Tryptophan is metabolized along the kynurenine and serotonin pathways, resulting in formation of kynurenine metabolites, neuroactive serotonin and melatonin. Each pathway is critical for maintaining healthy homeostasis. However, the two pathways are extremely unequal in their ability to degrade tryptophan, and little is known about the mechanisms maintaining the balance between them. Here, we demonstrated that in PC12 cells, a change of expression of key genes of one pathway resulted in a change of expression of key genes of the other. Melatonin, the end product of the serotonin pathway, played an important role in tryptophan metabolism by affecting both key enzymes of the two pathways. Melatonin treatment induced the expression of indole-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and enhanced the activity of the IDO1 promoter while decreasing the expression of arylalkylamine N-acetyl transferase. Melatonin treatment up-regulated the expression of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) and enhanced the binding of FoxO1 to the IDO1 promoter. FoxO1 was shown to be a new regulator for IDO1 expression. Melatonin treatment decreased the phosphorylation of FoxO1 by extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 and protein kinase B (Akt) and increased the phosphorylation of binding protein 14-3-3 by c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and thus the complex of FoxO1-14-3-3 in the cytoplasm was disassembled and FoxO1 was relocated to the nucleus to induce IDO1 expression. The JNK signaling pathway played an important role in melatonin-induced IDO1 up-regulation. In conclusion, this study suggests a link between melatonin, JNK, FoxO1 and IDO1 that acts as a potential balance regulator of tryptophan metabolism, and offers a new approach to treat diseases related to dysregulation of tryptophan metabolism.
Efficient searching for resources such as food by animals is key to their survival. It has been proposed that diverse animals from insects to sharks and humans adopt searching patterns that resemble a simple Lévy random walk, which is theoretically optimal for ‘blind foragers’ to locate sparse, patchy resources. To test if such patterns are generated intrinsically, or arise via environmental interactions, we tracked free-moving Drosophila larvae with (and without) blocked synaptic activity in the brain, suboesophageal ganglion (SOG) and sensory neurons. In brain-blocked larvae, we found that extended substrate exploration emerges as multi-scale movement paths similar to truncated Lévy walks. Strikingly, power-law exponents of brain/SOG/sensory-blocked larvae averaged 1.96, close to a theoretical optimum (µ ≅ 2.0) for locating sparse resources. Thus, efficient spatial exploration can emerge from autonomous patterns in neural activity. Our results provide the strongest evidence so far for the intrinsic generation of Lévy-like movement patterns.
SUMMARYWe present a regularized phenomenological multiscale model where elastic properties are computed using direct homogenization and subsequently evolved using a simple three‐parameter orthotropic continuum damage model. The salient feature of the model is a unified regularization framework based on the concept of effective softening strain. The unified regularization scheme has been employed in the context of constitutive law rescaling and the staggered nonlocal approach. We show that an element erosion technique for crack propagation when exercised with one of the two regularization schemes (1) possesses a characteristic length, (2) is consistent with fracture mechanics approach, and (3) does not suffer from pathological mesh sensitivity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genistein, a major phytoestrogen of soy, is considered a potential drug for the prevention and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Mounting evidence suggested a positive correlation between genistein consumption and bone health both in vivo and in vitro. Earlier studies have revealed that genistein acted as a natural estrogen analogue which activated estrogen receptor and exerted anti-osteoporotic effect. However, it remains unclear whether PTH, the most crucial hormone that regulates mineral homeostasis, participates in the process of genistein-mediated bone protection. In the present study, we compared the therapeutic effects between genistein and nilestriol and investigated whether PTH and its specific receptor PTHR1 altered in response to genistein-containing diet in the animal model of ovariectomy. Our results showed that genistein administration significantly improved femoral mechanical properties and alleviates femoral turnover. Genistein at all doses (4.5 mg/kg, 9.0 mg/kg and 18.0 mg/kg per day, respectively) exerted improved bending strength and b-ALP limiting effects than nilestriol in the present study. However, genistein administration did not exert superior effects on bone protection than nilestriol. We also observed circulating PTH restoration in ovariectomized rats receiving genistein at the dose of 18 mg/kg per day. Meanwhile, PTHR1 abnormalities were attenuated in the presence of genistein as confirmed by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. These findings strongly support the idea that besides serving as an estrogen, genistein could interact with PTH/PTHR1, causing a superior mineral restoring effect than nilestriol on certain circumstance. In conclusion, our study reported for the first time that the anti-osteoporotic effect of genistein is partly PTH/PTHR1-dependent. Genistein might be a potential option in the prevention and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis with good tolerance, more clinical benefits and few undesirable side effects.
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