Cys-peptide mediates the protective role in preeclampsia-like rat and cell models

Huc-MSC-derived exosomal miR-144 alleviates inflammation in LPS-induced preeclampsia-like pregnant rats via the FosB/Flt-1 pathway

Background

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common and severe hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (Exos-MSC) have been reported to mitigate the progression of inflammatory diseases. The study aimed to explore the effects of human umbilical cord-derived Exos-MSC (huc-Exos-MSC) on PE-like models.

Methods

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to construct in vitro and in vivo PE-like models. Exosomes were treated with LPS-induced PE-like cells and rats.

Results

PE-like inflammatory models of pregnant rats and cells were successfully constructed in vivo and in vitro. miR-144 was screened by bioinformatics analysis. Exosomes were successfully extracted. Silencing FosB, overexpressing miR-144 or treating with exosomes extracted from huc-MSC overexpressing miR-144 in (Exos-MSCmiR-144) reversed the LPS-induced decline in HTR-8/SVneo cell viability and migration. In addition, the above groups decreased LPS-induced increases in interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB (p-NF-κB)/NF-κB, soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), and Flt-1 levels. Simultaneously, transfection of miR-144 mimics and overexpressing FosB reversed those changes in the miR-144 mimics group. miR-144 might alleviate LPS-induced HTR-8/SVneo cell inflammation by targeting FosB. Injection of Exos-MSCmiR-144 in PE-like pregnant rats reversed LPS-induced increases in FosB expression, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), as well as mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, urine albumin/creatine ratio, inflammatory factors, p-NF-κB/NF-κB, and sFlt-1 levels. Furthermore, compared with the model group, the proportion of live births was significantly higher in the model + Exos-MSCmiR-144 group, while the apoptosis rate of fetal rat brain tissue was significantly lower.

Conclusions

We found that huc-Exos-MSC-derived miR-144 alleviated gestational hypertension and inflammation in PE-like pregnant rats by regulating the FosB/Flt-1 pathway. In addition, huc-Exos-MSC-derived miR-144 could partially reverse the LPS-induced adverse pregnancy outcome and brain injury in fetal rats, laying the foundation for developing new treatments for PE.

The Novel Peptide AEDPPE Alleviates Trophoblast Cell Dysfunction Associated With Preeclampsia by Regulating the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious risk to the health of pregnant women and fetuses during pregnancy, and there is no effective treatment for this condition. Although many reports have confirmed the therapeutic effects of peptides in diseases, the role of peptides in PE remains poorly understood.

Methods: A differentially expressed peptide in PE (AEDPPE) is derived from heat-shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1), amino acids 100 to 109 (DVNHFAPDEL), which we identified in a previous study. We synthesized AEDPPE and investigated its effect on HTR-8/SVneo cell function using a Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometric assay, and Transwell and wound-healing assays. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and ELISA were used to determine cytokine expression. Pull-down assay, mass spectrometry, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence were used to explore the potential targets and signaling pathways regulated by AEDPPE. Finally, we assessed the effect of AEDPPE in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PE-like rat model.

Results: AEDPPE significantly promoted the migration and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells, and it decreased the expression of interleukins 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 8 (IL-8). These functions performed by AEDPPE remained evident after injury to HTR-8/SVneo cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and AEDPPE reversed the elevated sFlt-1/PlGF ratio induced by TNF-α. AEDPPE may exert these biological effects by binding to heat-shock protein 90β (HSP 90β) and, thus, affect the NF-κB signaling pathway. In an LPS-induced PE-like rat model, AEDPPE significantly improved PE symptoms and fetal rat outcomes.

Conclusion: Our study showed that AEDPPE enhanced trophoblast migration and invasion and reduced inflammatory cytokine expression, and we hypothesized that these actions involved the NF-κB signaling pathway. The use of AEDPPE may thus develop into a novel modality in the treatment of PE.

Protective effect of Fisetin on the lipopolysaccharide-induced preeclampsia-like rats

OBJECTIVE

This article is aimed to investigate the function and underlying action mechanism of Fisetin in LPS-induced PE rats.

METHODS

LPS-induced PE-like rat model was established to explore the effects of Fisetin on PE in vivo.

RESULTS

Fisetin reduced hypertension, proteinuria, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, MDA, and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, but elevated the placental, fetal weight, GSH and SOD in PE rats. Moreover, Fisetin suppressed TLR4/NF-κB pathway, as well as promoting Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in placental tissues of PE rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Fisetin exerted protective role and modulated the activation of TLR4/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways in PE-like rat models.

A Novel Peptide Ameliorates TNFα- and LPS-Induced Endothelia Dysfunction in Preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

To investigate the protective effects of the novel peptide antiendothelial dysfunction peptide in preeclampsia (AEDPPE) on tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injury in the vascular endothelium in preeclampsia.

METHODS

The effects of AEDPPE on TNFα-induced vascular endothelial injury were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative real-time PCR, mitochondrial membrane potential assay, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, THP-1 monocyte-human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion assay, endothelial tube-forming assay, transcriptomic analysis, preeclamptic symptom analysis, and histological analysis in preeclampsia-like rat models induced by LPS.

RESULTS

AEDPPE alleviated the upregulation of antiangiogenic factors including soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, endothelin-1, and tissue plasminogen activator and attenuated the reduction in mitochondrial potential induced by TNFα in HUVECs. In addition, AEDPPE treatment counteracted the decrease in tube formation and decreased the numbers of THP-1 monocytes attached to HUVECs caused by TNFα. Mechanistically, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions enriched many genes and the TNF signaling pathway may be involved in this phenomenon. Moreover, cotreatment with LPS and AEDPPE significantly reversed the preeclampsia-like phenotype including hypertension and proteinuria and improved the functions of the kidney and placenta.

CONCLUSIONS

AEDPPE effectively ameliorated the vascular endothelial injury induced by TNFα and LPS in preeclampsia. We suggest that AEDPPE may be a novel therapeutic candidate for preeclampsia treatment. These findings demonstrate that AEDPPE may play an effective role in ameliorating vascular endothelial dysfunction and be a potential therapeutic agent for preeclampsia.

The COL-4A1 polypeptide destroy endothelial cells through the TGF-β/PI3K/AKT pathway

Preeclampsia (PE) is commonly considered as a placental disorder in pregnancy. Until now, the etiology and pathological mechanism of PE have remained ambiguous. Although PE can lead to a variety of maternal and infant complications, there are still no effective treatments. This study aimed to explore the correlation between the novel polypeptide COL-4A1 and PE, and to identify the underlying mechanism by which this polypeptide may function and to explore new therapeutic targets for PE. A rat model of PE was established and used to verify the function of the polypeptide COL-4A1 in vivo. Additionally, human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with or without COL-4A1 and TNF-α (20 ng/ml). Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), wound-healing, Transwell and tube formation assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation, migration and angiopoiesis. RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry were conducted to explore the underlying downstream mechanism of COL-4A1. In vivo, COL-4A1 increased blood pressure and elevated the risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR) which was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rat model. In vitro, COL-4A1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HUVECs. After culture with COL-4A1, compared to control group the adhesive ability and level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were enhanced and tube formation ability was decreased. Furthermore, Western blotting (WB) and pull-down assays were conducted to explore the underlying mechanism by which COL-4A1 functions, and the TGF-β/PI3K/AKT pathway was identified as the potential pathway involved in its effects. In summary, these results revealed that the polypeptide COL-4A1 caused PE-like symptoms in cells and a rat model. Through the TGF-β/PI3K/AKT pathway, COL-4A1 interferes with the pathogenesis of PE. Thus COL-4A1 is expected to become a potential target of PE, providing a basis for exploring the treatment of PE.