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Shu C, Ge L, Li Z, Chen B, Liao S, Lu L, Wu Q, Jiang X, An Y, Wang Z, Qu M. Antibacterial activity of cinnamon essential oil and its main component of cinnamaldehyde and the underlying mechanism. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1378434. [PMID: 38529191 PMCID: PMC10961361 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1378434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Plant essential oils have long been regarded as repositories of antimicrobial agents. In recent years, they have emerged as potential alternatives or supplements to antimicrobial drugs. Although literature reviews and previous studies have indicated that cinnamon essential oil (CIEO) and its major component, cinnamaldehyde (CID), possess potent antibacterial activities, their antibacterial mechanisms, especially the in vivo antibacterial mechanisms, remain elusive. Methods: In this study, we utilized the in vivo assessment system of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to investigate the effects and mechanisms of high dose (100 mg/L) and low dose (10 mg/L) CIEO and CID in inhibiting Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). In addition, we also examined the in vitro antibacterial abilities of CIEO and CID against other common pathogens including P. aeruginosa and 4 other strains. Results: Our research revealed that both high (100 mg/L) and low doses (10 mg/L) of CIEO and CID treatment significantly alleviated the reduction in locomotion behavior, lifespan, and accumulation of P. aeruginosa in C. elegans infected with the bacteria. During P. aeruginosa infection, the transcriptional expression of antimicrobial peptide-related genes (lys-1 and lys-8) in C. elegans was upregulated with low-dose CIEO and CID treatment, while this trend was suppressed at high doses. Further investigation suggested that the PMK-1 mediated p38 signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of CIEO and CID during nematode defense against P. aeruginosa infection. Furthermore, in vitro experimental results also revealed that CIEO and CID exhibit good antibacterial effects, which may be associated with their antioxidant properties. Conclusion: Our results indicated that low-dose CIEO and CID treatment could activate the p38 signaling pathway in C. elegans, thereby regulating antimicrobial peptides, and achieving antimicrobial effects. Meanwhile, high doses of CIEO and CID might directly participate in the internal antimicrobial processes of C. elegans. Our study provides research basis for the antibacterial properties of CIEO and CID both in vivo and in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjie Shu
- School of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- Natural Daily Chemical Research Laboratory, Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Ge
- Natural Daily Chemical Research Laboratory, Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhuohang Li
- Natural Daily Chemical Research Laboratory, Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Natural Daily Chemical Research Laboratory, Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Shengliang Liao
- School of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Natural Daily Chemical Research Laboratory, Nanjing Institute for Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plants, Nanjing, China
| | - Qinlin Wu
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Jiang
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuhan An
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zongde Wang
- School of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Man Qu
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Qu M, Zhao X, Wang Q, Xu X, Chen H, Wang Y. PIEZO mediates a protective mechanism for nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in response to nanoplastics caused dopaminergic neurotoxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 269:115738. [PMID: 38056120 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies have probed nanoplastic toxicity on environmental organisms, but the regulatory role of animal PIEZO-type mechanosensitive ion channel component (PIEZO) remains unclear. Herein, we identified the sole PIEZO in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), utilizing amino acid homology analysis and Trans-Membrane prediction using Hidden Markov Models (TMHMM). In C. elegans, RNAi knockdown of pezo-1 had no impact on lifespan, body length, lethality, locomotion behaviors, or oxidative response (P > 0.05). However, exposure to 15 μg/L nanopolystyrene in the pezo-1 RNAi group resulted in severe locomotion changes: head trashes (P < 0.01), body bends (P < 0.05), forward turns (P < 0.05), backward turns (P < 0.01), and impaired sensory perception, including abnormal chemotaxis to NaCl (P < 0.01) and diacetyl (P < 0.01), as well as aversive responses (P < 0.05) to nanopolystyrene compared to the wild-type group. Dopaminergic neuron damage explains these behaviors, with GST-4 (P < 0.01) and SKN-1/Nrf2 (P < 0.01) activation mitigating nanoplastic-induced damage. Our results emphasize that even at the environmentally relevant concentrations (ERC), nanoplastics can impact neurotoxicity-related endpoints, with PIEZO mediating the regulation of oxidative and antioxidative systems in response to these effects. PIEZO may be applied for assessing the neurotoxicity or oxidative stress induced by other environmental toxicants besides nanoplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Qu
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
| | - Xiao Zhao
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
| | - Qingao Wang
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
| | - Xuan Xu
- School of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
| | - He Chen
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230000, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to the School of Clinical Chinese Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China.
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