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Background: Prior studies have revealed that crude Vicatia thibertica polysaccharide have the anti-fatigue effect, but the anti-fatigue effect and potential mechanism of purified polysaccharides endure blurred. Objectives: We intended to purify and gauge the anti-fatigue effects of a polysaccharide isolated from Vicatia thibertica polysaccharide 1 (VTP1). Materials and Methods: First, the exercise fatigue model was recognized in Kunming mice. After 14 days of continuous intragastric administration of VTP1 (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day), we assessed the anti-fatigue and antioxidant effects of VTP1 on fatigued mice. In addition, the effects of VTP1 on mitochondrial morphology of skeletal muscle of fatigue mice were detected by transmission electron microscopy. Meanwhile, the expression of mitochondrial DNA was noticed. Finally, using Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively, to sense the expression of sirttuin1, peroxisome proliferative activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1). Results: VTP1 meaningly extends the time to exhaustion during weight-bearing swimming and improves the endurance and bodyweight of fatigued mice. Furthermore, VTP1 exerts antioxidant effects, reduces creatine kinase, blood urea nitrogen and lactate dehydrogenase in the serum, surges superoxide dismutase and cuts malondialdehyde in the liver. Meanwhile, VTP1 diminishes degeneration of mitochondria in the skeletal muscle of mice with exercise fatigue and improves the biosynthetic efficiency of mitochondria in skeletal muscle. Finally, VTP1 can upregulate the mRNA and protein expression of PGC-1α and NRF1. Conclusion: VTP1 has an anti-fatigue effect, and the effect may be mediated by the PGC-1α/NRF1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (Tiam1) plays an important role in the occurrence and development of several different tumors; however, to date, little research has been done to verify the potential role of Tiam1 as a prognostic marker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In the present study, we examined the expression of Tiam1 in ESCC tissues by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting methods and investigated the correlation between Tiam1 levels and prognosis of patients with ESCC. Tiam1 exhibited high expression in ESCC tissues, whereas the normal esophageal tissues showed negative or weak Tiam1 expression. Additionally, Tiam1 mRNA and protein expression levels were both significantly correlated with histology grade, clinical staging and lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05), but not related to age and gender (both P>0.05). Further, ESCC patients with strong Tiam1 mRNA (P=0.000) and protein (P=0.000) expression had a poorer prognosis than those with weak expression. These findings demonstrate that Tiam1 may be used as molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of patients with ESCC.