The role of the PI3K-Akt signal transduction pathway in Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus infection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells

Many viruses activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway, thereby modulating diverse downstream signaling pathways associated with antiapoptosis, proliferation, cell cycling, protein synthesis and glucose metabolism, in order to augment their replication. To date, the role of the PI3K-Akt pathway in Baculovirus replication has not been defined. In the present study, we demonstrate that infection of Sf9 cells with Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) elevated cellular Akt phosphorylation at 1 h post-infection. The maximum Akt phosphorylation occurred at 6 h post-infection and remained unchanged until 18 h post-infection. The PI3K-speci?c inhibitor, LY294002, suppressed Akt phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that AcMNPV-induced Akt phosphorylation is PI3K-dependent. The inhibition of PI3K-Akt activation by LY294002 significantly reduced the viral yield, including a reduction in budded viruses and occlusion bodies. The virus production was reduced only when the inhibitor was added within 24 h of infection, implying that activation of PI3K occurred early in infection. Correspondingly, both viral DNA replication and late (VP39) and very late (POLH) viral protein expression were impaired by LY294002 treatment; LY294002 had no effect on immediate-early (IE1) and early-late (GP64) protein expression. These results demonstrate that the PI3K-Akt pathway is required for efficient Baculovirus replication.     

Nitric oxide and GABA mediate bi-directional cardiovascular effects of orexin in the nucleus tractus solitarii of rats

The present study investigated the cardiovascular effects of orexin (OX)-A and OX-B in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and delineated the engagement of nitric oxide (NO) and GABA in OX-induced cardiovascular responses. In adult male Sprague-Dawley rats maintained under propofol anesthesia, microinjection bilaterally into the NTS of OX-A or OX-B evoked bi-directional cardiovascular effects in a dose-dependent manner. At a lower dose (5 pmol), OX-A or OX-B decreased systemic arterial pressure (SAP), heart rate (HR), and power density of the vasomotor components of SAP signals, our experimental index for sympathetic neurogenic vasomotor tone. At higher doses (>20 pmol), these two compounds elicited cardiovascular excitatory responses. These bi-directional cardiovascular effects of OX were abolished by co-injection of an OX(1) receptor antagonist, 1-(2-methylbenzoxazol-6-yl)-3-[1,5]naphthyridin-4-yl-urea hydrochloride (SB-334867, 0.75 nmol) or the OX(2) receptor antiserum (1:20). In addition, the vasodepressor effects of low dose (5 pmol) OX-A or OX-B in the NTS were attenuated by a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 5 nmol), a neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (2.5 pmol) or the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazole[4,3-alpha]quinoxalin-1-one (250 pmol). The vasopressor effects of high dose (200 pmol) OX were reversed by co-administration with GABA(A) or GABA(B) receptor antagonist, bicuculline methiodine (10 pmol) or 2-hydroxy saclofen (100 pmol), or l-NAME (5 nmol). Our results indicate that OX-A or OX-B elicited bi-directional cardiovascular effects via OX receptor-dependent mechanisms. The vasodepressor effects of OX were induced by the nNOS-derived NO and activation of sGC-associated signaling pathway, whereas the vasopressor effects were mediated by interaction with GABAergic or nitrergic neurotransmission in the NTS.     

Quercetin postconditioning attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats through the PI3K/Akt pathway

Quercetin (Que), a plant-derived flavonoid, has multiple benefical actions on the cardiovascular system. The current study investigated whether Que postconditioning has any protective effects on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vivo and its potential cardioprotective mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups (20 animals/group): sham, I/R, Que postconditioning, Que+{"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002 [a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway inhibitor], and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002+I/R. I/R was produced by 30-min coronary occlusion followed by 2-h reperfusion. At the end of reperfusion, myocardial infarct size and biochemical changes were compared. Apoptosis was evaluated by both TUNEL staining and measurement of activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity. The phosphorylation of Akt and protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blotting. Que postconditioning significantly reduced infarct size and serum levels of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase compared with the I/R group (all P<0.05). Apoptotic cardiomyocytes and caspase-3 immunoreactivity were also suppressed in the Que postconditioning group compared with the I/R group (both P<0.05). Akt phosphorylation and Bcl-2 expression increased after Que postconditioning, but Bax expression decreased. These effects were inhibited by {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002. The data indicate that Que postconditioning can induce cardioprotection by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and modulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins.     

NMDA receptor antagonism blocks the cardiovascular responses to microinjection of trans-ACPD into the NTS of awake rats

The possible interaction of glutamatergic metabotropic agonists and N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors was investigated in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of awake rats. The cardiovascular responses to unilateral microinjection of trans -1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanediocarboxylic acid ( trans -ACPD; 250 pmol/50 nL) into the NTS ( n = 8) produced hypotension (−64 ± 4 mmHg) and bradycardic (−206 ± 11 bpm) responses, which were blocked by previous microinjection of 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (AP-5; 10 nmol/50 nL), a selective antagonist of NMDA ionotropic receptors, into the same site. Intravenous injection of methyl-atropine blocked both the bradycardic and hypotensive responses to microinjection of trans -ACPD into the NTS, indicating that the hypotension was secondary to the intense bradycardic response. The data also showed that the bradycardic and hypotensive responses to microinjection of an NMDA agonist (10 pmol/50 nL) into the NTS were not affected by previous microinjection of α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG; 5 nmol/50 nL), a non-selective antagonist of metabotropic receptors. The results showing that the cardiovascular responses to microinjection of trans -ACPD into the NTS were blocked by AP-5 indicate that the responses to metabotropic agonists in the NTS involves NMDA receptors.     

Cerebral blood flow decreases following microinjection of sodium nitroprusside into the nucleus tractus solitarii of anesthetized rats

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of microinjection of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), which releases nitric oxide (NO) spontaneously, into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) on cerebral circulation. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in urethane-anesthetized (1.5 g·kg^?1, i.p.), paralysed and artificially ventilated rats using labeled microspheres or laser Doppler flowmetry. The CBF was significantly decreased by microinjection of SNP (5 nmol, n=10, microsphere technique; 0.5 nmol, n=6, laser Doppler flowmetry) into the unilateral NTS. Microinjection of N ^G-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), an inhibitor of the formation of NO, prevented cerebral vasoconstrictor responses induced by microinjection of l-glutamate into the NTS (n=10). Microinjection of N ^G-monomethyl-d-arginine (D-NMMA) had no effect on the cerebral vasoconstrictor responses induced by l-glutamate (n=11). Unilateral microinjections of L-NMMA into the NTS (n=9), of SNP into the area adjacent to the NTS (n=9), of vehicle solution into the NTS (n=10), and of light-inactivated SNP into the NTS (n=6) had no effect on cerebral circulation. Cerebral autoregulation was well maintained in our protocols (n=9). These results indicate that microinjection of SNP, an NO donor, into the NTS decreases CBF.     

PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays a role in enhancement of eNOS activity by recombinant human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the activity of recombinant human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (rhACE2) promoted the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured in vitro. Then treated with Ang II (1×10^-6 mol/L) for 24 h. The rhACE2 (100 μmol/L) was added and incubated for 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 min respectively which was based on Ang II intervention. The effect of rhACE2 on phosphorylation eNOS level was also observed in the presence of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002 (10 μmol/L) (PI3K/AKT inhibitors). Griess reagent method was applied to measure NO contents in cell culture supernatant, RT-PCR to detect the expression of eNOSmRNA in HUVEC, and Western blot to detect the expression of eNOS and phosphorylated eNOS. In Ang II intervention group, NO contents were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.05). Through rhACE2 treatment, the NO contents in cell culture medium and the expression level of phosphorylated eNOS were significantly higher than in Ang II intervention group (P < 0.05), but eNOSmRNA and non-phosphorylated eNOS protein expression level showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). After HUVEC was intervened by PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002, the expression level of phosphorylated eNOS was significantly lower than that in the rhACE2 30 min treatment group (P < 0.05). rhACE2 may reduce the activity of Ang II inhibited endothelial cell eNOS, which can be blocked by PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002, suggesting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays an important role in rhACE2’s promotion of the activity of endothelial cell eNOS.     

HSP90依赖的Akt线粒体转位参与IGF-1对低温保存心脏的保护作用

目的: 观察胰岛素样生长因子1(IGF-1)是否可对抗低温保存诱导的心肌损伤,并探讨其可能的机制。方法: 观察SD大鼠心脏低温保存9 h后,再灌注期左心室发展压(LVDP)和细胞凋亡指数的变化。Western blotting法检测蛋白激酶B(Akt)蛋白表达。结果: (1)Celsior保存液中加入10 nmol/L IGF-1可促进低温保存9 h后心脏收缩功能的恢复、减少心肌细胞凋亡的发生、抑制线粒体渗透性转换孔开放。(2)IGF-1可上调心脏Akt蛋白磷酸化水平。磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K)特异性抑制剂LY294002不仅可降低IGF-1诱导的Akt磷酸化水平,且可逆转IGF-1促进低温保存心脏心功能的恢复和抗凋亡作用。(3)抑制热休克蛋白90(HSP90)可降低IGF-1诱导的Akt磷酸化和线粒体转位,阻断IGF-1的心肌保护作用。结论: IGF-1可明显减少低温保存心脏心肌细胞凋亡的发生,促进再灌注期心功能的恢复,其机制可能与HSP90依赖性Akt的激活和线粒体转位有关。     

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and Akt are required for RIG-I-mediated anti-viral signalling through cross-talk with IPS-1

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is a cytosolic pattern-recognition receptor that recognizes viruses and triggers anti-viral immune responses. Activation of intracellular RIG-I signalling is mediated through interferon-β (IFN-β) promoter stimulator-1 (IPS-1), an adaptor of RIG-I, which induces IFN regulatory factor (IRF) 3 activation and type I IFN expression. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt pathway is activated in host immune cells upon viral infection. However, the mechanism as to how they work in RIG-I signalling has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of PI3K and Akt in the regulation of RIG-I-mediated IRF3 activation and type I IFN expression in macrophages. Our results show that Sendai virus infection, which is recognized by RIG-I, led to IRF3 activation and IFN-β expression and these responses were attenuated by the PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and an Akt dominant-negative mutant in the macrophage cell line(RAW264.7). IRF3 phosphorylation and dimerization as well as IFN-β expression induced by a synthetic RIG-I agonist, short poly(I:C), were suppressed by LY294002 or siRNA-Akt in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Suppression of PI3K and Akt using a dominant-negative mutant and siRNA knockdown resulted in attenuation of IRF3 activation and IFN-β expression induced by RIG-I itself or its adaptor, IPS-1. Association of Akt with IPS-1 increased with short poly(I:C) stimulation and required the pleckstrin homology domain of Akt and caspase-recruitment domain in IPS-1. Collectively, our results show that PI3K and Akt are required downstream of IPS-1 for RIG-I-mediated anti-viral immune responses. The results describe a novel, interactive relationship between RIG-I downstream signalling molecules resulting in efficient anti-viral immunity.     

Control of the PI3K/Akt pathway by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt is an important cellular pathway that has been shown to participate in various replication steps of multiple viruses. In the present study, we compared the phosphorylation status of Akt during infection of MARC-145 cells and porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) with highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) strain HuN4. We observed that biphasic activation of Akt was induced in at both the early stage (5, 15 and 30 min postinfection) and the late stage (12 and 24 h postinfection) of HP-PRRSV infection of MARC-145 cells, while an early-phase activation of Akt was found exclusively in virus-infected PAMs in vitro. Analysis with the PI3K-specific inhibitor LY294002 confirmed that PI3K acted as the upstream activator for the virus-induced activation of Akt. UV-irradiation-inactivated virus still induced the early event in PAMs but not in MARC-145 cells, suggesting that different mechanisms are employed for the early-stage induction of phosphorylated Akt within different cell cultures. We further demonstrated that FoxO1 and Bad, which serve as downstream targets of Akt, were phosphorylated in virus-infected MARC-145 cells. Moreover, the suppression of phosphorylated Akt with LY294002 significantly inhibited the virus-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) on MARC-145 cells, but it had a negligible effect on virus propagation. Collectively, our data provide new evidence of a novel role for the PI3K/Akt pathway in PRRSV infection of MARC-145 cells.     

Phosphorylation of AKT and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation

It is hypothesized that differential AKT phosphorylation between sexes is important in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation. Male C57BL/6 mice undergoing elastase treatment showed a typical AAA phenotype (80% over baseline, P < 0.001) and significantly increased phosphorylated AKT-308 (p308) and total-AKT (T-AKT) at day 14 compared with female mice. Elastase-treated Raw cells produced increased p308 and significant amounts of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and these effects were suppressed by {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002 treatment, a known AKT inhibitor. Male and female rat aortic smooth muscle cells treated with elastase for 1, 6, or 24 hours demonstrated that the p308/T-AKT and AKT-Ser-473/T-AKT ratios peaked at 6 hours and were significantly higher in the elastase-treated cells compared with controls. Similarly, male cells had higher phosphorylated AKT/T-AKT levels than female cells. {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002 also inhibited elastase-induced p308 formation more in female smooth muscle cells than in males, and the corresponding cell media had less pro–MMP-9. AKT siRNA significantly decreased secretion of pro–MMP-9, as well as pro–MMP-2 and active MMP-2 from elastase-treated male rat aortic smooth muscle cells. IHC of male mice AAA aortas showed increased p308, AKT-Ser-473, and T-AKT compared with female mice. Aortas from male AAA patients had a significantly higher p308/T-AKT ratio than female AAA tissues. These data suggest that AKT phosphorylation is important in the upstream regulation of MMP activity, and that differential phosphorylation may be important in sex differences in AAA.Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation is accompanied by chronic inflammation of the aorta wall, with males four times more likely to develop the disease than females.¹ The activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-2 and MMP-9, has long been known to play a vital role in the destruction of the aortic wall, leading to AAA development.^2–6 However, little is known about upstream modulation of the MMPs during AAA formation. Activation of the molecules of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways is often observed in inflammatory diseases, such as in AAAs. Two MAP kinases in particular, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), have been shown to be important in the activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the aorta.^7–10 In addition to the MAP kinase cascade, the molecules of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway are also known to be important for the modulation of MMPs.^9,11–15 Moreover, AKT, a key molecule in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway, has been shown to play an important role in sex-specific differences of various diseases.^16–20 The role of AKT in the modulation of MMPs has not been studied in AAA formation. Therefore, using an in vivo mouse model of AAA and human AAA tissue, as well as in vitro experiments with rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) and Raw cells, we show increased phosphorylation of AKT in males compared with females.     

Apolipoprotein E reduces food intake via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the hypothalamus

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a satiation factor. While central apoE administration reduces food intake, the specific intracellular signaling mechanisms activated by apoE remain largely unknown. Using primary cultured hypothalamic neurons, we demonstrated that apoE treatment (50 nM) elicited rapid activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling cascade. Specifically, apoE induced the phosphorylation of Akt, peaking at 30 min, and the increased phosphorylation of Akt was significantly attenuated after pretreatment with LY294002 (50 μM), an inhibitor of the PI3K signaling pathway. To determine whether the activation of PI3K by apoE is required for the ability of apoE to reduce food intake, LY294002 (1 nmol) was infused into the 3rd-cerebral ventricle before injection of an anorectic dose of apoE. Consistent with our previous report, apoE (4 μg) exerted significant reduction of food intake in the 4-h fasted rats, compared with saline. Pretreatment with LY294002 significantly attenuated the potency of exogenous apoE to induce satiation, while the same dose of PI3K inhibitor by itself caused only a slight non-significant decrease of food intake. These results indicate that the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is necessary for the acute effects of apoE on food intake.     

LY294002 inhibits LPS-induced NO production through a inhibition of NF-kappaB activation: independent mechanism of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is critical player in cell proliferation and survival. The effects of LY294002 and wortmannin, inhibitors of PI3K, on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in lipoploysaccharide (LPS)-induced Raw 264.7 cells were investigated. Significant inhibition of LPS-induced protein kinase B (PKB, Akt) phosphorylation occurred at 25 microM LY294002 or 0.5 microM wortmannin. At the same concentrations, LY294002, but not wortmannin, significantly inhibited NO production and iNOS expression. LY303511, an inactive analogue of LY294002, also inhibited NO production and iNOS expression. In addition, LY294002 and LY303511 significantly inhibited the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB dependent reporter gene expression. These results suggest that LY294002 inhibits iNOS expression at least in part via inhibition of NF-kappaB activation, independent of PI3K.     

A novel role of andrographolide,an NF-kappa B inhibitor,on inhibition of platelet activation: the pivotal mechanisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase/cyclic GMP

Andrographolide is a novel NF-κB inhibitor from the leaves of Andrographis paniculata. Platelet activation is relevant to a variety of thrombotic diseases. However, no data are available concerning the effects of andrographolide in platelet activation. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanisms of andrographolide in preventing platelet activation. Andrographolide (25–75 μΜ) exhibited a more potent activity of inhibiting platelet aggregation stimulated by collagen. Andrographolide inhibited collagen-stimulated platelet activation accompanied by relative Ca²⁺ mobilization; thromboxane A₂ formation; and phospholipase C (PLC)γ2, protein kinase C (PKC), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Akt phosphorylation. Andrographolide markedly increased cyclic GMP, but not cyclic AMP levels. Andrographolide also stimulated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, NO release, and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation. ODQ, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, markedly reversed the andrographolide-mediated inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation, p38 MAPK and Akt phosphorylation, and the andrographolide-mediated stimulatory effect on VASP phosphorylation. Furthermore, a PI3 kinase inhibitor (LY294002) but not a PKC inhibitor (Ro318220) significantly diminished p38 MAPK phosphorylation; nevertheless, a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) and LY294002 diminished PKC activity stimulated by collagen. Andrographolide also reduced collagen-triggered hydroxyl radical (OH^⋅) formation. In vivo studies revealed that andrographolide (22 and 55 μg/kg) is effective in reducing the mortality of ADP-induced acute pulmonary thromboembolism and significantly prolonged platelet plug formation in mice. This study demonstrates for the first time that andrographolide possesses a novel role of antiplatelet activity, which may involve the activation of the eNOS-NO/cyclic GMP pathway, resulting in the inhibition of the PI3 kinase/Akt-p38 MAPK and PLCγ2–PKC cascades, thereby leading to inhibition of platelet aggregation.     

厚朴酚延缓幼年自发性高血压大鼠的高血压进程及其机制

 目的:研究厚朴酚对幼年自发性高血压大鼠（SHR）血压及血管胰岛素敏感性的影响并探讨其可能的机制。方法:4周龄SHR和年龄匹配的Wistar-Kyoto（WKY）大鼠各随机分为2组,分别给予厚朴酚（100 mg/kg）或蒸馏水灌胃。3周后检测其血压、血糖和血浆胰岛素;离体血管环实验检测胰岛素诱导的主动脉舒张效应;Western blotting检测过氧化物酶体增殖物活化受体γ（PPARγ）、Tribbles同源蛋白3（TRB3）表达水平以及胰岛素诱导的Akt/内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）磷酸化。体外高糖（25 mmol/L）、高脂（500 μmol/L）培养人脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVECs）,厚朴酚孵育后观察PPARγ、TRB3表达水平、胰岛素诱导的Akt/eNOS磷酸化及NO的生成。结果:4周龄SHR血压尚未增高,给予厚朴酚灌胃3周后,血压增高减缓,胰岛素诱导的舒血管效应和Akt/eNOS活性增强,血管组织PPARγ表达增加,TRB3表达减少。高糖高脂培养的HUVECs厚朴酚孵育后,PPARγ表达增加,TRB3表达减少,胰岛素诱导的Akt/eNOS活性增强,NO产生增加;PPARγ拮抗剂预处理HUVECs则可阻断厚朴酚的上述效应。结论: 在SHR高血压前期给予厚朴酚干预可以改善血管胰岛素敏感性,延缓血压升高,该作用部分依赖于上调血管组织PPARγ表达和减少TRB3表达,进而增强Akt和eNOS活性,提示厚朴酚有望作为一种早期抗高血压药物在高血压前期使用。     

Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) promotes the migration and proliferation of endothelial progenitor cells through the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway

Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) mediates many effects of caloric restriction (CR) on an organism’s lifespan and metabolic pathways. Recent reports have also emphasized its role in vascular function. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of SIRT1 on the properties of mouse spleen derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). SIRT1 in EPCs was significantly increased by serum and by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, an adenovirus (Ad) vector expressing SIRT1 (Ad-SIRT1)-mediated overexpression of SIRT1 directly enhanced migration and proliferation of EPCs, whereas silencing of endogenous SIRT1 in EPCs inhibited cell functions. In addition, LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor), sc-221226 (an Akt inhibitor), and L-NAME (an NOS inhibitor) abolished Ad-SIRT1-induced migration and proliferation of EPCs, and prevented nitric oxide (NO) production. Phosphorylation of Akt, PI3K, and endothelial nitricoxide synthase (eNOS) were up-regulated by Ad-SIRT1, which was attenuated by LY294002, sc-221226, and L-NAME. Together, the results suggested that through the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway, SIRT1 plays an important role in the biological properties of EPCs.     

Glutamatergic neurons say NO in the nucleus tractus solitarii

Both glutamate and nitric oxide (NO) may play an important role in cardiovascular reflex and respiratory signal transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). Pharmacological and physiological data have shown that glutamate and NO may be linked in mediating cardiovascular regulation by the NTS. Through tract tracing, multiple-label immunofluorescent staining, confocal microscopic, and electronic microscopic methods, we and other investigators have provided anatomical evidence that supports a role for glutamate and NO as well as an interaction between glutamate and NO in cardiovascular regulation in the NTS. This review article focuses on summarizing and discussing these anatomical findings. We utilized antibodies to markers of glutamatergic neurons and to neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), the enzyme that synthesizes NO in NTS neurons, to study the anatomical relationship between glutamate and NO in rats. Not only were glutamatergic markers and nNOS both found in similar subregions of the NTS and in vagal afferents, they were also frequently colocalized in the same neurons and fibers in the NTS. In addition, glutamatergic markers and nNOS were often present in fibers that were in close apposition to each other. Furthermore, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) type glutamate receptors and nNOS were often found on the same NTS neurons. Similarly, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxozole-proprionic acid (AMPA) type glutamate receptors also frequently colocalized with nNOS in NTS neurons. These findings support the suggestion that the interaction between glutamate and NO may be mediated both through NMDA and AMPA receptors. Finally, by applying tracer to the cut aortic depressor nerve (ADN) to identify nodose ganglion (NG) neurons that transmit cardiovascular signals to the NTS, we observed colocalization of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluT) and nNOS in the ADN neurons. Thus, taken together, these neuroanatomical data support the hypothesis that glutamate and NO may interact with each other to regulate cardiovascular and likely other visceral functions through the NTS.     

Akt/GSK-3β介导高糖上调肾小管上皮细胞Snail1的表达

 目的：观察高糖对原代肾小管上皮细胞Snail1和蛋白激酶B/糖原合成酶激酶3β（Akt/GSK-3β）信号通路的影响,探讨糖尿病肾病时Snail1表达的调节机制。方法：原代培养大鼠肾小管上皮细胞（RTECs）,随机分为正常糖对照组、高渗组和高糖组。Western blotting检测不同处理组 RTECs不同培养时点（30 min、2 h、12 h、24 h、48 h和72 h）Snail1、Akt1、GSK-3β、磷酸化Akt（p-Akt,Ser473）和磷酸化GSK-3β（p-GSK-3β,Ser9）蛋白的水平。RT-PCR检测Snail1、Akt1和GSK3β mRNA的表达。RTECs以磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶（PI3K）抑制剂LY294002（25 μmol/L）预处理50 min,再与高糖共同培养24 h,Western blotting检测上述指标蛋白的表达。结果：与正常糖对照组比较,高糖组RTECs Snail1和Akt1蛋白和mRNA的表达上调,p-Akt及p-GSK-3β蛋白表达增加,但总GSK-3β蛋白和mRNA表达无变化。以LY294002处理后,高糖组RTECs Snail1、p-Akt及p-GSK-3β蛋白表达水平较未处理高糖组明显下降,但LY294002不影响总Akt1和GSK-3β蛋白表达。结论：Akt/GSK-3β可能介导了高糖诱导的RTECs锌指转录因子Snail1的表达上调。     

Beneficial effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on insulin signaling cascade,dyslipidemia, and body adiposity of diet-induced obese rats

Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) has been indicated as an efficient medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2. It remains unclear if its effects are due to an improvement of the insulin signaling cascade, especially in obese subjects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of GbE on insulin tolerance, food intake, body adiposity, lipid profile, fasting insulin, and muscle levels of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B), and protein kinase B (Akt), as well as Akt phosphorylation, in diet-induced obese rats. Rats were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) or a normal fat diet (NFD) for 8 weeks. After that, the HFD group was divided into two groups: rats gavaged with a saline vehicle (HFD+V), and rats gavaged with 500 mg/kg of GbE diluted in the saline vehicle (HFD+Gb). NFD rats were gavaged with the saline vehicle only. At the end of the treatment, the rats were anesthetized, insulin was injected into the portal vein, and after 90s, the gastrocnemius muscle was removed. The quantification of IRS-1, Akt, and Akt phosphorylation was performed using Western blotting. Serum levels of fasting insulin and glucose, triacylglycerols and total cholesterol, and LDL and HDL fractions were measured. An insulin tolerance test was also performed. Ingestion of a hyperlipidic diet promoted loss of insulin sensitivity and also resulted in a significant increase in body adiposity, plasma triacylglycerol, and glucose levels. In addition, GbE treatment significantly reduced food intake and body adiposity while it protected against hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in diet-induced obesity rats. It also enhanced insulin sensitivity in comparison to HFD+V rats, while it restored insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation, increased IRS-1, and reduced PTP-1B levels in gastrocnemius muscle. The present findings suggest that G. biloba might be efficient in preventing and treating obesity-induced insulin signaling impairment.