Apigenin inhibits isoproterenol‐induced myocardial fibrosis and Smad pathway in mice by regulating oxidative stress and miR‐122‐5p/155‐5p expressions

The prognostic potential of long noncoding RNA XIST in cardiovascular diseases: a review

There is a significant mortality rate associated with cardiovascular disease despite advances in treatment. long Non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in many biological processes and their dysregulation is associated with a wide range of diseases in which their downstream pathways are disrupted. A lncRNA X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) is well known as a factor that regulates the physiological process of chromosome dosage compensation for females. According to recent studies, lncRNA XIST is involved in a variety of cellular processes, including apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, oxidative stress and inflammation, through molecular networks with microRNAs and their downstream targets in neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. Because these cellular processes play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, we aim to investigate the role that lncRNA XIST plays in this process. Additionally, we wish to determine whether it is a prognostic factor or a potential therapeutic target in these diseases.

Bioactive Compounds and Cardiac Fibrosis: Current Insight and Future Prospect

Cardiac fibrosis is a pathological condition characterized by excessive deposition of collagen and other extracellular matrix components in the heart. It is recognized as a major contributor to the development and progression of heart failure. Despite significant research efforts in characterizing and identifying key molecular mechanisms associated with myocardial fibrosis, effective treatment for this condition is still out of sight. In this regard, bioactive compounds have emerged as potential therapeutic antifibrotic agents due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These compounds exhibit the ability to modulate fibrogenic processes by inhibiting the production of extracellular matrix proteins involved in fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation, or by promoting their breakdown. Extensive investigation of these bioactive compounds offers new possibilities for preventing or reducing cardiac fibrosis and its detrimental consequences. This comprehensive review aims to provide a thorough overview of the mechanisms underlying cardiac fibrosis, address the limitations of current treatment strategies, and specifically explore the potential of bioactive compounds as therapeutic interventions for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiac fibrosis.

Fu-Zheng-Tong-Luo formula promotes autophagy and alleviates idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by controlling the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fu-Zheng-Tong-Luo (FZTL) formula is a Chinese herbal prescription which is used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We previously reported that the FZTL formula could improve IPF injury in rats; however, the mechanism remains unelucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To elucidate the effects and mechanisms of the FZTL formula on IPF.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis rat model and transforming growth factor-β-induced lung fibroblast model were used. Histological changes and fibrosis formation were detected in the rat model after treatment with the FZTL formula. Furthermore, the effects of the FZTL formula on autophagy and lung fibroblast activation were determined. Moreover, the mechanism of FZTL was explored using transcriptomics analysis.

RESULTS

We observed that FZTL alleviated IPF injury in rats and inhibited inflammatory responses and fibrosis formation in rats. Moreover, it promoted autophagy and inhibited lung fibroblast activation in vitro. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that FZTL regulates the Janus kinase 2 (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of the transcription 3 (STAT) signaling pathway. The JAK2/STAT3 signaling activator interleukin 6 inhibited the anti-fibroblast activation effect of the FZTL formula. Combined treatment with the JAK2 inhibitor (AZD1480) and autophagy inhibitor (3-methyladenine) did not enhance the antifibrotic effect of FZTL.

CONCLUSIONS

The FZTL formula can inhibit IPF injury and lung fibroblast activation. Its effects are mediated via the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The FZTL formula may be a potential complementary therapy for pulmonary fibrosis.

Phytochemicals, Biological Activities, Molecular Mechanisms, and Future Prospects of Plantago asiatica L

Plantago asiatica L. has been used as a vegetable and nutritious food in Asia for thousands of years. According to recent phytochemical and pharmacological research, the active compositions of the plant contribute to various health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer. This article reviews the 87 components of the plant and their structures, as well as their biological activities and molecular research progress, in detail. This review provides valuable reference material for further study, production, and application of P. asiatica, as well as its components in functional foods and therapeutic agents.

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms between heart failure and end-stage renal disease via a bioinformatics study

Background: Heart failure (HF) is not only a common complication in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) but also a major cause of death. Although clinical studies have shown that there is a close relationship between them, the mechanism of its occurrence is unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the molecular mechanisms between HF and ESRD through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, providing a new perspective on the crosstalk between these two diseases. Methods: The HF and ESRD datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database; we identified and analyzed common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). First, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set variation analyses (GSVA) were applied to explore the potential biological functions and construct protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Also, four algorithms, namely, random forest (RF), Boruta algorithm, logical regression of the selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), were used to identify the candidate genes. Subsequently, the diagnostic efficacy of hub genes for HF and ESRD was evaluated using eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm. CIBERSORT was used to analyze the infiltration of immune cells. Thereafter, we predicted target microRNAs (miRNAs) using databases (miRTarBase, TarBase, and ENOCRI), and transcription factors (TFs) were identified using the ChEA3 database. Cytoscape software was applied to construct mRNA-miRNA-TF regulatory networks. Finally, the Drug Signatures Database (DSigDB) was used to identify potential drug candidates. Results: A total of 68 common DEGs were identified. The enrichment analysis results suggest that immune response and inflammatory factors may be common features of the pathophysiology of HF and ESRD. A total of four hub genes (BCL6, CCL5, CNN1, and PCNT) were validated using RF, LASSO, Boruta, and SVM-RFE algorithms. Their AUC values were all greater than 0.8. Immune infiltration analysis showed that immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and NK cells were altered in HF myocardial tissue, while neutrophils were significantly correlated with all four hub genes. Finally, 11 target miRNAs and 10 TFs were obtained, and miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory network construction was performed. In addition, 10 gene-targeted drugs were discovered. Conclusion: Our study revealed important crosstalk between HF and ESRD. These common pathways and pivotal genes may provide new ideas for further clinical treatment and experimental studies.

Therapeutic Potential of Honey and Propolis on Ocular Disease

Honey and propolis have recently become the key target of attention for treating certain diseases and promoting overall health and well-being. A high content of flavonoids and phenolic acids found in both honey and propolis contributes to the antioxidant properties to scavenge free radicals. Honey and propolis also exhibited antibacterial effects where they act in two ways, namely the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gluconic acids following the enzymatic activities of glucose oxidase, which exerts oxidative damage on the bacteria. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory effects of honey and propolis are mainly by reducing proinflammatory factors such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Their effects on pain were discovered through modulation at a peripheral nociceptive neuron or binding to an opioid receptor in the higher center. The aforementioned properties of honey have been reported to possess potential therapeutic topical application on the exterior parts of the eyes, particularly in treating conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis, and corneal injury. In contrast, most of the medicinal values of propolis are beneficial in the internal ocular area, such as the retina, optic nerve, and uvea. This review aims to update the current discoveries of honey and propolis in treating various ocular diseases, including their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-nociceptive properties. In conclusion, research has shown that propolis and honey have considerable therapeutic promise for treating various eye illnesses, although the present study designs are primarily animal and in vitro studies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to translate this finding into a clinical setting.

Roles of Epigenetics in Cardiac Fibroblast Activation and Fibrosis

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathophysiologic process associated with numerous cardiovascular diseases, resulting in cardiac dysfunction. Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) play an important role in the production of the extracellular matrix and are the essential cell type in a quiescent state in a healthy heart. In response to diverse pathologic stress and environmental stress, resident CFs convert to activated fibroblasts, referred to as myofibroblasts, which produce more extracellular matrix, contributing to cardiac fibrosis. Although multiple molecular mechanisms are implicated in CFs activation and cardiac fibrosis, there is increasing evidence that epigenetic regulation plays a key role in this process. Epigenetics is a rapidly growing field in biology, and provides a modulated link between pathological stimuli and gene expression profiles, ultimately leading to corresponding pathological changes. Epigenetic modifications are mainly composed of three main categories: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. This review focuses on recent advances regarding epigenetic regulation in cardiac fibrosis and highlights the effects of epigenetic modifications on CFs activation. Finally, we provide some perspectives and prospects for the study of epigenetic modifications and cardiac fibrosis.