Propranolol inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of hemangioma-derived endothelial cells via Akt pathway by down-regulating Ang-2 expression

Acteoside protects podocyte against apoptosis through regulating AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway in db/db mice

BACKGROUND

Podocyte apoptosis is one of the important pathological mechanisms of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Acteoside (Act), a major active component of Rehmannia glutinosa leaves total glycoside, has a strong renoprotective action. Our study aims to demonstrate Act's renoprotective actions in db/db mice.

METHODS

We adopted C57BLKS/J db/db mice as DKD animal models. After 8 weeks of Act administration, the 24-hour urine albumin, renal function index, and blood lipid levels were quantified using matching kits. Renal pathology was evaluated by HE and PAS staining. The podocyte damage and apoptosis-related signaling pathway were observed by using immunohistochemistry, western blot, and TUNEL staining.

RESULTS

The albuminuria of db/db mice was reduced from 391 ug/24 h to 152 ug/24 h, and renal pathology changes were alleviated after Act administration. The western blot and immunohistochemistry showed that Act treatment upregulated the synaptopodin and podocin expression compared with db/db mice, while the TUNEL staining indicated podocyte apoptosis was inhibited. The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) level was upregulated in the Act group, but cleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) expression declined, while the protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (AKT/GSK-3β) signaling pathway was repressed.

CONCLUSIONS

By inhibiting the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway, Act protected podocytes from apoptosis, decreasing the urine albumin of db/db mice and delaying the course of DKD.

β-Adrenoreceptors as Therapeutic Targets for Ocular Tumors and Other Eye Diseases-Historical Aspects and Nowadays Understanding

β-adrenoreceptors (ARs) are members of the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and are activated by catecholamines, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Three subtypes of β-ARs (β₁, β₂, and β₃) have been identified with different distributions among ocular tissues. Importantly, β-ARs are an established target in the treatment of glaucoma. Moreover, β-adrenergic signaling has been associated with the development and progression of various tumor types. Hence, β-ARs are a potential therapeutic target for ocular neoplasms, such as ocular hemangioma and uveal melanoma. This review aims to discuss the expression and function of individual β-AR subtypes in ocular structures, as well as their role in the treatment of ocular diseases, including ocular tumors.

Sustainable Release of Propranolol Hydrochloride Laden with Biconjugated-Ufasomes Chitosan Hydrogel Attenuates Cisplatin-Induced Sciatic Nerve Damage in In Vitro/In Vivo Evaluation

Peripheral nerve injuries significantly impact patients’ quality of life and poor functional recovery. Chitosan–ufasomes (CTS–UFAs) exhibit biomimetic features, making them a viable choice for developing novel transdermal delivery for neural repair. This study aimed to investigate the role of CTS–UFAs loaded with the propranolol HCl (PRO) as a model drug in enhancing sciatica in cisplatin-induced sciatic nerve damage in rats. Hence, PRO–UFAs were primed, embedding either span 20 or 60 together with oleic acid and cholesterol using a thin-film hydration process based on full factorial design (24). The influence of formulation factors on UFAs’ physicochemical characteristics and the optimum formulation selection were investigated using Design-Expert® software. Based on the optimal UFA formulation, PRO–CTS–UFAs were constructed and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, stability studies, and ex vivo permeation. In vivo trials on rats with a sciatic nerve injury tested the efficacy of PRO–CTS–UFA and PRO–UFA transdermal hydrogels, PRO solution, compared to normal rats. Additionally, oxidative stress and specific apoptotic biomarkers were assessed, supported by a sciatic nerve histopathological study. PRO–UFAs and PRO–CTS–UFAs disclosed entrapment efficiency of 82.72 ± 2.33% and 85.32 ± 2.65%, a particle size of 317.22 ± 6.43 and 336.12 ± 4.9 nm, ζ potential of −62.06 ± 0.07 and 65.24 ± 0.10 mV, and accumulatively released 70.95 ± 8.14% and 64.03 ± 1.9% PRO within 6 h, respectively. Moreover, PRO–CTS–UFAs significantly restored sciatic nerve structure, inhibited the cisplatin-dependent increase in peripheral myelin 22 gene expression and MDA levels, and further re-established sciatic nerve GSH and CAT content. Furthermore, they elicited MBP re-expression, BCL-2 mild expression, and inhibited TNF-α expression. Briefly, our findings proposed that CTS–UFAs are promising to enhance PRO transdermal delivery to manage sciatic nerve damage.

Biphasic Effect of Pirfenidone on Angiogenesis

Pirfenidone (PFD), a synthetic arsenic compound, has been found to inhibit angiogenesis at high concentrations. However, the biphasic effects of different PFD concentrations on angiogenesis have not yet been elucidated, and the present study used an in vitro model to explore the mechanisms underlying this biphasic response. The effect of PFD on the initial angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells was investigated through a Matrigel tube formation assay, and the impact of PFD on endothelial cell migration was evaluated through scratch and transwell migration experiments. Moreover, the expression of key migration cytokines, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, was examined. Finally, the biphasic mechanism of PFD on angiogenesis was explored through cell signaling and apoptosis analyses. The results showed that 10–100 μM PFD has a significant and dose-dependent inhibitory effect on tube formation and migration, while 10 nM–1 μM PFD significantly promoted tube formation and migration, with 100 nM PFD having the strongest effect. Additionally, we found that a high concentration of PFD could significantly inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression, while low concentrations of PFD significantly promoted their expression. Finally, we found that high concentrations of PFD inhibited EA.hy926 cell tube formation by promoting apoptosis, while low concentrations of PFD promoted tube formation by increasing MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein expression predominantly via the EGFR/p-p38 pathway. Overall, PFD elicits a biphasic effect on angiogenesis through different mechanisms, could be used as a new potential drug for the treatment of vascular diseases.

Non-β-blocker enantiomers of propranolol and atenolol inhibit vasculogenesis in infantile hemangioma

Propranolol and atenolol, current therapies for problematic infantile hemangioma (IH), are composed of R(+) and S(–) enantiomers: the R(+) enantiomer is largely devoid of beta blocker activity. We investigated the effect of R(+) enantiomers of propranolol and atenolol on the formation of IH-like blood vessels from hemangioma stem cells (HemSCs) in a murine xenograft model. Both R(+) enantiomers inhibited HemSC vessel formation in vivo. In vitro, similar to R(+) propranolol, both atenolol and its R(+) enantiomer inhibited HemSC to endothelial cell differentiation. As our previous work implicated the transcription factor sex-determining region Y (SRY) box transcription factor 18 (SOX18) in propranolol-mediated inhibition of HemSC to endothelial differentiation, we tested in parallel a known SOX18 small-molecule inhibitor (Sm4) and show that this compound inhibited HemSC vessel formation in vivo with efficacy similar to that seen with the R(+) enantiomers. We next examined how R(+) propranolol alters SOX18 transcriptional activity. Using a suite of biochemical, biophysical, and quantitative molecular imaging assays, we show that R(+) propranolol directly interfered with SOX18 target gene trans-activation, disrupted SOX18-chromatin binding dynamics, and reduced SOX18 dimer formation. We propose that the R(+) enantiomers of widely used beta blockers could be repurposed to increase the efficiency of current IH treatment and lower adverse associated side effects.

News on infantile haemangioma. Part 2: therapy and evaluation

Infantile haemangioma (IH) is the most frequently occurring tumour of childhood. While benign, in more than half of the cases, less or more severe sequelae can be observed. In Part 1 of this review, we discussed the clinical course and pathomechanism of IHs. In Part 2 of this state-of-the-art review, we will discuss the current management of IH and focus on the working mechanism of β-blockers in IHs. Furthermore, we will discuss options for the evaluation of patients and their families (quality of life and family burden), as well as for the evaluation of IHs by healthcare providers, such as assessments of activity and severity. This review will update the reader on the working mechanism of propranolol in IHs and offer an oversight of tools (questionnaires and scoring systems) that can be used in clinical practice or for research.

Immobilization of bioactive complex on the surface of magnesium alloy stent material to simultaneously improve anticorrosion, hemocompatibility and antibacterial activities

Magnesium alloy represents one of the most potential biodegradable vascular stent materials due to its good biodegradability, biocompatibility and suitable mechanical properties, whereas the rapid degradation in physiological environment and the limited biocompatibility remain the challenges. In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was firstly functionalized by chitosan (GOCS), followed by loading zinc ions and propranolol to obtain GOCS@Zn/Pro complex, which was finally covalently immobilized on the self-assembled modified magnesium alloy surface to enhance the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. The multi-functional coating can significantly improve the corrosion resistance and reduce the degradation rate of the magnesium alloy. Furthermore, the coating can significantly inhibit platelet adhesion and activation, reduce hemolysis rate, prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and thus improve the blood compatibility of the magnesium alloy. In addition, the modified magnesium alloy can not only significantly promote the endothelial cell adhesion and proliferation, up-regulate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO), but also endow the materials with good antibacterial properties. Therefore, the method of the present study can be used to modify magnesium alloy stent materials to simultaneously enhance corrosion resistance and blood compatibility, promote endothelialilization, and inhibit infections.

Exposure to mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate facilitates apoptosis and pyroptosis of human endometrial microvascular endothelial cells through NLRP3 inflammasome

Mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) is a major metabolite of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). This study aimed to observe the toxic effect of MEHP on human endometrial microvascular endothelial cells (HEMECs) and its potential molecular mechanism. HEMECs were exposed to different concentrations of MEHP (0, 50, 100, and 200 nM). Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry assays. Western blot was performed to examine the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3). Moreover, the expression of pyroptosis-related Caspase-1 was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release levels were evaluated in HEMECs treated with MEHP and/or Caspase-1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CHO. After exposure to MEHP, NLRP3 expression was examined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot. LDH release and apoptosis levels were tested in HEMECs induced by MEHP and/or siNLRP3. MEHP significantly induced cell viability and inhibited apoptosis for HEMECs, with a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, Bcl-2/Bax ratio was distinctly reduced and Caspase-3 expression was increased in HEMECs after exposure to MEHP. Western blot and immunofluorescence results confirmed that MEHP markedly augmented Caspase-1 expression in HEMECs. Furthermore, LDH release levels were fortified in HEMECs treated with MEHP, which were improved following cotreatment with Ac-YVAD-CHO. At the mRNA and protein levels, NLRP3 expression was prominently increased in HEMECs exposed to MEHP. NLRP3 knockdown markedly ameliorated the increase in LDH release and apoptosis induced by MEHP exposure in HEMECs. Our findings suggested that exposure to MEHP facilitates apoptosis and pyroptosis of HEMECs through NLRP3 inflammasome.