupt the parasites life cycle and reduce egg burden on the host.

Methods: In this study, we report a collection of Schistosoma japonicum schistosomula proteins (SjScPs) that are highly expressed in hepatic schistosomula. The expression characteristics, antigenicity and immune protection of these proteins were studied by western blot, ELISA, immunofluorescence and challenge assays.

Isolation of High Purity Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells through Depleting Macrophages Using Liposomal Clodronate.

Background: The use of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs) represents a promising strategy for performing preclinical studies in the field of cell-based regenerative medicine; however, mBMSCs obtained via conventional isolation methods have two drawbacks, i.e., (i) they are heterogeneous due to frequent macrophage contamination, and (ii) they require long-term culturing for expansion.

Merozoite Proteins Discovered by qRT-PCR-Based Transcriptome Screening of .

The development of malaria vaccines and medicines depends on the discovery of novel malaria protein targets, but the functions of more than 40% of genes remain unknown. Asexual parasites are the critical stage that leads to serious clinical symptoms and that can be modulated by malaria treatments and vaccines. To identify critical genes involved in the development of parasites within erythrocytes, the expression profile of more than 5,000 genes distributed across the 14 chromosomes of the PF3D7 strain during its six critical developmental stages (merozoite, early-ring, late-ring, early trophozoite, late-trophozoite, and middle-schizont) was evaluated.

Duplex real-time PCR for sexing Schistosoma japonicum cercariae based on W chromosome-specific genes and its applications.

As a unique feature among otherwise hermaphroditic trematodes, Schistosoma species are gonochoric parasites whose sex is genetically determined (ZZ for males and ZW for females). However, schistosome larvae are morphologically identical, and sex can only be discriminated by molecular methods. Here, we integrated published Schistosoma.

MicroRNAs Related to Cognitive Impairment After Hearing Loss.

Objectives: Our research group has previously demonstrated that hearing loss might be a risk factor for synaptic loss within the hippocampus and impairment of cognition using an animal model of Alzheimer disease. In this study, after inducing hearing loss in a rat model of Alzheimer disease, the associations of various microRNAs (miRNAs) with cognitive impairment were investigated.

Methods: Rats were divided randomly into two experimental groups: the control group, which underwent sham surgery and subthreshold amyloid-β infusion and the deaf group, which underwent bilateral cochlear ablation and subthreshold amyloid-β infusion.

CUEDC2 controls osteoblast differentiation and bone formation via SOCS3-STAT3 pathway.

The CUE domain-containing 2 (CUEDC2) protein plays critical roles in many biological processes, such as the cell cycle, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. However, whether CUEDC2 is involved in osteoblast differentiation and plays a role in bone regeneration remains unknown. This study investigated the role of CUEDC2 in osteogenesis and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Low-Complexity Repetitive Epitopes of Are Decoys for Humoural Immune Responses.

Induction of humoural immunity is critical for clinical protection against malaria. More than 100 malaria vaccine candidates have been investigated at different developmental stages, but with limited protection. One of the roadblocks constrains the development of malaria vaccines is the poor immunogenicity of the antigens.

Axonal sprouting in the dorsal cochlear nucleus affects gap‑prepulse inhibition following noise exposure.

One of the primary theories of the pathogenesis of tinnitus involves maladaptive auditory‑somatosensory plasticity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), which is assumed to be due to axonal sprouting. Although a disrupted balance between auditory and somatosensory inputs may occur following hearing damage and may induce tinnitus, examination of this phenomenon employed a model of hearing damage that does not account for the causal relationship between these changes and tinnitus. The present study aimed to investigate changes in auditory‑somatosensory innervation and the role that axonal sprouting serves in this process by comparing results between animals with and without tinnitus.

A Parallel Comparison of Antigen Candidates for Development of an Optimized Serological Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis Japonica in the Philippines.

Schistosoma japonicum is stubbornly persistent in China and the Philippines. Fast and accurate diagnostic tools are required to monitor effective control measures against schistosomiasis japonica. Promising antigen candidates for the serological diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica have generally been identified from the Chinese strain of S.

Down-Regulation of Tim-3 in Monocytes and Macrophages in Infection and Its Association with Parasite Clearance.

T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain-containing molecule 3 (Tim-3) has complicated roles in regulating monocytes and macrophages in various diseases and it tends to be an inhibitory molecule to facilitate the immune escape of parasites in malaria. However, the mechanisms of Tim-3 mediated responses in monocytes and macrophages in malaria have not been clear. In this study, we found that infection down-regulated Tim-3 expression in peripheral monocytes of patients suffering from malaria and in splenic macrophages of ANKA-infected mice.

Genome-Wide Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Extensive Alternative Splicing Events in the Protoscoleces of and .

Alternative splicing (AS), as one of the most important topics in the post-genomic era, has been extensively studied in numerous organisms. However, little is known about the prevalence and characteristics of AS in species, which can cause significant health problems to humans and domestic animals. Based on high-throughput RNA-sequencing data, we performed a genome-wide survey of AS in two major pathogens of echinococcosis and .

A next-generation microarray further reveals stage-enriched gene expression pattern in the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum.

Background: Schistosomiasis is caused by infection with blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, and ranks, in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), as the third most important neglected tropical disease. Schistosomes have several discrete life stages involving dramatic morphological changes during their development, which require subtle gene expression modulations to complete the complex life-cycle.

Results: In the current study, we employed a second generation schistosome DNA chip printed with the most comprehensive probe array for studying the Schistosoma japonicum transcriptome, to explore stage-associated gene expression in different developmental phases of S.

T-Cell Immunoglobulin- and Mucin-Domain-Containing Molecule 3 Signaling Blockade Improves Cell-Mediated Immunity Against Malaria.

Cell-mediated immune responses play important roles in immune protection against Plasmodium infection. However, impaired immunity, such as lymphocyte exhaustion, is a common phenomenon in malaria. T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule 3 (Tim-3) is an important regulatory molecule in cell-mediated immunity and has been implicated in malaria.

Saposin-like Proteins, a Multigene Family of Schistosoma Species, are Biomarkers for the Immunodiagnosis of Schistosomiasis Japonica.

Background: One major obstacle to schistosomiasis prevention and control is the lack of accurate and sensitive diagnostic approaches, which are essential for planning, targeting, and evaluating disease control efforts.

Methods: Based on bioinformatics analysis, we identified a multigene family of saposin-like protein (SAPLP) in the schistosome genomes. Schistosoma japonicum SAPLPs (SjSAPLPs), including recently reported promising biomarker SjSP-13, were systematically and comparatively assessed as immunodiagnostic antigens for schistosomiasis japonica.

Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis of Sex-Biased Expressed Genes Reveals Discrete Biological and Physiological Features of Male and Female Schistosoma japonicum.

Schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating disease caused by blood flukes (digenetic trematodes) of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomes are sexually dimorphic and exhibit dramatic morphological changes during a complex lifecycle which requires subtle gene regulatory mechanisms to fulfil these complex biological processes. In the current study, a 41,982 features custom DNA microarray, which represents the most comprehensive probe coverage for any schistosome transcriptome study, was designed based on public domain and local databases to explore differential gene expression in S.

Non-immune immunoglobulins shield Schistosoma japonicum from host immunorecognition.

Schistosomiasis is a major human parasitic disease with a global impact. Schistosoma japonicum, the most difficult to control, can survive within host veins for decades. Mechanisms of immune evasion by the parasite, including antigenic variation and surface masking, have been implicated but not well defined.

Comparative Analysis of Transcriptional Profiles of Adult Schistosoma japonicum from Different Laboratory Animals and the Natural Host, Water Buffalo.

Background: Schistosomiasis is one of the most widely distributed parasitic diseases in the world. Schistosoma japonicum, a zoonotic parasite with a wide range of mammalian hosts, is one of the major pathogens of this disease. Although numerous studies on schistosomiasis japonica have been performed using laboratory animal models, systematic comparative analysis of whole-genome expression profiles in parasites from different laboratory animals and nature mammalian hosts is lacking to date.

Tim-3 induces Th2-biased immunity and alternative macrophage activation during Schistosoma japonicum infection.

T cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule 3 (Tim-3) has been regarded as an important regulatory factor in both adaptive and innate immunity. Recently, Tim-3 was reported to be involved in Th2-biased immune responses in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum, but the exact mechanism behind the involvement of Tim-3 remains unknown. The present study aims to understand the role of Tim-3 in the immune response against S.