Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that epigenetic modification-mediated changes in pain-related gene expressions play an important role in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase, is involved in the development of chronic pain. Moreover, SIRT1 may be a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). But the role of SIRT1 in T2DM-induced neuropathic pain remains unknown. In this study, we found that spinal SIRT1 expression and activity were downregulated significantly in high-fat-fed/low-dose streptozotocin-induced neuropathic pain rats. SIRT1 localized in spinal neurons but not in astrocytes or microglia. Furthermore, the expressions of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) and mGluR5, which play a key role in central sensitization and neuropathic pain, and H3 acetylation levels at Grm1/5 (encoding mGluR1/5) promoter regions were increased in diabetic neuropathic pain rats. SIRT1 activator SRT1720 reversed thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia and spinal neuronal activation in diabetic neuropathic pain rats. Concurrently, increased expressions of mGluR1/5 and H3 acetylation levels at Grm1/5 promoter regions were reversed by SIRT1 activation. In addition, knockdown of SIRT1 by Ad-SIRT1-shRNA induced pain behaviors and spinal neuronal activation in normal rats, which was accompanied by the increased expressions of mGluR1/5 and H3 acetylation levels at Grm1/5 promoter regions. Therefore, we concluded that SIRT1-mediated epigenetic regulation of mGluR1/5 expressions was involved in the development of neuropathic pain in type 2 diabetic rats.

The introduction of optoelectronic functions into viscoelastic polymers can yield highly sophisticated soft materials for biomedical devices and autonomous robotics. However,v iscoelasticity and excellent optoelectronic properties are difficult to achieve because the presence of al arge number of p-conjugated moieties drastically stiffens apolymer. Here,w er eport av ariation of additive-free viscoelastic conjugated polymers (VE-CPs) at room temperature by using an intact p-conjugated backbone and bulky,yet flexible, alkyls ide chains as "internal plasticizers." Some of these polymers exhibit gel-and elastomer-like rheological behaviors without cross-linking or entanglement. Furthermore,b inary blends of these VE-CPs exhibit an ever-seen-before dynamic miscibility with self-restorable and mechanically induced fluorescence color changes.

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the enhanced synaptic plasticity of nociceptive interneurons in the spinal dorsal horn is the basis of central sensitization in neuropathic pain. Our previous results demonstrated that sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase, alleviates neuropathic pain in type 2 diabetes mellitus rats. SIRT1 has also been reported to regulate synaptic plasticity in different brain neurons. However, the role of SIRT1 in synaptic plasticity of spinal dorsal horn neurons remains unknown. In this study, we found that in the spinal dorsal horn of diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) rats and db/db mice, decreased SIRT1 expression was accompanied by enhanced structural synaptic plasticity. The levels of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), and synaptophysin increased in the spinal dorsal horn of DNP rats and db/db mice and in high glucose–cultured primary spinal neurons. Upregulation of spinal SIRT1 by SIRT1 activator SRT1720 relieved pain behavior, inhibited the enhanced structural synaptic plasticity in rats and db/db mice with DNP, and decreased the levels of synapse-associated proteins in DNP rats, db/db mice, and high glucose–cultured spinal neurons. SIRT1-shRNA induced pain behavior and enhanced structural synaptic plasticity in normal rats and increased synapse-associated proteins levels in normal rats and spinal neurons. Intrathecal injection of AAV-Cre-EGFP into SIRT1flox/flox mice also induced pain behavior and enhanced synaptic plasticity of the spinal dorsal horn neurons. These results suggest that SIRT1 plays an important role in the progression of DNP by regulating synaptic plasticity of spinal dorsal horn neurons.

Individuals with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) are at significantly higher risk of developing aortic complications than individuals with tricuspid aortic valves (TAV) and defective signaling during the embryonic development and/or life time exposure to abnormal hemodynamic have been proposed as underlying factors. However, an explanation for the molecular mechanisms of aortopathy in BAV has not yet been provided. We combined proteomics, RNA analyses, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy to identify molecular differences in samples of non-dilated ascending aortas from BAV (N = 62) and TAV (N = 54) patients. Proteomic analysis was also performed for dilated aortas (N = 6 BAV and N = 5 TAV) to gain further insight into the aortopathy of BAV. Our results collectively showed the molecular signature of an endothelial/epithelial-mesenchymal (EndMT/EMT) transition-like process, associated with instability of intimal cell junctions and activation of RHOA pathway in the intima and media layers of ascending aorta in BAV patients. We propose that an improper regulation of EndMT/EMT during the spatiotemporally related embryogenesis of semilunar valves and ascending aorta in BAV individuals may result in aortic immaturity and instability prior to dilation. Exasperation of EndMT/EMT state in post embryonic life and/or exposure to non-physiological hemodynamic could lead to the aneurysm of ascending aorta in BAV individuals.