Thea sinensis melanin prevents cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice

Protective properties of melanin from lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) HOFFM. In models of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle

Melanin is a dark pigment from the group of phenolic or indole polymers with inherent biocompatibility and antioxidant capacity. In extremophilic lichen Lobaria pulmonaria, melanin is responsible for protective properties against hostile environments. Herein, the ability of melanin extracted from L. pulmonaria to counteract oxidative stress and related damages was studied in the mouse diaphragm, the main respiratory muscle. Initial in vitro experiments demonstrated ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing, antioxidant and metal chelating activities of melanin. This melanin can form nanoparticles and stabile colloidal system at concentration of 5 μg/ml. Pretreatment of the muscle with melanin (5 μg/ml) markedly reduced UV-induced increase in intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as antimycin A-mediated enhancement in mitochondrial ROS production accompanied by lipid peroxidation and membrane asymmetry loss. In addition, melanin attenuated suppression of neuromuscular transmission and alterations of contractile responses provoked by hydrogen peroxide. Thus, this study shed the light on the perspectives of the application of a lichen melanin as a protective component for treatment of skeletal muscle disorders, which are accompanied with an increased ROS production.

Genome-wide analysis identify novel germline genetic variations in ADCY1 influencing platinum-based chemotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer

To explore the pharmacogenomic markers that affect the platinum-based chemotherapy response in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), we performed a two-cohort of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), including 34 for WES-based and 433 for microarray-based analyses, as well as two independent validation cohorts. After integrating the results of two studies, the genetic variations related to the platinum-based chemotherapy response were further determined by fine-mapping in 838 samples, and their potential functional impact were investigated by eQTL analysis and in vitro cell experiments. We found that a total of 68 variations were significant at P < 1 × 10^-3 in cohort 1 discovery stage, of which 3 SNPs were verified in 262 independent samples. A total of 541 SNPs were significant at P < 1 × 10^-4 in cohort 2 discovery stage, of which 8 SNPs were verified in 347 independent samples. Comparing the validated SNPs in two GWAS, ADCY1 gene was verified in both independent studies. The results of fine-mapping showed that the G allele carriers of ADCY1 rs2280496 and C allele carriers of rs189178649 were more likely to be resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. In conclusion, our study found that rs2280496 and rs189178649 in ADCY1 gene were associated the sensitivity of platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC patients.

Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Predicting Kidney Injury Due to Drugs Using "Omic" Strategies

Drug-induced kidney injury accounts for 20% of community- and hospital-acquired cases of acute kidney injury (AKI). The incidence is higher among older individuals, who often have co-existing morbidities and are exposed to more diagnostic procedures and therapies. While demographic and clinical components have been identified as risk factors, the proposed cellular mechanisms of drug-induced kidney injury are numerous and complicated. There are also limitations recognized in the use of traditional biomarkers, such as serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, to provide high sensitivity, specificity, and timeliness to identification of drug-induced kidney injury. Therefore, novel biomarkers are currently being investigated, identified, developed, and validated for their performance over the traditional biomarkers. This review will provide an overview of drug-induced kidney injury and will discuss what is known regarding "omic" (proteomic, genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic) biomarker strategies for drugs known to induce nephrotoxicity.

Potential Protective Role of Rutin and Alpha-lipoic Acid Against Cisplatin-induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is a serious complication that restricts its utilization in cancer treatment. Rutin and alpha-lipoic acid have antioxidant effectiveness, anti-inflammatory efficacy and prevent oxidative stress. Therefore, the current study planned to investigate the potential defensive impacts of rutin and alpha-lipoic acid on cisplatin-induced renal damage in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-six adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Rats of group 1: Treated with saline as the control. Group 2: Orally received rutin daily for 2 weeks. Group 3: Rats were orally administered with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) daily for 2 weeks. Group 4: Rats were intraperitoneal (i.p.) injected with cisplatin to develop the acute renal injury. Group 5: Rats injected with cisplatin then treated orally with RT. Group 6: Rats were injected i.p., with cisplatin then treated orally with ALA. Group 7: Rats injected with cisplatin then treated orally with RT and ALA daily for 2 weeks.

RESULTS

The cisplatin administration to rats induced nephrotoxicity associated with a significant increase in serum urea, creatinine, albumin and significantly reduce haemoglobin and red blood cells count. The animal treated with cisplatin showed a significant increase in the level of renal malondialdehyde associated with reduction in the levels of glutathione-s-transferase, glutathione reductase and catalase compared to control group. Moreover, cisplatin treated group recorded significant increase in nuclear factor kappa B, IL-6 and p53 levels compared to control group. Additionally, histopathological examination showed that cisplatin-induced interstitial congestion, focal mononuclear cell inflammatory, cell infiltrate and acute tubular injury. In correlation with the cisplatin group, Rutin and alpha-lipoic acid ameliorated cisplatin-induction increase in serum urea, creatinine, albumin, oxidative stress and inflammation were observed. Moreover, rutin and alpha-lipoic acid showed an enhancement in haematological and histopathological structures.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that rutin and alpha-lipoic acid showed a protective effect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

New insights into the protection of growth hormone in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity: The impact of IGF-1 on the Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 signaling

AIMS

Cisplatin (CDDP) is an effective antineoplastic agent, however, its serious nephrotoxicity limits therapeutic use. Human growth hormone (hGH) has proved antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study aimed to investigate the nephroprotective effects of hGH against CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity and the mechanisms underlying this nephroprotection.

MAIN METHODS

Male albino rats injected with CDDP (7 mg/kg) and nephrotoxicity indices, oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers (high mobility group box protein-1 (HMGB-1), soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)) were assessed. Also, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Nuclear factor-erythroid-2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway were assessed.

KEY FINDINGS

hGH (1 mg/kg) improved kidney function and antioxidant systems and showed intact renal tubular epithelium. Cisplatin upregulated the HMGB-1/NF-κB and downregulated Nrf2/HO-1 pathways which were reversed by hGH and aligned with increased renal IGF-1 expression. Also, IGF-1/sEH crosstalk might be involved in hGH nephroprotection. Moreover, hGH downregulated HSP70 and caspase-3 expressions.

SIGNIFICANCE

these results concluded that hGH can attenuate the inflammation and oxidative stress attained by CDDP probably through inhibition of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. We also suggested that Keap1/Nrf2-mediated upregulation of the antioxidant HO-1 might inhibit HMGB-1/NF-κB signaling and thus provide the principal protection mechanism offered by hGH against CDDP-induced kidney injury.

Retinol-Binding Protein 4 Accelerates Metastatic Spread and Increases Impairment of Blood Flow in Mouse Mammary Gland Tumors

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is proposed as an adipokine that links obesity and cancer. We analyzed the role of RBP4 in metastasis of breast cancer in patients and in mice bearing metastatic 4T1 and nonmetastatic 67NR mammary gland cancer. We compared the metastatic and angiogenic potential of these cells transduced with Rbp4 (4T1/RBP4 and 67NR/RBP4 cell lines). Higher plasma levels of RBP4 were observed in breast cancer patients with metastatic tumors than in healthy donors and patients with nonmetastatic cancer. Increased levels of RBP4 were observed in plasma, tumor tissue, liver, and abdominal fat. Moreover, the blood vessel network was highly impaired in mice bearing 4T1 as compared to 67NR tumors. RBP4 transductants showed further impairment of blood flow and increased metastatic potential. Exogenous RBP4 increased lung settlement by 67NR and 4T1 cells. In vitro studies showed increased invasive and clonogenic potential of cancer cells treated with or overexpressing RBP4. This effect is not dependent on STAT3 phosphorylation. RBP4 enhances the metastatic potential of breast cancer tumors through a direct effect on cancer cells and through increased endothelial dysfunction and impairment of blood vessels within the tumor.

Co-expression analysis reveals dysregulated miRNAs and miRNA-mRNA interactions in the development of contrast-induced acute kidney injury

The pathogenesis of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is incompletely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important mediators that normally function via post-transcriptional degradation of target mRNAs. Emerging evidence indicates the appearance of differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in CI-AKI following the injection of intravenous contrast medium. However, there are differences in the pathological mechanism and incidence of CI-AKI between intravenous and intra-arterial contrast administration. The present study aimed to investigate the critical roles of dysregulated miRNAs and their associated mRNAs in kidney injury following intra-arterial contrast medium exposure. Based on a reliable CI-AKI rat model, we conducted genome-wide miRNA and mRNA expression profiling analysis using deep sequencing. In the study, 36 DE mature miRNAs were identified (fold change > 1.5 and p value < 0.05) in the kidneys of CI-AKI rats (n = 3) compared with that in the controls (n = 3), consisting of 23 up-regulated and 13 down-regulated DE miRNAs. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that wingnut (Wnt), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathways were most likely to be modulated by these dysregulated miRNAs. Around 453 dysregulated genes (fold change > 2.0 and p value < 0.05) were identified. Integrated analysis revealed 2037 putative miRNA-mRNA pairs with negative correlations. Among them, 6 DE miRNAs and 13 genes were selected for further quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction validation (n = 6 for each group), and a good correspondence between the two techniques was observed. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence of miRNA-mRNA interactions in the development of kidney injury following an intra-arterial contrast injection. These findings provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of CI-AKI.

Protective Effect of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) Velvet Antler Extract against Cisplatin-Induced Kidney and Liver Injury in a Prostate Cancer PC-3 Cell Xenograft Model

We previously discovered the antioxidant and antiprostate cancer effects of antler extract (AE), but whether it inhibits cisplatin- (Cis-) induced toxicity has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of AE on Cis-induced side effects in the kidney and liver using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide-based cytotoxicity and cell cycle assays in prostate cancer PC-3 cells in vitro is investigated. Furthermore, we used a xenograft mouse model of the same cells to examine the in vivo effects and mechanisms of action. Cis and Cis + AE treatment attenuated prostate cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis in vitro. Cis + AE stimulated cleaved caspases 3, 7, and 9 and polyadenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase expression. Cis + AE treatment for 1 week significantly increased the superoxide dismutase and catalase antioxidant activity while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances decreased. The histopathological damage and tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the kidney and liver tissue decreased. Therefore, AE likely possesses antiprostate cancer activity and inhibits Cis toxicity.

Protective role of Emblica officinalis hydro-ethanolic leaf extract in cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in Rats

Nephrotoxicity is a major limiting factor in cisplatin treatment. In the present study hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Emblica officinalis was investigated for its protective role in cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity. The experiment was designed for 14 days and male Wistar rats were divided into 9 groups (n = 5). Group 1 served as control (with no treatment), group 2 served as a vehicle control and received 0.9% NaCl intraperitoneally (i.p.) on 11th day of the treatment, group 3 received a single dose of cisplatin on 11th day (12 mg/kg body weight, i.p.), group 4-6 received leaf extract only (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively) throughout the treatment, group 7-9 received leaf extract (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively) throughout the treatment and single dose of cisplatin on the 11th day of the leaf extract treatment. At the end of the experiment (i.e. on 14th day) blood samples were collected from all the groups and were sacrificed to study renal functional parameters. Treatment with above doses of E. officinalis leaf extract significantly (p ≤ 0.05) attenuates renal damage by decreasing serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), enhanced the activities of Catalase, SOD, GPx, GR and decreased the renal MDA level compared with the cisplatin treatment group. Furthermore the oral administration of Amla leaf extract improves histological damage and morphological changes in RBCs. Our results suggest that, leaf extract of E. officinalis may ameliorate renal damage caused by cisplatin.

TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 expressions, responsible for disparity in action of curcumin against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Cisplatin is a regularly employed effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of many types of cancer. The main drawback of cisplatin treatment is kidney toxicity which affects 25-35% of treated patients. Many mechanisms are believed to be involved in this kidney damage, but inflammation plays a significant role in this event. Curcumin is a polyphenol and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effects of curcumin on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Female rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control, curcumin, cisplatin, curcumin plus cisplatin (pre-treatment group) and cisplatin plus curcumin (post-treatment group). Rats were given cisplatin (7.5 mg/kg body weight) with or without curcumin treatment (120 mg/kg body weight). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, albumin, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 expressions and histological changes were determined on the 5th day after cisplatin injection. Acute kidney damage was evident by increased BUN and creatinine levels. In addition, cisplatin showed a marked pro-inflammatory response as revealed by a significant increase in the tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and decrease in the IL-10 level. Pre-treatment of curcumin reduced cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity which was clearly evident from the reduced BUN, creatinine, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 levels and increased albumin and IL-10 levels. Additionally, these findings were also supported by histopathology of the kidneys. In contrast, post-treatment of curcumin failed to cut down the expression of inflammatory markers substantially and also neglected to increase the expression of IL-10. The disparity in the action of curcumin after pre- and post-treatment with cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity was due to the inability of post-treatment to reduce TNF-α & IL-6, besides to show a concurrent rise in IL-10 expression in renal tissues.

Stromal expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin correlates with poor differentiation and adverse prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

AIMS

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a member of the lipocalin superfamily. Although its overexpression in various cancers has been reported, little is known about its expression and clinical significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of NGAL in OSCC.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We investigated NGAL expression immunohistochemically in tumour cells and stromal cells in 96 OSCC tissues. NGAL expression in tumour cells correlated significantly with histological tumour cell differentiation, as shown by its specific distribution in the horn pearl-forming keratinized tumour cells, but not with other major clinicopathological parameters. We found NGAL(+) cells in the stroma that were predominantly myeloperoxidase-positive neutrophils. The number of such NGAL-expressing stromal cells was associated significantly with poor differentiation and reduced overall survival in OSCC. The prognostic value of stromal NGAL expression was significant in a univariate analysis, while only a trend was found in multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to show the clinical significance of stromal NGAL expression, which may be an indicator of poor prognosis and more aggressive histological grade in OSCC. Our data suggest that NGAL expression in tumour cells and expression in stroma are associated in different ways with OSCC differentiation.

The new platinum-based anticancer agent LA-12 induces retinol binding protein 4 in vivo

BACKGROUND

The initial pharmacokinetic study of a new anticancer agent (OC-6-43)-bis(acetato)(1-adamantylamine)amminedichloroplatinum (IV) (LA-12) was complemented by proteomic screening of rat plasma. The objective of the study was to identify new LA-12 target proteins that serve as markers of LA-12 treatment, response and therapy monitoring.

METHODS

Proteomic profiles were measured by surface-enhanced laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) in 72 samples of rat plasma randomized according to LA-12 dose and time from administration. Correlation of 92 peak clusters with platinum concentration was evaluated using Spearman correlation analysis.

RESULTS

We identified Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) whose level correlated with LA-12 level in treated rats. Similar results were observed in randomly selected patients involved in Phase I clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

RBP4 induction is in agreement with known RBP4 regulation by amantadine and cisplatin. Since retinol metabolism is disrupted in many cancers and inversely associates with malignancy, these data identify a potential novel mechanism for the action of LA-12 and other similar anti-cancer drugs.

Carnosic acid attenuates renal injury in an experimental model of rat cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

Nephrotoxicity is one of the serious dose limiting side effects of cisplatin when used in the treatment of various malignant conditions. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress caused by free radicals and apoptosis of renal cells contributes to the pathogenesis of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Present study was aimed to explore the effect of carnosic acid, a potent antioxidant, against cisplatin induced oxidative stress and nephrotoxicity in rats. A single dose of cisplatin (7.5mg/kg) caused marked renal damage, characterized by a significant (P<0.05) increase in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and relative weight of kidney with higher kidney MDA (malondialdehyde), tROS (total reactive oxygen species), caspase 3, GSH (reduced glutathione) levels and lowered tissue nitrite, SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase), GR (glutathione reductase) and GST (glutathione S-transferase) levels compared to normal control. Carnosic acid treatment significantly (P<0.05) attenuated the increase in lipid peroxidation, caspase-3 and ROS generation and enhanced the levels of reduced glutathione, tissue nitrite level and activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, GR and GST compared to cisplatin control. The present study demonstrates that carnosic acid has a protective effect on cisplatin induced experimental nephrotoxicity and is attributed to its potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties.

Protective role of Ipomoea obscura (L.) on cyclophosphamide-induced uro- and nephrotoxicities by modulating antioxidant status and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is widely used, alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, for the treatment of neoplastic diseases. Its urotoxicity may cause dose-limiting side-effects, for example haemorrhagic cystitis. This urotoxicity may lead to nephrotoxicity. In the present study, we investigated the protective role of Ipomoea obscura against CP-induced uro- and nephrotoxicities in animal models. Swiss albino mice were treated with an acute dose of CP (1.5 mmol/kg body wt ip) in the presence and absence of alcoholic extract of I. obscura (10 mg/kg, body wt, ip) for 5 days. The toxicities caused by CP were reversed by the extract administration as evident from the decrease in BUN, serum creatinine levels as well as an increase in body weight. A significant increase in kidney antioxidant system such as, GSH, SOD, CAT, and GPx was also observed in extract-treated animals. Histopathological analysis of urinary bladder and kidney indicated that CP-induced tissue damage was significantly reduced in animals treated with I. obscura. The lowered levels of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-2, after CP treatment were found to be increased in treated animals. At the same time the level of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, which was elevated during CP administration, was significantly reduced by extract administration. This study clearly demonstrates that I. obscura can ameliorate CP-induced bladder and renal toxicities by modulating antioxidant status and proinflammatory cytokine levels.

The impact of ZnO nanoparticle aggregates on the embryonic development of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

With extensive use of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in a variety of applications comes a higher potential of release into aquatic environments. NPs tend to form much larger aggregates in water, which are expected to settle down to the bottom of the water column and possibly get mixed with the sediments. However, little is known about the environmental impacts and biological effects of these aggregated NPs in the sediment column. In this study, we examined the sedimentation of nanoscale ZnO particles (nZnO) in zebrafish culture medium, and assessed the toxicity of settled nZnO aggregates on developing zebrafish embryos and larvae. Given the known dissolution of nZnO particles to release Zn(2+), we also assessed the toxic effect of soluble Zn(2+) in this organism. We demonstrated that within 48 h, micron-sized nZnO aggregates were formed and settled out of the culture medium. These aggregates were found to exert dose-dependent toxicity to zebrafish embryos and larvae, reducing the hatching rate and causing pericardial edema. The observed toxicity of the nZnO aggregates was not likely a result solely of particle dissolution, as soluble Zn(2+) alone caused much less toxicity to zebrafish embryos than nZnO. Instead, the combination of both nZnO and Zn(2+) may contribute to the embryonic toxicity, possibly by increasing reactive oxidative species (ROS) and/or compromising the cellular oxidative stress response. Interestingly, we demonstrated that one type of formulated sediments could mitigate the toxicity of nZnO aggregates, highlighting a possible countermeasure to reduce the adverse impact of nZnO aggregates on the environment.

Emerging urinary biomarkers in the diagnosis of acute kidney injury

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a common and devastating problem in clinical medicine. The lack of early biomarkers for AKI has led to a delay in initiating potentially effective therapies. OBJECTIVE: Identification of novel urinary biomarkers for AKI that have progressed to the clinical phase of the biomarker discovery process. METHODS: A literature review (PubMed, MedLine) from 2000 to the present. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS;: The most promising AKI biomarkers include neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, IL-18, kidney injury molecule-1 and liver-type fatty acid binding protein. Studies to validate the sensitivity and specificity of these biomarkers in clinical samples from large cohorts and from multiple clinical situations are in progress, facilitated by the development of commercial tools for their measurement.

Attenuation of cisplatin nephrotoxicity by inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase

Cisplatin is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent against many tumors; however, it is also a potent nephrotoxicant. Given that there have been no significant advances in our ability to clinically manage acute renal failure since the advent of dialysis, the development of novel strategies to ablate nephrotoxicity would represent a significant development. In this study, we investigated the ability of an inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), n-butyl ester of 12-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureiido)-dodecanoic acid (nbAUDA), to attenuate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. nbAUDA is quickly converted to AUDA and results in maintenance of high AUDA levels in vivo. Subcutaneous administration of 40 mg/kg of nbAUDA to C3H mice every 24 h resulted in elevated blood levels of AUDA; this protocol was also associated with attenuation of nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin (intraperitoneal injection) as assessed by BUN levels and histological evaluation of kidneys. This is the first report of the use of sEH inhibitors to protect against acute nephrotoxicity and suggests a therapeutic potential of these compounds.