Azathioprine pretreatment ameliorates myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury in diabetic rats by reducing oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation

Study of Therapeutic Mechanisms of Puerarin against Sepsis-Induced Myocardial Injury by Integrating Network Pharmacology, Bioinformatics Analysis, and Experimental Validation

Myocardial injury is the most prevalent and serious complication of sepsis. The potential of puerarin (Pue) to treat sepsis-induced myocardial injury (SIMI) has been recently reported. Nevertheless, the specific anti-SIMI mechanisms of Pue remain largely unclear. Integrating network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and experimental validation, we aimed to clarify the anti-SIMI mechanisms of Pue, thereby furnishing novel therapeutic targets. Pue-associated targets were collected from HIT, GeneCards, SwissTargetPrediction, SuperPred, and CTD databases. SIMI-associated targets were acquired from GeneCards and DisGeNET. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from GEO database. Potential anti-SIMI targets of Pue were determined using VennDiagram. ClusterProfiler was employed for GO and KEGG analyses. STRING database and Cytoscape were used for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction, and cytoHubba was used for hub target screening. PyMOL and AutoDock were utilized for molecular docking. An in vitro SIMI model was built to further verify the therapeutic mechanisms of Pue. Seventy-three Pue-SIMI-DEG intersecting target genes were obtained. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the targets were principally concentrated in cellular response to chemical stress, response to oxidative stress (OS), and insulin and neurotrophin signaling pathways. Through PPI analysis and molecular docking, AKT1, CASP3, TP53, and MAPK3 were identified as the pivotal targets. In vivo experiments indicated that Pue promoted cell proliferation, downregulated AKT1, CASP3, TP53, and MAPK3, and inhibited inflammation, myocardial injury, OS, and apoptosis in the cell model. Pue might inhibit inflammation, myocardial injury, OS, and apoptosis to treat SIMI by reducing AKT1, CASP3, TP53, and MAPK3.

HJ11 decoction restrains development of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by suppressing ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis

HJ11 is a novel traditional Chinese medicine developed from the appropriate addition and reduction of Si-Miao-Yong-An decoction, which has been commonly used to treat ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the clinical setting. However, the mechanism of action of HJ11 components remains unclear. Ferroptosis is a critical factor that promotes myocardial I/R injury, and the pathophysiological ferroptosis-mediated lipid peroxidation causes I/R injury. Therefore, this study explored whether HJ11 decoction ameliorates myocardial I/R injury by attenuating ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis. This study also explored the effect of ACSL4 expression on iron-dependent programmed cell death by preparing a rat model of myocardial I/R injury and oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced H9c2 cells. The results showed that HJ11 decoction improved cardiac function; attenuated I/R injury, apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and iron accumulation; and reduced infarct size in the myocardial I/R injury rat model. Additionally, HJ11 decoction suppressed the expression of ferroptosis-promoting proteins [Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2)] but promoted the expression of ferroptosis-inhibiting proteins [ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) and glutathione-dependent lipid hydroperoxidase glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)] in the myocardial tissues of the I/R injury rat model. Similar results were found with the OGD/R-induced H9c2 cells. Interestingly, ACSL4 knockdown attenuated iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis in the OGD/R-treated H9c2 cells. However, ACSL4 overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effect of the HJ11 decoction on OGD/R-triggered oxidative stress and ferroptosis in H9c2 cells. These findings suggest that HJ11 decoction restrained the development of myocardial I/R injury by regulating ACSL4-mediated ferroptosis. Thus, HJ11 decoction may be an effective medication to treat myocardial I/R injury.

Creatine phosphate preconditioning reduces ischemiareperfusion injury in isolated rat heart

Aim. To study the effect of simultaneous administration of creatine phosphate immediately before ischemia on cardiodynamic parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the coronary venous blood flow during retrograde perfusion in an isolated rat heart.Materials and methods. 20 Wistar albino rats were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (control) and group 2 (experimental), 10 rats per group. Cannulation and retrograde perfusion of aorta of an isolated rat heart with Krebs–Henseleit buffered solution by Landendorff was performed. Both groups underwent ischemia-reperfusion injury, which included global ischemia for 20 minutes followed by reperfusion for 30 minutes. The group 2 (experimental) was preconditioned with creatine phosphate at a dose of 0.2 mmol/l for 5 min before ischemia. We registered cardiodynamic parameters and indicators of oxidative stress at the point of stabilization, at the 1st and 30th minutes of reperfusion.Results. With the impact of creatine phosphate at the 30th minute of reperfusion in the group 2 in comparison with group 1, there was found an increase in the maximum and minimum speed of pressure elevation in the left ventricle (1.7 and 1.9 times, respectively), and of systolic and diastolic pressure in the left ventricle (1.5 and 1.6 times, respectively). Biomarkers of oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation index, nitrites, superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide) were also statistically significantly lower in the group 2 after the 1st minute of reperfusion (by 1.2 times, by 1.4 times, by 2.8 times and 1.9 times, respectively), and after the 30th minute (1.3 times, 2.1 times, 1.9 times and 2.1 times, respectively).Conclusion. The administration of creatine phosphate into the coronary flow 5 minutes before the onset of ischemia has a protective effect on myocardial contractility. Reduction of oxidative stress and damage can be considered as a protective effect of creatine phosphate.

Kukoamine A activates Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway to inhibit oxidative stress and relieve myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Purpose:

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury refers to a pathological condition of treatment of myocardial infarction. Oxidative stress and inflammation are believed to be important mechanisms mediating MI/R injury. Kukoamine A (KuA), a sperm, is the main bioactive component extracted from the bark of goji berries. In this study, we wanted to investigate the possible effects of KuA on MI/R injury.

Methods:

In this experiment, all rats were divided into sham operation group, MI/R group, KuA 10 mg + MI/R group, KuA 20 mg + MI/R group. After 120 min of ischemia/reperfusion treatment, left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximal rates of rising and fall of left ventricular pressure (±dp/dtmax), and ischemic area were detected. Serum samples of rats in each group were collected. The enzyme activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), CK muscle/brain (CK-MB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The apoptosis of myocardium in each group was detected according to the instructions of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The expressions of mammalian target of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSH-3β) and protein kinase B (Akt) mRNA level in myocardial tissues were detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results:

MI/R rats showed a significant increase in oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, we showed that KuA significantly improved the myocardial function such as LVSP, left ventricular ejection fraction, +dp/dt, and -dp/dt. Here, it attenuated dose-dependent histological damage in ischemia-reperfused myocardium, which is associated with the enzyme activities of SOD, GSH-PX, and levels of MDA, IL-6, TNF-α, L-1β.

Conclusions:

KuA inhibited gene expression of Akt/GSK-3β, inflammation, oxidative stress and improved MR/I injury. Taken together, our results allowed us to better understand the pharmacological activity of KuA against MR/I injury.

Mechanism of Action of Flavonoids of Oxytropis falcata on the Alleviation of Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury

Oxytropis falcata Bunge is a plant used in traditional Tibetan medicine, with reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidants effects and alleviation of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI). However, the underlying mechanism against MIRI and the phytochemical composition of O. falcata are vague. One fraction named OFF1 with anti-MIRI activity was obtained from O. falcata, and the chemical constituents were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS). The potential targets and signaling pathways involved in the action of O. falcata against MIRI were predicted by network pharmacology analysis, and its molecular mechanism on MIRI was determined by in vitro assays. The results revealed that flavonoids are the dominant constituents of OFF1. A total of 92 flavonoids reported in O. falcata targeted 213 potential MIRI-associated factors, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), and the NF-κB signaling pathway. The in vitro assay on H9c2 cardiomyocytes subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury confirmed that the flavonoids in OFF1 reduced myocardial marker levels, apoptotic rate, and the inflammatory response triggered by oxidative stress. Moreover, OFF1 attenuated MIRI by downregulating the ROS-mediated JNK/p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of O. falcata in alleviating MIRI, being a potential therapeutic candidate.

NR4A1 promotes oxidative stresses after myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in aged mice

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a serious disease which is responsible for major death in the elderly. Myocardial oxidative stress contributes to pathophysiology of MI. The nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (NR4A1) has been shown to regulate oxidative stress in several diseases. However, the precise roles of NR4A1 in MI-induced oxidative stress in elderly remain unknown. In present study, the effects of NR4A1 deficiency on oxidative stress were evaluated in aged MI mice. A MI aged mice model was established in wide-type (WT) and NR4A1 deficient mice. The expression of NR4A1, oxidative stress markers was measured. The myocardial functions were monitored. NR4A1 was upregulated in aged MI WT mice, which was positively correlated to the elevated oxidative stress. NR4A1 deficient MI mice had significantly decreased expression of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide while had improved myocardial function. In summary, NR4A1 deficiency could attenuate oxidative stress in aged MI mice.

Research on the Mechanism of Kaempferol for Treating Senile Osteoporosis by Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Kaempferol (KP), as a natural anti-inflammatory compound, has been reported to have curative effects on alleviating senile osteoporosis (SOP), which is an inflammation-related musculoskeletal disease, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear due to scanty relevant studies. We predicted the targets of KP and SOP, and the common targets of them were subsequently used to carry out PPI analysis. Moreover, we adopted GO and KEGG enrichment analysis and molecular docking to explore potential mechanisms of KP against SOP. There were totally 152 KP-related targets and 978 SOP-related targets, and their overlapped targets comprised 68 intersection targets. GO enrichment analysis showed 1529 biological processes (p < 0.05), which involved regulation of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, regulation of bone resorption and remodeling, osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation, etc. Moreover, KEGG analysis revealed 146 items including 44 signaling pathways (p < 0.05), which were closely linked to TNF, IL-17, NF-kappa B, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, estrogen, p53, prolactin, VEGF, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. By means of molecular docking, we found that kaempferol is bound with the key targets' active pockets through some connections such as hydrogen bond, pi-alkyl, pi-sigma, pi-pi Stacked, pi-pi T-shaped, and van der Waals, illustrating that kaempferol has close combination with the key targets. Collectively, various targets and pathways involve in the process of kaempferol treatment against SOP through regulating inflammatory response, oxidative stress, bone homeostasis, etc. Moreover, our study first reported that kaempferol may regulate core targets' expression with involvement of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and bone homeostasis, thus treating SOP.

Programmed Cell Death: Complex Regulatory Networks in Cardiovascular Disease

Abnormalities in programmed cell death (PCD) signaling cascades can be observed in the development and progression of various cardiovascular diseases, such as apoptosis, necrosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and cell death associated with autophagy. Aberrant activation of PCD pathways is a common feature leading to excessive cardiac remodeling and heart failure, involved in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. Conversely, timely activation of PCD remodels cardiac structure and function after injury in a spatially or temporally restricted manner and corrects cardiac development similarly. As many cardiovascular diseases exhibit abnormalities in PCD pathways, drugs that can inhibit or modulate PCD may be critical in future therapeutic strategies. In this review, we briefly describe the process of various types of PCD and their roles in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. We also discuss the interplay between different cell death signaling cascades and summarize pharmaceutical agents targeting key players in cell death signaling pathways that have progressed to clinical trials. Ultimately a better understanding of PCD involved in cardiovascular diseases may lead to new avenues for therapy.