Asiaticoside protects cochlear hair cells from high glucose-induced oxidative stress via suppressing AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB pathway. Xing Ying,Ji Qiuhe,Li Xiaomiao,Ming Jie,Zhang Nana,Zha Dingjun,Lin Ying Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie Asiaticoside (AC) has been known to have anti-oxidative activity, however, the effect of AC on the progression of high glucose-induced hearing loss has not been studied. This study aims to analyze the effect of AC on cochlear hair cells under the treatment of high glucose in vitro and the hearing function in vivo. The results of MTT showed that high glucose decreased the activity of HEI-OC1 cells, but AC increased the activity of HEI-OC1 cells compared with high glucose group. The results of flow cytometry showed that AC decreased the degree of apoptosis induced by high levels of glucose. The results of DCFH-DA staining showed that AC inhibited the ROS production induced by high glucose levels. The results of JC-1 staining showed that AC inhibited the mitochondrial depolarization induced by high glucose levels. Furthermore, AC decreased the threshold, and protected inner and outer hair cells from damage in rats with hearing loss induced by diabetes mellitus. Moreover, AC decreased the activity of MDA, but, increased the activity of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px in vivo. AC also decreased the expression of AGEs, RAGE and NF-κB p65. Collectively, these results suggest that AC protects cochlear hair cells from high glucose-induced injury by increasing anti-oxidative activity and suppressing the AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB pathway. 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.12.025

C/EBPβ regulates delta-secretase expression and mediates pathogenesis in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Wang Zhi-Hao,Gong Ke,Liu Xia,Zhang Zhentao,Sun Xiaoou,Wei Zheng Zachory,Yu Shan Ping,Manfredsson Fredric P,Sandoval Ivette M,Johnson Peter F,Jia Jianping,Wang Jian-Zhi,Ye Keqiang Nature communications Delta-secretase cleaves both APP and Tau to mediate the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangle in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, how aging contributes to an increase in delta-secretase expression and AD pathologies remains unclear. Here we show that a CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBPβ), an inflammation-regulated transcription factor, acts as a key age-dependent effector elevating both delta-secretase (AEP) and inflammatory cytokines expression in mediating pathogenesis in AD mouse models. We find that C/EBPβ regulates delta-secretase transcription and protein levels in an age-dependent manner. Overexpression of C/EBPβ in young 3xTg mice increases delta-secretase and accelerates the pathological features including cognitive dysfunctions, which is abolished by inactive AEP C189S. Conversely, depletion of C/EBPβ from old 3xTg or 5XFAD mice diminishes delta-secretase and reduces AD pathologies, leading to amelioration of cognitive impairment in these AD mouse models. Thus, our findings support that C/EBPβ plays a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis via increasing delta-secretase expression. 10.1038/s41467-018-04120-z

Elevated glucose and oligomeric β-amyloid disrupt synapses via a common pathway of aberrant protein S-nitrosylation. Akhtar Mohd Waseem,Sanz-Blasco Sara,Dolatabadi Nima,Parker James,Chon Kevin,Lee Michelle S,Soussou Walid,McKercher Scott R,Ambasudhan Rajesh,Nakamura Tomohiro,Lipton Stuart A Nature communications Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increase risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The molecular mechanism for this association remains poorly defined. Here we report in human and rodent tissues that elevated glucose, as found in MetS/T2DM, and oligomeric β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide, thought to be a key mediator of AD, coordinately increase neuronal Ca(2+) and nitric oxide (NO) in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner. The increase in NO results in S-nitrosylation of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), thus inhibiting insulin and Aβ catabolism as well as hyperactivating mitochondrial fission machinery. Consequent elevation in Aβ levels and compromise in mitochondrial bioenergetics result in dysfunctional synaptic plasticity and synapse loss in cortical and hippocampal neurons. The NMDA receptor antagonist memantine attenuates these effects. Our studies show that redox-mediated posttranslational modification of brain proteins link Aβ and hyperglycaemia to cognitive dysfunction in MetS/T2DM and AD. 10.1038/ncomms10242