脑缺血再灌注不同时间对大鼠海马神经元自噬及PI3K/mTOR通路的影响

目的：探讨脑缺血再灌注不同时间对大鼠海马神经元自噬及PI3K/mTOR通路的影响。方法：72只大鼠随机分为假手术组、脑缺血再灌注组（分别再灌0、6、12、24、36 h）,每组12只。采用四血管阻断法建立大鼠全脑缺血再灌注损伤模型。神经功能缺损评分评价大鼠海马神经功能,HE染色检测大鼠海马神经细胞损伤,透射电镜下观察海马神经元内自噬小体,Western blot检测Beclin-1、LC3 II、p62、p-PI3K、p-Akt及p-mTOR蛋白表达。结果：与假手术组比,随着脑缺血再灌注的时间延长,脑缺血再灌注大鼠神经功能缺损评分、脑梗死面积、自噬小体数量均增加（均P＜0.05）;随着脑缺血再灌注的时间延长,大鼠海马组织自噬相关蛋白Beclin-1和LC3 II表达显著上调、p62表达下调（P＜0.05）;PI3K/mTOR通路相关蛋白p-PI3K、p-Akt、p-mTOR表达显著下调（P＜0.05）。结论：脑缺血再灌注可增强大鼠海马神经元自噬,抑制PI3K/mTOR信号通路。     

胡桃醌对胃癌细胞耐药性及细胞中ANXA2、ERCC1表达和AKT/mTOR信号通路的影响

目的研究胡桃醌对胃癌细胞顺铂耐药性及细胞中膜联蛋白A2(ANXA2)和切除修复交叉互补基因1(ERCC1)表达,及对AKT/mTOR信号通路的影响。方法将BGC-823/DDP细胞株随机分为5组:对照组、胡桃醌组、顺铂组、胡桃醌联合顺铂组、LY294002(AKT抑制剂)联合顺铂组。采用MTT法和流式细胞术检测细胞活性和凋亡率,Western blotting检测细胞中相关蛋白表达。结果与对照组比较,顺铂组细胞凋亡率及细胞中Caspase-3、Caspase-9蛋白表达水平升高(P<0.05),而ANXA2、ERCC1、p-AKT、p-mTOR蛋白表达水平降低(P<0.05);与顺铂组比较,胡桃醌不同浓度组细胞中P-gp、MRP1蛋白表达水平降低(P<0.05),细胞增殖抑制率、细胞凋亡率及细胞中Caspase-3、Caspase-9蛋白表达水平升高(P<0.05),ANXA2、ERCC1、p-AKT、p-mTOR蛋白表达水平降低(P<0.05);与顺铂组比较,LY294002处理后,细胞增殖抑制率和凋亡率升高(P<0.05)。结论胡桃醌增强胃癌细胞对顺铂的敏感性,抑制细胞中ANXA2和ERCC1表达,抑制AKT/mTOR信号通路。     

Prevention of β-amyloid degeneration of microglia by erythropoietin depends on Wnt1, the PI 3-K/mTOR pathway, Bad, and Bcl-xL

Central nervous system microglia promote neuronal regeneration and sequester toxic β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition during Alzheimer's disease. We show that the cytokine erythropoietin (EPO) decreases the toxic effect of Aβ on microgliain vitro. EPO up-regulates the cysteine-rich glycosylated wingless protein Wnt1 and activates the PI 3-K/Akt1/mTOR/ p70S6K pathway. This in turn increases phosphorylation and cytosol trafficking of Bad, reduces the Bad/Bcl-xL complex and increases the Bcl-xL/Bax complex, thus preventing caspase 1 and caspase 3 activation and apoptosis. Our data may foster development of novel strategies to use cytoprotectants such as EPO for Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative disorders.     

Des-acyl ghrelin exhibits pro-anabolic and anti-catabolic effects on C2C12 myotubes exposed to cytokines and reduces burn-induced muscle proteolysis in rats

Although ghrelin and GHRP-2 have been shown to inhibit skeletal muscle proteolysis in rats with burn injury, the effects of des-acyl ghrelin (DAG) have not been reported. In this paper, we demonstrate that continuous 24h administration of DAG attenuated burn-induced EDL muscle proteolysis, and normalized elevated TNFα mRNA. Combined treatment of cultured C2C12 myotubes with TNFα and IFN-γ (TNF+IFN) inhibited protein synthesis and increased protein breakdown; DAG abolished both effects. PI3 kinase inhibition by LY294002 and mTOR inhibition by rapamycin blocked the reversal of the anti-anabolic effects of TNF+IFN-treated myotubes by DAG. DAG also reversed or attenuated the TNF+IFN-induced reduction in phosphorylation of Akt, FOXO1, 4E-BP-1, and GSK-3β in myotubes. Furthermore, DAG attenuated the atrophy signal, phospho-NF-κB, and the mRNA expression of MAFbx and MuRF1, upregulated by TNF+IFN in C2C12 myotubes. We conclude that DAG reduces muscle cachexia produced by injury and proinflammatory cytokines, and that DAG or DAG-based compounds may be useful in treating wasting disorders.     

mTOR inhibition with rapamycin causes impaired insulin signalling and glucose uptake in human subcutaneous and omental adipocytes

Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive agent used after organ transplantation, but its molecular effects on glucose metabolism needs further evaluation. We explored rapamycin effects on glucose uptake and insulin signalling proteins in adipocytes obtained via subcutaneous (n=62) and omental (n=10) fat biopsies in human donors. At therapeutic concentration (0.01 μM) rapamycin reduced basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by 20-30%, after short-term (15 min) or long-term (20 h) culture of subcutaneous (n=23 and n=10) and omental adipocytes (n=6 and n=7). Rapamycin reduced PKB Ser473 and AS160 Thr642 phosphorylation, and IRS2 protein levels in subcutaneous adipocytes. Additionally, it reduced mTOR-raptor, mTOR-rictor and mTOR-Sin1 interactions, suggesting decreased mTORC1 and mTORC2 formation. Rapamycin also reduced IR Tyr1146 and IRS1 Ser307/Ser616/Ser636 phosphorylation, whereas no effects were observed on the insulin stimulated IRS1-Tyr and TSC2 Thr1462 phosphorylation. This is the first study to show that rapamycin reduces glucose uptake in human adipocytes through impaired insulin signalling and this may contribute to the development of insulin resistance associated with rapamycin therapy.     

Insulin stimulates IGFBP-2 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes through the PI3K/mTOR pathway

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) has been implicated in the etiology of several diseases, including the metabolic syndrome. Although IGFBP-2 derives mostly from the liver, recent evidence in mice and humans indicate that aging and obesity are associated with altered IGFBP-2 levels in white adipocytes. The present study was aimed at determining the mechanisms that control IGFBP-2 expression in mature adipocytes. IGFBP-2 mRNA and protein expression in serum-deprived 3T3-L1 adipocytes were twofold increased by acute insulin treatment. Co-treatments with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin or the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin blunted the effects of insulin. Coherently, IGFBP-2 mRNA levels were robustly increased in adipocytes lacking either TSC2 or 4E-BP1. Insulin triggered the recruitment of CAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) to the IGFBP-2 proximal promoter. These findings suggest that insulin upregulates IGFBP-2 expression through a PI3K/mTOR/C/EBPα pathway in white adipocytes.