Liver regeneration is impaired in patients suffering from alcohol-associated liver (ALD) diseases. Wnt ligands and their FZD receptors are dysregulated in diseased livers. R-spondin and their receptors are known to regulate Wnt activity via the stabilization of FZD receptors. Here, we investigated the components of the Wnt and R-Spondin-signaling pathways and their activity in patients with ALD. We found that while hepatocytes retained high levels of differentiation markers such as ASGR1 and ASGR2 , the expression of two R-spondin co-receptors, LGR4 and LGR5 , and of CYP1A2 and Wnt target genes were strongly reduced.SZN-043, a hepatocyte-targeted R-Spondin mimetic, is a new investigational drug that stimulates the physiological Wnt repair pathway and proliferation of hepatocytes. Here, we show that SZN-043 induced hepatocyte proliferation in all models tested, including humanized mouse livers, a chronic-binge alcohol-induced liver injury, and a CCl 4 -induced fibrosis mouse model. Altogether, SZN-043 could be beneficial for the treatment of ALD.
Background: Chronic alcohol consumption is a major factor for several human diseases, and alcoholism is associated with a host of societal problems. One of the major alcohol-induced metabolic changes is the increased NADH levels, which reduces glucose synthesis and increases fatty acid (FA) synthesis. Probably more important is the induction of FA synthesizing enzymes under the control of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP), plus increased malonyl-CoA, which blocks FA entry to the mitochondria for oxidation. The changes in FA-related lipids, particularly lysophospholipids and ceramides (Cers), in different tissues in ethanol-fed mice have not been reported. Methods: We systematically determined the levels of FA-related lipids, including FAs, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidylinositol, sphingomyelins, and ceramides (Cers), in the serum and different tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI–MS/MS). The study was performed in C57BL/6J mice fed with Lieber-DeCarli diet, in which ethanol was added to account for 27.5% of total calories. The serum and tissues were collected from these mice at the time of killing, and the results were compared to pair-fed controls. Results: The important observation was that ethanol-induced tissue-specific changes, which were related to different FA chains. Several 22:6 FA, 18:0 FA, 18:0 to 18:3 FA-containing lipids were significantly increased in the serum, liver, and skeletal muscle, respectively. In the kidney, all 22:6 FA-containing lipids detected were increased. In addition, alterations in other lipids in tissues, except adipose tissue, were also observed. Conclusions: We found tissue-specific alterations in the levels of FA-related lipids after ethanol administration. The implications of these findings pertinent to human physiology/pathology warrant further investigation. More studies are needed to explore the mechanisms on the different effects of ethanol on certain lipids in different tissues.
MicroRNA-150 (miR-150) is conserved between rodents and humans, is significantly downregulated during heart failure (HF), and correlates with patient outcomes. We previously reported that miR-150 is protective during myocardial infarction (MI) in part by decreasing cardiomyocyte (CM) apoptosis and that proapoptotic small proline-rich protein 1a (Sprr1a) is a direct CM target of miR-150. We also showed that Sprr1a knockdown in mice improves cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis post-MI and that Sprr1a is upregulated in pathological mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) from ischemic myocardium. However, the direct functional relationship between miR-150 and SPRR1A during both post-MI remodeling in mice and human CF (HCF) activation was not established. Here, using a novel miR-150 knockout;Sprr1a-hypomorphic (Sprr1a
Most acetaldehyde is generated in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) during ethanol metabolism. Polymorphic variants of these genes encode enzymes with altered kinetic properties, and pathophysiological effects of these variants may be mediated by accumulation of acetaldehyde. Two additional pathways of acetaldehyde generation are by the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and catalase. While the amount of ethanol oxidized by these enzymes comprises a small fraction of total body ethanol clearance, the local formation of acetaldehyde by these enzymes may have important effects. Additional sources of acetaldehyde include other minor enzymes (nitric oxide synthase, other cytochrome P450s, P450 reductase, xanthine oxidoreductase) as well as non-enzymatic pathways (formation of hydroxyethyl radicals from the reaction of ethanol with hydroxyl radical, and its subsequent decomposition to acetaldehyde). Acetaldehyde may have effects locally (in the cells generating it), or when delivered to other cells by the blood stream or saliva, or by diffusion from the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. The ultimate determinants of acetaldehyde toxicity include rates of its formation, rates of oxidation, and the capacity of cellular systems to prevent or repair chemical effects of acetaldehyde (e.g. formation of protein adducts or modification of nucleic acid bases).
Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) JingYinGuBiao formula (JYGB) was recommended by the Expert consensus on Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 infection in Shanghai.We evaluated the safety and efficacy of JYGB in treating mild COVID-19 patients.Methods: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted (ClinicalTrial.govregistration number: ChiCTR2200058695).A total of 885 patients were randomized into the treatment group (administration of JYGB,n=508) or the control group (administration of TCM placebo, n=377) with 7-day treatment.The primary outcomes were the negative conversion rate and negative conversion time of SARS-CoV2 RNA.Secondary outcomes included the hospitalized days and symptom improvement.Results: A total of 490 and 368 patients in the treatment and control groups completed the study.The cumulative negative conversion rates at 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, and 6 days post randomization in the treatment group were all markedly higher than those in the control group (13.88% vs. 9.24%, P=0.04; 32.24% vs. 16.58%,P<0.001; 51.43% vs. 36.14%,P <0.001; 77.76% vs. 69.84%,P=0.008).Compared with the control group, after JYGB treatment, the median negative conversion time (4.0 [3.0-6.0] vs. 5.0 [4.0-7.0]days, P<0.001) and hospitalized days (6.0 [4.0-8.0] vs. 7.0 [5.0-9.0]days, P<0.001) were reduced.While the symptoms were improved, there were no significant differences in symptom disappearance rates between both groups.In addition, further sub-group analysis showed that for patients with interval time ≤4 days or patients≤ 60 years, the clinical effects of JYGB were more remarkable with an increase in cumulative negative conversion rates, a decrease in negative conversion time and hospitalized days.JYGB was well tolerated without any severe side effects.Conclusion: JYGB, a TCM prescription, improves the negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV2 in mild COVID-19 patients.
Excessive drinking can lead to the development of immune dysfunction. Our aim is to investigate the effect of alcohol on immune activation from circulating peripheral blood monocytes in excessive drinkers (EDs). Twenty-two EDs and healthy controls were enrolled. Time line follow-back was used to quantify the amount of alcohol consumed in the past 30 days before enrollment. Peripheral blood-derived CD14+ monocytes were isolated for gene expression analyses. Serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were also measured. We found that serum LPS concentrations were significantly higher in EDs compared with controls (P<0.05). While no differences in the levels of circulating IL-6 and IL-10 were observed, the relative levels of gene transcripts (RQ) for Il6 (an M1-polarizing cytokine) and Il10 (an M2-polarizing cytokine) were significantly higher in peripheral blood-derived monocytes from EDs compared with controls (Il6: P<0.01. Il10: P<0.05). EDs exhibit early immune activation of peripheral blood monocyte mRNA transcripts, notably Il6 and Il10 Future studies are needed to explore the clinical implications of our findings and determine whether the levels of Il6 and Il10 mRNA expression can be used to identify those with excessive drinking and to monitor for alcohol abstinence.
