Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Attenuates LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury With Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Apoptotic Effects

NMN Synbiotics: A Multifaceted Therapeutic Approach for Alzheimer's Disease

With the aging global population, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a significant social and economic burden, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) synbiotics, a combination of NMN, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CGMCC 1.16089, and lactulose, in mitigating AD pathology. APP/PS1 mice were supplemented with NMN synbiotics and compared against control groups. The effects on amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, intestinal histopathology, tight junction proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed. NMN synbiotics intervention significantly reduced Aβ deposition in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus by 67% and 60%, respectively. It also ameliorated histopathological changes in the colon, reducing crypt depth and restoring goblet cell numbers. The expression of tight junction proteins Claudin-1 and ZO-1 was significantly upregulated, enhancing intestinal barrier integrity. Furthermore, NMN synbiotics decreased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and reduced ROS levels, indicative of attenuated oxidative stress. The reduction in Aβ deposition, enhancement of intestinal barrier function, decrease in neuroinflammation, and alleviation of oxidative stress suggest that NMN synbiotics present a promising therapeutic intervention for AD by modulating multiple pathological pathways. Further research is required to elucidate the precise mechanisms, particularly the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which may offer a novel target for AD treatment.

Edaravone: A Possible Treatment for Acute Lung Injury

Despite technological advances in science and medicine, acute lung injury (ALI) is still associated with high mortality rates in the ICU. Therefore, finding novel drugs and treatment approaches is crucial to preventing ALI. Drug repurposing is a common practice in clinical research, primarily for drugs that have previously received approval for use in patients, to investigate novel uses of drugs and therapies. One such medication is edaravone, which is a highly effective free-radical scavenger that also has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic effects. Both basic and clinical studies have shown that edaravone can treat different types of lung injury through its distinct properties. Edaravone exhibits significant protective benefits and holds promising clinical treatment potential for ALI caused by diverse factors, thereby offering a novel approach to treating ALI. This study aims to provide new insights and treatment options for ALI by reviewing both basic and clinical research on the use of edaravone. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness of edaravone in treating ALI caused by various factors.

Analysis of Active Components and Transcriptome of Freesia refracta Callus Extract and Its Effects against Oxidative Stress and Wrinkles in Skin

Freesia refracta (FR), a perennial flower of the Iris family (Iridaceae), is widely used in cosmetics despite limited scientific evidence of its skin benefits and chemical composition, particularly of FR callus extract (FCE). This study identified biologically active compounds in FCE and assessed their skin benefits, focusing on anti-aging. FR calli were cultured, extracted with water at 40 °C, and analyzed using Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and HCA, revealing key compounds, namely nicotinamide and pyroglutamic acid. FCE significantly increased collagen I production by 52% in normal and aged fibroblasts and enhanced fibroblast-collagen interaction by 37%. An in vivo study of 43 female volunteers demonstrated an 11.1% reduction in skin roughness and a 2.3-fold increase in collagen density after 28 days of cream application containing 3% FCE. Additionally, the preservation tests of cosmetics containing FCE confirmed their stability over 12 weeks. These results suggest that FCE offers substantial anti-aging benefits by enhancing collagen production and fibroblast-collagen interactions. These findings highlighted the potential of FCE in cosmetic applications, providing significant improvements in skin smoothness and overall appearance. This study fills a gap in the scientific literature regarding the skin benefits and chemical composition of FR callus extract, supporting its use in the development of effective cosmeceuticals.

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide improves oocyte maturation of mice with type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND

The number of patients with type 1 diabetes rises rapidly around the world in recent years. Maternal diabetes has a detrimental effect on reproductive outcomes due to decreased oocyte quality. However, the strategies to improve the oocyte quality and artificial reproductive technology (ART) efficiency of infertile females suffering from diabetes have not been fully studied. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on oocyte maturation of mouse with type 1 diabetes mouse and explore the underlying mechanisms of NMN's effect.

METHODS

Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to establish the mouse models with type 1 diabetes. The successful establishment of the models was confirmed by the results of body weight test, fasting blood glucose test and haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. The in vitro maturation (IVM) rate of oocytes from diabetic mice was examined. Immunofluorescence staining (IF) was performed to examine the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, spindle/chromosome structure, mitochondrial function, actin dynamics, DNA damage and histone modification of oocytes, which are potential factors affecting the oocyte quality. The quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of Sod1, Opa1, Mfn2, Drp1, Sirt1 and Sirt3 in oocytes.

RESULTS

The NMN supplementation increased the oocyte maturation rate of the mice with diabetes. Furthermore, NMN supplementation improved the oocyte quality by rescuing the actin dynamics, reversing meiotic defects, improving the mitochondrial function, reducing ROS level, suppressing DNA damage and restoring changes in histone modifications of oocytes collected from the mice with diabetes.

CONCLUSION

NMN could improve the maturation rate and quality of oocytes in STZ-induced diabetic mice, which provides a significant clue for the treatment of infertility of the patients with diabetes.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide as a therapeutic agent to alleviate multi-organ failure in sepsis

BACKGROUND

Sepsis-caused multi-organ failure remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units with limited therapeutics. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), has been recently reported to be protective in sepsis; however, its therapeutic effects remain to be determined. This study sought to investigate the therapeutic effects of NMN in septic organ failure and its underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Sepsis was induced by feces-injection-in-peritoneum in mice. NMN was given after an hour of sepsis onset. Cultured neutrophils, macrophages and endothelial cells were incubated with various agents.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that administration of NMN elevated NAD+ levels and reduced serum lactate levels, oxidative stress, inflammation, and caspase-3 activity in multiple organs of septic mice, which correlated with the attenuation of heart dysfunction, pulmonary microvascular permeability, liver injury, and kidney dysfunction, leading to lower mortality. The therapeutic effects of NMN were associated with lower bacterial burden in blood, and less ROS production in septic mice. NMN improved bacterial phagocytosis and bactericidal activity of macrophages and neutrophils while reducing the lipopolysaccharides-induced inflammatory response of macrophages. In cultured endothelial cells, NMN mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, apoptosis, and barrier dysfunction induced by septic conditions, all of which were offset by SIRT3 inhibition.

CONCLUSION

NAD+ repletion with NMN prevents mitochondrial dysfunction and restrains bacterial dissemination while limiting inflammatory damage through SIRT3 signaling in sepsis. Thus, NMN may represent a therapeutic option for sepsis.

Cu-vitamin B3 donut-like MOFs incorporated into TEMPO-oxidized bacterial cellulose nanofibers for wound healing

In this study, a novel multifunctional nanocomposite wound dressing was developed, consisting of TEMPO-oxidized bacterial cellulose (TOBC) nanofibers functionalized with donut-like copper-based metal-organic frameworks (CuVB3 MOFs). These CuVB3 MOFs were constructed using copper nodes linked by vitamin B3 molecules, resulting in a copper nicotinate crystal structure as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of donut-like microstructures with uniform element distribution in the synthesized MOFs. Through the incorporation of CuVB3 MOFs into the TOBC nanofibers, innovative TOBC-CuVB3 nanocomposites were created. Biocompatibility testing using the MTT assay demonstrated enhanced cell viability of over 115% for the TOBC-CuVB3 nanocomposite. Acridine Orange staining revealed a ratio of 88-92% live cells on the wound dressings. Furthermore, fibroblast cells cultured on TOBC-CuVB3 exhibited expanded morphologies with long filopodia. The agar diffusion method exhibited improved antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, correlating with increased CuVB3 concentration in the samples. In vitro cellular scratch assays demonstrated excellent wound healing potential, with a closure rate of over 98% for wounds treated with the TOBC-CuVB3 nanocomposite. These findings underscore the synergistic effects of copper, vitamin B3, and TOBC nanofibers in the wound healing process.

Technology and functional insights into the nicotinamide mononucleotide for human health

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a naturally occurring biologically active nucleotide, mainly functions via mediating the biosynthesis of NAD⁺. In recent years, its excellent pharmacological activities including anti-aging, treating neurodegenerative diseases, and protecting the heart have attracted increasing attention from scholars and entrepreneurs for production of a wide range of formulations, including functional food ingredients, health care products, active pharmaceuticals, and pharmaceutical intermediates. Presently, the synthesis methods of NMN mainly include two categories: chemical synthesis and biosynthesis. With the development of biocatalyst engineering and synthetic biology strategies, bio-preparation has proven to be efficient, economical, and sustainable methods. This review summarizes the chemical synthesis and biosynthetic pathways of NMN and provides an in-depth investigation on the mining and modification of enzyme resources during NMN biosynthesis, as well as the screening of hosts and optimization of chassis cells via metabolic engineering, which provide effective strategies for efficient production of NMN. In addition, an overview of the significant physiological functions and activities of NMN is elaborated. Finally, future research on technical approaches to further enhance NMN synthesis and strengthen clinical studies of NMN are prospected, which would lay the foundation for further promoting the application of NMN in nutrition, healthy food, and medicine in the future. KEY POINTS: • NMN supplementation effectively increases the level of NAD⁺. • The chemical and biological synthesis of NMN are comprehensively reviewed. • The impact of NMN on the treatment of various diseases is summarized.

The Role of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Cardiovascular Comorbidities in COPD

Oxidative stress driven by several environmental and local airway factors associated with chronic obstructive bronchiolitis, a hallmark feature of COPD, plays a crucial role in disease pathomechanisms. Unbalance between oxidants and antioxidant defense mechanisms amplifies the local inflammatory processes, worsens cardiovascular health, and contributes to COPD-related cardiovascular dysfunctions and mortality. The current review summarizes recent developments in our understanding of different mechanisms contributing to oxidative stress and its countermeasures, with special attention to those that link local and systemic processes. Major regulatory mechanisms orchestrating these pathways are also introduced, with some suggestions for further research in the field.

Effects of β-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Berberine, and Cordycepin on Lipid Droplet Content and Developmental Ability of Vitrified Bovine Oocytes

Oocyte vitrification is crucial for livestock reproduction, germplasm conservation, and human-assisted reproduction, but the overabundance of lipids is highly detrimental to oocyte development. It is necessary to reduce the lipid droplet content of oocytes before cryopreservation. This study analyzed the impact of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), berberine (BER), or cordycepin (COR) on various aspects of bovine oocytes, including lipid droplet content and the expression levels of genes related to lipid synthesis in bovine oocytes, development ability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and the expression levels of genes associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and mitochondrial function in vitrified bovine oocytes. The results of our study indicated that 1 μM NMN, 2.5 μM BER, and 1 μM COR were effective in reducing the lipid droplet content and suppressing the expression levels of genes involved in lipid synthesis in bovine oocytes. Our findings showed that the vitrified bovine oocytes treated with 1 μM of NMN had a significantly higher survival rate and better development ability compared to the other vitrified groups. Additionally, 1 μM NMN, 2.5 μM BER, and 1 μM COR decreased the levels of ROS and apoptosis, decreased the mRNA expression levels of genes involved in ER stress and mitochondrial fission but increased the mRNA expression levels of genes associated with mitochondrial fusion in the vitrified bovine oocytes. Our study results suggested that 1 μM NMN, 2.5 μM BER, and 1 μM COR effectively decreased the lipid droplet content and enhanced the development ability of vitrified bovine oocytes by lowering ROS levels, reducing ER stress, regulating mitochondrial function, and inhibiting apoptosis. Furthermore, the results showed that 1 μM NMN was more effective than 2.5 μM BER and 1 μM COR.

Discovery and pharmacological characterization of a novel benzimidazole TRPV4 antagonist with cyanocyclobutyl moiety

GSK-Bz, a TPRV4 antagonist discovered by GSK, displayed potent in vitro TRPV4 inhibition activity, and demonstrated ability to inhibit TRPV4-mediated pulmonary edema in an in vivo rat model. In this study, a series of GSK-Bz derivatives were designed and synthesized based on our previous findings. Compound 2b with cyanocyclobutyl moiety (IC₅₀ = 22.65 nM) was found to be 5.3-fold more potent than GSK-Bz (IC₅₀ = 121.6 nM) in the calcium imaging experiment. Patch-clamp experiments confirmed that compound 2b (IR = 77.1%) also gave significantly improved potency on TRPV4 currents measured at -60 mV. Furthermore, 2b effectively suppressed the permeability response to LPS in HUVEC with negligible cytotoxicity (CC₅₀ > 100 μM). The in vivo protective effects of compounds 2b on acute lung injury were finally assessed in an LPS-induced ALI mice model. Notably, 2b gave better results than HC-067047 against all of the tested indexes (lung W/D ratios, the concentrations of BALF protein and pathological scores), indicating that 2b is a novel and highly potent TRPV4 antagonist which is worth for further development. Currently, evaluation for the drug-like properties of 2b is underway.

Protective effect of soloxolone derivatives in carrageenan- and LPS-driven acute inflammation: Pharmacological profiling and their effects on key inflammation-related processes

The anti-inflammatory potential of three cyanoenone-containing triterpenoids, including soloxolone methyl (SM), soloxolone (S) and its novel derivative bearing at the C-30 amidoxime moiety (SAO), was studied in murine models of acute inflammation. It was found that the compounds effectively suppressed the development of carrageenan-induced paw edema and peritonitis as well as lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-driven acute lung injury (ALI) with therapeutic outcomes comparable with that of the reference drugs indomethacin and dexamethasone. Non-immunogenic carrageenan-stimulated inflammation was more sensitive to the transformation of C-30 of SM compared with immunogenic LPS-induced inflammation: the anti-inflammatory properties of the studied compounds against carrageenan-induced paw edema and peritonitis decreased in the order of SAO > S > > SM, whereas the efficiency of these triterpenoids against LPS-driven ALI was similar (SAO ≈ S ≈ SM). Further studies demonstrated that soloxolone derivatives significantly inhibited a range of immune-related processes, including granulocyte influx and the expression of key pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the inflamed sites as well as the functional activity of macrophages. Moreover, SM was found to prevent inflammation-associated apoptosis of A549 pneumocytes and effectively inhibited the protease activity of thrombin (IC₅₀ = 10.3 µM) tightly associated with rodent inflammatome. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that soloxolone derivatives can be considered as novel promising anti-inflammatory drug candidates with multi-targeted mechanism of action.