Ferulic acid protects cardiomyocytes from TNF-α/cycloheximide-induced apoptosis by regulating autophagy

Crosstalk among Reactive Oxygen Species, Autophagy and Metabolism in Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion Stages

Myocardial ischemia is the most common cardiovascular disease. Reperfusion, an important myocardial ischemia tool, causes unexpected and irreversible damage to cardiomyocytes, resulting in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Upon stress, especially oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), autophagy, which degrades the intracellular energy storage to produce metabolites that are recycled into metabolic pathways to buffer metabolic stress, is initiated during myocardial ischemia and MI/R injury. Excellent cardioprotective effects of autophagy regulators against MI and MI/R have been reported. Reversing disordered cardiac metabolism induced by ROS also exhibits cardioprotective action in patients with myocardial ischemia. Herein, we review current knowledge on the crosstalk between ROS, cardiac autophagy, and metabolism in myocardial ischemia and MI/R. Finally, we discuss the possible regulators of autophagy and metabolism that can be exploited to harness the therapeutic potential of cardiac metabolism and autophagy in the diagnosis and treatment of myocardial ischemia and MI/R.

Research Progress in Pharmacological Effects and Mechanisms of Angelica sinensis against Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (A. sinensis) is a medicinal and edible values substance, which could promote blood circulation and enrich blood. It possesses rich chemical components and nutrients, which have significant therapeutic effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly, especially in improving ischemic damage to the heart and brain, protecting vascular cells, and regulating inflammatory reactions. This article reviews the main pharmacological effects and clinical research of A. sinensis on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in recent years, explores the effect of its chemical components on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by regulating the expression of functional proteins and inhibiting inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and antioxidant mechanisms. It provides a reference for further research on A. sinensis and the development of related drugs. It provides a new reference direction for the in-depth research and application of A. sinensis in the prevention, improvement, and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Apoptotic caspase-7 activation inhibits non-canonical pyroptosis by GSDMB cleavage

GSDMB is associated with several inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, sepsis and colitis. GZMA is released by cytotoxic lymphocytes and cleaves GSDMB at the K244 site and to induce GSDMB N-terminus dependent pyroptosis. This cleavage of GSDMB is noncell autonomous. In this study, we demonstrated that the GSDMB-N domain (1-91 aa) was important for a novel cell-autonomous function and that GSDMB could bind caspase-4 and promote noncanonical pyroptosis. Furthermore, activated caspase-7 cleaved GSDMB at the D91 site to block GSDMB-mediated promotion of noncanonical pyroptosis during apoptosis. Mechanistically, the cleaved GSDMB-C-terminus (92-417 aa) binds to the GSDMB-N-terminus (1-91 aa) to block the function of GSDMB. During E. coli and S. Typhimurium infection, inhibition of the caspase-7/GSDMB axis resulted in more pyroptotic cells. Furthermore, in a septic mouse model, caspase-7 inhibition or deficiency in GSDMB-transgenic mice led to more severe disease phenotypes. Overall, we demonstrate that apoptotic caspase-7 activation inhibits non-canonical pyroptosis by cleaving GSDMB and provide new targets for sepsis therapy.

LuQi Formula relieves ventricular remodeling through improvement of HIF-1α-mediated intestinal barrier integrity

BACKGROUND

Ventricular remodeling is the adaptive process in which the heart undergoes changes due to stress, leading to heart failure (HF). The progressive decline in cardiac function is considered to contribute to intestinal barrier impairment. LuQi Formula (LQF) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation widely used in the treatment of ventricular remodeling and HF. However, the role of LQF in the impairment of intestinal barrier function induced by ventricular remodeling remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ventricular remodeling was induced in rats by permanently ligating the left anterior descending branch coronary artery, and cardiac function indexes were assessed using echocardiography. Heart and colon tissue morphology were observed by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrome and Alcian Blue Periodic acid Schiff staining. Myocardial cell apoptosis was detected using TUNEL and immunohistochemistry. Circulatory levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), intestinal permeability markers endotoxin, D-lactate and zonulin, as well as inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in colon tissue were detected by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Cardiac function indexes and intestinal permeability markers of patients with HF were analyzed before and after 2-4 months of LQF treatment.

RESULTS

LQF protected cardiac function and alleviated myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis in rats with ventricular remodeling. LQF protected the intestinal barrier integrity in ventricular remodeling rats, including maintaining colonic tissue morphology, preserving the number of goblet cells and normal expression of TJ proteins. Furthermore, LQF upregulated the expression of HIF-1α protein in colon tissue. Intervention with a HIF-1α inhibitor weakened the protective effect of LQF on intestinal barrier integrity. Moreover, a reduction of HIF-1α aggravated ventricular remodeling, which could be alleviated by LQF. Correspondingly, the circulating levels of intestinal permeability markers and BNP in HF patients were significantly decreased, and cardiac function markedly improved following LQF treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that LQF effectively protected cardiac function by preserving intestinal barrier integrity caused by ventricular remodeling, at least partially through upregulating HIF-1α expression.

Rational Design of Multifunctional Ferulic Acid Derivatives Aimed for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases

Ferulic acid has numerous beneficial effects on human health, which are frequently attributed to its antioxidant behavior. In this report, many of them are reviewed, and 185 new ferulic acid derivatives are computationally designed using the CADMA-Chem protocol. Consequently, their chemical space was sampled and evaluated. To that purpose, selection and elimination scores were used, which are built from a set of descriptors accounting for ADME properties, toxicity, and synthetic accessibility. After the first screening, 12 derivatives were selected and further investigated. Their potential role as antioxidants was predicted from reactivity indexes directly related to the formal hydrogen atom transfer and the single electron transfer mechanisms. The best performing molecules were identified by comparisons with the parent molecule and two references: Trolox and α-tocopherol. Their potential as polygenic neuroprotectors was investigated through the interactions with enzymes directly related to the etiologies of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. These enzymes are acetylcholinesterase, catechol-O-methyltransferase, and monoamine oxidase B. Based on the obtained results, the most promising candidates (FA-26, FA-118, and FA-138) are proposed as multifunctional antioxidants with potential neuroprotective effects. The findings derived from this investigation are encouraging and might promote further investigations on these molecules.

Molecular mechanism of ferulic acid and its derivatives in tumor progression

Cancer is a significant disease that poses a major threat to human health. The main therapeutic methods for cancer include traditional surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and new therapeutic methods such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which have been developed rapidly in recent years. Recently, the tumor antitumor effects of the active ingredients of natural plants have attracted extensive attention. Ferulic acid (FA), (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyl cinnamic), with the molecular formula is C₁₀H₁₀O₄, is a phenolic organic compound found in ferulic, angelica, jujube kernel, and other Chinese medicinal plants but is also, abundant in rice bran, wheat bran, and other food raw materials. FA has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-radiation, and immune-enhancing effects and also shows anticancer activity, as it can inhibit the occurrence and development of various malignant tumors, such as liver cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. FA can cause mitochondrial apoptosis by inducing the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). FA can also interfere with the cell cycle of cancer cells, arrest most cancer cells in G₀/G₁ phase, and exert an antitumor effect by inducing autophagy; inhibiting cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis; and synergistically improving the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and reducing adverse reactions. FA acts on a series of intracellular and extracellular targets and is involved in the regulation of tumor cell signaling pathways, including the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and tumor protein 53 (P53) pathways and other signaling pathways. In addition, FA derivatives and nanoliposomes, as platforms for drug delivery, have an important regulatory effect on tumor resistance. This paper reviews the effects and mechanisms of antitumor therapies to provide new theoretical support and insight for clinical antitumor therapy.

TRAIL inhibition by soluble death receptor 5 protects against acute myocardial infarction in rats

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. An effective therapeutic strategy is to rescue cardiomyocytes from death. Apoptosis is a key reason of cardiomyocyte death that can be prevented. In this study, we investigated the role of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in initiating apoptosis by binding to death receptor 5 (DR5), and this procession is inhibited by soluble DR5 (sDR5) in rats after AMI. First, we found that the level of TRAIL in serum was down-regulated in AMI patients. Then, TRAIL and DR5 expression was analysed in the myocardium of rats after AMI, and their expression was up-regulated. sDR5 treatment reduced the myocardial infarct size and the levels of CK-MB and cTn-I in serum. The expression of caspase 3 and PARP is decreased, but the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 was increased in sDR5 treatment rats after AMI. DR5 expression was also analysed after sDR5 treatment and it was down-regulated, and a low level of DR5 expression seemed to be beneficial for the myocardium. Overall, our findings indicated that sDR5 decreases myocardial damage by inhibiting apoptosis in rat after AMI. We expect to observe the potential therapeutic effects of sDR5 on AMI in the future.

pyHeart4Fish: Chamber-specific heart phenotype quantification of zebrafish in high-content screens

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death. Of CVDs, congenital heart diseases are the most common congenital defects, with a prevalence of 1 in 100 live births. Despite the widespread knowledge that prenatal and postnatal drug exposure can lead to congenital abnormalities, the developmental toxicity of many FDA-approved drugs is rarely investigated. Therefore, to improve our understanding of drug side effects, we performed a high-content drug screen of 1,280 compounds using zebrafish as a model for cardiovascular analyses. Zebrafish are a well-established model for CVDs and developmental toxicity. However, flexible open-access tools to quantify cardiac phenotypes are lacking. Here, we provide pyHeart4Fish, a novel Python-based, platform-independent tool with a graphical user interface for automated quantification of cardiac chamber-specific parameters, such as heart rate (HR), contractility, arrhythmia score, and conduction score. In our study, about 10.5% of the tested drugs significantly affected HR at a concentration of 20 µM in zebrafish embryos at 2 days post-fertilization. Further, we provide insights into the effects of 13 compounds on the developing embryo, including the teratogenic effects of the steroid pregnenolone. In addition, analysis with pyHeart4Fish revealed multiple contractility defects induced by seven compounds. We also found implications for arrhythmias, such as atrioventricular block caused by chloropyramine HCl, as well as (R)-duloxetine HCl-induced atrial flutter. Taken together, our study presents a novel open-access tool for heart analysis and new data on potentially cardiotoxic compounds.

Cardioprotective effects of Ferulic acid against various drugs and toxic agents

Background

Homeostatic regulation of cardiomyocytes is indispensable in maintaining the normal physiological activity of cardiac tissue. Cardiotoxicity induced by drugs may lead to cardiac abnormalities such as arrhythmia, myocardial infarction and myocardial hypertrophy. Moreover, drug-induced cardiotoxicity confines the additional use of the implicated drugs. Several studies have reported that consumption of phytochemicals on regular intervals shall protect humans against numerous diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Main body

Ferulic acid (FA) is a plant derived polyphenol abundantly found in vegetables, fruits and grains. FA is widely known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effects. FA has been well documented for its cardioprotective activity against various drugs and toxic agents as well. However, the cardioprotective action of FA have remained a challenge with regard to understanding its mechanism in health and diseases.

Conclusion

The main purpose of this review is to explore the cardioprotective mechanisms of FA against several drugs and chemicals to recommend further studies to investigate the potential protective effect of FA.

Haizao Yuhu decoctions including three species of glycyrrhiza protected against propylthiouracil-induced goiter with hypothyroidism in rats via the AMPK/mTOR pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Glycyrrhiza and sargassum are among the 18 incompatible medicaments according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Although it contains glycyrrhiza and sargassum, Haizao Yuhu decoction (HYD) is a classic prescription widely used as TCM to treat goiter. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, glycyrrhiza is divided into three varieties: Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fish., Glycyrrhiza glabra L., and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. Whether the three varieties of glycyrrhiza have different efficacy or toxicity when applied in the HYD is unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore whether the HYDs comprising three varieties of glycyrrhiza have different efficacy or toxicity when used to treat goiter in rats and the underlying mechanisms of these HYDs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For two weeks, the goiter model was replicated by intragastric propylthiouracil (PTU) administration. Samples were divided into the control group, model group, euthyrox group, HYD with glycyrrhiza uralensis (HYD-U) group, HYD with glycyrrhiza glabra (HYD-G) group, and HYD with glycyrrhiza inflata (HYD-I) group. After four weeks of treatment, body weight, rectal temperature, thyroid/liver/kidney coefficient, thyroid/liver/kidney function, thyroid/liver/kidney histomorphology, and thyroid ultrastructure were evaluated. Then, real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR), Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to detect genes and proteins affecting autophagy and apoptosis in thyroid cells in the AMP-activated Protein Kinases (AMPK)/Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.

RESULTS

All three HYDs increased thyroid hormones (THs) levels, relieved thyroid pathological tissue and ultrastructure, and activated vital proteins and genes in the AMPK/mTOR pathway. Comparisons among the efficacy of the three HYDs indicated that HYD-U restored the THs most effectively; however, no difference in the anti-goiter effect was observed. Moreover, the three HYDs resulted in no toxicity and promoted the recovery of impaired liver and kidney function caused by PTU. Comparisons among the recovery effects of the three HYDs on the liver and kidney were the same.

CONCLUSION

Our experiments demonstrated that the three HYDs had outstanding anti-goiter effects and protected liver and kidney function. Their anti-goiter effects were attributed to AMPK/mTOR pathway-induced autophagy and apoptosis. HYD-U resulted in the best THs recovery. It was further indicated that in our present study, glycyrrhiza and sargassum were compatible in the three HYDs, thereby suggesting their safety of compounding in HYD and providing a basis for the research of the 18 incompatible medicaments.

Network Pharmacology-Based Combined with Experimental Validation Study to Explore the Underlying Mechanism of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. Extract in Treating Acute Myocardial Infarction

Purpose

The network pharmacology approach and validation experiment were performed to investigate the potential mechanisms of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. (APL) extract against acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods

The primary compounds of APL extract were identified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The intersecting targets of active compounds and AMI were determined via network pharmacology analysis. A mouse model of AMI was established by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (Iso). Mice were treated with APL extract by intragastric administration. We assessed the effects of APL extract on the electrocardiography (ECG), cardiac representative markers, representative indicators of oxidative stress, pathological changes, and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, as well as apoptosis-related indicators in the mice.

Results

Five candidate compounds were identified in APL extract. Enrichment analyses indicated that APL extract could exert myocardial protective effects via the PI3K/Akt pathway. ST segment elevation and increased heart rate were obviously reversed in APL extract groups compared to Iso group. We also detected significant decreases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as a significant increase in superoxide dismutase activities (SOD) after APL extract treatment. In addition, APL extract markedly decreased the number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes after AMI. In the APL extract groups of AMI mice, there were increased expression levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein, and there were decreases in Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases-3 (caspase-3), and cleaved-caspase-3 protein expression levels, as well as the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

Conclusion

APL extract had a protective effect against Iso-induced AMI. APL extract could ameliorate AMI through antioxidant and anti-apoptosis actions which may be associated with the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

A possible new activator of PI3K-Huayu Qutan Recipe alleviates mitochondrial apoptosis in obesity rats with acute myocardial infarction

Obesity, which has unknown pathogenesis, can increase the frequency and seriousness of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study evaluated effect of Huayu Qutan Recipe (HQR) pretreatment on myocardial apoptosis induced by AMI by regulating mitochondrial function via PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway in rats with obesity. For in vivo experiments, 60 male rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: sham group, AMI group, AMI (obese) group, 4.5, 9.0 and 18.0 g/kg/d HQR groups. The models fed on HQR with different concentrations for 2 weeks before AMI. For in vitro experiments, the cardiomyocytes line (H9c2) was used. Cells were pretreated with palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h, then to build hypoxia model followed by HQR‐containing serum for 24 h. Related indicators were also detected. In vivo, HQR can lessen pathohistological damage and apoptosis after AMI. In addition, HQR improves blood fat levels, cardiac function, inflammatory factor, the balance of oxidation and antioxidation, as well as lessen infarction in rats with obesity after AMI. Meanwhile, HQR can diminish myocardial cell death by improving mitochondrial function via PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway activation. In vitro, HQR inhibited H9c2 cells apoptosis, improved mitochondrial function and activated the PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway, but effects can be peripeteiad by LY294002. Myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction occurs following AMI and can lead to myocardial apoptosis, which can be aggravated by obesity. HQR can relieve myocardial apoptosis by improving mitochondrial function via the PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway in rats with obesity.

Effects of Dietary Ferulic Acid Supplementation on Hepatic Injuries in Tianfu Broilers Challenged with Lipopolysaccharide

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an endotoxin that can cause an imbalance between the oxidation and antioxidant defense systems and then induces hepatic damages. Ferulic acid (FA) has multiple biological functions including antibacterial and antioxidant activities; however, the effect of FA on lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic injury remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of dietary Ferulic acid against Lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic injuries in Tianfu broiler chickens. The results showed that supplementation of FA in daily feed increased body weight (BW) and decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in LPS treatment broilers significantly (p < 0.05). Additionally, supplement of FA alleviated histological changes and apoptosis of hepatocytes in LPS treatment broilers. Supplement of FA significantly decreases the activities of ROS. Interestingly, the levels of antioxidant parameters including total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and glutathione (GSH) in LPS group were significantly increased by the FA supplementation (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, administration of LPS to broilers decreased the expressions of Nrf2, NQO1, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and Bcl-2, whereas it increased the expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the expressions of Nrf2, NQO1, SOD, CAT, Bcl-2 were significantly upregulated and Caspase-3 were significantly downregulated in the FL group when compared to LPS group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of FA in daily feed improves growth performance and alleviates LPS-induced oxidative stress, histopathologic changes, and apoptosis of hepatocytes in Tianfu broilers.

Revealing Calcium Signaling Pathway as Novel Mechanism of Danhong Injection for Treating Acute Myocardial Infarction by Systems Pharmacology and Experiment Validation

Introduction: Danhong injection (DHI) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation commonly used in the clinical treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this study, the active components of DHI and its mechanism in the treatment of AMI were investigated.

Methods: The chemical components of DHI were detected by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-linear trap quadrupole-orbitrap-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS), and the targets and pathways of DHI in the treatment of AMI were analyzed by systems pharmacology, which was verified by molecular docking and animal experiments.

Results: A total of 12 active components of DHI were obtained, and 158 common targets of component and disease were identified by systems pharmacology. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis results showed that DHI is closely related to the calcium signaling pathway in the treatment of AMI. Molecular docking showed that the key target protein has good binding affinity to related compounds. The experimental results showed that compared with the model group, LVAWs, EF, and FS significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the DHI group. The percentage of myocardial infarction significantly (p < 0.01) decreased, both in the ventricular and total cardiac regions, and the pathological damage of myocardial tissue also decreased. In addition, the expression of the protein CaMK II decreased (p < 0.01) and the expression of SERCA significantly increased (p < 0.01).

Conclusion: This study revealed that ferulic acid, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid could inhibit AMI by regulating PLB, CaMK II, SERCA, etc. And mechanistically, calcium signaling pathway was critically involved. Combination of systems pharmacology prediction with experimental validation may provide a scientific basis for in-depth clinical investigation of the material basis of DHI.

Phenols and terpenoids: natural products as inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiovascular diseases

Inflammatory infiltration has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the development of several types of CVDs, including myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damage, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. Inhibiting the activity of NLRP3 inflammasome can inhibit the progress of CVDs. However, there is no NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor in clinic, and it is very important to find a safe and effective NLRP3 inhibitor. Phenols and terpenoids are naturally natural products that have many anti-inflammatory effects in CVDs by modulating the NLRP3 inflammatory pathway. Thus, 20 natural products from phenols and terpenoids for the treatment of cardiovascular disease based on the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome were summarized and screened. Docking results showed salvianolic acid B and ellagic acid in phenols, and oridonin and triptolide in terpenoids had a better binding activity with NLRP3, which can provide theoretical support for finding novel NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors or lead compounds in the future.

Ferulic acid exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by inducing autophagy and blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Background

Inflammation is involved in the healing process; however, when inflammation is overactivated, multiple diseases can occur. The continued discovery of new anti-inflammatory drugs is crucial in the treatment of inflammation-linked diseases.

Objectives

Ferulic acid (FA), a precursor necessary for lignan synthesis, is widely distributed in plant-based whole foods and is a strong antioxidant. However, the effect of FA on the expression level of inflammatory factors in macrophages has not been fully clarified. The current study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of ferulic acid.

Results

The results showed that THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), and THP-1-derived macrophages were stimulated by LPS to establish an inflammatory cell model. Compared with the control group, low (5 μmol·mL⁻¹), medium (10 μmol·mL⁻¹), and high (20 μmol·mL⁻¹) concentration ferulic acid groups have decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis rate in a dose-dependent manner. FA reduced the transcriptional levels of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Importantly, FA-induced autophagy and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. 3-MA (a widely used autophagy inhibitor) enhanced the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Moreover, autophagy inhibition by 3-MA resulted in increased proteins expression associated with NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. Besides, the inhibition of inflammasome activation by MCC950 reduced the expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β.

Conclusion

It is concluded that FA enhanced autophagy, inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and reduced the expression and release of inflammatory factors.

The effect of adaptation to hypoxia on cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion

The acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), both associated with acute cardiac ischemia, are one of the leading causes of adult death in economically developed countries. The development of new approaches for the treatment and prevention of AMI and SCD remains the highest priority for medicine. A study on the cardiovascular effects of chronic hypoxia (CH) may contribute to the development of these methods. Chronic hypoxia exerts both positive and adverse effects. The positive effects are the infarct-reducing, vasoprotective, and antiarrhythmic effects, which can lead to the improvement of cardiac contractility in reperfusion. The adverse effects are pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. This review presents a comprehensive overview of how CH enhances cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion. It is an in-depth analysis of the published data on the underlying mechanisms, which can lead to future development of the cardioprotective effect of CH. A better understanding of the CH-activated protective signaling pathways may contribute to new therapeutic approaches in an increase of cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.

Ferulic acid-loaded nanocapsules: Evaluation of mucosal interaction, safety and antioxidant activity in human mononucleated cells

Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic compound that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties besides presenting cytoprotective activity. It has limited oral bioavailability what is a challenge to its therapeutic application. In this way, this investigation aimed to develop FA-loaded nanocapsule suspensions (NC-FA) prepared with ethylcellulose and evaluate their in vitro release profile, mucoadhesion and irritation potential; scavenging capacity, cytotoxicity, cytoprotection and genoprotection against hydrogen peroxide-induced damage in hMNC (human Mononucleated Cells) culture. The nanocapsules presented physicochemical characteristics compatible with colloidal systems (NC-FA: 112 ± 3 nm; NC-B (without FA): 107 ± 3 nm; PdI < 0.2; Span<2.0 and negative zeta potential). In addition, the nanoparticulate system promoted the FA controlled release, increasing the half-life twice through the in vitro dialysis method. NC-FA and NC-B were able to interact with mucin, which is an indicative of mucoadhesive properties and the association of FA with nanocapsules showed decreased irritation by HET-CAM method. Besides, the NC-FA did not present cytotoxicity in hMNC and improved the ATBS radical scavenging capacity. Besides, it prevented, treated and reversed oxidative conditions in a H₂O₂-induced model in hMNC. Thus, this nanocarrier formulation is promising to perform more preclinical investigations focusing on diseases involving oxidative mechanisms.

Effects of Shenfu Qiangxin Drink on H2O2-induced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and possible underlying mechanisms

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Shenfu Qiangxin Drink (SFQXD) on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and identify the possible underlying mechanisms. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the blood samples of patients with AMI were measured using commercially available kits by visible spectrophotometry after SFQXD administration. The contents of phosphorylated (p-) forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a) was examined using an ELISA kit. In addition, a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced myocardial injury model was established in vitro using neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Following treatment with SFQXD, the levels of intracellular ROS, cell apoptosis, oxidative stress- and inflammation-related markers were measured using commercially available kits by visible spectrophotometry. Additionally, western blot analysis was used to measure the expression of sirtuin-4 (SIRT4), p-FOXO3a, acetylated FOXO3a (ace-FOXO3a) and apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2, Bax, BIM and cleaved caspase-3). Subsequently, to investigate the possible underlying regulatory mechanisms, SIRT4 expression was silenced by transfection with small hairpin RNA against SIRT4, following which changes in the extent of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis were assessed. The levels of ROS and interleukin (IL)-1β were found to be significantly reduced, whilst FOXO3a phosphorylation was markedly increased following administration with SFQXD. In vitro, SFQXD dose-dependently inhibited H2O2-induced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. In addition, FOXO3a phosphorylation was markedly upregulated whilst FOXO3a acetylation was downregulated following treatment of H2O2-induced primary neonatal cardiomyocytes with SFQXD. SIRT4 knockdown also markedly reversed the effects of SFQXD on oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that SFQXD may alleviate oxidative stress-induced myocardial injury by potentially regulating SIRT4/FOXO3a signaling, suggesting that SFQXD may be of clinical value for the treatment of AMI.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Ameliorates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Suppressing Calcium Overload and Apoptosis

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is an urgent problem with a great impact on health globally. However, its pathological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) has a protective effect against MI/RI. This study is aimed at further clarifying the relationship between HSYA cardioprotection and calcium overload as well as the underlying mechanisms. We verified the protective effect of HSYA on neonatal rat primary cardiomyocytes (NPCMs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) from hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) injury. To explore the cardioprotective mechanism of HSYA, we employed calcium fluorescence, TUNEL assay, JC-1 staining, and western blotting. Finally, cardio-ECR and patch-clamp experiments were used to explain the regulation of L-type calcium channels (LTCC) in cardioprotection mediated by HSYA. The results showed that HSYA reduced the levels of myocardial enzymes and protected NPCMs from HR injury. HSYA also restored the contractile function of hiPSC-CMs and field potential signal abnormalities caused by HR and exerted a protective effect on cardiac function. Further, we demonstrated that HSYA protects cardiomyocytes from HR injury by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibiting apoptosis and calcium overload. Patch-clamp results revealed that MI/RI caused a sharp increase in calcium currents, which was inhibited by pretreatment with HSYA. Furthermore, we found that HSYA restored contraction amplitude, beat rate, and field potential duration of hiPSC-CMs, which were disrupted by the LTCC agonist Bay-K8644. Patch-clamp experiments also showed that HSYA inhibits Bay-K8644-induced calcium current, with an effect similar to that of the LTCC inhibitor nisoldipine. Therefore, our data suggest that HSYA targets LTCC to inhibit calcium overload and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, thereby exerting a cardioprotective effect and reducing MI/RI injury.

Histone Deacetylase 3 Aggravates Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus by Inhibiting Lymphocyte Apoptosis Through the microRNA-296-5p/Bcl-xl Axis

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic beta-cells. Multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in T1DM pathogenesis. Although histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) has been reported to be involved in T1DM, the underlying mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. This study was designed to investigate the potential regulatory role of Hdac3 on T1DM progression. The expression of miR-296-5p and B-cell leukemia-XL (BCL-XL) was determined using RT-qPCR and Western blot assay in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with T1DM, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)- and cycloheximide (CHX)-induced cell model, and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat model. The binding affinity between miR-296-5p and Bcl-xl was verified by using dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, and the binding between Hdac3 and the promoter region of miR-296-5p was validated using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Western blot analysis and flow cytometry were conducted to assess the apoptotic events of lymphocytes. miR-296-5p expression was downregulated while BCL-XL expression was upregulated in PBMCs of patients with T1DM. An adverse correlation was identified between miR-296-5p and Bcl-xl in mouse TE15 B lymphocytes. Bcl-xl was further validated to be targeted and negatively regulated by miR-296-5p in 293 T cells. Hdac3 inhibited miR-296-5p expression by binding to its promoter region. The effects of overexpressed Hdac3 on lymphocyte apoptosis was counterweighed via downregulation of Bcl-xl or upregulation of miR-296-5p, the mechanism of which was further validated in a rat model of DM. Taken together, the Hdac3-mediated upregulation of Bcl-xl via inhibiting miR-296-5p promoter activity enhanced the anti-apoptotic capacity of lymphocytes to accelerate the occurrence of T1DM.