scholarly journals Estrogen Enhances Matrix Synthesis in Nucleus Pulposus Cell through the Estrogen Receptor β-p38 MAPK Pathway

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2216-2226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Li ◽  
Yuan Xu ◽  
Yibo Gan ◽  
Liyuan Wang ◽  
Bin Ouyang ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Matrix homeostasis within the disc nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue is important for disc function. Increasing evidence indicates that sex hormone can influence the severity of disc degeneration. This study was aimed to study the role of 17β-estradiol (E2) in NP matrix synthesis and its underlying mechanism. Methods: Rat NP cells were cultured with (10-5, 10-7 and 10-9 M) or without (control) E2 for48 hours. The estrogen receptor (ER)-β antagonist PHTPP and ERβ agonist ERB 041 were used to investigate the role mediated by ERβ. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 was used to investigate the role of p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Gene and protein expression of SOX9, aggrecan and collagen II, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content, and immunostaining assay for aggrecan and collagen II were analyzed to evaluate matrix production in rat NP cells. Results: E2 enhanced NP matrix synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner regarding gene and proetin expression of SOX9, aggrecan and collagen II, protein deposition of aggrecan and collagen II, and GAG content. Moreover, activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway was increased with elevating E2 concentration. Further analysis indicated that ERB 041 and PHTPP could respectively enhance and suppress effects of E2 on matrix synthesis in NP cells, as well as activation of p38 MAPK pathway. Additionally, inhibition of p38 MAPK signaling pathway significantly abolished the effects of E2 on matrix synthesis. Conclusion: E2 can enhance matrix synthesis of NP cells and the ERβ/p38 MAPK pathway is involved in this regulatory process.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Liang ◽  
Xin Gu ◽  
Hai Ji Shen ◽  
Yu Heng Shi ◽  
Yao Li ◽  
...  

AimsObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for steroid-resistant (SR) asthma. However, the underlying mechanism is not well defined. This study aimed to investigate how chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), the main pathophysiology of OSA, influenced the effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) on asthma.Main MethodsThe effects of dexamethasone (Dex) were determined using the ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged mouse model of asthma and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β treated airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs), with or without CIH. The p38 MAPK signaling pathway activity was then detected in the mouse (n = 6) and ASMCs models (n = 6), which were both treated with the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB239063.Key FindingsUnder CIH, mouse pulmonary resistance value, inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inflammation scores increased in OVA-challenged combined with CIH exposure mice compared with OVA-challenged mice (p < 0.05). These indicators were similarly raised in the OVA + CIH + Dex group compared with the OVA + Dex group (P < 0.05). CIH exposure enhanced the activation of the p38 MAPK pathway, oxidative stress injury, and the expression of NF-κB both in lung tissue and ASMCs, which were reversed by treatment with Dex and SB239063. In the in vitro study, treatment with Dex and SB239063 decreased ASMCs proliferation induced by TGF-β combined with CIH and suppressed activation of the p38 MAPK pathway, oxidative stress injury, and NF-κB nuclear transcription (p < 0.05).SignificanceThese results indicated that CIH decreased GC sensitivity by activating the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijie Dong ◽  
Zhenyi Xue ◽  
Guangyue Fan ◽  
Na Zhang ◽  
Chengzhi Wang ◽  
...  

Pin1 is the only known peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) that can specifically recognize and isomerize the phosphorylated Serine/Threonine-Proline (pSer/Thr-Pro) motif, change the conformation of proteins through protein phosphorylation, thus regulate various cellular processes in the body. Pin1 plays an important role in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and autoimmune diseases. However, the specific mechanism of Pin1 regulation in LPS-induced septic shock is unclear. Here, we found that lack of Pin1 reduced shock mortality and organ damage in mice, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation also was reduced in this process. We further confirmed that Pin1 can affect the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase1, and this process can be regulated through the p38 MAPK pathway. We analyzed that p38 MAPK signaling pathway was highly expressed in septic shock and showed a positive correlation with Pin1 in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We found that Pin1 could affect the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, have no obvious difference in extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and Jun-amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. We further found that Pin1 and p-p38 MAPK interacted, but not directly. In addition, Pin1 deficiency inhibited the cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) and promoted the death of macrophages with LPS treatment, and reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and IL-18. In general, our results suggest that Pin1 regulates the NLRP3 inflammasome activation by p38 MAPK signaling pathway in macrophages. Thus, Pin1 may be a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as septic shock.


2014 ◽  
Vol 157 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Dygai ◽  
V. V. Zhdanov ◽  
G. N. Zyuz’kov ◽  
E. V. Udut ◽  
L. A. Miroshnichenko ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Shan Lei ◽  
Zhiwei He ◽  
Tengxiang Chen ◽  
Xingjun Guo ◽  
Zhirui Zeng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Accumulation evidence indicates the vital role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and the progression of malignant tumors, including pancreatic cancer (PC). However, the role and the molecular mechanism of long non-coding RNA 00976 is unclear in pancreatic cancer. Methods In situ hybridization (ISH) and qRT-PCR was performed to investigate the association between linc00976 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with PC. Subsequently, linc00976 over-expression vector and shRNAs were transfected into PC cells to up-regulate or down-regulate linc00976 expression. Loss- and gain-of function assays were performed to investigate the role of linc00976 in proliferation and metastasis in vitro and vivo. ITRAQ, bioinformatic analysis and rescue assay were used to illustrate the ceRNA mechanism network of linc00976/miR-137/OTUD7B and its downstream EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway. Results linc00976 expression was overexpressed in PC tissues and cell lines and was positively associated with poorer survival in patients with PC. Function studies revealed that linc00976 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vivo and in vitro, whereas its overexpression reversed these effects. Based on Itraq results and online database prediction, Ovarian tumor proteases OTUD7B was found as a downstream gene of linc00976, which deubiquitinated EGFR mediates MAPK signaling activation. Furthermore, Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays and rescue experiments revealed that linc00976/miR137/OTUD7B established the ceRNA network modulating PC cell proliferation and tumor growth. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that linc00976 enhances the proliferation and invasion ability of PC cells by upregulating OTUD7B expression, which was a target of miR-137. Ultimately, OTUD7B mediates EGFR and MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting that linc00976/miR-137/OTUD7B/EGFR axis may act as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for PC.


2003 ◽  
Vol 111 (6) ◽  
pp. 833-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaosong Zhang ◽  
Carla Weinheimer ◽  
Michael Courtois ◽  
Attila Kovacs ◽  
Cindy E. Zhang ◽  
...  

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