Avermectin induced DNA damage to the apoptosis and autophagy in human lung epithelial A549 cells

Ferulic acid alleviates cardiac injury by inhibiting avermectin-induced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis

Avermectin (AVM) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic from the macrolide class, extensively employed in fisheries and aquaculture. Nevertheless, its indiscriminate utilisation has resulted in a substantial accumulation of remnants in the aquatic ecosystem, potentially inflicting significant harm to the cardiovascular system of aquatic species. Ferulic acid (FA) is a naturally occurring compound in wheat grain husks. It possesses potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can help reduce cardiovascular damage. Additionally, its affordability makes it an excellent option for aquaculture usage as a feed additive. This article explored the potential of FA as a feed additive to protect against AVM-induced heart damage in carp. We subjected carp to AVM for 30 days and provided them with a diet of 400 mg/kg of FA. FA substantially reduced the pathogenic damage to heart tissue caused by AVM, as shown through hematoxylin-eosin staining. The biochemical analysis revealed that FA markedly enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) while reducing the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Furthermore, qPCR analysis demonstrated a substantial increase in the mRNA levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (tgf-β1) and interleukin-10 (il-10) simultaneously, significantly reducing the expression levels of interleukin-10 (il-6), interleukin-1β (il-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α) and inductible nitric oxide synthase (inos). Through the mitochondrial apoptotic route, FA reduced AVM-induced cell death in carp heart cells by upregulating bcl-2 while downregulating the mRNA expression levels of bax, fas, caspase8 and caspase9. In summary, FA alleviated cardiac injury by inhibiting AVM-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in carp heart tissue.

Palliative potential of velutin against abamectin induced cardiac toxicity via regulating JAK1/STAT3, NF-κB, Nrf-2/Keap-1 signaling pathways: An insight from molecular docking

Abamectin (ABN) is an agricultural insecticide that is reported to damage various body organs including the heart. Velutin (VLN) is a plant-derived flavonoid that exhibits a wide range of medicinal properties. This study was planned to investigate the medicinal value of VLN against ABN induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Thirty-two male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided into four equal groups including the control, ABN (10 mg/kg), ABN (10 mg/kg) + VLN (20 mg/kg), and VLN (20 mg/kg) alone administrated group. The doses were administrated for 6 weeks orally. The results demonstrated that ABN intoxication promoted the gene expression of Nrf-2 and its associated antioxidant genes including glutathione reductase (GSR), heme‑oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) while reducing the gene expression of Keap-1 as well as levels of ROS and MDA. Moreover, ABN exposure enhanced the gene expression of Janus kinase-1 (JAK1), Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), NF-κB, TNF-α, C-reactive proteins, Interferon-gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), IL-1β, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-6 and COX-2. The concentrations of CK-MB, Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), CPK, troponin-I, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and LDH were elevated after ABN administration. ABN intoxication abruptly upregulated the levels of Caspase-3, Caspase-9 and Bax while reducing the levels of Bcl-2 in cardiac tissues. Additionally, ABN exposure prompted various histopathological damages. Nevertheless, VLN treatment remarkably protected the cardiac tissues via regulating aforementioned disruptions. Lastly, molecular docking analysis was performed to determine the potential affinity of VLN and targeted protein i.e., Bax, NF-kB, Nrf-2/Keap1, JAK1 and STAT3. Our in-silico evaluation showed a strong binding affinitybetween VLN and the targeted proteins which further confirms its effectiveness as a cardioprotective agent.

The protective effect of carbamazepine on acute lung injury induced by hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation in rats

Hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HSR) enhances the risk of acute lung injury (ALI). This study investigated the protective effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) on HSR-induced ALI in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into five distinct groups through randomization: control (SHAM), saline + HSR (HSR), CBZ + HSR (CBZ/HSR), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) + HSR (DMSO/HSR), and CBZ + chloroquine (CQ) + HSR (CBZ/CQ/HSR). Subsequently, HSR models were established. To detect tissue damage, we measured lung histological changes, lung injury scores, and wet/dry weight ratios. We measured neutrophil counts as well as assessed the expression of inflammatory factors using RT-PCR to determine the inflammatory response. We detected autophagy-related proteins LC3II/LC3I, P62, Beclin-1, and Atg12-Atg5 using western blotting. Pretreatment with CBZ improved histopathological changes in the lungs and reduced lung injury scores. The CBZ pretreatment group exhibited significantly reduced lung wet/dry weight ratio, neutrophil aggregation and number, and inflammation factor (TNF-α and iNOS) expression. CBZ changed the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins (LC3II/LC3I, beclin-1, Atg12-Atg5, and P62), suggesting autophagy activation. However, after injecting CQ, an autophagy inhibitor, the beneficial effects of CBZ were reversed. Taken together, CBZ pretreatment improved HSR-induced ALI by suppressing inflammation, at least in part, through activating autophagy. Thus, our study offers a novel perspective for treating HSR-induced ALI.

Natural pyrethrins induced developmental toxicity of zebrafish swim bladder in vivo and genotoxicity of lung cells in vitro

Natural pyrethrins (NPs) are insecticidal compounds isolated and extracted from pyrethrum flowers and are primarily use to control sanitary pests. The lungs become the main target after exposure, and its use may pose potential hazards to respiratory health. Therefore, in this paper, the toxic effects of NPs on human lung cells A549 were investigated and the risk of respiratory toxicity of NPs was studied using zebrafish swim bladder as a model. The results showed that NPs induced cytotoxicity, caused oxidative DNA damage and triggered mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. In addition, exposure to NPs decreased zebrafish embryo survival, hatchability, and heartbeat, and may inhibit normal swim bladder development by disrupting Wnt and Hedgehog signaling pathways. In conclusion, our results suggest that NPs can induce cytotoxicity in A549 in vitro and developmental toxicity in zebrafish in vivo. This study provides a conceptual basis for understanding the mechanisms of toxicity of NPs and assessing respiratory health risks in humans.

Natural products and derivatives for breast cancer treatment: From drug discovery to molecular mechanism

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer stands as the most common malignancy among women globally and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Conventional treatments, such as surgery, hormone therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and small-molecule targeted therapy, often fall short of addressing the complexity and heterogeneity of certain breast cancer subtypes, leading to drug resistance and metastatic progression. Thus, the search for novel therapeutic targets and agents is imperative. Given their low toxicity and abundant variety, natural products and their derivatives are increasingly considered valuable sources for small-molecule anticancer drugs.

PURPOSE

This review aims to elucidate the pharmacological impacts and underlying mechanisms of active compounds found in select natural products and their derivatives, primarily focusing on breast cancer treatment. It intends to underscore the potential of these substances in combating breast cancer and guide future research directions for the development of natural product-based therapeutics.

METHODS

We conducted comprehensive searches in electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until October 2023, using keywords such as 'breast cancer', 'natural products', 'derivatives', 'mechanism', 'signaling pathways', and various keyword combinations.

RESULTS

The review presents a spectrum of phytochemicals, including but not limited to flavonoids, polyphenols, and alkaloids, and examines their actions in various animal and cellular models of breast cancer. The anticancer effects of these natural products and derivatives are manifested through diverse mechanisms, including induction of cell death via apoptosis and autophagy, and suppression of tumor angiogenesis.

CONCLUSION

An increasing array of natural products and their derivatives are proving effective against breast cancer. Future therapeutic strategies can benefit from strategic enhancement of the anticancer properties of natural compounds, optimization for targeted action, improved bioavailability, and minimized side effects. The forthcoming research on natural products should prioritize these facets to maximize their therapeutic potential.

Dietary additive ferulic acid alleviated oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis induced by chronic exposure to avermectin in the liver of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Avermectin (AVM) has been utilized extensively in agricultural production since it is a low-toxicity pesticide. However, the pollution caused by its residues to fisheries aquaculture has been neglected. As an abundant polyphenolic substance in plants, ferulic acid (FA) possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The goal of the study is to assess the FA's ability to reduce liver damage in carp brought on by AVM exposure. Four groups of carp were created at random: the control group; the AVM group; the FA group; and the FA + AVM group. On day 30, and the liver tissues of carp were collected and examined for the detection of four items of blood lipid as well as the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in carp liver tissues by biochemical kits, and the transcript levels of indicators of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis by qPCR. The results showed that liver injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were attenuated in the FA + AVM group compared to the AVM group. In summary, dietary addition of FA could ameliorate the hepatotoxicity caused by AVM in carp by alleviating oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis in liver tissues.

Ferulic acid alleviates avermectin induced renal injury in carp by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis

Avamectin (AVM), a macrolide antibiotic, is widely used in fisheries, agriculture, and animal husbandry, however, its irrational use poses a great danger to aquatic organisms. Ferulic acid (FA) is a natural chemical found in the cell walls of plants. It absorbs free radicals from the surrounding environment and acts as an antioxidant. However, the protective effect of FA against kidney injury caused by AVM has not been demonstrated. In this study, 60 carp were divided into the control group, AVM group (2.404 μg/L), FA+AVM group and FA group (400 mg/kg). Pathological examination, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and western blot were used to evaluate the preventive effect of FA on renal tissue injury after AVM exposure. Histological findings indicated that FA significantly reduced the swelling and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the kidney tissues of carp triggered by AVM. Dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescent probe assay showed that FA inhibited the accumulation of kidney ROS. Biochemical results showed that FA significantly increased glutathione (GSH) content, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT) activity, and decreased intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In addition, western blot results revealed that the protein expression levels of Nrf2 and p-NF-κBp65 in the carp kidney were inhibited by AVM, but reversed by the FA. The qPCR results exhibited that FA significantly increased the mRNA levels of tgf-β1 and il-10, while significantly down-regulated the gene expression levels of tnf-α, il-6 and il-1β. These data suggest that FA can reduce oxidative stress and renal tissue inflammation induced by AVM. At the same time, FA inhibited the apoptosis of renal cells induced by AVM by decreasing the transcription level and protein expression level of Bax, and increasing the transcription level and protein expression level of Bcl2, PI3K and AKT. This study provides preliminary evidence for the theory that FA reduces the level of oxidative stress, inflammation response and kidney tissue damage caused by apoptosis in carp, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of the AVM.

Natural Pyrethrin-Induced Oxidative Damage in Human Liver Cells through Nrf-2 Signaling Pathway

Natural pyrethrins (NPs), one kind of bio-pesticide, have been widely used in organic agriculture and ecological environment studies. Studies have shown that NPs may affect the metabolism of rat liver and human hepatocytes; nevertheless, the toxic effects of NPs on the liver and the related mechanisms are still incompletely understood. In this research, we utilized three types of human liver cells to investigate the mechanism of NPs' induction of oxidative stress. The results showed that NPs exhibit noteworthy cytotoxic effects on human liver cells. These effects are characterized by the induction of LDH release, mitochondrial collapse, and an increased production of ROS and MDA content, subsequently activating the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/Nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor 2 (Keap1/Nrf-2) pathway. The ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) can alleviate ROS/Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress. In addition, the siRNA knockdown of Nrf-2 exacerbated the injury, including ROS production, and inhibited cell viability. In summary, the ROS-mediated Keap1/Nrf-2 pathway could be an important regulator of NP-induced damage in human liver cells, which further illustrates the hepatotoxicity of NPs and thereby contributes to the scientific basis for further exploration.

Biological roles of soil microbial consortium on promoting safe crop production in heavy metal(loid) contaminated soil: A systematic review

Heavy metal(loid) (HM) pollution of agricultural soils is a growing global environmental concern that affects planetary health. Numerous studies have shown that soil microbial consortia can inhibit the accumulation of HMs in crops. However, our current understanding of the effects and mechanisms of inhibition is fragmented. In this review, we summarise extant studies and knowledge to provide a comprehensive view of HM toxicity on crop growth and development at the biological, cellular and the molecular levels. In a meta-analysis, we find that microbial consortia can improve crop resistance and reduce HM uptake, which in turn promotes healthy crop growth, demonstrating that microbial consortia are more effective than single microorganisms. We then review three main mechanisms by which microbial consortia reduce the toxicity of HMs to crops and inhibit HMs accumulation in crops: 1) reducing the bioavailability of HMs in soil (e.g. biosorption, bioaccumulation and biotransformation); 2) improving crop resistance to HMs (e.g. facilitating the absorption of nutrients); and 3) synergistic effects between microorganisms. Finally, we discuss the prospects of microbial consortium applications in simultaneous crop safety production and soil remediation, indicating that they play a key role in sustainable agricultural development, and conclude by identifying research challenges and future directions for the microbial consortium to promote safe crop production.

Quercetin attenuates environmental Avermectin-induced ROS accumulation and alleviates gill damage in carp through activation of the Nrf2 pathway

Avermectin (AVM) is one of the most often used insecticides which is toxic to aquatic organisms, and cause oxidative-induced damages to the fish respiratory organ, the "gills". To better understand the mechanism by which an antioxidant reduces AVM-induced gill damage, we investigated the effects of Quercetin (Que) on AVM induction of oxidative stress to inhibit damages to the gills using common carp as a model organism. The Que is a fruit and vegetable rich flavonoid with antioxidant activity. In this study, four groups were created: the Control group, the Que group (400 mg/kg), the AVM group (2.404 μg/L), and the Que plus AVM group. The analytical methods were pathological structure examination, qPCR, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Western blot. The results showed that Que alleviated AVM-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory damage and apoptosis in the carp gills by activating the Nrf2 pathway. The mechanism was that Que alleviated the accumulation of ROS, reduced the balance between oxidation and antioxidant disrupted by AVM exposure, lowered the content of lipid peroxidation produced malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased the content of antioxidant enzymes including glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT). Nrf2 pathway was activated. Meanwhile, Que inhibited gill apoptosis in carp by decreasing the levels of Bax, Cytochrome C, Caspase9, Cleaved-Caspase3 and reduced Bcl2. This has important implications for future studies on Que and AVM. New suggestions are provided to reduce the threat of aquatic environmental pollution.

Eucalyptol alleviates avermectin exposure-induced apoptosis and necroptosis of grass carp hepatocytes by regulating ROS/NLRP3 axis

The wide application of Avermectin (AVM) has caused pollution of surface water and damage to non-target organisms. A growing body of evidence supports the most prominent role of Eucalyptol (EUC) is antioxidation. To the purpose of explore the injury mechanism of Avermectin on grass carp hepatocytes and the antagonistic effect of Eucalyptol, 5.7 μM AVM and/or 20 μM EUC were used to treat grass carp hepatocytes for 24 h to establish hepatocyte exposure model. The results showed that Avermectin exposure significantly increased the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cells, reduced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Also, the expressions of NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes including NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1, the necroptosis-related genes including RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL and apoptotic genes including Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 were all up-regulated. Meanwhile, the expressions of Caspase-8 and Bcl-2 were significantly decreased upon exposure to Avermectin. However, the toxicity was significantly alleviated with the treatment of EUC or N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). The above results indicated that eucalyptol alleviated AVM exposure-induced apoptosis and necroptosis of grass carp hepatocytes by regulating the ROS/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Co-exposure of avermectin and imidacloprid induces DNA damage, pyroptosis, and immune dysfunction in epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells via ROS-mediated Keap1/Nrf2/TXNIP axis

Pesticide mixtures can reduce pest resistance, however, their overuse severely threatens aquatic animal survival and public health. Avermectin (AVM) and imidacloprid (IMI) are potent insecticides often employed in agriculture. By inducing oxidative stress, these chemicals can induce cell death. Here, we evaluated the combined toxicity of AVM and IMI on EPC cells based on the concept of toxicity units (TU). We established EPC cell models exposed to AVM and IMI alone and in combination. The results showed that AVM and IMI had additive effects on the toxicity of EPC cells. Meanwhile, the co-exposure of AVM and IMI exacerbated oxidative stress and induced excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggered Keap1/Nrf2/TXNIP axis, caused DNA damage and increased the expression of genes related to pyroptosis. In addition, co-exposure to AVM and IMI caused immunosuppression of EPC cells. The ROS inhibitor N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) can dramatically reverse these alterations brought on by AVM and IMI co-exposure. The findings above conclude that co-exposure to AVM and IMI causes DNA damage, pyroptosis, and immunosuppression in EPC cells through the ROS-mediated Keap1/Nrf2/TXNIP pathway. This study revealed the joint toxicity of AVM and IMI on EPC cells, and reminded people to consider its impact on aquatic animals when using pesticide mixtures.

Molecular mechanism of kidney damage caused by abamectin in carp: Oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis

Indiscriminate use of pesticides not only leads to environmental pollution problems, but also causes poisoning of non-target organisms. Abamectin (ABM), a widely used insecticide worldwide, is of wide concern due to its persistence in the environment and its high toxicity to fish. The kidney, as a key organ for detoxification, is more susceptible to the effects of ABM. Unfortunately, few studies investigated the mechanisms behind this connection. In this study, carp was used as an indicator organism for toxicological studies to investigate renal damage caused by ABM residues in carp. In this work, carp were exposed to ABM (0, 3.005, and 12.02 μg/L) for 4 d and the nephrotoxicity was assessed. Histopathological findings revealed that ABM exposure induced kidney damage in carp, as well as an increase Creatinine and BUN levels. Meanwhile, ABM as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulator, boosted ROS bursts and lowered antioxidant enzyme activity while activating the body's antioxidant system, the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway. The accumulation of ROS can also lead to the imbalance of the body's oxidation system, leading to oxidative stress. At the same time, NF-κB signaling pathway associated with inflammation was activated, which regulated expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and iNOS increased, while IL-10 and TGF-β1 decreased). In addition, ABM exposure caused structural damage to kidney mitochondria of carp, resulting in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production capacity, and mediated apoptosis through endogenous pathways Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-9/Caspase-3. In conclusion, ABM caused kidney damage in carp by inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway. These findings will be useful for future research into molecular mechanisms of ABM-induced nephrotoxicity in aquatic organisms.

Abamectin causes toxicity to the carp respiratory system by triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis and inhibiting autophagy

Abamectin is a commonly used pesticide in agriculture and fisheries and poses a risk to aquatic species. However, the mechanism of its toxic effects on fish remains to be discovered. In this study, we explored the effects of abamectin exposure at different concentrations on the respiratory system of carp. Carp were divided into three groups, namely the control group, low-dose abamectin treatment group, and high-dose abamectin treatment group. Gill tissue was collected after abamectin exposure for histopathological, biochemical, tunnel, mRNA, and protein expression analysis. Histopathological analysis indicated that abamectin damaged the gill structure. Biochemical analysis showed that abamectin triggered oxidative stress with lowered antioxidant enzyme activities and increased MDA content. Moreover, abamectin led to enhanced INOS levels and pro-inflammatory transcription, activating inflammation. Tunnel results demonstrated that exposure to abamectin induced gill cell apoptosis through an exogenous pathway. In addition, exposure to abamectin activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, leading to inhibition of autophagy. Overall, abamectin caused respiratory system toxicity in carp via triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis and inhibiting autophagy. The study suggests that abamectin has a profound toxicity mechanism in the respiratory system of carp, contributing to a better understanding of pesticide risk assessment in aquatic systems.

Abamectin causes cardiac dysfunction in carp via inhibiting redox equilibrium and resulting in immune inflammatory response and programmed cell death

This study aims to investigate the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of abamectin on the cardiac function of carp and the potential mechanisms. Here, male carp were exposed to abamectin, and cardiac function-related enzymatic markers were examined. Cardiac histopathology, redox equilibrium, inflammation, and cell death were evaluated. Abamectin exposure caused cardiac dysfunction by upregulating lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), creatine Kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and white blood cells (WBCs), and decreasing red blood cells (RBCs) and hemoglobin (Hb). DHE staining and biochemical assays revealed that abamectin caused ROS release and oxidative stress by inhibiting Nrf2-ARE pathway. Histopathological and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assays revealed that abamectin caused myocardial fiber swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration, enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (Tnf-α), interleukin-1 beta (Il-1β), and Il-6 levels and attenuated anti-inflammatory cytokines Il-10 and transforming growth factor beta 1 (Tgf-β1) through activating NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway. Tunel staining showed that abamectin triggered cardiac apoptosis via activating p53-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis with elevated bcl2-associated X (Bax), reduced B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and activated Caspase-9 and Caspase-3. Immunoblot analysis revealed that abamectin activated autophagic flow by inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), resulting in the conversion of LC3B from LC3-I to LC3-II, elevation of autophagy protein 5 (Atg5), and reduction of p62. Overall, abamectin caused cardiac dysfunction in carp via inhibiting redox equilibrium and resulting in immune inflammatory response and programmed cell death.

Cytotoxicity and Autophagy Induced by Ivermectin via AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway in RAW264.7 Cells

The widespread and excessive use of ivermectin (IVM) will not only cause serious environmental pollution, but will also affect metabolism of humans and other mammals that are exposed. IVM has the characteristics of being widely distributed and slowly metabolized, which will cause potential toxicity to the body. We focused on the metabolic pathway and mechanism of toxicity of IVM on RAW264.7 cells. Colony formation and LDH detection assay showed that IVM significantly inhibited the proliferation of and induced cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells. Intracellular biochemical analysis using Western blotting assay showed that LC3-B and Beclin-1 were upregulated and p62 was down-regulated. The combination of confocal fluorescence, calcein-AM/CoCl₂, and fluorescence probe results showed that IVM could induce the opening of the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore, reduce mitochondrial content, and increase lysosome content. In addition, we focused on induction of IVM in the autophagy signal pathway. The Western blotting results showed that IVM increased expression of p-AMPK and decreased p-mTOR and p-S6K expression in protein levels, indicating that IVM activated the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Therefore, IVM may inhibit cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and autophagy.

Mild hypothermia alleviates oxygen−glucose deprivation/reperfusion-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation, improving mitochondrial dysfunction and regulating DNA damage repair pathway in PC12 cells

The brain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has a great impact on human life and property safety. As far as we know, mild hypothermia (MH) is an effective measure to reduce neuronal injury after I/R. However, the precise mechanism is not extremely clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mild therapeutic hypothermia can play a protective role in nerve cells dealing with brain I/R injury and explore its specific mechanism in vitro. A flow cytometer, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay were performed to detect apoptotic rate of cells, cell viability and cytotoxicity, respectively, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kit, JC-1 fluorescent methods, immunofluorescence and western blot were used to explore ROS, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (^Δψm), mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and protein expression, respectively. The result indicated that the cell activity was decreased, while the cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate were increased after treating with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) in PC12 cells. However, MH could antagonize this phenomenon. Interestingly, treating with OGD/R increased the release of ROS and the transfer of Cytochrome C (Cyt-C) from mitochondria to cytoplasm. In addition, it up-regulated the expression of γH2AX, Bax and Clv-caspase3, down-regulated the expression of PCNA, Rad51 and Bcl-2, and inhibited the function of mitochondria in PC12 cells. Excitingly, the opposite trend was observed after MH treatment. Therefore, our results suggest that MH protects PC12 cells against OGD/R-induced injury with the mechanism of inhibiting cell apoptosis by reducing ROS production, improving mitochondrial function, reducing DNA damage, and enhancing DNA repair.

Non-target toxic effects of avermectin on carp spleen involve oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis

Avermectin is one of the most widely used pesticides, but its toxicity to non-target organisms, especially aquatic organisms, has been ignored. Therefore, an acute spleen injury model of avermectin in carp was established to assess the non-target toxicity of avermectin to carp. In this study, 3.005 μg/L and 12.02 μg/L were set as the low and high dose groups of avermectin, respectively, and a four days acute exposure experiment was conducted. Pathological structure observation showed that avermectin damaged spleen tissue structure and produced inflammatory cell infiltration. Biochemical analysis showed that avermectin significantly reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes CAT, SOD, and GSH-px, but increased the content of MDA, a marker of oxidative damage. Avermectin exposure also significantly increased the transcription levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and INOS, and also significantly enhanced the activity of the inflammatory mediator iNOS, but suppressed the transcription levels of anti-inflammatory factors TGF-β1 and IL-10. In addition, TUNEL detected that the apoptosis rate increased significantly with the increase of avermectin dosage, and the transcription levels of apoptosis-related genes BAX, P53, and Caspase 3/9 also increased in a dose-dependent manner. This study is preliminary evidence that avermectin induces spleen injury in carp through oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, which has important implications for subsequent studies on the effects of avermectin on non-target organisms.

Berberine as a potential agent for breast cancer therapy

Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignancy that mainly occurred in women and it has become the most diagnosed cancer annually since 2020. Berberine (BBR), an alkaloid extracted from the Berberidacea family, has been found with broad pharmacological bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-obesity, antidepressant, and anticancer effects. Mounting evidence shows that BBR is a safe and effective agent with good anticancer activity against BC. However, its detailed underlying mechanism in BC treatment remains unclear. Here, we will provide the evidence for BBR in BC therapy and summarize its potential mechanisms. This review briefly introduces the source, metabolism, and biological function of BBR and emphasizes the therapeutic effects of BBR against BC via directly interacting with effector proteins, transcriptional regulatory elements, miRNA, and several BBR-mediated signaling pathways. Moreover, the novel BBR-based therapeutic strategies against BC improve biocompatibility and water solubility, and the efficacies of BBR are also briefly discussed. Finally, the status of BBR in BC treatment and future research directions is also prospected.

Development of Optimized Novel Liposome Loaded with 6-gingerol and Assessment of its Therapeutic Activity Against NSCLC In vitro and In vivo Experimental Models

6-Gingerol (Gn) is an active compound derived from ginger which possesses various biological activities. The therapeutic applications of Gn are limited due to its hydrophobic nature. To ease its administration, one of the nano-emulsion methods, liposome was selected to encapsulate Gn. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize liposome ratio. 97.2% entrapment efficiency was achieved at the ratio of 1:20:2 (Drug: Lipid: Cholesterol). The optimized liposome attained size below 200 d nm, spherical shape, negative surface charge and showed sustain release upon physical characterization methods such as FESEM, DLS, Zeta potential, Drug release. The signature FTIR peaks of both free Gn and free liposome (FL) were also observed in Lipo-Gn peak. Lipo-Gn showed significant cytotoxic effect on A549 cells (IC50 160.5 ± 0.74µM/ml) as well as inhibits the cell migration. DAPI staining showed higher apoptotic nuclear morphological change in the cells treated with Lipo-Gn, and also Lipo-Gn increased the apoptotic percentage in A549 as 39.89 and 70.32 for 12 and 24h respectively which were significantly more than free Gn. Moreover, the formulation of Lipo-Gn showed significant cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase compared with free Gn (28.9 and 34.9% in Free Gn vs. 42.7 and 50.1% in Lipo -Gn for 12 and 24hours respectively). Lipo-Gn have been assessed in NSCLC induced BALB/c mice and showed significantly improved pharmacological properties compared to those of free Gn. Thus, Lipo-Gn may be considered for its widening applications against lung cancer.

The relationship between pesticide exposure during critical neurodevelopment and autism spectrum disorder: A narrative review

Agricultural pesticides have been one of the most extensively used compounds throughout the world. The main sources of contamination for humans are dietary intake and occupational exposure. The impairments caused by agricultural pesticide exposure have been a significant global public health problem. Recent studies have shown that low-level agricultural pesticide exposure during the critical period of neurodevelopment (pregnancy and lactation) is closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, gut microbiota, neural dendrite morphology, synaptic function, and glial cells are targets for the effects of pesticides during nervous system development. In the present review, we summarize the associations between several highly used and frequently studied pesticides (e.g., glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids, and avermectins) and ASD. We also discusse future epidemiological and toxicological research directions on the relationship between pesticides and ASD.