Effect of miR-29b-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway on progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats

AIM: To investigate the role of microRNA-29b (miR-29b)-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and its effect on the progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats.METHODS: Hepatic liver fibrosis rat model was established, and its HSC were isolated. Normal rat HSC were also obtained and identified in vitro. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the alterations of miR-29b, TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins and liver fibrosis marker proteins in the acquired cells. Finally, the direct targeting binding of miR-29b to TGF-β1 was identified by dual-luciferase reporter assay system.RESULTS: With the activation of HSC, the expression of miR-29b gradually decreased (P<0.01), while the expression of collagen type I and α-smooth muscle actin gradually increased (P<0.01). At the same time, the expression of Smad2/3/4 was significantly increased, and the expression of Smad7 was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-29b bound directly to "UCUCUCCGU" in the 3'UTR of TGF-β1, indicating that TGF-β1 was a downstream target gene of miR-29b.CONCLUSION: miR-29b may be involved in the inhibition of HSC activation and migration, thereby inhibiting the process of liver fibrosis. The biological function of miR-29b may be through the direct targeting of TGF-β1, thus regulating and inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.     

文冠果叶总皂苷的提取工艺优化及减肥降脂功效

【目的】优化文冠果叶总皂苷的提取工艺，并对其减肥降脂功效进行分析。【方法】采用单因素试验并结合Box-Behnken响应面法，对文冠果叶总皂苷的提取温度、液(mL)料(g)比、乙醇体积分数进行优化。采用高脂饲料喂养小鼠建立高血脂症模型，建模4周后，以奥利司他为阳性对照，分别采用高（200 mg/kg）、中（100 mg/kg）、低（50 mg/kg）剂量组文冠果叶总皂苷连续灌胃4周，检测小鼠血清总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、低密度脂蛋白（LDL-C）和高密度脂蛋白（HDL-C）的浓度，分析不同剂量文冠果叶总皂苷对小鼠体内胰脂肪酶的抑制作用。【结果】文冠果叶总皂苷的最佳提取工艺条件为：提取温度60 ℃，乙醇体积分数70%，液(mL)料(g)比30∶1，此时文冠果叶总皂苷得率为4.952%。对小鼠的减肥降脂试验表明，文冠果叶总皂苷对胰脂肪酶的抑制活力最高可达68.29%，且在高血脂模型中，高、中、低剂量文冠果叶总皂苷均可显著或极显著降低血清中的TC、TG、LDL-C浓度，提高HDL-C浓度，其中高剂量组的降脂作用与阳性对照药物奥利司他效果相当。【结论】文冠果叶总皂苷减肥降脂功效显著，能够有效抑制胰脂肪酶活力，降低胆固醇和甘油三酯含量，进而促进脂肪代谢。     

Effect of DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region on hepatic injury induced by homocysteine

AIM: To explore the role of DNA methylation of microRNA-30a-5p(miR-30a-5p) promoter region in hepatic injury. METHODS: Four-week-old normal mice and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) single gene knockout mice were used and divided into normal (CBS^+/+, n=12) group and single gene knockout (CBS^+/-, n=12) group, and the mice were fed with high methionine diet for 8 weeks. HL-7702 hepatic cells were routinely cultured in vitro and divided into control group, homocysteine (Hcy) group and Hcy+5-azacytidne (AZC) group. Serum Hcy, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The levels of ALT and AST in the cells culture medium were determined by the microplate method. Hepatic injury in the mice were observed with HE staining. Cell viability staining was used to measure the viability of hepatocytes. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues and hepatocytes. The correlation between the expression of miR-30a-5p and serum ALT and AST levels was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. DNA methylation level of miR-30a-5p promoter region in the liver tissues and hepatocytes was detected by nested landing methylation-specific PCR (nMS-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the CBS^+/+ mice, the serum levels of Hcy, ALT and AST in the CBS^+/- mice were significantly increased (P < 0.05). HE staining showed the hepatocyte swelling and nuclear fragmentation and dissolution. The expression level of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues was decreased (P < 0.01). Besides, the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the mice was negatively correlated with serum ALT and AST levels (r²=0.4557, P=0.0003, r²=0.4626, P=0.0003), and the DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01). In the HL-7702 cells, compared with control group,the ALT and AST levels were increased in Hcy group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the cell viability was remarkablely decreased. DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01), which decreased after treated the cells with AZC (P < 0.05), while the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the cells was increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypermethylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region may play an important role in hepatic injury.     

饥饿和重摄食对鲤鱼脂蛋白脂肪酶活性的影响

采用对硝基苯酚法测定正常摄食、饥饿(14 d)和重摄食(3 d)状态下鲤鱼不同组织和器官中脂肪酶及脂蛋白脂肪酶(lipoproteinlipase,LPL)的活性。结果显示:与正常摄食相比,饥饿鲤鱼肌肉、脂肪和心脏中脂肪酶比活力显著下降(P0.05),但脂肪和心脏中LPL比活力显著升高(P0.05);除脂肪中LPL外,重摄食3d的鲤鱼各组织和器官中脂肪酶和LPL比活力比正常摄食和饥饿鲤鱼均显著升高(P0.05),有明显的补偿作用。     

家兔HSL基因多态性及其与生产性状关联性分析

本实验采用PCR-SSCP方法对齐卡巨型白兔和齐兴肉兔HSL基因外显子1的遗传多态性进行研究,并进一步分析HSL基因对生产性状的遗传效应。结果表明:HSL基因外显子1第784位处发生了碱基突变(A→C),共出现AA、AB和BB 3种基因型,在2个品种兔群体中AA型均为优势基因型,A均为优势等位基因;卡方适合性检验表明,2个品种兔群体均显著偏离哈代-温伯格平衡(P0.05);在齐卡巨型白兔中,HSL基因AA型和AB型个体的宰前活体重均显著高于BB型个体(P0.05),AA、BB型个体的全净膛屠宰率和半净膛屠宰率均显著低于AB型个体(P0.05);在齐兴肉兔中,HSL基因AA型个体的宰前活体重显著高于AB、BB型个体(P0.05),BB型个体的全净膛屠宰率和半净膛屠宰率均显著低于AA、AB型个体(P0.05);在2个品种兔群体中,不同基因型个体的滴水损失和剪切力差异均不显著(P0.05)。     

Effect of dietary fish meal and fish oil replacement on lipogenic and lipoprotein lipase activities and plasma insulin in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

The effects of a double replacement of fish oil (FO) and fish meal (FM) by dietary vegetable ingredients in juvenile gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L. 1758) on some indices of lipid metabolism and plasma insulin levels were analysed. Four experimental diets with a replacement of 75% of FM by plant proteins (PP) were administered. Added oil was either FO (75PP/FO diet), or a vegetable oil mix (VO), replacing 33%, 66% or 100% of FO (75PP/33VO, 75PP/66VO, 75PP/100VO diets). Another diet with 50% of substitution of FM by PP and with 100% of VO was also tested (50PP/100VO diet). Final body weight was similar in all diet groups, except for the 75PP/100VO group, which presented lower values. Circulating insulin levels increased with feed administration in all groups and no differences between diets were observed, with the exception of the 75PP/FO group, which presented higher plasma insulin values. In adipose tissue, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme activities decreased with the inclusion of vegetable oil, especially 5 h after feeding. Diet had no significant effect on the hepatic activity of either enzyme. Lipoprotein lipase activity decreased in white muscle and adipose tissue with the replacement of fish oil in 75PP diets, 5 h after feeding. In conclusion, the use of a combined replacement of fish oil and fish meal by vegetable ingredients in gilthead sea bream permits satisfactory growth, with moderate changes in tissue lipogenesis and lipid uptake.