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ABSTRACT: Cordyceps militaris has been used in Eastern countries for the treatment of various diseases including chronic kidney diseases. However, there are no reports that identified its active entities and molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effectiveness. 3'-Deoxyadenosine is a major nucleoside derivative isolated from C. militaris. Some reports suggested that both C. militaris and 3'-deoxyadenosine have anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. In the present report, we investigated whether and how 3'-deoxyadenosine interferes with fibrogenic processes in the kidney. For this purpose, we examined effects of 3'-deoxyadenosine on the expression of collagens triggered by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1) and bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4), especially focusing on the regulation of Smad signaling in vitro and in vivo. We found that 3'-deoxyadenosine suppressed expression of collagens induced by TGF-β1 and BMP-4 dose dependently. This suppression occurred at the transcriptional level and was correlated with blunted activation of the CAGA box and the BMP-responsive element. The suppressive effect on the TGF-β/BMP signaling was mediated mainly by adenosine transporter and partially by the A3 adenosine receptor, but not A1/A2 adenosine receptors. 3'-Deoxyadenosine reduced levels of both phosphorylated and total Smad proteins (Smad1, 2 and 3) dose dependently. It was mainly ascribed to transcriptional suppression, but not to enhanced protein degradation and eIF2α-mediated translational suppression. Consistent with the in vitro results, in vivo administration with 3'-deoxyadenosine reduced the levels of phosphorylated and total Smad proteins, as well as the levels of Smad mRNAs, in the kidney subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction. It was associated with blunted induction of type I collagen and α-smooth muscle actin, a decrease in the number of interstitial myofibroblasts and reduced fibrotic area. These results suggest that 3'-deoxyadenosine interferes with the TGF-β and BMP signaling via downregulation of Smads, which may underlie the anti-fibrotic effect of this agent. 3'-Deoxyadenosine may be useful for therapeutic intervention in various TGF-β-related fibrotic disorders.Laboratory Investigation advance online publication, 25 February 2013; doi:10.1038/labinvest.2013.4.
Laboratory Investigation 02/2013; · 3.64 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is characterized by abundant secretion of various proteins in senescent cells and implicated in tumor progression and inflammatory responses. However, the profile of secreted proteins in SASP is different from cell type to cell type, and currently, universal markers for SASP have not been reported. In the present investigation, we show that SASP-responsive alkaline phosphatase (SASP-RAP) serves as a sensitive, general and convenient marker for SASP. Etoposide-treated cells exhibited a senescent phenotype characterized by senile morphology, positive staining for senescence-associated β-galactosidase, growth arrest and induction of p53 and p21(WAF1/CIP1). In SASP-RAP-transfected cells, exposure to etoposide increased secretion of SASP-RAP time-dependently. The kinetics of secretion was closely correlated with that of activation of the p21(WAF1/CIP1) promoter and the p16(INK4a) promoter. The enhanced secretion of SASP-RAP by senescence was also observed in cells treated with other senescence inducers such as trichostatin A, doxorubicin and 4-phenylbutylic acid. The induction of SASP-RAP by senescence was similarly observed in natural replicative senescence. To confirm selectivity of the SASP-RAP response, cells were treated with senescence-related and -unrelated stimuli (IL-1β, LPS, TNF-α and TGF-β), and induction of senescence markers and activity of SASP-RAP were evaluated in parallel. Unlike etoposide, senescence-unrelated stimuli did not induce p53 and p21(WAF1/CIP1), and it was correlated with lack of induction of SASP-RAP. In contrast, senescence-unrelated stimuli up-regulated conventional indicators for SASP, e.g., MMP-3, IL-6 and TIMP, without induction of senescence. SASP-RAP thus serves as a selective, convenient and general marker for detection and monitoring of SASP during cellular senescence.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(12):e52305. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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Yasuhiro Tagawa,
Nobuhiko Hiramatsu,
Hironori Kato,
Takashi Sakoh,
Shotaro Nakajima,
Kunihiro Hayakawa,
Yukinori Saito,
Hisashi Johno,
Shuhei Takahashi, Liubao Gu,
Jian Yao,
Masanori Kitamura
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ABSTRACT: Cigarette smoke triggers apoptosis through oxidative stress- and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent induction of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP) (Tagawa et al., 2008. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 45, 50-59). We investigated roles of individual reactive oxygen/nitrogen species in the transcriptional induction of CHOP by cigarette smoke. Exposure of bronchial epithelial cells to O(2)(-), ONOO(-) or H(2)O(2) induced expression of CHOP, whereas NO alone did not. Induction of CHOP mRNA by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was attenuated by scavengers for O(2)(-), ONOO(-) or NO, whereas scavenging H(2)O(2) did not affect the induction of CHOP. Like CSE, O(2)(-) and ONOO(-) caused activation of the CHOP gene promoter. Scavengers for O(2)(-), ONOO(-) or NO attenuated CSE-triggered activation of the CHOP gene promoter. CSE, O(2)(-) and ONOO(-) induced phosphorylation of protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and caused induction of downstream activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). Scavengers for O(2)(-), ONOO(-) or NO attenuated induction of ATF4 by CSE. Furthermore, dominant-negative inhibition of the PERK-eIF2α pathway exclusively suppressed CSE-triggered induction of CHOP and consequent apoptosis. These results suggest that O(2)(-) and ONOO(-) are selectively involved in CSE-triggered induction of CHOP and that the PERK-eIF2α pathway plays a crucial role in the induction of CHOP and apoptosis downstream of the particular reactive oxygen species.
Toxicology 06/2011; 287(1-3):105-12. · 3.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The pathomechanisms of glomerulosclerosis in diabetic nephropathy (DN) are considered to be related with glycometabolism disorder, podocyte injury, intra-renal hemodynamics abnormality, fibrogenic cytokines over-expression, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction. Chinese herbal medicine could delay the progression of glomerulosclerosis in DN by ameliorating the harmful factors of these pathological changes. Therefore, it is possible to postpone the progress of DN to end-stage renal disease through the treatment with Chinese herbal medicine.
Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica 02/2010; 35(4):525-30.
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ABSTRACT: Multi-glycoside from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f. (GTW) is used for various immune and inflammatory diseases including renal diseases represented by mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN) in China. However, there have been no fundamental studies on the operating mechanism of GTW on MsPGN. The aim of this study is to examine as the first step the effects of GTW on acute injurious process such as mesangial injury and proteinuria in an acute and reversible Thy.1.1 glomerulonephritis (Thy1.1GN) model and then to clarify the action mechanism of GTW at molecular level by examining its effects on various injurious factors in this model.
Thy1.1 GN was induced in rats by a single intravenous injection with 500 microg of anti-Thy1.1 mAb 1-22-3. Daily oral administration of GTW and vehicle as a control was started from 3 days before injection of mAb to the day of sacrifice in each experiment. Fourteen rats were randomly divided into 2 groups, GTW-treated and vehicle-treated groups, and sacrificed on day 14 in experiment 1 or on day 7 in experiment 2 after induction of Thy1.1 GN. Proteinuria was determined on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 in experiment 1 or on 1, 3, 5 and 7 in experiment 2. From blood and kidneys taken at sacrifice, blood biochemical parameters, mesangial morphological changes, glomerular macrophage infiltration, and glomerular mRNA expression of cytokines were examined.
In experiment 1, proteinuria and mesangial matrix expansion were significantly attenuated by GTW treatment. In experiment 2, GTW treatment significantly ameliorated proteinuria, mesangial lesions and macrophage accumulation in glomerulus. In addition, it significantly reduced the glomerular expression of mRNA for PDGF, MCP-1 and IL-2.
GTW ameliorated not only proteinuria but also mesangial alterations in Thy1.1 GN most likely by reducing expression of injurious cytokines, indicating that GTW has suppressive effects on acute inflammatory changes in glomeruli.
Nephron Experimental Nephrology 02/2005; 99(4):e121-9. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica 09/2003; 28(8):703-5.
