Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)is a severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without effective treatment.The traditional Chinese medicine formulation Pien Tze Huang(PTH)can suppress inflammatory diseases.H...Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)is a severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without effective treatment.The traditional Chinese medicine formulation Pien Tze Huang(PTH)can suppress inflammatory diseases.Here,we evaluate the effects of PTH on the evolution of NASH and its underlying mechanisms.We found that PTH prevented the development of steatohepatitis induced by various dietary models,including a high-fat high-cholesterol(HFHC)diet,choline-deficient high-fat diet(CD-HFD),and methionine-and choline-deficient(MCD)diet,along with significant suppression of liver injury,hepatic triglyceride,and lipid peroxidation.Moreover,ten days of PTH treatment after the onset of NASH significantly ameliorated MCD diet-induced steatosis and liver injury in mice.Through the metagenomic sequencing of stool samples,we found that PTH administration restored the gut microbiota with enrichment of probiotics including Lactobacillus acidophilus(L.acidophilus),Lactobacillus plantarum,Lactococcus lactis,and Bacillus subtilis.The enriched L.acidophilus prevented MCD diet-induced steatohepatitis.In addition,PTH restored the gut barrier function in mice with steatohepatitis,as evidenced by reduced intestinal permeability,decreased serum lipopolysaccharides(LPS)level,and increased epithelial tightjunction protein E-cadherin expression.Our metabolomic analysis via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling identified the alteration in the metabolism of bile acids in the portal vein of PTHtreated mice.We further confirmed that an intact gut microbiota is necessary for PTH to exhibit antisteatohepatitis effects.In conclusion,PTH protects against steatohepatitis development by modulating the gut microbiota and metabolites.PTH is a potential promising prophylactic and therapeutic option for patients with NASH.展开更多
Theconstruction of an integrative shuttle expression vector and potential utility was reported inEscherichiacoliandAnabaena(Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120. The vector comprised of the following elements: (a) an intergeni...Theconstruction of an integrative shuttle expression vector and potential utility was reported inEscherichiacoliandAnabaena(Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120. The vector comprised of the following elements: (a) an intergenic non-coding region fromAnabaenato facilitate its genomic integration (b) a strong functional PpsbAIpromoter fromAnabaenafor desired gene expression and (c) neomycin phosphotransferase gene with its own promoter for the selection of transfor-mants. The constructed vectorpAnFP was evaluated by cloning, transfer and expression of thegfpgene encoding green fluorescent protein. When theE.coliandAnabaenasp. strain PCC 7120 were transformed, intensive green fluorescence produced by the products of GFP protein was observed. This result indicated that the integrative shuttle vector pAnFP can be promisingly used in genome transformation for expression of heterologous genes inE.coliand microalgae such asAnabaenaandNostocstrains.展开更多
Extreme high temperatures in the summer have become a global concern,and their risks to the inflammatory system have been largely unknown.Here we appraised the exposure risks of summer heatwaves by comparing the sera ...Extreme high temperatures in the summer have become a global concern,and their risks to the inflammatory system have been largely unknown.Here we appraised the exposure risks of summer heatwaves by comparing the sera cytokine levels in healthy individuals under high and normal temperatures.In addition,we established a cell model with a 1.5°C temperature increase to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of temperature-related cytokines.Our results suggest that elevated temperatures enhance the release of interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-8(IL-8)via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)pathway and augment the proinflammatory effects of other factors.This suggests that we may have underestimated the impact of high temperatures on the health of individuals beyond just mortality rates.Moreover,seemingly minor temperature increases of just 1.5℃ can still pose a challenge to cells.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82103355 and 82222901)Research Grants Council-General Research Fund(RGC-GRF+2 种基金14117422)Health and Medical Research Fund,Hong Kong(08191336)Vice-Chancellor’s Discretionary Fund CUHK.
文摘Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)is a severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without effective treatment.The traditional Chinese medicine formulation Pien Tze Huang(PTH)can suppress inflammatory diseases.Here,we evaluate the effects of PTH on the evolution of NASH and its underlying mechanisms.We found that PTH prevented the development of steatohepatitis induced by various dietary models,including a high-fat high-cholesterol(HFHC)diet,choline-deficient high-fat diet(CD-HFD),and methionine-and choline-deficient(MCD)diet,along with significant suppression of liver injury,hepatic triglyceride,and lipid peroxidation.Moreover,ten days of PTH treatment after the onset of NASH significantly ameliorated MCD diet-induced steatosis and liver injury in mice.Through the metagenomic sequencing of stool samples,we found that PTH administration restored the gut microbiota with enrichment of probiotics including Lactobacillus acidophilus(L.acidophilus),Lactobacillus plantarum,Lactococcus lactis,and Bacillus subtilis.The enriched L.acidophilus prevented MCD diet-induced steatohepatitis.In addition,PTH restored the gut barrier function in mice with steatohepatitis,as evidenced by reduced intestinal permeability,decreased serum lipopolysaccharides(LPS)level,and increased epithelial tightjunction protein E-cadherin expression.Our metabolomic analysis via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling identified the alteration in the metabolism of bile acids in the portal vein of PTHtreated mice.We further confirmed that an intact gut microbiota is necessary for PTH to exhibit antisteatohepatitis effects.In conclusion,PTH protects against steatohepatitis development by modulating the gut microbiota and metabolites.PTH is a potential promising prophylactic and therapeutic option for patients with NASH.
文摘Theconstruction of an integrative shuttle expression vector and potential utility was reported inEscherichiacoliandAnabaena(Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120. The vector comprised of the following elements: (a) an intergenic non-coding region fromAnabaenato facilitate its genomic integration (b) a strong functional PpsbAIpromoter fromAnabaenafor desired gene expression and (c) neomycin phosphotransferase gene with its own promoter for the selection of transfor-mants. The constructed vectorpAnFP was evaluated by cloning, transfer and expression of thegfpgene encoding green fluorescent protein. When theE.coliandAnabaenasp. strain PCC 7120 were transformed, intensive green fluorescence produced by the products of GFP protein was observed. This result indicated that the integrative shuttle vector pAnFP can be promisingly used in genome transformation for expression of heterologous genes inE.coliand microalgae such asAnabaenaandNostocstrains.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22076216)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFA0901100)+1 种基金Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen(SZSM201811070)Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund(SZXK067).
文摘Extreme high temperatures in the summer have become a global concern,and their risks to the inflammatory system have been largely unknown.Here we appraised the exposure risks of summer heatwaves by comparing the sera cytokine levels in healthy individuals under high and normal temperatures.In addition,we established a cell model with a 1.5°C temperature increase to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of temperature-related cytokines.Our results suggest that elevated temperatures enhance the release of interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-8(IL-8)via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR)pathway and augment the proinflammatory effects of other factors.This suggests that we may have underestimated the impact of high temperatures on the health of individuals beyond just mortality rates.Moreover,seemingly minor temperature increases of just 1.5℃ can still pose a challenge to cells.
