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Tang Y, Wei J, Wang XF, Long T, Xiang X, Qu L, Wang X, Yu C, Xiao X, Hu X, Zeng J, Xu Q, Wu A, Wu J, Qin D, Zhou X, Law BYK. Activation of autophagy by Citri Reticulatae Semen extract ameliorates amyloid-beta-induced cell death and cognition deficits in Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2467-2479. [PMID: 38526283 PMCID: PMC11090445 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-00954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202419110-00027/figure1/v/2024-03-08T184507Z/r/image-tiff Amyloid-beta-induced neuronal cell death contributes to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. Citri Reticulatae Semen has diverse beneficial effects on neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, however, the effect of Citri Reticulatae Semen on Alzheimer's disease remains unelucidated. In the current study, the anti-apoptotic and autophagic roles of Citri Reticulatae Semen extract on amyloid-beta-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells were first investigated. Citri Reticulatae Semen extract protected PC12 cells from amyloid-beta-induced apoptosis by attenuating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio via activation of autophagy. In addition, Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was confirmed to bind amyloid-beta as revealed by biolayer interferometry in vitro, and suppress amyloid-beta-induced pathology such as paralysis, in a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo model. Moreover, genetically defective Caenorhabditis elegans further confirmed that the neuroprotective effect of Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was autophagy-dependent. Most importantly, Citri Reticulatae Semen extract was confirmed to improve cognitive impairment, neuronal injury and amyloid-beta burden in 3×Tg Alzheimer's disease mice. As revealed by both in vitro and in vivo models, these results suggest that Citri Reticulatae Semen extract is a potential natural therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease via its neuroprotective autophagic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Tang
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jing Wei
- Eye School and Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Ophthalmopathy Prevention & Cure and Visual Function Protection of Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiao-Fang Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Tao Long
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiaohong Xiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Liqun Qu
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xingxia Wang
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chonglin Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xingli Xiao
- Department of Neurology, The First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, Neijiang, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xueyuan Hu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jing Zeng
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Anguo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jianming Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Dalian Qin
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Xiaogang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Betty Yuen-Kwan Law
- Dr. Neher’s Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
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Zhang R, Huang X, Zhou C, Zhang Q, Jia D, Xie X, Zhang J. Network pharmacology-based mechanism analysis of dauricine on the alleviating Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024; 24:321. [PMID: 39215261 PMCID: PMC11363685 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04589-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dauricine (DAU), a benzyl tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the root of Menispermum dauricum DC, exhibits promising anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) effects, but its underlying mechanisms remain inadequately investigated. This paper aims to identify potential targets and molecular mechanisms of DAU in AD treatment. METHODS Network pharmacology and molecular docking simulation method were used to screen and focus core targets. Various transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans models were chosen to validate the anti-AD efficacy and mechanism of DAU. RESULTS There are 66 potential DAU-AD target intersections identified from 100 DAU and 3036 AD-related targets. Subsequent protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis identified 16 core targets of DAU for anti-AD. PIK3CA, AKT1 and mTOR were predicted to be the central targets with the best connectivity through the analysis of "compound-target-biological process-pathway network". Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities between DAU and PIK3CA, AKT1, and mTOR. In vivo experiments demonstrated that DAU effectively reduced paralysis in AD nematodes caused by Aβ aggregation toxicity, downregulated expression of PIK3CA, AKT1, and mTOR homologues (age-1, akt-1, let-363), and upregulated expression of autophagy genes and the marker protein LGG-1. Simultaneously, DAU increased lysosomal content and enhanced degradation of the autophagy-related substrate protein P62. Thioflavin T(Th-T)staining experiment revealed that DAU decreased Aβ accumulation in AD nematodes. Further experiments also confirmed DAU's protein scavenging activity in polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregation nematodes. CONCLUSION Collectively, the mechanism of DAU against AD may be related to the activation of the autophagy-lysosomal protein clearance pathway, which contributes to the decrease of Aβ aggregation and the restoration of protein homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranran Zhang
- Institute of Cash Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
- College of Bioscience and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- College of Bioscience and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chunling Zhou
- College of Bioscience and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- College of Bioscience and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dongsheng Jia
- Institute of Cash Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoliang Xie
- Institute of Cash Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ju Zhang
- Institute of Cash Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, China.
- College of Bioscience and Engineering, Hebei University of Economics and Business, Shijiazhuang, China.
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Zhu F, Wang B, Qin D, Su X, Yu L, Wu J, Law BY, Guo M, Yu C, Zhou X, Wu A. Carpesii fructus extract exhibits neuroprotective effects in cellular and Caenorhabditis elegans models of Parkinson's disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14515. [PMID: 37905594 PMCID: PMC11017466 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Despite extensive research, no definitive cure or effective disease-modifying treatment for PD exists to date. Therefore, the identification of novel therapeutic agents with neuroprotective properties is of utmost importance. Here, we aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of Carpesii fructus extract (CFE) in both cellular and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) models of PD. METHODS The neuroprotective effect of CFE in H2O2- or 6-OHDA-induced PC-12 cells and α-synuclein-overexpressing PC-12 cells were investigated by determining the cell viability, mitochondrial damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, and α-synuclein expression. In NL5901, BZ555, and N2 worms, the expression of α-synuclein, motive ability, the viability of dopaminergic neurons, lifespan, and aging-related phenotypes were investigated. The signaling pathway was detected by Western blotting and validated by employing small inhibitors and RNAi bacteria. RESULTS In cellular models of PD, CFE significantly attenuated H2O2- or 6-OHDA-induced toxicity, as evidenced by increased cell viability and reduced apoptosis rate. In addition, CFE treatment suppressed ROS generation and restored mitochondrial membrane potential, highlighting its potential as a mitochondrial protective agent. Furthermore, CFE reduced the expression of α-synuclein in wide type (WT)-, A53T-, A30P-, or E46K-α-synuclein-overexpressing PC-12 cells. Our further findings reveal that CFE administration reduced α-synuclein expression and improved its induced locomotor deficits in NL5901 worms, protected dopaminergic neurons against 6-OHDA-induced degeneration in BZ555 worms, extended lifespan, delayed aging-related phenotypes, and enhanced the ability of stress resistance in N2 worms. Mechanistic studies suggest that the neuroprotective effects of CFE may involve the modulation of the MAPK signaling pathway, including ERK, JNK, and p38, whereas the interference of these pathways attenuated the neuroprotective effect of CFE in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION Overall, our study highlights the potential therapeutic value of CFE as a neuroprotective agent in the context of PD. Furthermore, elucidation of the active compounds of CFE will provide valuable insights for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng‐Dan Zhu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Bin‐Ding Wang
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Da‐Lian Qin
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Xiao‐Hui Su
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Jian‐Ming Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Betty Yuen‐Kwan Law
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and TechnologyTaipaChina
| | - Min‐Song Guo
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Chong‐Lin Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - Xiao‐Gang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
| | - An‐Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of EducationSchool of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhouChina
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Wu AG, Yong YY, He CL, Li YP, Zhou XY, Yu L, Chen Q, Lan C, Liu J, Yu CL, Qin DL, Wu JM, Zhou XG. Novel 18-norspirostane steroidal saponins: Extending lifespan and mitigating neurodegeneration through promotion of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 218:111901. [PMID: 38215997 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2024.111901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Pharmacological strategies to delay aging and combat age-related diseases are increasingly promising. This study explores the anti-aging and therapeutic effects of two novel 18-norspirostane steroidal saponins from Trillium tschonoskii Maxim, namely deoxytrillenoside CA (DTCA) and epitrillenoside CA (ETCA), using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Both DTCA and ETCA significantly extended the lifespan of wild-type N2 worms and improved various age-related phenotypes, including muscle health, motility, pumping rate, and lipofuscin accumulation. Furthermore, these compounds exhibited notable alleviation of pathology associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD), such as the reduction of α-synuclein and poly40 aggregates, improvement in motor deficits, and mitigation of neuronal damage. Meanwhile, DTCA and ETCA improved the lifespan and healthspan of PD- and HD-like C. elegans models. Additionally, DTCA and ETCA enhanced the resilience of C. elegans against heat and oxidative stress challenges. Mechanistic studies elucidated that DTCA and ETCA induced mitophagy and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis in C. elegans, while genetic mutations or RNAi knockdown affecting mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis effectively eliminated their capacity to extend lifespan and reduce pathological protein aggregates. Together, these compelling findings highlight the potential of DTCA and ETCA as promising therapeutic interventions for delaying aging and preventing age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Yong
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Chang-Long He
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Department of Pharmacy, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637000, China
| | - Ya-Ping Li
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Xing-Yue Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Cai Lan
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Chong-Lin Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Da-Lian Qin
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Jian-Ming Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
| | - Xiao-Gang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
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Ullah I, Uddin S, Zhao L, Wang X, Li H. Autophagy and UPS pathway contribute to nicotine-induced protection effect in Parkinson's disease. Exp Brain Res 2024:10.1007/s00221-023-06765-9. [PMID: 38430248 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06765-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The gradual nature of age-related neurodegeneration causes Parkinson's disease (PD) and impairs movement, memory, intellectual ability, and social interaction. One of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions affecting the central nervous system (CNS) among the elderly is PD. PD affects both motor and cognitive functions. Degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and buildup of the protein α-synuclein (α-Syn) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) are two major causes of this disorder. Both UPS and ALS systems serve to eliminate α-Syn. Autophagy and UPS deficits, shortened life duration, and lipofuscin buildup accelerate PD. This sickness has no cure. Innovative therapies are halting PD progression. Bioactive phytochemicals may provide older individuals with a natural substitute to help delay the onset of neurodegenerative illnesses. This study examines whether nicotine helps transgenic C. elegans PD models. According to numerous studies, nicotine enhances synaptic plasticity and dopaminergic neuronal survival. Upgrades UPS pathways, increases autophagy, and decreases oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. At 100, 150, and 200 µM nicotine levels, worms showed reduced α-Syn aggregation, repaired DA neurotoxicity after 6-OHDA intoxication, increased lifetime, and reduced lipofuscin accumulation. Furthermore, nicotine triggered autophagy and UPS. We revealed nicotine's potential as a UPS and autophagy activator to prevent PD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inam Ullah
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shahab Uddin
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Longhe Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Hongyu Li
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
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Kumar S, Akhila PV, Suchiang K. Hesperidin ameliorates Amyloid-β toxicity and enhances oxidative stress resistance and lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans through acr-16 mediated activation of the autophagy pathway. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 209:366-380. [PMID: 37913913 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.10.408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in aged populations. Aberrant amyloid-beta accumulation is a common pathological feature in AD patients. Dysfunction of autophagy and impairment of α7nAChR functioning are associated with enhanced amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation in AD patients. Hesperidin, a flavone glycoside found primarily in citrus species, is known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of hesperidin as an antiaging and anti-Aβ phytochemical were unclear. In this study, we found that hesperidin upregulates the acr-16 expression level in C. elegans as evidenced by increased GFP-tagged ACR-16 and GFP-tagged pmyo-3:ACR-16 expression in muscle and ventral nerve cord. Further, hesperidin upregulates the autophagy genes in wild-type N2, evident by increased GFP-tagged LGG-1 foci. However, hesperidin failed to upregulate the autophagy genes level in acr-16 mutant worms that suggests autophagy activation is mediated through acr-16. In addition, hesperidin showed antiaging and anti-oxidative effects, as evidenced by positive changes in different markers necessary for health span and lifespan. Additionally, hesperidin could upregulate acr-16 and autophagy genes (lgg-1 & bec-1) and ameliorates Aβ-induced toxicity as observed with reduce ROS accumulation, paralysis rate, and enhanced lifespan even in worms AD model CL4176 and CL2006 strain. Our finding suggests that hesperidin significantly enhances oxidative stress resistance, prolongs the lifespan, and protects against Aβ-induced toxicity in C. elegans. Thus, acr-16 mediated autophagy and antioxidation is associated with anti-aging and anti-Aβ effect of hesperidin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
| | - P V Akhila
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India
| | - Kitlangki Suchiang
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya, 793022, India.
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Fu HJ, Zhou XY, Li YP, Chen X, He YN, Qin DL, Yu L, Yu CL, Wu JM, Wu AG, Zhou XG. The Protective Effects of Reineckia carnea Ether Fraction against Alzheimer's Disease Pathology: An Exploration in Caenorhabditis elegans Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16536. [PMID: 38003724 PMCID: PMC10672099 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant challenge to global healthcare systems, with current treatments offering only modest relief and often bringing unwanted side effects, necessitating the exploration of more effective and safer drugs. In this study, we employed the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model, specifically the AD-like CL4176 strain expressing the human Aβ(1-42) protein, to investigate the potential of Reineckia carnea extract and its fractions. Our results showed that the Reineckia carnea ether fraction (REF) notably diminished the paralysis rates of CL4176 worms. Additionally, REF also attenuated the neurotoxicity effects prompted by Tau proteins in the BR5270 worms. Moreover, REF was observed to counteract the accumulation of Aβ and pTau proteins and their induced oxidative stress in C. elegans AD-like models. Mechanistic studies revealed that REF's benefits were associated with the induction of autophagy in worms; however, these protective effects were nullified when autophagy-related genes were suppressed using RNAi bacteria. Together, these findings highlight Reineckia carnea ether fraction as a promising candidate for AD treatment, warranting further investigation into its autophagy-inducing components and their molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Jun Fu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Xing-Yue Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Ya-Ping Li
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Yan-Ni He
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Da-Lian Qin
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
| | - Chong-Lin Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
| | - Jian-Ming Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
| | - An-Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
| | - Xiao-Gang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; (H.-J.F.); (X.-Y.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.-N.H.); (D.-L.Q.); (L.Y.); (C.-L.Y.); (J.-M.W.)
- Central Nervous System Drug Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou 646000, China
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Zhu FD, Chen X, Yu L, Hu ML, Pan YR, Qin DL, Wu JM, Li L, Law BYK, Wong VKW, Zhou XG, Wu AG, Fan DS. Targeting autophagy to discover the Piper wallichii petroleum ether fraction exhibiting antiaging and anti-Alzheimer's disease effects in Caenorhabditis elegans. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 117:154916. [PMID: 37327643 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With population aging, the incidence of aging-related Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing, accompanied by decreased autophagy activity. At present, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is widely employed to evaluate autophagy and in research on aging and aging-related diseases in vivo. To discover autophagy activators from natural medicines and investigate their therapeutic potential in antiaging and anti-AD effects, multiple C. elegans models related to autophagy, aging, and AD were used. METHOD In this study, we employed the DA2123 and BC12921 strains to discover potential autophagy inducers using a self-established natural medicine library. The antiaging effect was evaluated by determining the lifespan, motor ability, pumping rate, lipofuscin accumulation of worms, and resistance ability of worms under various stresses. In addition, the anti-AD effect was examined by detecting the paralysis rate, food-sensing behavior, and amyloid-β and Tau pathology in C. elegans. Moreover, RNAi technology was used to knock down the genes related to autophagy induction. RESULTS We discovered that Piper wallichii extract (PE) and the petroleum ether fraction (PPF) activated autophagy in C. elegans, as evidenced by increased GFP-tagged LGG-1 foci and decreased GFP-p62 expression. In addition, PPF extended the lifespan and enhanced the healthspan of worms by increasing body bends and pumping rates, decreasing lipofuscin accumulation, and increasing resistance to oxidative, heat, and pathogenic stress. Moreover, PPF exhibited an anti-AD effect by decreasing the paralysis rate, improving the pumping rate and slowing rate, and alleviating Aβ and Tau pathology in AD worms. However, the feeding of RNAi bacteria targeting unc-51, bec-1, lgg-1, and vps-34 abolished the antiaging and anti-AD effects of PPF. CONCLUSION Piper wallichii may be a promising drug for antiaging and anti-AD. More future studies are also needed to identify autophagy inducers in Piper wallichii and clarify their molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Dan Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gui Yang, China; Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Meng-Ling Hu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Yi-Ru Pan
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Da-Lian Qin
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Jian-Ming Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gui Yang, China
| | - Betty Yuen-Kwan Law
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR 99078, China
| | - Vincent Kam-Wai Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR 99078, China
| | - Xiao-Gang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
| | - An-Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Drugability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
| | - Dong-Sheng Fan
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gui Yang, China.
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