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Interleukin 4-induced gene-1 (IL4I1) was initially described as an early IL-4-inducible gene in B cells. IL4I1 protein can inhibit T cell proliferation by releasing its enzymatic catabolite, H2O2, and this effect is associated with transient down-regulation of T cell CD3 receptor-zeta (TCRζ) expression. Herein, we show that IL4I1 contributes to the regulation of macrophage programming. We found that expression of IL4I1 increased during bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMDM) differentiation, expression of IL4I1 is much higher in primary macrophages than monocytes, and IL4I1 expression in BMDMs could be induced by Th1 and Th2 cytokines in two different patterns. Gene expression analysis revealed that overexpression of IL4I1 drove the expression of M2 markers (Fizz1, Arg1, YM-1, MR) and inhibited the expression of M1-associated cytokines. Conversely, knockdown of IL4I1 by siRNA resulted in opposite effects, and also attenuated STAT-3 and STAT-6 phosphorylation. Furthermore, IL4I1 produced by macrophages catalyzed L-tryptophan degradation, while levo-1-methyl-tryptophan (L-1-MT), but not dextro-1-methyl-tryptophan, partially rescued IL4I1-dependent inhibition of T cell activation. Other inhibitors, such as diphenylene iodonium (DPI), an anti-IL-10Rα blocking antibody, and a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, also had this effect. Overall, our findings indicate that IL4I1 promotes an enhanced M2 functional phenotype, which is most likely associated with the phosphorylation of STAT-6 and STAT-3. Moreover, DPI, L-1-MT, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, and anti-IL-10Rα blocking antibody were all found to be effective IL4I1 inhibitors in vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy provides a promising therapy for the ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, engrafted MSCs are subjected to acute cell death in the ischemic microenvironment, characterized by excessive inflammation and oxidative stress in the host's infarcted myocardium. Melatonin, an indole, which is produced by many organs including pineal gland, has been shown to protect bone marrow MSCs against apoptosis although the mechanism of action remains elusive. Using a murine model of myocardial infarction (MI), this study was designed to evaluate the impact of melatonin on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs)-based therapy for MI and the underlying mechanism involved with a focus on silent information regulator 1(SIRT1) signaling. Our results demonstrated that melatonin promoted functional survival of AD-MSCs in infarcted heart and provoked a synergetic effect with AD-MSCs to restore heart function. This in vivo effect of melatonin was associated with alleviated inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in infarcted heart. In vitro studies revealed that melatonin exert cytoprotective effects on AD-MSCs against hypoxia/serum deprivation (H/SD) injury via attenuating inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, melatonin enhanced SIRT1 signaling, which was accompanied with the increased expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2, and decreased the expression of Ac-FoxO1, Ac-p53, Ac-NF-ΚB, and Bax. Taken together, our findings indicated that melatonin facilitated AD-MSCs-based therapy in MI, possibly through promoting survival of AD-MSCs via SIRT1 signaling. Our data support the promise of melatonin as a novel strategy to improve MSC-based therapy for IHD, possibly through SIRT1 signaling evocation.

BackgroundAs economically relevant traits, feeding behavior and food preference domestication determine production cost and profitability. Although there are intensive research efforts on feeding behavior and food intake, little is known about food preference. Mandarin fish accept only live prey fish and refuse dead prey fish or artificial diets. Very little is currently known about the genes regulating this unique food preference.ResultsUsing transcriptome sequencing and digital gene expression profiling, we identified 1,986 and 4,526 differentially expressed genes in feeders and nonfeeders of dead prey fish, respectively. Up-regulation of Crbp, Rgr and Rdh8, and down-regulation of Gc expression, consistent with greater visual ability in feeders, could promote positive phototaxis. Altered expressions of period, casein kinase and Rev-erbα might reset circadian phase. Down-regulation of orexigenic and up-regulation of anorexigenic genes in feeders were associated with lower appetite. The mRNA levels of Creb, c-fos, C/EBP, zif268, Bdnf and Syt were dramatically decreased in feeders, which might result in significant deficiency in memory retention of its natural food preference (live prey fish). There were roughly 100 times more potential SNPs in feeders than in nonfeeders.ConclusionsIn summary, differential expression in the genes identified shed new light on why mandarin fish only feed on live prey fish, with pathways regulating retinal photosensitivity, circadian rhythm, appetite control, learning and memory involved. We also found dramatic difference in SNP abundance in feeders vs nonfeeders. These differences together might account for the different food preferences. Elucidating the genes regulating the unique food preference (live prey fish) in mandarin fish could lead to a better understanding of mechanisms controlling food preference in animals, including mammals.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the progressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is becoming a common chronic liver disease with the characteristics of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. Macrophage plays an important role in the development of NASH. In this study, Annexin A5 (Anx A5) is identified with the special effect on hepatic macrophage phenotype shift from M1 to M2. And it is further demonstrated that Anx A5 significantly switches metabolic reprogramming from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in activated macrophages. Mechanistically, the main target of Anx A5 in energy metabolism is confirmed to be pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). And we following reveal that Anx A5 directly interacts with PKM2 at ASP101, LEU104 and ARG106, inhibits phosphorylation of Y105, and promotes PKM2 tetramer formation. In addition, based on the results of PKM2 inhibitor (compound 3k) and the phosphorylated mutation (PKM2 (Y105E)), it is proved that Anx A5 exhibits the function in macrophage polarization dependently on PKM2 activity. In vivo studies also show that Anx A5 improves steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis in NASH mice due to specially regulating hepatic macrophages via interaction with PKM2. Therefore, we have revealed a novel function of Anx A5 in hepatic macrophage polarization and HFD-induced NASH, providing important insights into the metabolic reprogramming, which is important for NASH therapy.

We recently demonstrated that Cellular Nucleic acid Binding Protein (CNBP)(-/-) mouse embryos exhibit forebrain truncation due to a lack of proper morphogenetic movements of the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE) during pre-gastrulation stage (Chen, W., Liang, Y., Deng, W., Shimizu, K., Ashique, A.M., Li, E., Li, Y.P., 2003. The zinc-finger protein CNBP is required for forebrain formation in the mouse, Development 130, 1367-1379). However, CNBP expression pattern in the mouse forebrain suggests that CNBP may have more direct effects during forebrain development. Our data show that CNBP is expressed in tissues of early chick embryo that are the equivalent to the mouse embryo. Using a combination of RNAi-silencing and Retrovirus-misexpression approaches, we investigated the temporal function of CNBP in the specification/development of the chick forebrain during organogenesis. The silencing of CNBP expression resulted in forebrain truncation and the absence of BF-1, Six3 and Hesx1 expression, but not Otx2 in chick embryos. Misexpression of CNBP induced the expression of BF-1, Six3 and Hesx1 in the hindbrain, but not the expression of Otx2. These results offer novel insights into the function of CNBP during organogenesis as the regulator of forebrain formation and a number of rostral head transcription factors. Moreover, CNBP and Otx2 may play roles as regulators of forebrain formation in two parallel pathways. These new insights into CNBP functions underscore the essential role of CNBP in forebrain formation during chick embryo organogenesis.

Patients with ER/HER2-positive breast cancer have a poor prognosis and are less responsive to selective estrogen receptor modulators; this is presumably due to the crosstalk between ER and HER2. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is essential for the survival and maintenance of the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells. An intimate relationship exists between FASN, ER and HER2. We hypothesized that FASN may be the downstream effector underlying ER/HER2 crosstalk through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in ER/HER2-positive breast cancer. The present study implicated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in the regulation of FASN expression in ER/HER2-positive breast cancer cells and demonstrated that rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, inhibited FASN expression. Cerulenin, a FASN inhibitor, synergized with rapamycin to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell migration and tumorigenesis in ER/HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Our findings suggest that inhibiting the mTOR-FASN axis is a promising new strategy for treating ER/HER2-positive breast cancer.

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), which is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis, is widely used to study the mammalian immune response to infection. After phagocytosis by professional phagocytes, L. monocytogenes is initially contained within phagosomes, which mature into phagolysosomes, where the bacteria are degraded. Although phagocytosis and subsequent phagosome maturation is essential for the clearance of infectious microbial pathogens, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are still unclear. SNX10 (Sorting nexin 10) has the simplest structure of the SNX family and has been reported to regulate endosomal morphology, which might be crucial for macrophage function, including phagocytosis and digestion of pathogens, inflammatory response, and antigen presentation. Our results showed that SNX10 expression was upregulated following L. monocytogenes infection in macrophages. It was also revealed that SNX10 promoted phagosome maturation by recruiting the Mon1-Ccz1 complex to endosomes and phagosomes. As a result, SNX10 deficiency decreased the bacterial killing ability of macrophages, and SNX10-deficient mice showed increased susceptibility to L. monocytogenes infection in vivo. Thus, this study revealed an essential role of SNX10 in controlling bacterial infection.