Heart failure and the glutathione cycle: an integrated view

Association between antioxidant metabolites and N-terminal fragment brain natriuretic peptides in insulin-resistant individuals

Objectives

Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the development of metabolic syndrome, including heart failure and insulin resistance. The N-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been associated with heightened oxidative stress in heart failure patients. Yet, its correlation with insulin resistance remains poorly understood. Our objective is to investigate the association between oxidative stress markers and NT-proBNP levels in insulin-resistant individuals.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study involving 393 participants from the Qatar Biobank, clinical and metabolic data were collected, and the association between NT-proBNP and 72 oxidative stress metabolites was compared between insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant individuals.

Results

Our results showed significantly lower NT-proBNP levels in insulin-resistant individuals (median = 17 pg/ml; interquartile range = 10.3-29) when compared to their insulin-sensitive counterparts (median = 31 pg/ml; interquartile range = 19-57). Moreover, we revealed notable associations between NT-proBNP levels and antioxidant metabolic pathways, particularly those related to glutathione metabolism, in insulin-resistant, but not insulin-sensitive individuals.

Conclusion

The significant decrease in NT-proBNP observed in individuals with insulin resistance may be attributed to a direct or indirect enhancement in glutathione production, which is regarded as a compensatory mechanism against oxidative stress. This study could advance our understanding of the interplay between oxidative stress during insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk, which could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for managing cardiovascular diseases. Further investigations are needed to assess the practical utility of these potential metabolites and understand the causal nature of their association with NT-proBNP in the etiology of insulin resistance.

Biomarkers of heart failure: advances in omics studies

Heart failure is a complex syndrome characterized by progressive circulatory dysfunction, manifesting clinically as pulmonary and systemic venous congestion, alongside inadequate tissue perfusion. The early identification of HF, particularly at the mild and moderate stages (stages B and C), presents a clinical challenge due to the overlap of signs, symptoms, and natriuretic peptide levels with other cardiorespiratory pathologies. Nonetheless, early detection coupled with timely pharmacological intervention is imperative for enhancing patient outcomes. Advances in high-throughput omics technologies have enabled researchers to analyze patient-derived biofluids and tissues, discovering biomarkers that are sensitive and specific for HF diagnosis. Due to the diversity of HF etiology, it is insufficient to study the diagnostic data of early HF using a single omics technology. This study reviewed the latest progress in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for the identification of HF biomarkers, offering novel insights into the early clinical diagnosis of HF. However, the validity of biomarkers depends on the disease status, intervention time, genetic diversity and comorbidities of the subjects. Moreover, biomarkers lack generalizability in different clinical settings. Hence, it is imperative to conduct multi-center, large-scale and standardized clinical trials to enhance the diagnostic accuracy and utility of HF biomarkers.

Serum metabolism characteristics of patients with myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery explored by the untargeted metabolomics approach

BACKGROUND

Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) is one of the most common complications associated with postoperative adverse cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. However, MINS often fails to be timely diagnosed due to the absence of clinical symptoms and limited diagnostic methods. The metabolomic analysis might be an efficient way to discover new biomarkers of MINS. Characterizing the metabolomic features of MINS patients may provide new insight into the diagnosis of MINS.

METHODS

In this study, serum samples from 20 matched patients with or without MINS (n = 10 per group) were subjected to untargeted metabolomics analysis to investigate comprehensive metabolic information. Differential metabolites were identified, and the enriched metabolic pathway was determined based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database.

RESULTS

A comprehensive analysis revealed 124 distinct metabolites, predominantly encompassing lipids, amino acids and other compounds. The observed modifications in metabolic pathways in patients with or without MINS showed significant clustering in cholesterol metabolism, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, primary bile acid biosynthesis, as well as cysteine and methionine metabolism. Four specific metabolites (taurocholic acid, L-pyroglutamic acid, taurochenodeoxycholic acid, and pyridoxamine) exhibited promising potential as biomarkers for prognosticating MINS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes valuable insights into the metabolomic features of MINS and the discovery of potential biomarkers which may help the early diagnosis of MINS. The identified metabolites and altered pathways offer valuable insights into the molecular underpinnings of MINS, paving the way for improved diagnostic approaches and potential intervention strategies.

TRIB3, as a robust prognostic biomarker for HNSC, is associated with poor immune infiltration and cancer cell immune evasion

Objective

As a pseudokinase, Tribbles Pseudokinase 3 (TRIB3) is implicated in a wide array of biological processes, including cell signal transduction, metabolic regulation, stress responses, and immune regulation. While its significant role in the immune regulation of certain cancers is well-established, the specific functions and impact of TRIB3 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) remain unclear.

Methods

The data of RNA-sequence was acquired from the TCGA database to analyze the expression patterns of TRIB3 and elucidate its prognostic value in HNSC patients. Furthermore, the correlation between TRIB3 and tumor mutation burden, clinical data, immune checkpoint genes, and immune cell infiltration was explored. Moreover, the TRIB3 location in tumor tissues and subcellular structures was identified via Tisch in the HPA database, and the potential protein interaction molecules for TRIB3 were elucidated in the STRING database. The potential TRIB3 gene function was assessed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), whereas the TRIB3 expression levels in clinical HNSC samples were verified by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. the role of TRIB3 in enhancing the malignant behavior of HNSC cells was validated in vitro through a series of methods including RT-qPCR, CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay.

Results

It was revealed that TRIB3 was significantly overexpressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of HNSC. Furthermore, this overexpression markedly enhanced the migration ability of tumor cells. As an independent prognostic factor, TRIB3 was associated with advanced tumor T stage and was significantly involved with tumor mutation burden and immune cell infiltration in HNSC. Moreover, it was observed that TRIB3 was not a predicted factor for PD1/PDL1 and ATL4 inhibitor treatment; however, it was substantially correlated with various immune evasion-related genes in HNSC.

Conclusion

TRIB3 could serve as a potential prognostic marker for HNSC and might be a key gene mediating HNSC immune evasion.

The Emerging Roles of γ-Glutamyl Peptides Produced by γ-Glutamyltransferase and the Glutathione Synthesis System

L-γ-Glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine is commonly referred to as glutathione (GSH); this ubiquitous thiol plays essential roles in animal life. Conjugation and electron donation to enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPX) are prominent functions of GSH. Cellular glutathione balance is robustly maintained via regulated synthesis, which is catalyzed via the coordination of γ-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) and glutathione synthetase, as well as by reductive recycling by glutathione reductase. A prevailing short supply of L-cysteine (Cys) tends to limit glutathione synthesis, which leads to the production of various other γ-glutamyl peptides due to the unique enzymatic properties of γ-GCS. Extracellular degradation of glutathione by γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a dominant source of Cys for some cells. GGT catalyzes the hydrolytic removal of the γ-glutamyl group of glutathione or transfers it to amino acids or to dipeptides outside cells. Such processes depend on an abundance of acceptor substrates. However, the physiological roles of extracellularly preserved γ-glutamyl peptides have long been unclear. The identification of γ-glutamyl peptides, such as glutathione, as allosteric modulators of calcium-sensing receptors (CaSRs) could provide insights into the significance of the preservation of γ-glutamyl peptides. It is conceivable that GGT could generate a new class of intercellular messaging molecules in response to extracellular microenvironments.

Metabolic patterns of sweat-extracellular vesicles during exercise and recovery states using clinical grade patches

Background: Metabolite-based sensors are attractive and highly valued for monitoring physiological parameters during rest and/or during physical activities. Owing to their molecular composition consisting of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become acknowledged as a novel tool for disease diagnosis. However, the evidence for sweat related EVs delivering information of physical and recovery states remains to be addressed. Methods: Taking advantage of our recently published methodology allowing the enrichment and isolation of sweat EVs from clinical patches, we investigated the metabolic load of sweat EVs in healthy participants exposed to exercise test or recovery condition. -Ten healthy volunteers (-three females and -seven males) were recruited to participate in this study. During exercise test and recovery condition, clinical patches were attached to participants' skin, on their back. Following exercise test or recovery condition, the patches were carefully removed and proceed for sweat EVs isolation. To explore the metabolic composition of sweat EVs, a targeted global metabolomics profiling of 41 metabolites was performed. Results: Our results identified seventeen metabolites in sweat EVs. These are associated with amino acids, glutamate, glutathione, fatty acids, creatine, and glycolysis pathways. Furthermore, when comparing the metabolites' levels in sweat EVs isolated during exercise to the metabolite levels in sweat EVs collected after recovery, our findings revealed a distinct metabolic profiling of sweat EVs. Furthermore, the level of these metabolites, mainly myristate, may reflect an inverse correlation with blood glucose, heart rate, and respiratory rate levels. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that sweat EVs can be purified using routinely used clinical patches during physical activity, setting the foundations for larger-scale clinical cohort work. Furthermore, the metabolites identified in sweat EVs also offer a realistic means to identify relevant sport performance biomarkers. This study thus provides proof-of-concept towards a novel methodology that will focus on the use of sweat EVs and their metabolic composition as a non-invasive approach for developing the next-generation of sport wearable sensors.

Glutathione and glutathione-dependent enzymes: From biochemistry to gerontology and successful aging

The tripeptide glutathione (GSH), namely γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine, is an ubiquitous low-molecular weight thiol nucleophile and reductant of utmost importance, representing the central redox agent of most aerobic organisms. GSH has vital functions involving also antioxidant protection, detoxification, redox homeostasis, cell signaling, iron metabolism/homeostasis, DNA synthesis, gene expression, cysteine/protein metabolism, and cell proliferation/differentiation or death including apoptosis and ferroptosis. Various functions of GSH are exerted in concert with GSH-dependent enzymes. Indeed, although GSH has direct scavenging antioxidant effects, its antioxidant function is substantially accomplished by glutathione peroxidase-catalyzed reactions with reductive removal of H2O2, organic peroxides such as lipid hydroperoxides, and peroxynitrite; to this antioxidant activity also contribute peroxiredoxins, enzymes further involved in redox signaling and chaperone activity. Moreover, the detoxifying function of GSH is basically exerted in conjunction with glutathione transferases, which have also antioxidant properties. GSH is synthesized in the cytosol by the ATP-dependent enzymes glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL), which catalyzes ligation of cysteine and glutamate forming γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC), and glutathione synthase, which adds glycine to γ-GC resulting in GSH formation; GCL is rate-limiting for GSH synthesis, as is the precursor amino acid cysteine, which may be supplemented as N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a therapeutically available compound. After its cell export, GSH is degraded extracellularly by the membrane-anchored ectoenzyme γ-glutamyl transferase, a process occurring, as GSH synthesis and export, in the γ-glutamyl cycle. GSH degradation occurs also intracellularly by the cytoplasmic enzymatic ChaC family of γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase. Synthesis and degradation of GSH, together with its export, translocation to cell organelles, utilization for multiple essential functions, and regeneration from glutathione disulfide by glutathione reductase, are relevant to GSH homeostasis and metabolism. Notably, GSH levels decline during aging, an alteration generally related to impaired GSH biosynthesis and leading to cell dysfunction. However, there is evidence of enhanced GSH levels in elderly subjects with excellent physical and mental health status, suggesting that heightened GSH may be a marker and even a causative factor of increased healthspan and lifespan. Such aspects, and much more including GSH-boosting substances administrable to humans, are considered in this state-of-the-art review, which deals with GSH and GSH-dependent enzymes from biochemistry to gerontology, focusing attention also on lifespan/healthspan extension and successful aging; the significance of GSH levels in aging is considered also in relation to therapeutic possibilities and supplementation strategies, based on the use of various compounds including NAC-glycine, aimed at increasing GSH and related defenses to improve health status and counteract aging processes in humans.

Elucidating response mechanisms at the metabolic scale of Eisenia fetida in typical oil pollution sites: A native driver in influencing carbon flow

Previous investigations on the stress response patterns of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in practical petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) contamination systems were less focused. Therefore, this study investigated the ecotoxicological effect of PH contamination on earthworms based on metabonomics and histological observation, followed by correlation analysis between the earthworm metabolism, PH types and concentrations, soil physicochemical characteristics, and the microbial community structures (i.e., diversity and abundance) and functions. The results showed that due to the abundant PH organics, the cell metabolism of earthworms shifts under PH contamination conditions, leading them to use organic acids as alternative energy sources (i.e., gluconeogenesis pathway). Simultaneously, biomarker metabolites related to cellular uptake, stress response, and membrane disturbance were identified. In addition, when compared to the controls, considerable epicuticle and cuticle layer disruption was observed, along with PH internalization. It was demonstrated that PH pollution preferentially influences the physiological homeostasis of earthworms through indirect (i.e., microbial metabolism regulation) than direct (i.e., direct interaction with earthworms) mechanisms. Moreover, the varied CO2 releasement was verified, which highlights the potential role of earthworms in influencing carbon transformation and corresponds with the considerably enriched energy metabolism-related pathway. This study indicated that PH contamination can induce a strong stress response in earthworms through both direct and indirect mechanisms, which in turn, substantially influences carbon transformation in PH contamination sites.

Using urinary metabolomics to identify metabolic pathways linked to cardiac structural alterations in young adults: The African-PREDICT study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Risk factor exposure from young ages was shown to contribute to cardiovascular events - cardiac hypertrophy, which may be accompanied by an altered metabolism. To determine how early metabolic alterations associate with myocardial structural changes, we profiled urinary metabolites in young adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor(s) and a control group without CVD risk factors.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included healthy adults (N = 1202), aged 20-30 years, stratified based on risk factors, i.e., obesity, physical inactivity, elevated blood pressure (BP), hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, low socio-economic status, smoking and excessive alcohol use - forming the CVD risk group (N = 1036) and the control group (N = 166). Relative wall thickness (RWT) and left ventricular mass index (LVMi) were measured using echocardiography. Targeted metabolomics data were obtained using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Clinic systolic BP, 24 h BP and RWT were higher in the CVD risk group compared to the control group (all P ≤ 0.031). Exclusively in the CVD risk group, RWT associated with creatine and dodecanoylcarnitine; while LVMi associated with glycine, serine, glutamine, threonine, alanine, citrulline, creatine, proline, pyroglutamic acid and glutamic acid (all P ≤ 0.040). Exclusively in the control group, LVMi associated with propionylcarnitine and butyrylcarnitine (all P ≤ 0.009).

CONCLUSION

In young adults without CVD, but with CVD risk factors, LVMi and RWT associated with metabolites linked energy metabolism (shifting from solely fatty acid oxidation to glycolysis, with impaired creatine kinase activity) and oxidative stress. Our findings support early onset metabolic changes accompanying cardiac structural alterations due to lifestyle and behavioural risk factors.

Critical Roles of the Cysteine-Glutathione Axis in the Production of γ-Glutamyl Peptides in the Nervous System

γ-Glutamyl moiety that is attached to the cysteine (Cys) residue in glutathione (GSH) protects it from peptidase-mediated degradation. The sulfhydryl group of the Cys residue represents most of the functions of GSH, which include electron donation to peroxidases, protection of reactive sulfhydryl in proteins via glutaredoxin, and glutathione conjugation of xenobiotics, whereas Cys-derived sulfur is also a pivotal component of some redox-responsive molecules. The amount of Cys that is available tends to restrict the capacity of GSH synthesis. In in vitro systems, cystine is the major form in the extracellular milieu, and a specific cystine transporter, xCT, is essential for survival in most lines of cells and in many primary cultivated cells as well. A reduction in the supply of Cys causes GPX4 to be inhibited due to insufficient GSH synthesis, which leads to iron-dependent necrotic cell death, ferroptosis. Cells generally cannot take up GSH without the removal of γ-glutamyl moiety by γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) on the cell surface. Meanwhile, the Cys-GSH axis is essentially common to certain types of cells; primarily, neuronal cells that contain a unique metabolic system for intercellular communication concerning γ-glutamyl peptides. After a general description of metabolic processes concerning the Cys-GSH axis, we provide an overview and discuss the significance of GSH-related compounds in the nervous system.

Long-Term Transcriptomic Changes and Cardiomyocyte Hyperpolyploidy after Lactose Intolerance in Neonatal Rats

Many cardiovascular diseases originate from growth retardation, inflammation, and malnutrition during early postnatal development. The nature of this phenomenon is not completely understood. Here we aimed to verify the hypothesis that systemic inflammation triggered by neonatal lactose intolerance (NLI) may exert long-term pathologic effects on cardiac developmental programs and cardiomyocyte transcriptome regulation. Using the rat model of NLI triggered by lactase overloading with lactose and the methods of cytophotometry, image analysis, and mRNA-seq, we evaluated cardiomyocyte ploidy, signs of DNA damage, and NLI-associated long-term transcriptomic changes of genes and gene modules that differed qualitatively (i.e., were switched on or switched off) in the experiment vs. the control. Our data indicated that NLI triggers the long-term animal growth retardation, cardiomyocyte hyperpolyploidy, and extensive transcriptomic rearrangements. Many of these rearrangements are known as manifestations of heart pathologies, including DNA and telomere instability, inflammation, fibrosis, and reactivation of fetal gene program. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified possible causes of these pathologic traits, including the impaired signaling via thyroid hormone, calcium, and glutathione. We also found transcriptomic manifestations of increased cardiomyocyte polyploidy, such as the induction of gene modules related to open chromatin, e.g., "negative regulation of chromosome organization", "transcription" and "ribosome biogenesis". These findings suggest that ploidy-related epigenetic alterations acquired in the neonatal period permanently rewire gene regulatory networks and alter cardiomyocyte transcriptome. Here we provided first evidence indicating that NLI can be an important trigger of developmental programming of adult cardiovascular disease. The obtained results can help to develop preventive strategies for reducing the NLI-associated adverse effects of inflammation on the developing cardiovascular system.

Identification and verification of feature biomarkers associated in heart failure by bioinformatics analysis

Heart failure is the final destination of most cardiovascular diseases, and its complex molecular mechanisms remain largely uncertain. This study aimed to systematically investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms and diagnostic and therapeutic targets of heart failure using bioinformatics. We obtained 8 healthy samples and 8 heart failure samples from GSE8331 and GSE76701. After removing the batch effect, we performed a differential analysis on it and obtained 185 differentially expressed ID. The results of enrichment analysis showed that the molecular mechanisms of heart failure were mostly related to immune, inflammation, and metabolism-related pathways. Immune cell infiltration analysis showed that the degree of infiltration of Tgd cells and Neurons was significantly enriched in heart failure samples, whereas pDCs and NKTs were in healthy tissue samples. We obtained Hub genes including EGR1, EGR2, FOS and FOSB by PPI network analysis. We established a 4-gene diagnostic model with Hub gene, and validated it in GSE21610 and GSE57338, and evaluated the discriminative ability of Hub gene by ROC curve. The 4-gene diagnostic model has an AUC value of 0.775 in GSE21610 and 0.877 in GSE57338. In conclusion, we explored the underlying molecular mechanisms of heart failure and the immune cell infiltration environment of failing myocardium by performing bioinformatic analysis of the GEO dataset. In addition, we identified EGR1, EGR2, FOS and FOSB as potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for heart failure. More importantly, a diagnostic model of heart failure based on these 4 genes was developed, which leads to a new understanding of the pathogenesis of heart failure and may be an interesting target for future in-depth research.

CHAC1 as a Novel Contributor of Ferroptosis in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells with Oxidative Damage

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss in the elderly population. With aging and the accumulated effects of environmental stress, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are particularly susceptible to oxidative damage, which can lead to retinal degeneration. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of how RPE responds and progresses under oxidative damage are still largely unknown. Here, we reveal that exogenous oxidative stress led to ferroptosis characterized by Fe²⁺ accumulation and lipid peroxidation in RPE cells. Glutathione specific gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase 1 (Chac1), as a component of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, plays a pivotal role in oxidative-stress-induced cell ferroptosis via the regulation of glutathione depletion. These results indicate the biological significance of Chac1 as a novel contributor of oxidative-stress-induced ferroptosis in RPE, suggesting its potential role in AMD.

Carnosine dipeptidase II (CNDP2) protects cells under cysteine insufficiency by hydrolyzing glutathione-related peptides

The knockout (KO) of the cystine transporter xCT causes ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent necrotic cell death, in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, but this does not occur in macrophages. In this study, we explored the gene that supports cell survival under a xCT deficiency using a proteomics approach. Analysis of macrophage-derived peptides that were tagged with iTRAQ by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a robust elevation in the levels of carnosine dipeptidase II (CNDP2) in xCT KO macrophages. The elevation in the CNDP2 protein levels was confirmed by immunoblot analyses and this elevation was accompanied by an increase in hydrolytic activity towards cysteinylglycine, the intermediate degradation product of glutathione after the removal of the γ-glutamyl group, in xCT KO macrophages. Supplementation of the cystine-free media of Hepa1-6 cells with glutathione or cysteinylglycine extended their survival, whereas the inclusion of bestatin, an inhibitor of CNDP2, counteracted the effects of these compounds. We established CNDP2 KO mice by means of the CRISPR/Cas9 system and found a decrease in dipeptidase activity in the liver, kidney, and brain. An acetaminophen overdose (350 mg/kg) showed not only aggravated hepatic damage but also renal injury in the CNDP2 KO mice, which was not evident in the wild-type mice that were receiving the same dose. The aggravated renal damage in the CNDP2 KO mice was consistent with the presence of abundant levels of CNDP2 in the kidney, the organ prone to developing ferroptosis. These collective data imply that cytosolic CNDP2, in conjugation with the removal of the γ-glutamyl group, recruits Cys from extracellular GSH and supports redox homeostasis of cells, particularly in epithelial cells of proximal tubules that are continuously exposed to oxidative insult from metabolic wastes that are produced in the body.

Changes in Intestinal Flora Structure and Metabolites Are Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Background: The occurrence of atrial fibrillation is often accompanied by myocardial fibrosis. An increasing number of studies have shown that intestinal flora is involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. This study explores the relationship between changes in the structure and function of intestinal flora and the progression of myocardial fibrosis in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Serum and stool samples were collected from 10 healthy people and 10 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF), and statistical analyses were performed on the subjects' clinical baseline conditions. ELISA was used to measure the levels of carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), procollagen III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP), fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in serum. Through 16S rRNA sequencing technology, the structural composition of the intestinal flora was detected and analyzed. In addition, metabolomics data were analyzed to determine the differences in the metabolites produced by the intestinal flora of the subjects.

Results: By comparing the baseline data of the subjects, it was found that compared with those of the control group, the levels of creatinine (CRE) and serum uric acid (SUA) in the serum of PeAF patients were significantly increased. In addition, we found that the levels of CTX-I, PICP, PIIINP, and TGF-β1 in the serum of PeAF patients were significantly higher than those of the control group subjects. Although the control and PeAF groups exhibited no significant differences in the α diversity index, there were significant differences in the β diversity indexes (Bray-Curtis, weighted UniFrac and Anosim). At the phylum, family and species levels, the community structure and composition of the intestinal flora of the control group and those of the PeAF group showed significant differences. In addition, the compositions of the intestinal metabolites in the two different groups of people were significantly different. They were correlated considerably with PIIINP and specific communities in the intestinal flora.

Conclusion: Pathologically, PeAF patients may have a higher risk of myocardial fibrosis. Systematically, abnormal changes in the structure and composition of the intestinal flora in PeAF patients may lead to differences in intestinal metabolites, which are involved in the process of myocardial fibrosis through metabolite pathways.

Glutathione Participation in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (such as occlusion of the coronary arteries, hypertensive heart diseases and strokes) are diseases that generate thousands of patients with a high mortality rate worldwide. Many of these cardiovascular pathologies, during their development, generate a state of oxidative stress that leads to a deterioration in the patient's conditions associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Within these reactive species we find superoxide anion (O2•-), hydroxyl radical (•OH), nitric oxide (NO•), as well as other species of non-free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hypochlorous acid (HClO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-). A molecule that actively participates in counteracting the oxidizing effect of reactive species is reduced glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide that is present in all tissues and that its synthesis and/or regeneration is very important to be able to respond to the increase in oxidizing agents. In this review, we will address the role of glutathione, its synthesis in both the heart and the liver, and its importance in preventing or reducing deleterious ROS effects in cardiovascular diseases.

Multi-Omics Analysis of Anti-Inflammatory Action of Alkaline Extract of the Leaves of Sasa sp

Efficient utilization of alkaline extracts of several plants for the treatment of oral diseases has been reported. To investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of alkaline extract of the leaves of Sasa sp. (SE), multi-omics analysis using metabolomics and DNA array was performed. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were treated for IL-1β to induce inflammation (detected by PGE₂ production in culture medium) in the presence or absence of SE. Both IL-1β and SE showed slight hormetic growth stimulation against HGF. SE inhibited PGE₂ production dose- and time-dependently. Its inhibitory action was more pronounced by first treating the cells with SE, rather than with IL-1β. At 3 h after IL-1β treatment, 18 amino acids (except cysteine and glutamic acid), total glutathione (GSH, GSSG, Cys-GSH disulfide), Met-sulfoxide, 5-oxoproline, and SAM declined, whereas DNA expressions of AKT, CASP3, and CXCL3 were elevated. These changes were reversed by simultaneous treatment with SE. The present study suggests that the anti-inflammatory action of SE is mediated via various metabolic pathways for cell survival, apoptosis, and leukocyte recruitment.