Extracts of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits improve liver steatosis and injury in mice by preventing lipid accumulation and cell death

ABSTRACT

Bilberry has been reported to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We studied the effect of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits extracts (BEs) on the pathogenesis caused by lipid accumulation in fatty liver and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). 5 μg/ml of BEs was enough to suppress lipid accumulation in the fatty liver model of the mouse hepatic AML12 cells. BEs increased cell viability and anti-oxidant capacity, presumably by activating (phosphorylating) Akt/STAT3 and inducing MnSOD/catalase. BEs also significantly reduced Rubicon and induced p62/SQSTM1, possibly contributing to reduce cellular lipids (lipophagy). When the mice were fed supplemented with BEs (5% or 10%, w/w), hepatic steatosis, injury, and hypercholesterolemia/hyperglycemia were significantly improved. Furthermore, histological and cytokine studies indicated that BEs possibly suppress hepatic inflammation (hepatitis) and fibrosis. Therefore, BEs improved liver steatosis and injury, and potentially suppress fibrosis by suppressing inflammatory response, which therefore may prevent the progression of fatty liver to NASH.     

Scoring the collective effects of SNPs: association of minor alleles with complex traits in model organisms

It has long been assumed that most parts of a genome and most genetic variations or SNPs are non-functional with regard to reproductive fitness.However,the collective effects of SNPs have yet to be examined by experimental science.We here developed a novel approach to examine the relationship between traits and the total amount of SNPs in panels of genetic reference populations.We identified the minor alleles(MAs)in each panel and the MA content(MAC)that each inbred strain carried for a set of SNPs with genotypes determined in these panels.MAC was nearly linearly linked to quantitative variations in numerous traits in model organisms,including life span,tumor susceptibility,learning and memory,sensitivity to alcohol and anti-psychotic drugs,and two correlated traits poor reproductive fitness and strong immunity.These results suggest that the collective effects of SNPs are functional and do affect reproductive fitness.     

Frequency of HLA-A*03 associates with HIV-1 infection in a Chinese cohort

During the early mid-1990s, a number of rural farmers across central China were employed to the unregulated plasmaselling-activity and many of them were infected by HIV-1. However, AIDS progression in the former blood donors (FBDs) is various. The aim of this study is to assess human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I allele distribution in FBDs and evaluate its association with HIV-1 infection and disease progression. A total of 353 FBDs were enrolled in the cohort including 294 ART naïve HIV-1 seropositive and 59 HIV-1 seronegative age-matched subjects. The viral load and CD4/CD8 T cell counts were assessed in all subjects. Compared with HIV-seropositive group, the frequency of HLA-A*03 in control was significantly higher. After classifying the HLA-B alleles of the subjects according to the presence of Bw4/Bw6 serological epitopes, detrimental effect of HLA Bw6/ Bw6 homozygosity was also confirmed in the HIV-seropositive subjects. This study provides novel evidence on HLA class I allele distribution and association of HLA-A*03 frequency with HIV-1 infection and viremia in the HIV-1 infected FBDs, which may throw light on intervention strategy for the HIV-1 infection and our understanding how host immunity and genetic background affect HIV infection and AIDS progression.     

The genetic equidistance result: misreading by the molecular clock and neutral theory and reinterpretation nearly half of a century later

In 1963,Margoliash discovered the unexpected genetic equidistance result after comparing cytochrome c sequences from different species.This finding,together with the hemoglobin analyses of Zuckerkandl and Pauling in 1962,directly inspired the ad hoc molecular clock hypothesis.Unfortunately,however,many biologists have since mistakenly viewed the molecular clock as a genuine reality,which in turn inspired Kimura,King,and Jukes to propose the neutral theory of molecular evolution.Many years of studies have found numerous contradictions to the theory,and few today believe in a universal constant clock.What is being neglected,however,is that the failure of the molecular clock hypothesis has left the original equidistance result an unsolved mystery.In recent years,we fortuitously rediscovered the equidistance result,which remains unknown to nearly all researchers.Incorporating the proven virtues of existing evolutionary theories and introducing the novel concept of maximum genetic diversity,we proposed a more complete hypothesis of evolutionary genetics and reinterpreted the equidistance result and other major evolutionary phenomena.The hypothesis may rewrite molecular phylogeny and population genetics and solve major biomedical problems that challenge the existing framework of evolutionary biology.