Therapeutic Effects of Liraglutide, Oxytocin and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Model: An Experimental Animal Study

The Effect of Liraglutide on Axon Regeneration and Functional Recovery after Peripheral Nerve Lesion

Peripheral nerve injuries inflict severe consequences, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the potential of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, in mitigating the consequences of peripheral nerve injury. The existing treatment methods for such injuries underscore the importance of ongoing translational research efforts. Thirty adult Wistar rats underwent sciatic nerve dissection and repair surgery. The nerves were surgically transected using micro scissors at a precise location located 1.5 cm proximal to the trifurcation site. The study included a control group and two experimental groups, one treated with saline (placebo group) and the other with liraglutide (experimental group) for 12 weeks. Motor function, electromyography (EMG), and biochemical and histopathological analyses were performed after 12 weeks of treatment. Electrophysiological assessments revealed that liraglutide improved the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and motor function compared to the saline-treated group. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated increased NGF expression, total axon number, and diameter and reduced fibrosis in the liraglutide group. Biochemical analyses illustrated liraglutide's antioxidative properties, evidenced by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Galectin-3 levels were suppressed and GDF-11 levels were modulated by liraglutide, indicating anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Liraglutide is a promising therapeutic intervention for peripheral nerve injuries, promoting functional recovery and histopathological improvement. Its multifaceted positive impact, beyond glycemic control, suggests constructive effects on the acute and chronic inflammatory processes associated with peripheral neuropathy. These findings warrant further research to elucidate molecular mechanisms and facilitate clinical translation. The study contributes valuable insights to the growing understanding of GLP-1 receptor agonists' neuroprotective properties in the context of peripheral nerve injuries.

Weighted gene co-expression network-based approach to identify key genes associated with anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and construction of miRNA-transcription factor-gene regulatory network

BACKGROUND

Cardiotoxicity is a common complication following anthracycline chemotherapy and represents one of the serious adverse reactions affecting life, which severely limits the effective use of anthracyclines in cancer therapy. Although some genes have been investigated by individual studies, the comprehensive analysis of key genes and molecular regulatory network in anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) is lacking but urgently needed.

METHODS

The present study integrating several transcription profiling datasets aimed to identify key genes associated with AIC by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed analysis (DEA) and also constructed miRNA-transcription factor-gene regulatory network. A total of three transcription profiling datasets involving 47 samples comprising 41 rat heart tissues and 6 human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSCMs) samples were enrolled.

RESULTS

The WGCNA and DEA with E-MTAB-1168 identified 14 common genes affected by doxorubicin administrated by 4 weeks or 6 weeks. Functional and signal enrichment analyses revealed that these genes were mainly enriched in the regulation of heart contraction, muscle contraction, heart process, and oxytocin signaling pathway. Ten (Ryr2, Casq1, Fcgr2b, Postn, Tceal5, Ccn2, Tnfrsf12a, Mybpc2, Ankrd23, Scn3b) of the 14 genes were verified by another gene expression profile GSE154603. Importantly, three key genes (Ryr2, Tnfrsf12a, Scn3b) were further validated in a hiPSCMs-based in-vitro model. Additionally, the miRNA-transcription factor-gene regulatory revealed several top-ranked transcription factors including Tcf12, Ctcf, Spdef, Ebf1, Sp1, Rcor1 and miRNAs including miR-124-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-15b-5p, miR-424-5p which may be involved in the regulation of genes associated with AIC.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, the current study suggested the important role of the key genes, oxytocin signaling pathway, and the miRNA-transcription factor-gene regulatory network in elucidating the molecular mechanism of AIC.

Targeting the Oxytocinergic System: A Possible Pharmacological Strategy for the Treatment of Inflammation Occurring in Different Chronic Diseases

Unresolved inflammation represents a central feature of different human pathologies including neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases. The epidemiologic relevance of such disorders justifies the increasing interest in further understanding the mechanisms underpinning the inflammatory process occurring in such chronic diseases to provide potential novel pharmacological approaches. The most common and effective therapies for controlling inflammation are glucocorticoids; however, a variety of other molecules have been demonstrated to have an anti-inflammatory potential, including neuropeptides. In recent years, the oxytocinergic system has seen an explosion of scientific studies, demonstrating its potential to contribute to a variety of physiological processes including inflammation. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to understand the role of oxytocin in the modulation of inflammation occurring in different chronic diseases. The criterion we used to select the diseases was based on the emerging literature showing a putative involvement of the oxytocinergic system in inflammatory processes in a variety of pathologies including neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and obesity. The evidence reviewed here supports a beneficial role of oxytocin in the control of both peripheral and central inflammatory response happening in the aforementioned pathologies. Although future studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanistic details underlying such regulation, this review supports the idea that the modulation of the endogenous oxytocinergic system might represent a new potential pharmacological approach for the treatment of inflammation.

The Role of Oxytocin in Cardiovascular Protection

The beneficial effects of oxytocin on infarct size and functional recovery of the ischemic reperfused heart are well documented. The mechanisms for this cardioprotection are not well defined. Evidence indicates that oxytocin treatment improves cardiac work, reduces apoptosis and inflammation, and increases scar vascularization. Oxytocin-mediated cytoprotection involves the production of cGMP stimulated by local release of atrial natriuretic peptide and synthesis of nitric oxide. Treatment with oxytocin reduces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and reduces immune cell infiltration. Oxytocin also stimulates differentiation stem cells to cardiomyocyte lineages as well as generation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells, promoting angiogenesis. The beneficial actions of oxytocin may include the increase in glucose uptake by cardiomyocytes, reduction in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, decrease in oxidative stress, and mitochondrial protection of several cell types. In cardiac and cellular models of ischemia and reperfusion, acute administration of oxytocin at the onset of reperfusion enhances cardiomyocyte viability and function by activating Pi3K and Akt phosphorylation and downstream cellular signaling. Reperfusion injury salvage kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins cardioprotective pathways are involved. Oxytocin is cardioprotective by reducing the inflammatory response and improving cardiovascular and metabolic function. Because of its pleiotropic nature, this peptide demonstrates a clear potential for the treatment of cardiovascular pathologies. In this review, we discuss the possible cellular mechanisms of action of oxytocin involved in cardioprotection.

A Novel Role of CD38 and Oxytocin as Tandem Molecular Moderators of Human Social Behavior

Oxytocin is an important modulator of human affiliative behaviors, including social skills, human pair bonding, and friendship. CD38 will be discussed as an immune marker and then in more detail the mechanisms of CD38 on releasing brain oxytocin. Mention is made of the paralogue of oxytocin, vasopressin, that has often overlapping and complementary functions with oxytocin on social behavior. Curiously, vasopressin does not require CD38 to be released from the brain. This review discusses the social salience hypothesis of oxytocin action, a novel view of how this molecule influences much of human social behaviors often in contradictory ways. The oxytocinergic-vasopressinergic systems are crucial modulators of broad aspects of human personality. Of special interest are studies of these two hormones in trust related behavior observed using behavioral economic games. This review also covers the role of oxytocin in parenting and parental attachment. In conclusion, the effects of oxytocin on human behavior depend on the individual's social context and importantly as well, the individual's cultural milieu, viz. East and West. ACRONYMS: ACC = Anterior Cingulate ADP = Adenosine diphosphate AQ = Autism Quotient cADPR = Cyclic ADP-ribose CNS = Central nervous system DA = Dopamine eQTLC = Expression Quantitative Trait Loci LC-NE = Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging OFC = Orbitofrontal cortices OXT = Oxytocin RAGE = Receptor for advanced glycation end-products SARM1 = Sterile Alpha and toll/interleukin-1 receptor motif-containing 1 TRPM2= Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily M Member 2 AVP = Vasopressin.

The role of oxytocin and vasopressin in the pathophysiology of heart failure in pregnancy and in fetal and neonatal life

Pregnancy and early life create specific psychosomatic challenges for the mother and child, such as changes in hemodynamics, resetting of the water-electrolyte balance, hypoxia, pain, and stress, that all play an important role in the regulation of the release of oxytocin and vasopressin. Both of these hormones regulate the water-electrolyte balance and cardiovascular functions, maturation of the cardiovascular system, and cardiovascular responses to stress. These aspects may be of particular importance in a state of emergency, such as hypertension in the mother or severe heart failure in the child. In this review, we draw attention to a broad spectrum of actions exerted by oxytocin and vasopressin in the pregnant mother and the offspring during early life. To this end, we discuss the following topics: 1) regulation of the secretion of oxytocin and vasopressin and expression of their receptors in the pregnant mother and child, 2) direct and indirect effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on the cardiovascular system in the healthy mother and fetus, and 3) positive and negative consequences of altered secretion of oxytocin and vasopressin in the mother with cardiovascular pathology and in the progeny with heart failure. The present survey provides evidence that moderate stimulation of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptors plays a beneficial role in the healthy pregnant mother and fetus; however, under pathophysiological conditions the inappropriate action of these hormones exerts several negative effects on the cardiovascular system of the mother and progeny and may potentially contribute to the pathophysiology of heart failure in early life.