Salidroside exerts angiogenic and cytoprotective effects on human bone marrowderived endothelial progenitor cells via Akt/mTOR/p70S6K and MAPK signalling pathways

Background and Purpose

With the increase of age, increased susceptibility to apoptosis and senescence may contribute to proliferative and functional impairment of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The aim of this study was to investigate whether salidroside (SAL) can induce angiogenic differentiation and inhibit oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in bone marrow-derived EPCs (BM-EPCs), and if so, through what mechanism.

Experimental Approach

BM-EPCs were isolated and treated with different concentrations of SAL for up to 4 days. Cell proliferation, migration and tube formation ability were detected by DNA content quantification, transwell assay and Matrigel-based angiogenesis assay. Gene and protein expression were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot respectively.

Key Results

Treatment with SAL promoted cellular proliferation and angiogenic differentiation of BM-EPCs, and increased VEGF and NO secretion, which in turn mediated the enhanced angiogenic differentiation of BM-EPCs. Furthermore, SAL significantly attenuated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cell apoptosis, reduced the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species and restored the mitochondrial membrane potential of BM-EPCs. Moreover, SAL stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin and p70 S6 kinase, as well as ERK1/2, which is associated with cell migration and capillary tube formation. Additionally, SAL reversed the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK induced by H₂O₂ and suppressed the changes in the Bax/Bcl-xL ratio observed after stimulation with H₂O₂.

Conclusions and Implications

These findings identify novel mechanisms that regulate EPC function and suggest that SAL has therapeutic potential as a new agent to enhance vasculogenesis as well as protect against oxidative endothelial injury.     

Nitric oxide induces apoptosis and autophagy; autophagy down-regulates NO synthesis in physalin A-treated A375-S2 human melanoma cells

Physalin A is an active withanolide isolated from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine named Jindenglong, which has been used for the treatment of sore throat, hepatitis, eczema and tumors in China. Our previous study demonstrated that physalin A induced apoptosis and cyto-protective autophagy in A375-S2 human melanoma cells. Induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with physalin A triggered apoptosis. In this study, NO generated by physalin A induced apoptosis and autophagy in A375-S2 cells, since physalin A induced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cells. Generation of NO partially promoted both apoptosis and autophagy in A375-S2 cells. NO suppressed mTOR expression, which led to autophagy induction. An autophagic inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3MA) promoted NO production, while acceleration of autophagy with an autophagic agonist rapamycin repressed NO production, suggesting that autophagy and NO production form a negative feedback loop that eventually protects the cells from apoptosis. The results together with the previous study indicate apoptosis and autophagy induced by physalin A in A375-S2 cells; the autophagy, repressing production of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and ROS, protects the cells from apoptosis.     

Akt Kinase Intervenes in Flavivirus Replication by Interacting with Viral Protein NS5

Arthropod-borne flaviviruses, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), Usutu virus (USUV), and West Nile virus (WNV), are a growing cause of human illness and death around the world. Presently, no licensed antivirals to control them are available and, therefore, search for broad-spectrum antivirals, including host-directed compounds, is essential. The PI3K/Akt pathway controls essential cellular functions involved in cell metabolism and proliferation. Moreover, Akt has been found to participate in modulating replication in different viruses including the flaviviruses. In this work we studied the interaction of flavivirus NS5 polymerases with the cellular kinase Akt. In vitro NS5 phosphorylation experiments with Akt showed that flavivirus NS5 polymerases are phosphorylated and co-immunoprecipitate by Akt. Polymerase activity assays of Ala- and Glu-generated mutants for the Akt-phosphorylated residues also indicate that Glu mutants of ZIKV and USUV NS5s present a reduced primer-extension activity that was not observed in WNV mutants. Furthermore, treatment with Akt inhibitors (MK-2206, honokiol and ipatasertib) reduced USUV and ZIKV titers in cell culture but, except for honokiol, not WNV. All these findings suggest an important role for Akt in flavivirus replication although with specific differences among viruses and encourage further investigations to examine the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway as an antiviral potential target.     

黄连温胆汤调控PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路干预ApoE-/-小鼠动脉粥样硬化的作用机制

目的观察黄连温胆汤对载脂蛋白E(ApoE)^-/-小鼠动脉粥样硬化的干预效应,从磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K)/蛋白激酶B(Akt)/哺乳动物西罗莫司靶蛋白(mTOR)信号通路探讨其机制。方法采用高脂饲料饲养ApoE^-/-小鼠4周构建动脉粥样硬化模型。采用全自动生化分析仪检测小鼠血脂水平;采用苏木精-伊红(HE)染色、油红O染色、Masson染色观察主动脉斑块情况;采用免疫组化法检测小鼠主动脉根部PI3K、Akt、mTOR蛋白表达水平。结果与模型组比较,黄连温胆汤高剂量组总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)均降低(P<0.05)。HE染色显示:模型组主动脉根部斑块明显,呈易损斑块特征,各给药组斑块有不同程度减轻;油红O和Masson染色显示:与模型组比较,雷帕霉素组、黄连温胆汤高剂量组主动脉根部斑块面积减小,胶原纤维含量升高(P<0.05),易损斑块趋于稳定。蛋白免疫组化结果显示:黄连温胆汤中剂量组、黄连温胆汤高剂量组小鼠主动脉PI3K、Akt、mTOR蛋白表达水平降低(P<0.05)。结论黄连温胆汤具有降脂和抗动脉粥样硬化的作用,其机制可能与抑制PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路,诱导巨噬细胞自噬有关。     

MK2206 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cellular proliferation via induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage and has limited effective treatment options. The aberrant regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in HCC makes it an attractive therapeutic target. The effect of MK2206, a novel, allosteric Akt inhibitor, on HCC cells is not yet fully understood. We hypothesized that inhibition of Akt by MK2206 would impact cellular viability.

Materials and methods

Human Huh7, Hep3B, and HepG2 cell lines were treated with 0–2 μM of MK2206 for 96 h. Cell viability was determined by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression level of various protein markers to assess the mechanism of drug action and proliferation inhibition.

Results

3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed a reduction in cellular viability by ≥55% for all cell lines (control versus 2 μM MK2206; P <0.001). Western blot analysis revealed reduction in the level of phosphorylated AKT-Ser473 with no change in AKT-thr308 expression confirming the specificity of MK2206. There was an observed reduction in caspase-9 and survivin. Importantly, there were increases in p21 and p27 along with decreased cyclinD1 expression after treatment.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the anti-tumor activity of MK2206 in HCC cells. The observed reduction in survivin and pro-caspase 9 suggests that MK2206 induces apoptosis. However, HCC proliferation is also halted via induction of cell cycle arrest as indicated by the increase in p21 and p27 expression and decrease in cyclinD1. Importantly, the concentration needed to achieve growth inhibition in HCC is lower than that needed for other cancer types.     

川芎嗪通过抑制PI3K/Akt/mTOR通路诱导自噬改善糖尿病肾病大鼠肾损害

目的 探讨川芎嗪对糖尿病肾病（DN）大鼠肾脏 PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路和自噬标志蛋白 LC3B表达以及 尿微量白蛋白与尿肌酐比值（UACR）、肾脏病理的影响。方法 采用链脲佐菌素建立 DN大鼠模型,将模型大鼠随机 分为模型组,川芎嗪低、中、高剂量组,厄贝沙坦组;另设正常组,每组 12只。分别干预 8周后,采用酶法测定尿肌酐, 免疫比浊法测定尿微量白蛋白,计算 UACR;取肾组织,经甲醛固定后,进行苏木精-伊红（HE）和过碘酸-雪夫（PAS） 染色;通过蛋白免疫印迹法（Western blot）和免疫组化检测大鼠肾组织 PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路以及自噬标志蛋白 LC3B 表达的变化。结果 川芎嗪能减缓 DN 大鼠 UACR 的升高,改善其肾脏病理变化,其中川芎嗪中、高剂量组 UACR显著低于模型组（P＜0.05）,且川芎嗪中、高剂量组与厄贝沙坦组间比较差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。此外, 川芎嗪能抑制 DN大鼠肾组织 p-PI3K、p-Akt、p-mTOR的表达,进而提高自噬标志蛋白 LC3B的表达水平和 LC3B-Ⅱ/ LC3B-Ⅰ比值。结论 川芎嗪能降低 DN大鼠 UACR的升高、改善其肾脏病理变化,发挥以上肾保护作用的机制可能 与其抑制 PI3K/Akt/mTOR信号通路,进而促进肾脏自噬有关。