Regionally infused lidocaine can dose-dependently protect the ischemic spinal cord in rabbits and may be associated with the EAA changes

Lidocaine attenuates hypoxia/reoxygenation‑induced inflammation, apoptosis and ferroptosis in lung epithelial cells by regulating the p38 MAPK pathway

Lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury poses a serious threat to human health, worldwide. The current study aimed to determine the role of lidocaine in A549 cells, in addition to the involvement of the p38 MAPK pathway. Oxygen deprivation/reoxygenation-induced A549 cells were utilized to simulate I/R injury in vitro. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected using MTT and TUNEL assays, respectively. The levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using corresponding commercial kits. The corresponding protein expression levels were also measured using western blotting. Moreover, a monolayer cell paracellular permeability assay was performed to determine the permeability of A549 cells. The results demonstrated that, whilst lidocaine had no influence on untreated A549 cells, it significantly increased the viability of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced A549 cells. A549 cell apoptosis and the release of inflammatory cytokines in the H/R group were decreased after the addition of lidocaine. When compared with the H/R group, increased MDA level and decreased SOD level were observed in H/R-induced A549 cells following lidocaine treatment. In addition, the permeability of H/R-induced A549 cells was markedly decreased following lidocaine treatment. Compared with the H/R group, the expression levels of tight junction and ferroptosis-related proteins were significantly upregulated by lidocaine, whereas the expression of transferrin was downregulated. However, p79350, an agonist of p38, reversed the effects of lidocaine on H/R-induced A549 cells. In conclusion, lidocaine exerted a protective role in HR-induced lung epithelial cell injury, which may serve as a potential agent for the treatment of patients with lung I/R injury.

Sulfiredoxin-1 protects spinal cord neurons against oxidative stress in the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model through the bax/cytochrome c/caspase 3 apoptosis pathway

BACKGROUND

Spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury is a common clinical, pathophysiological phenomenon with complex molecular mechanisms. Currently, there are no therapeutics available to alleviate the same. This study investigates the protective effects of sulfiredoxin-1 (Srxn 1) on spinal cord neurons following exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Primary spinal cord neurons were cultured, detected by anti-tubulin βⅢ, and transfected with adeno-associated virus (AAV)-Srxn 1 to overexpress Srxn 1. They were identified by their morphology and CCK-8 assay. The superoxide dismutase level was measured by superoxide dismutase assay. Malondialdehyde level was measured by malondialdehyde assay. The apoptosis ratio was calculated by Hoechst 33342 and Annexin V-PE/7-AAD staining. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm) was detected by tetramethylrhodamine-methyl ester-perchlorate (TMRM) staining. The mRNA expression levels of Srxn 1 and caspase 3 were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and the protein expression levels of Srxn 1, bax, bcl-2, cytosolic cytochrome c, and caspase 3 were detected by western blotting.

RESULTS

AAV-Srxn 1 up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of Srxn 1 in spinal cord neurons. Following exposure to OGD/R, overexpression of Srxn 1 improved the neuronal viability, alleviated the neuron apoptosis, enhanced the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, increased the SOD level, decreased the MDA level, inhibited the expression of cytosolic cytochrome c, bax, and caspase 3, and promoted the expression of bcl-2.

CONCLUSION

Srxn 1 plays a significant role in anti-apoptosis of spinal cord neurons, and Srxn 1 may be a potential therapeutic target for spinal cord I/R injury.