FBXW5 aggravates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury via promoting phosphorylation of ASK1 in a TRAF6-dependent manner

Multimodal modulation of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion-induced injury by phytochemical agents: A mechanistic evaluation of hepatoprotective potential and safety profiles

BACKGROUND

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a clinically fundamental phenomenon that occurs through liver resection surgery, trauma, shock, and transplantation.

AIMS OF THE REVIEW

This review article affords an expanded and comprehensive overview of various natural herbal ingredients that have demonstrated hepatoprotective effects against I/R injury through preclinical studies in animal models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For the objective of this investigation, an extensive examination was carried out utilizing diverse scientific databases involving PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), and Research Gate. The investigation was conducted based on specific identifiable terms, such as hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury, liver resection and transplantation, cytokines, inflammation, NF-kB, interleukins, herbs, plants, natural ingredients, phenolic extract, and aqueous extract.

RESULTS

Bioactive ingredients derived from ginseng, curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, lycopene, punicalagin, crocin, celastrol, andrographolide, silymarin, and others and their effects on hepatic IRI were discussed. The specific mechanisms of action, signaling pathways, and clinical relevance for attenuation of liver enzymes, cytokine production, immune cell infiltration, oxidative damage, and cell death signaling in rodent studies are analyzed in depth. Their complex molecular actions involve modulation of pathways like TLR4, NF-κB, Nrf2, Bcl-2 family proteins, and others.

CONCLUSION

The natural ingredients have promising values in the protection and treatment of various chronic aggressive clinical conditions, and that need to be evaluated on humans by clinical studies.

Oridonin attenuates liver ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing PKM2/NLRP3-mediated macrophage pyroptosis

BACKGROUND

The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) mediated pyroptosis of macrophages is closely associated with liver ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). As a covalent inhibitor of NLRP3, Oridonin (Ori), has strong anti-inflammasome effect, but its effect and mechanisms for liver IRI are still unknown.

METHODS

Mice and liver macrophages were treated with Ori, respectively. Co-IP and LC-MS/MS analysis of the interaction between PKM2 and NLRP3 in macrophages. Liver damage was detected using H&E staining. Pyroptosis was detected by WB, TEM, and ELISA.

RESULTS

Ori ameliorated liver macrophage pyroptosis and liver IRI. Mechanistically, Ori inhibited the interaction between pyruvate kinase M2 isoform (PKM2) and NLRP3 in hypoxia/reoxygenation（H/R）-induced macrophages, while the inhibition of PKM2/NLRP3 reduced liver macrophage pyroptosis and liver IRI.

CONCLUSION

Ori exerted protective effects on liver IRI via suppressing PKM2/NLRP3-mediated liver macrophage pyroptosis, which might become a potential therapeutic target in the clinic.

FDA compound library screening Baicalin upregulates TREM2 for the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of global incidence and mortality rates. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key factors in the pathogenesis of AIS neuroinjury. Therefore, it is necessary to develop drugs that target neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in AIS. The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2), primarily expressed on microglial cell membranes, plays a critical role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in AIS. In this study, we employed a high-throughput screening (HTS) strategy to evaluate 2625 compounds from the (Food and Drug Administration) FDA library in vitro to identify compounds that upregulate the TREM2 receptor on microglia. Through this screening, we identified Baicalin as a potential drug for AIS treatment. Baicalin, a flavonoid compound extracted and isolated from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis, demonstrated promising results. Next, we established an in vivo mouse model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (MCAO/R) and an in vitro microglia cell of oxygen-glucose deprivation reperfusion (OGD/R) to investigate the role of Baicalin in inflammation injury, oxidative stress, and neuronal apoptosis. Our results showed that baicalin effectively inhibited microglia activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammatory responses in vitro. Additionally, baicalin suppressed neuronal cell apoptosis. In the in vivo experiments, baicalin not only improved neurological functional deficits and reduced infarct volume but also inhibited microglia activation and inflammatory responses. Overall, our findings demonstrate the efficacy of Baicalin in treating MCAO/R by upregulating TREM2 to reduce inflammatory responses and inhibit neuronal apoptosis.

TRIM37 exacerbates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by facilitating IKKγ translocation

BACKGROUND

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is one of the major pathological processes associated with various liver surgeries. However, there is still a lack of strategies to protect against hepatic I/R injury because of the unknown underlying mechanism. The present study aimed to identify a potential strategy and provide a fundamental experimental basis for treating hepatic I/R injury.

METHOD

A classic 70% ischemia/reperfusion injury was established. Immunoprecipitation was used to identify direct interactions between proteins. The expression of proteins from different subcellular localizations was detected by Western blotting. Cell translocation was directly observed by immunofluorescence. HE, TUNEL and ELISA were performed for function tests.

RESULT

We report that tripartite motif containing 37 (TRIM37) aggravates hepatic I/R injury through the reinforcement of IKK-induced inflammation following dual patterns. Mechanistically, TRIM37 directly interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), inducing K63 ubiquitination and eventually leading to the phosphorylation of IKKβ. TRIM37 enhances the translocation of IKKγ, a regulatory subunit of the IKK complex, from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, thereby stabilizing the cytoplasmic IKK complex and prolonging the duration of inflammation. Inhibition of IKK rescued the function of TRIM37 in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, the present study discloses some potential function of TRIM37 in hepatic I/R injury. Targeting TRIM37 might be potential for treatment against hepatic I/R injury.Targeting TRIM37 might be a potential treatment strategy against hepatic I/R injury.

Mechanism of ASK1 involvement in liver diseases and related potential therapeutic targets: A critical pathway molecule worth investigating

Since the discovery of apoptosis signal-regulated kinase 1 (ASK1), the signal transduction mechanism and pathophysiological process involved in its regulation have been continuously revealed. Many previous studies have identified that ASK1 is involved and plays a critical role in the development of diseases affecting the nervous, cardiac, renal, and other systems. As a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase kinase, ASK1 mediates apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation, and other pathological processes by activating its downstream c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/p38 MAPK. Owing to the important role of ASK1, an increasing number of studies in recent years have focused on its status in liver-related diseases. In this paper, we review the mechanisms and targets of ASK1 in liver-related diseases to emphasize its important role in the development of liver disease.

MAPK Signaling Pathways in Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

The mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway can be activated by a variety of growth factors, cytokines, and hormones, and mediates numerous intracellular signals related to cellular activities, including cell proliferation, motility, and differentiation. It has been widely studied in the occurrence and development of inflammation and tumor. Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a common pathophysiological phenomenon that occurs in surgical procedures such as lobectomy and liver transplantation, which is characterized by severe inflammatory reaction after ischemia and reperfusion. In this review, we mainly discuss the role of p38, ERK1/2, JNK in MAPK family and TAK1 and ASK1 in MAPKKK family in HIRI, and try to find an effective treatment for HIRI.

DUSP9 alleviates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by restraining both mitogen-activated protein kinase and IKK in an apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1-dependent manner

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs frequently in various liver operations and diseases, but its effective treatment remains inadequate because the key switch that leads to hepatic explosive inflammation has not been well disclosed. Dual specificity phosphatase 9 (DUSP9) is widely involved in the innate immune response of solid organs and is sometimes regulated by ubiquitin. In the present study, we find that DUSP9 is reduced in mouse hepatic I/R injury. DUSP9 enrichment attenuates hepatic inflammation both in vivo and in vitro as revealed by western blot analysis and qRT-PCR. In contrast, DUSP9 depletion leads to more severe I/R injury. Mechanistically, DUSP9 inhibits the phosphorylation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) by directly binding to ASK1, thereby decreasing tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), K63 ubiquitin and the phosphorylation of p38/JNK1 instead of ERK1. The present study documents a novel role of DUSP9 in hepatic I/R injury and implies the potential of targeting the DUSP9/ASK1 axis towards mitogen-activated protein kinase and TRAF6/inhibitor of κB kinase pathways.