Effects of Lycium barbarum glycopeptide on renal and testicular injury induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (wolfberry extract) slows N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced degradation of photoreceptors

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202410000-00030/figure1/v/2024-02-06T055622Z/r/image-tiff Photoreceptor cell degeneration leads to blindness, for which there is currently no effective treatment. Our previous studies have shown that Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum) polysaccharide (LBP) protects degenerated photoreceptors in rd1, a transgenic mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. L. barbarum glycopeptide (LbGP) is an immunoreactive glycoprotein extracted from LBP. In this study, we investigated the potential protective effect of LbGP on a chemically induced photoreceptor-degenerative mouse model. Wild-type mice received the following: oral administration of LbGP as a protective pre-treatment on days 1-7; intraperitoneal administration of 40 mg/kg N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to induce photoreceptor injury on day 7; and continuation of orally administered LbGP on days 8-14. Treatment with LbGP increased photoreceptor survival and improved the structure of photoreceptors, retinal photoresponse, and visual behaviors of mice with photoreceptor degeneration. LbGP was also found to partially inhibit the activation of microglia in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-injured retinas and significantly decreased the expression of two pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, LbGP effectively slowed the rate of photoreceptor degeneration in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-injured mice, possibly through an anti-inflammatory mechanism, and has potential as a candidate drug for the clinical treatment of photoreceptor degeneration.

Cell spray printing combined with Lycium barbarum glycopeptide promotes repair of corneal epithelial injury

The corneal epithelium, located as the outermost layer of the cornea, is inherently susceptible to injuries that may lead to corneal opacities and compromise visual acuity. Rapid restoration of corneal epithelial injury is crucial for maintaining the transparency and integrity of the cornea. Cell spray treatment emerges as an innovative and effective approach in the field of regenerative medicine. In our study, a cell spray printing platform was established, and the optimal printing parameters were determined to be a printing air pressure of 5 PSI (34.47 kPa) and a liquid flow rate of 30 ml/h. Under these conditions, the viability and phenotype of spray-printed corneal epithelial cells were preserved. Moreover, Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LBGP), a glycoprotein purified from wolfberry, enhanced proliferation while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis of the spray-printed corneal epithelial cells. We found that the combination of cell spray printing and LBGP facilitated the rapid construction of multilayered cell sheets on flat and curved collagen membranes in vitro. Furthermore, the combined cell spray printing and LBGP accelerated the recovery of the rat corneal epithelium in the mechanical injury model. Our findings offer a therapeutic avenue for addressing corneal epithelial injuries and regeneration.

Environmental toxicants and nephrotoxicity: Implications on mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

Kidneys are one of the most important organs in the human body. In addition to filtering 200 liters of fluid every 24 hours, the kidney also regulates acid-base balance, maintains electrolyte balance, and removes waste and toxicants from the body. Nephrotoxicity is the term used to describe the deterioration of kidney function caused by the harmful effects of medications and various types of environmental toxicants. Exposure to environmental toxicants is an inevitable side effect in the world's increasing industrialization and even more prevalent in underdeveloped nations. Growing data over the past few years has illuminated the probable connection between environmental toxicants and nephrotoxicity. Phthalates, microplastics, acrylamide and bisphenol A are environmental toxicants of particular concern, which are known to have nephrotoxic effects. Such toxicants may accumulate in the kidneys of humans after being consumed, inhaled, or come into contact with the skin. They can enter cells through endocytosis and accumulate in the cytoplasm. Small-sized nephrotoxicants can cause a variety of ailments including inflammation with increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, and apoptosis. This study uncovers the potential for new insights concerning the relationship between various environmental toxicants and kidney health. The objectives of this review is to establish information gaps, assess and identify the toxicity mechanisms of different nephrotoxicants, identify innovative pharmacological therapies that demonstrate promising therapeutic benefits/ relevance, and discuss the predictions for the future based on the analysis of the literature.

Green Tea Polyphenols Alleviate Kidney Injury Induced by Di(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate in Mice

INTRODUCTION

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer. Studies have revealed that DEHP exposure can cause kidney damage. Green tea is among the most popular beverages in China. Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) have been proven to have therapeutic effects on organ damage induced by heavy metal exposure. However, few studies have reported on GTP-relieving DEHP-induced kidney damage.

METHODS

C57BL/6J male mice aged 6-8 weeks were treated with distilled water (control group), 1,500 mg/kg/d DEHP + corn oil (model group), 1,500 mg/kg/d DEHP + corn oil + 70 mg/kg GTP (treatment group), corn oil (oil group), and 70 mg/kg GTP (GTP group) by gavage for 8 weeks, respectively. The renal function of mice and renal tissue histopathology of each group were evaluated. The renal tissues of mice in the model, treatment, and control groups were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. We calculated the differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) using the limma R package, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to predict immune infiltration, the starBase database was used to screen the miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to verify protein expression.

RESULTS

GTP alleviated the deterioration of renal function, renal inflammation and fibrosis, and mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum lesions induced by DEHP in mice. Differential immune infiltrations of plasma, dendritic, T, and B cells were noted between the model and treatment groups. We found that three differentially expressed miRNAs (mmu-miR-383-5p, mmu-miR-152-3p, and mmu-miR-144-3p), three differentially expressed mRNAs (Ddit4, Dusp1, and Snx18), and three differentially expressed proteins (Ddit4, Dusp1, and Snx18) played crucial roles in the miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory axes when GTPs mitigate DEHP-induced kidney damage in mice.

CONCLUSION

GTP can alleviate DEHP-induced kidney damage and regulate immune cell infiltration. We screened four important miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory axes of GTP, mitigating DEHP-induced kidney damage in mice.

Green tea polyphenols alleviate di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced liver injury in mice

BACKGROUND

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer known to cause liver injury. Green tea is reported to exert therapeutic effects on heavy metal exposure-induced organ damage. However, limited studies have examined the therapeutic effects of green tea polyphenols (GTPs) on DEHP-induced liver damage.

AIM

To evaluate the molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of GTPs on DEHP-induced liver damage.

METHODS

C57BL/6J mice were divided into the following five groups: Control, model [DEHP (1500 mg/kg bodyweight)], treatment [DEHP (1500 mg/kg bodyweight) + GTP (70 mg/kg bodyweight), oil, and GTP (70 mg/kg bodyweight)] groups. After 8 wk, the liver function, blood lipid profile, and liver histopathology were examined. Differentially expressed micro RNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs in the liver tissues were examined using high-throughput sequencing. Additionally, functional enrichment analysis and immune infiltration prediction were performed. The miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis was elucidated using the starBase database. Protein expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

GTPs alleviated DHEP-induced liver dysfunction, blood lipid dysregulation, fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, and mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum lesions in mice. The infiltration of macrophages, mast cells, and natural killer cells varied between the model and treatment groups. mmu-miR-141-3p (a differentially expressed miRNA), Zcchc24 (a differentially expressed mRNA), and Zcchc24 (a differentially expressed protein) constituted the miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory axis involved in mediating the therapeutic effects of GTPs on DEHP-induced liver damage in mice.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that GTPs mitigate DEHP-induced liver dysfunction, blood lipid dysregulation, fatty liver disease, and partial liver fibrosis, and regulate immune cell infiltration. Additionally, an important miRNA-mRNA-protein molecular regulatory axis involved in mediating the therapeutic effects of GTPs on DEHP-induced liver damage was elucidated.

Lycium barbarum glycopetide prolong lifespan and alleviate Parkinson's disease in Caenorhabditis elegans

Introduction

Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LbGp) is the main bioactive compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine. L. barbarum berries and has been proven to have numerous health benefits, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cytoprotective activities. However, the antiaging effect of LbGp remains unknown.

Methods

The lifespan and body movement of C. elegans were used to evaluate the effect of LbGp on lifespan and health span. The thrashing assay was used to determine the role of LbGp in Parkinson's disease. To investigate the mechanisms of LbGp-induced antiaging effects, we analyzed changes in lifespan, movement, and the expression of longevity-related genes in a series of worm mutants after LbGp treatment.

Results

We found that LbGp treatment prolonged the lifespan and health span of C. elegans. Mechanistically, we found that LbGp could activate the transcription factors DAF-16/FOXO, SKN-1/Nrf2, and HSF-1, as well as the nuclear receptor DAF-12, thereby upregulating longevity-related genes to achieve lifespan extension. In addition, we found that the lifespan extension induced by LbGp partially depends on mitochondrial function. Intriguingly, LbGp also ameliorated neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease in a DAF-16-, SKN-1-, and HSF-1-dependent manner.

Conclusion

Our work suggests that LbGp might be a viable candidate for the treatment and prevention of aging and age-related diseases.

Mechanism of testicular injury induced by Di-ethylhexyl phthalate and its protective agents

Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is used as an important plasticizer in a wide range of products such as paints, food packaging, medical devices and children's toys. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the toxic effects of DEHP on the male reproductive organs, the testicles. Here, we reviewed the basic pathways of testicular damage caused by DEHP. The mechanism involves oxidative stress, ferroptosis, interfering with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) and testosterone level. We summarized the protective agents that have been shown to be effective in repairing this type of testicular damage in recent years. This provides a new perspective and direction for future research into the health effects and molecular mechanisms of DEHP.

Lycium barbarum (Wolfberry) glycopeptide prevents stress-induced anxiety disorders by regulating oxidative stress and ferroptosis in the medial prefrontal cortex

BACKGROUND

Lycium barbarum (Wolfberry) extract has been shown to be effective in neuroprotection against aging or neural injury. Knowledge of its potential roles and biological mechanisms in relieving mental disorders, however, remains limited.

PURPOSE

To investigate the potency of Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LbGp) in alleviating anxiety disorders and the related biological mechanisms.

METHODS

LbGp was administrated to mice subjected to 14 days of chronic restrain stress (CRS) via the intragastric route. The anxiolytic effect was evaluated by a battery of behavioral assays. The morphology of neurons and glial cells was evaluated, and cortical neuronal calcium transients were recorded in vivo. The molecular mechanism of LbGp was also investigated.

RESULTS

LbGp effectively relieved anxiety-like and depressive behaviors under CRS. Mechanistic studies further showed that LbGp treatment relieved oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In particular, the ferroptosis pathway was inhibited by LbGp, revealing a previously unrecognized mechanism of the anxiolytic role of wolfberry extract.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our results supported the future development of LbGp to prevent or ameliorate stress-induced anxiety disorders. Our work provides a promising strategy for early intervention for pateitents with mental disorders by applying natural plant extracts.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate mediates oxidative stress and activates p38MAPK/NF-kB to exacerbate diabetes-induced kidney injury in vitro and in vivo models

Plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is employed to make polyethylene polymers. Some studies in epidemiology and toxicology have shown that DEHP exposure over an extended period may be hazardous to the body, including nephrotoxicity, and aggravate kidney damage in the context of underlying disease. However, studies on the toxicity of DEHP in diabetes-induced kidney injury have been rarely reported. Using a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg)-induced kidney injury in mice exposed to various daily DEHP dosages, we explored the impacts of DEHP on diabetes-induced kidney injury. We discovered that DEHP exposure significantly promoted the renal inflammatory response and oxidative stress in mice, with increased P-p38 and P-p65 protein levels and exacerbated the loss of podocin. The same findings were observed in vitro after stimulation of podocytes with high glucose (30 mmol/L) and exposure to DEHP. Our results suggest that DEHP exacerbates diabetes-induced kidney injury by mediating oxidative stress and activating p38MAPK/NF-κB.