Eprosartan: A closer insight into its neuroprotective activity in rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Activation of SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 and Beclin-1/AMPK/mTOR autophagy pathways by eprosartan ameliorates testicular dysfunction induced by testicular torsion in rats

Testicular torsion carries the ominous prospect of inducing acute scrotal distress and the perilous consequence of testicular atrophy, necessitating immediate surgical intervention to reinstate vital testicular perfusion, notwithstanding the paradoxical detrimental impact of reperfusion. Although no drugs have secured approval for this urgent circumstance, antioxidants emerge as promising candidates. This study aspires to illustrate the influence of eprosartan, an AT1R antagonist, on testicular torsion in rats. Wistar albino rats were meticulously separated into five groups, (n = 6): sham group, eprosartan group, testicular torsion-detorsion (T/D) group, and two groups of T/D treated with two oral doses of eprosartan (30 or 60 mg/kg). Serum testosterone, sperm analysis and histopathological examination were done to evaluate spermatogenesis. Oxidative stress markers were assessed. Bax, BCL-2, SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1 besides cleaved caspase-3 testicular contents were estimated using ELISA or qRT-PCR. As autophagy markers, SQSTM-1/p62, Beclin-1, mTOR and AMPK were investigated. Our findings highlight that eprosartan effectively improved serum testosterone levels, testicular weight, and sperm count/motility/viability, while mitigating histological irregularities and sperm abnormalities induced by T/D. This recovery in testicular function was underpinned by the activation of the cytoprotective SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 axis, which curtailed testicular oxidative stress, indicated by lowering the MDA content and increasing GSH content. In terms of apoptosis, eprosartan effectively countered apoptotic processes by decreasing cleaved caspase-3 content, suppressing Bax and stimulating Bcl-2 gene expression. Simultaneously, it reactivated impaired autophagy by increasing Beclin-1 expression, decreasing the expression of SQSTM-1/p62 and modulate the phosphorylation of AMPK and mTOR proteins. Eprosartan hold promise for managing testicular dysfunction arising from testicular torsion exerting antioxidant, pro-autophagic and anti-apoptotic effect via the activation of SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 as well as Beclin-1/AMPK/mTOR pathways.

Protective effect of Eprosartan against ischemic acute renal injury: Acting on NF-κB, caspase 3, and Sirtuin 1

Kidney ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) occurring frequently under major surgeries and sepsis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Eprosartan, an angiotensin II receptor type-1 (AT-1) antagonist, on the kidney I/R rat model. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were allocated into (i) Sham, (ii) Eprosartan, (iii) I/R, and (iv) Eprosartan + I/R groups. Animals in the last group received a single dose of Eprosartan (60 mg/kg) 1 h before kidney I/R. Renal oxidant/antioxidant, inflammatory (NF-κB p65, COX-2, IL-6, TNF-α), and apoptotic (caspase-3, Bax, Bcl2) factors along with Sirtuin 1, Klotho, and mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1α, and Sirtuin 3) factors were evaluated by Western blotting. Significant recovery of kidney function and increased levels of antioxidant markers were observed in the Eprosartan + I/R group. The Eprosartan anti-inflammatory activity was demonstrated by significant downregulation of NF-κB and its downstream pro-inflammatory factors. Eprosartan pretreatment could also abolish I/R-induced alterations in the apoptotic parameters. Moreover, Eprosartan + I/R rats significantly presented higher levels of Sirtuin 1 content. In conclusion, Eprosartan exhibited nephroprotective effects against kidney damage induced by I/R in rats by decreasing oxidative stress, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways along with increasing Sirtuin1 level.

Nicotine Exposure during Rodent Pregnancy Alters the Composition of Maternal Gut Microbiota and Abundance of Maternal and Amniotic Short Chain Fatty Acids

Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Numerous reports link smoking in pregnancy with serious adverse outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity, and infant mortality. Corollaries of consuming nicotine in pregnancy, separate from smoking, are less explored, and the mechanisms of nicotine action on maternal–fetal communication are poorly understood. This study examined alterations in the maternal gut microbiome in response to nicotine exposure during pregnancy. We report that changes in the maternal gut microbiota milieu are an important intermediary that may mediate the prenatal nicotine exposure effects, affect gene expression, and alter fetal exposure to circulating short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and leptin during in utero development.