The Resveratrol Alleviates the Hepatic Toxicity of CuSO4 in the Rat

Copper homeostasis in chronic kidney disease and its crosstalk with ferroptosis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a global public health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Renal fibrosis can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, there is still no effective treatment to prevent or delay the progression of CKD into ESRD. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of CKD is essential for preventing and treating CKD. There are a variety of trace elements in the human body that interact with each other within a complex regulatory network. Iron and copper are both vital trace elements in the body. They are critical for maintaining bodily functions, and the dysregulation of their metabolism can cause many diseases, including kidney disease. Ferroptosis is a new form of cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to kidney disease. However, the role of abnormal copper metabolism in kidney disease and its relationship with ferroptosis remains unclear. Here, our current knowledge regarding copper metabolism, its regulatory mechanism, and the role of abnormal copper metabolism in kidney diseases is summarized. In addition, we discuss the relationship between abnormal copper metabolism and ferroptosis to explore the possible pathogenesis and provide a potential therapeutic target for CKD.

Resveratrol promotes liver regeneration in drug-induced liver disease in mice

Studies suggest that the bioactive polyphenolic compound resveratrol (RESV, trans-isomer), found naturally in certain foods such as red grapes and peanuts, may be able to ameliorate liver damage. However, the effects and efficacy of long-term treatment with RESV remain unclear. Here, we used an acetaminophen (APAP; 400 mg/kg/d for 15 days) overdose model to induce liver damage in C56BL/6 mice. Three days after the intoxication was stopped, we observed biochemical, histological and ultrastructural alterations in the livers of these mice. The APAP-treated animals were then given RESV (10 mg/kg/d) for 60 days. Blood and tissue were analyzed at days 7, 30 and 60. Our data show that long-term RESV treatment (60 days) ameliorates the liver injury caused by APAP intoxication, restoring histological features, ultrastructural organization and serum biochemical parameters (albumin, alanine aminotransferase). Ck18- and F4/80-positive cells (indicators of hepatocyte recovery) were reestablished and the number of α-SMA positive cells was normalized after long-term RESV treatment. Additionally, downregulation of the drug transporter BCRP was observed. Electron microscopy revealed that treatment with RESV was effective in restoring the shape and size of hepatic microvilli and normalizing both the number and viability of mitochondria. Taken together, these results indicate that long-term treatment with RESV is effective in alleviating liver injury caused by APAP administration.

Cirrhotic Liver of Liver Transplant Recipients Accumulate Silver and Co-Accumulate Copper

Silver-based materials are widely used in clinical medicine. Furthermore, the usage of silver containing materials and devices is widely recommended and clinically approved. The impact on human health of the increasing use of silver nanoparticles in medical devices remains understudied, even though Ag-containing dressings are known to release silver into the bloodstream. In this study, we detected a widespread and sometimes significant silver accumulation both in healthy and sick liver biopsies, levels being statistically higher in patients with various hepatic pathologies. 28 healthy and 44 cirrhotic liver samples were investigated. The median amount of 0.049 ppm Ag in livers was measured in cirrhotic livers while the median was 0.0016 ppm for healthy livers (a more than 30-fold difference). The mean tissue concentrations of essential metals, Fe and Zn in cirrhotic livers did not differ substantially from healthy livers, while Cu was positively correlated with Ag. The serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) was also positively correlated with Ag in cirrhotic livers. The increased Ag accumulation in cirrhotic livers could be a side effect of wide application of silver in clinical settings. As recent studies indicated a significant toxicity of silver nanoparticles for human cells, the above observation could be of high importance for the public health.

Herbal medicines for the liver: from bench to bedside

The liver is one of the most complex organs of the human body and is involved in various metabolic processes. Due to its anatomical proximity to the digestive tract, its blood flow, and its contribution to the detoxification process, the liver is susceptible to a wide variety of disorders. Hepatic diseases can be caused by alcoholism, viral infections, malnutrition and xenobiotics, which result in a high frequency of patients with liver disease and subsequent increase in the number of deaths from these diseases, for which adequate treatments are not yet available. Therefore, the search for new alternatives to treat these liver conditions is mandatory. In recent decades, there has been an increase in interest in medicinal herbs due to their safety and hepatoprotective properties that arise from their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, antiviral, immunomodulatory and anticancer properties. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that the consumption of these compounds is associated with a decrease in the risk of developing liver diseases; thus, medicinal herbs have emerged as a viable option for the treatment of these hepatic pathologies. However, more basic and clinical studies are needed before reaching a final recommendation to treat human liver diseases. This review provides molecular and clinical information on some natural compounds and medicinal herbs that have hepatoprotective effects and could be useful for the treatment of hepatic disorders.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Citrus aurantium L. Against APAP-induced Liver Injury by Regulating Liver Lipid Metabolism and Apoptosis

Acetaminophen (APAP) refers to a medication used to manage pain and fever symptoms, but it always causes liver injury when overdosed. Zhishi, dried young fruit of Citrus aurantium L., is a famous Citrus herbal medicine in Asian countries which is rich in dietary phenolic substances. In this study, the mechanism of Zhishi protected against APAP-induced liver injury was studied more deeply by metabolomic strategy and pharmacological study. The metabolomics results demonstrated that Zhishi can prevent the APAP-induced liver injury model by regulating liver metabolic disorders in glycerophospholipid metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and glycerolipid metabolism. Moreover, it is confirmed that Zhishi blocked apoptosis of APAP-induced BRL-3A cell by simultaneously regulating p53 up-regulated apoptosis regulator (PUMA), AMPK-SIRT1 and JNK1 signaling pathways. Our findings indicated that Zhishi exhibited a hepaprotective effect against APAP-induced liver necrosis by inhibiting the PUMA and reversing disorder of liver lipid metabolism which could assist in improving the clinical outcomes of chemical-induced liver injury.

Movement Disorder in Copper Toxicity Rat Model: Role of Inflammation and Apoptosis in the Corpus Striatum

The pattern of copper (Cu) toxicity in humans is similar to Wilson disease, and they have movement disorders and frequent involvement of corpus striatum. The extent of cell deaths in corpus striatum may be the basis of movement disorder and may be confirmed in the experimental study. To evaluate the extent of apoptosis and glial activation in corpus striatum following Cu toxicity in a rat model, and correlate these with spontaneous locomotor activity (SLA), six male Wistar rats were fed normal saline (group I) and another six were fed copper sulfate 100 mg/kgBWt/daily orally (group II). At 1 month, neurobehavioral studies including SLA, rotarod, and grip strength were done. Corpus striatum was removed and was subjected to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. The concentration of tissue Cu, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutamate were measured. Group II rats had higher expression of caspase-3 (Mean ± SEM 32.67 ± 1.46 vs 4.47 ± 1.08; p < 0.01) and GFAP (41.81 ± 1.68 vs 31.82 ± 1.27; p < 0.01) compared with group I. Neurobehavioral studies revealed reduced total distance traveled, time moving, the number of rearing, latency to fall on the rotarod, grip strength, and increased resting time compared with group I. The expression of GFAP and caspase-3 correlated with SLA parameters, tissue Cu, GSH, MDA, TAC, and glutamate levels. The impaired locomotor activity in Cu toxicity rats is due to apoptotic and inflammatory-mediated cell death in the corpus striatum because of Cu-mediated oxidative stress and excitotoxicity.

Trimethoxystilbene Reduces Nuclear Factor Kappa B, Interleukin-6, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Levels in Rats with Pulmonary Artery Hypertension

Pulmonary artery hypertension is a refractory disease that severely affects cardiopulmonary function, mainly resulting in irreversible pulmonary vascular remodeling. Current surgical treatment of this disease is not very effective and drug treatment is targeted at relieving symptoms, improving the quality of life of patients, and preventing disease progression. The purpose of this present study was to reveal the regulatory effects of trimethoxystilbene on the serum levels of nuclear factor kappa B, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in a rat model of pulmonary artery hypertension and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms. Healthy Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to experimental groups and treated with monocrotaline to establish the model, and we found a significant difference in the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α between the experimental and control groups. These results suggest that trimethoxystilbene significantly reduced the inflammatory factor levels in pulmonary hypertensive rats, providing us with new potential strategies for elucidating the mechanisms of action of trimethoxystilbene in the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension.