Scutellarin alleviates interstitial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction of infarct rats by inhibiting TGFβ1 expression and activation of p38-MAPK and ERK1/2

Flavonoids: Potential therapeutic agents for cardiovascular disease

Flavonoids are found in the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of many plant taxa. They are related to plant growth and development, pigment formation, and protection against environmental stress. Flavonoids function as antioxidants and exert anti-inflammatory effects in the cardiovascular system by modulating classical inflammatory response pathways, such as the TLR4-NF-ĸB, PI3K-AKT, and Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathways. There is increasing evidence for the therapeutic effects of flavonoids on hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other diseases. The potential clinical value of flavonoids for diseases of the cardiovascular system has been widely explored. For example, studies have evaluated the roles of flavonoids in the regulation of blood pressure via endothelium-dependent and non-endothelium-dependent pathways and in the regulation of myocardial systolic and diastolic functions by influencing calcium homeostasis and smooth muscle-related protein expression. Flavonoids also have hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, anti-platelet, autophagy, and antibacterial effects. In this paper, the role and mechanism of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases were reviewed in order to provide reference for the clinical application of flavonoids in the future.

Scutellarin Alleviates Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Remodeling in Mice and TGF-β-Induced Pro-fibrotic Phenotype in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells via MAPK and Smad2/3 Signaling Pathways

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), inflammation, and remodeling. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential player in these alterations. Scutellarin is isolated from Erigeron breviscapus. Its vascular relaxative, myocardial protective, and anti-inflammatory effects have been well established. This study was designed to detect the biological roles of scutellarin in asthma and its related mechanisms. The asthma-like conditions were induced by ovalbumin challenges. The airway resistance and dynamic compliance were recorded as the results of AHR. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected and processed for differential cell counting. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, periodic acid-Schiff staining, and Masson staining were conducted to examine histopathological changes. The levels of asthma-related cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For in vitro analysis, the 16HBE cells were stimulated with 10 ng/mL transforming growth beta-1 (TGF-β1). Cell migration was estimated by Transwell assays and wound healing assays. E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were analyzed by western blotting, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, and immunohistochemistry staining. The underlying mechanisms of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Smad pathways were investigated by western blotting. In an ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mouse model, scutellarin suppressed inflammation and inflammatory cell infiltration into the lungs and attenuated AHR and airway remodeling. Additionally, scutellarin inhibited airway EMT (upregulated E-cadherin level and downregulated N-cadherin and α-SMA) in ovalbumin-challenged asthmatic mice. For in vitro analysis, scutellarin prevented the TGF-β1-induced migration and EMT in 16HBE cells. Mechanistically, scutellarin inhibits the phosphorylation of Smad2, Smad3, ERK, JNK, and p38 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, scutellarin can inactivate the Smad/MAPK pathways to suppress the TGF-β1-stimulated epithelial fibrosis and EMT and relieve airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. This study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for asthma.

The Senescent Heart-"Age Doth Wither Its Infinite Variety"

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality world-wide. While many factors like smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, a sedentary lifestyle, and genetic factors can predispose to cardiovascular diseases, the natural process of aging is by itself a major determinant of the risk. Cardiac aging is marked by a conglomerate of cellular and molecular changes, exacerbated by age-driven decline in cardiac regeneration capacity. Although the phenotypes of cardiac aging are well characterised, the underlying molecular mechanisms are far less explored. Recent advances unequivocally link cardiovascular aging to the dysregulation of critical signalling pathways in cardiac fibroblasts, which compromises the critical role of these cells in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the myocardium. Clearly, the identification of cardiac fibroblast-specific factors and mechanisms that regulate cardiac fibroblast function in the senescent myocardium is of immense importance. In this regard, recent studies show that Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2), a collagen-activated receptor tyrosine kinase predominantly located in cardiac fibroblasts, has an obligate role in cardiac fibroblast function and cardiovascular fibrosis. Incisive studies on the molecular basis of cardiovascular aging and dysregulated fibroblast function in the senescent heart would pave the way for effective strategies to mitigate cardiovascular diseases in a rapidly growing elderly population.

An antihypertensive drug-AT1 inhibitor attenuated BRCA development promoted by chronic psychological stress via Ang II/PARP1/FN1 pathway

Chronic psychological stress contributes to the occurrence of cancer and activates the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). However, the mechanisms by which RAS promotes the progression of breast cancer (BRCA) under chronic psychological stress are remain unknown. In this study, we observed elevated levels of Angiotensin II (Ang II) in both serum and BRCA tissue under chronic stress, leading to accelerated BRCA growth in a mouse model. An antihypertensive drug, candesartan (an AT1 inhibitor), effectively attenuated Ang II-induced cell proliferation and metastasis. Utilizing mass spectrometry and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified fibronectin 1 (FN1) as the hub protein involved in chronic stress-Ang II/AT1 axis. Focal adhesion pathway was identified as a downstream signaling pathway activated during the progression of chronic stress. Depletion of FN1 significantly attenuated Ang II-induced proliferation and metastasis of BRCA cells. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) was found to bind to the DNA promoter of FN1, leading to the transcription of FN1. Ang II upregulated PARP1 expression, resulting in increased FN1 levels. Recombinant FN1 partially restored the progress of BRCA malignancy induced by the Ang II/PARP1 pathway. In vivo, candesartan reversed the progressive effect of chronic psychological stress on BRCA. In clinical samples, Ang II levels in both serum and tumor tissues are higher in stressed patients compared to control patients. Serum Ang II levels were positively correlated with chronic stress indicators. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that chronic psychological stress accelerates the malignancy of BRCA, and the AT1 inhibitor candesartan counteracts these effects by suppressing the Ang II-AT1 axis and the downstream PARP1/FN1/focal adhesion pathway.

Breviscapine protects against pathological cardiac hypertrophy by targeting FOXO3a-mitofusin-1 mediated mitochondrial fusion

Forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a)-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal effect on cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (HF). However, the role and underlying mechanisms of FOXO3a, regulated by breviscapine (BRE), on mitochondrial function in HF therapy remain unclear. This study reveals that BRE-induced nuclear translocation of FOXO3a facilitates mitofusin-1 (MFN-1)-dependent mitochondrial fusion in cardiac hypertrophy and HF. BRE effectively promotes cardiac function and ameliorates cardiac remodeling in pressure overload-induced mice. In addition, BRE mitigates phenylephrine (PE)-induced cardiac hypertrophy in cardiomyocytes and fibrosis remodeling in fibroblasts by inhibiting ROS production and promoting mitochondrial fusion, respectively. Transcriptomics analysis underscores the close association between the FOXO pathway and the protective effect of BRE against HF, with FOXO3a emerging as a potential target of BRE. BRE potentiates the nuclear translocation of FOXO3a by attenuating its phosphorylation, other than its acetylation in cardiac hypertrophy. Mechanistically, over-expression of FOXO3a significantly inhibits cardiac hypertrophy and mitochondrial injury by promoting MFN-1-mediated mitochondrial fusion. Furthermore, BRE demonstrates its ability to substantially curb cardiac hypertrophy, reduce mitochondrial ROS production, and enhance MFN-1-mediated mitochondrial fusion through a FOXO3a-dependent mechanism. In conclusion, nuclear FOXO3a translocation induced by BRE presents a successful therapeutic avenue for addressing cardiac hypertrophy and HF through promoting MFN-1-dependent mitochondrial fusion.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine alleviates pressure overload-induced myocardial remodeling in mice via inhibiting CaM-JNK/p38 signaling pathway

Apoptosis plays a critical role in the development of heart failure, and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is a bioactive sphingolipid naturally occurring in blood plasma. Some studies have shown that SPC inhibits hypoxia-induced apoptosis in myofibroblasts, the crucial non-muscle cells in the heart. Calmodulin (CaM) is a known SPC receptor. In this study we investigated the role of CaM in cardiomyocyte apoptosis in heart failure and the associated signaling pathways. Pressure overload was induced in mice by trans-aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. TAC mice were administered SPC (10 μM·kg-1·d-1) for 4 weeks post-surgery. We showed that SPC administration significantly improved survival rate and cardiac hypertrophy, and inhibited cardiac fibrosis in TAC mice. In neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes, treatment with SPC (10 μM) significantly inhibited Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and cell apoptosis accompanied by reduced Bax and phosphorylation levels of CaM, JNK and p38, as well as upregulated Bcl-2, a cardiomyocyte-protective protein. Thapsigargin (TG) could enhance CaM functions by increasing Ca2+ levels in cytoplasm. TG (3 μM) annulled the protective effect of SPC against Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SPC-mediated inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis involved the regulation of p38 and JNK phosphorylation, which was downstream of CaM. These results offer new evidence for SPC regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, potentially providing a new therapeutic target for cardiac remodeling following stress overload.

Effects of scutellarin on the mechanism of cardiovascular diseases: a review

Cardiovascular diseases represent a significant worldwide problem, jeopardizing individuals' physical and mental wellbeing as well as their quality of life as a result of their widespread incidence and fatality. With the aging society, the occurrence of Cardiovascular diseases is progressively rising each year. However, although drugs developed for treating Cardiovascular diseases have clear targets and proven efficacy, they still carry certain toxic and side effect risks. Therefore, finding safe, effective, and practical treatment options is crucial. Scutellarin is the primary constituent of Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. This article aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the creation and use of secure, productive, and logical medications for Scutellarin in curing heart-related illnesses. Additionally, the examination and analysis of the signal pathway and its associated mechanisms with regard to the employment of SCU in treating heart diseases will impart innovative resolving concepts for the treatment and prevention of Cardiovascular diseases.

Promising Therapeutic Treatments for Cardiac Fibrosis: Herbal Plants and Their Extracts

Cardiac fibrosis is closely associated with multiple heart diseases, which are a prominent health issue in the global world. Neurohormones and cytokines play indispensable roles in cardiac fibrosis. Many signaling pathways participate in cardiac fibrosis as well. Cardiac fibrosis is due to impaired degradation of collagen and impaired fibroblast activation, and collagen accumulation results in increasing heart stiffness and inharmonious activity, leading to structure alterations and finally cardiac function decline. Herbal plants have been applied in traditional medicines for thousands of years. Because of their naturality, they have attracted much attention for use in resisting cardiac fibrosis in recent years. This review sheds light on several extracts from herbal plants, which are promising therapeutics for reversing cardiac fibrosis.

Dengzhan Shengmai capsule attenuates cardiac fibrosis in post-myocardial infarction rats by regulating LTBP2 and TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway

BACKGROUND

Cardiac fibrosis contributes to myocardial remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI), which may facilitate the progression to end-stage heart failure. Dengzhan Shengmai capsule (DZSMC), a traditional Chinese formula derived from Shen-mai powder, has shown remarkable therapeutic effects against cardiovascular diseases. However, the effect of DZSMC on cardiac fibrosis and its potential mechanism are ill-defined.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of DZSMC on cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI) and investigate its underlying mechanism.

METHOD

In vivo, MI rat models were established by permanently ligation of left anterior descending coronary arteries (LAD) and then were intragastrically treated with DZSMC or captopril for 5 weeks. Ex vivo, an everted intestinal sac model was used to study the intestinal absorption components of DZSMC, which were further identified through an ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) method. In vitro, a myocardium fibrotic model was constructed by stimulating primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) with 1 μM Ang II. Subsequently, the absorbent solution of DZSMC from the intestinal sac was performed on the cell models to further elucidate its anti-fibrotic effects and underling mechanism.

RESULTS

In vivo results showed that DZSMC significantly improved cardiac function and inhibited pathological myocardial fibrosis in post-MI rats in a dose dependent manner. Histological analysis and western blot results demonstrated that DZSMC treatment significantly reduced the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins, including LTBP2, TGF-βR1, Smad3 and pSmad3, in myocardial tissue of MI rats. Ex vivo results showed that 18 absorbed components were identified, mainly consisting of phenolic acids, flavonoids and lignans, which may be responsible for the anti-fibrotic effects. Further in vitro results validated that DZSMC attenuated myocardial fibrosis by suppressing the expression of LTBP2, TGF-β1 and pSmad3.

CONCLUSION

DZSMC ameliorates cardiac function and alleviates cardiac fibrosis, which may be mediated by inhibition of CFs activation and reduction of excessive ECM deposition via LTBP2 and TGF-β1/Smad3 pathways.

Chronic Diclofenac Exposure Increases Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Mediators, and Cardiac Dysfunction

PURPOSE

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among one of the most commonly prescribed medications for pain and inflammation. Diclofenac (DIC) is a commonly prescribed NSAID that is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying its cardiotoxic effects remain largely unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure to DIC increases oxidative stress, which ultimately impairs cardiovascular function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Mice were treated with DIC for 4 weeks and subsequently subjected to in vivo and in vitro functional assessments. Chronic DIC exposure resulted in not only systolic but also diastolic dysfunction. DIC treatment, however, did not alter blood pressure or electrocardiographic recordings. Importantly, treatment with DIC significantly increased inflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as cardiac fibroblast activation and proliferation. There was increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cardiomyocytes from DIC-treated mice, which may contribute to the more depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced energy production, leading to a significant decrease in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ load, Ca2+ transients, and sarcomere shortening. Using unbiased metabolomic analyses, we demonstrated significant alterations in oxylipin profiles towards inflammatory features in chronic DIC treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, chronic treatment with DIC resulted in severe cardiotoxicity, which was mediated, in part, by an increase in mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Supplementation with okra combined or not with exercise training is able to protect the heart of animals with metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clinical manifestation strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, the main cause of death worldwide. In view of this scenario, many therapeutic proposals have appeared in order to optimize the treatment of individuals with MetS, including the practice of exercise training (ET) and the consumption of okra (O). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of O consumption and/or ET in animals with MetS. In all, 32 male Zucker rats (fa/fa) at 10 weeks old were randomly distributed into four groups of 8 animals each: MetS, MetS+O, MetS+ET and MetS+ET+O, and 8 lean Zucker rats (fa/ +) comprised the control group. Okra was administered by orogastric gavage 2x/day (morning and night, 100 mg/kg), 5 days/week, for 6 weeks. The ET was performed on a treadmill 1x/day (afternoon), 5 days/week, 60 min/day, in an intensity of 70% of maximal capacity, for the same days of O treatment. It was found that, O consumption alone was able to promote improved insulin sensitivity (MetS 93.93 ± 8.54 mg/dL vs. MetS+O 69.95 ± 18.7 mg/dL, p ≤ 0.05, d = 1.65, CI = 50.32 -89.58, triglyceride reduction (MetS 492.9 ± 97.8 mg/dL vs. MetS+O 334.9 ± 98.0 mg/dL, p ≤ 0.05, d = 1.61, CI = 193.2-398.7). In addition, it promoted a reduction in systolic blood pressure (MetS 149.0 ± 9.3 mmHg vs. MetS+O 132.0 ± 11.4 mmHg, p ≤ 0.05, d = 1.63, CI = 120-140), prevented an increase in cardiac collagen (MetS 12.60 ± 2.08% vs. MetS+O 7.52 ± 0.77%, p ≤ 0.05, d = 3.24, CI = 6.56-8.49). When associated with ET, the results were similar. Thus, we conclude that O consumption combined or not with aerobic ET can have a protective effect on the cardiac tissue of rats with MetS.

Scutellarin Attenuates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Inhibiting Myocardial Fibrosis, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Rats

The anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective anticancer agent, but its clinical use is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Scutellarin (SCU), a natural polyphenolic flavonoid, is used as a cardioprotective agent for infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study investigated the beneficial effect of SCU on DOX-induced chronic cardiotoxicity. Rats were injected intraperitoneally (i. p.) with DOX (2.5 mg/kg) twice a week for four weeks and then allowed to rest for two weeks to establish the chronic cardiotoxicity animal model. A dose of 10 mg/kg/day SCU was injected i. p. daily for six weeks to attenuate cardiotoxicity. SCU attenuated DOX-induced elevated oxidative stress levels and cardiac troponin T (cTnT), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (LVFS), elevated isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), electrophysiology and histopathological alterations. In addition, SCU significantly attenuated DOX-induced cardiac fibrosis and reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, SCU also prevented against DOX-induced apoptosis and autophagy as evidenced by upregulation of Bcl-2, downregulation of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, inhibited the AMPK/mTOR pathway. These results revealed that the cardioprotective effect of SCU on DOX-induced chronic cardiotoxicity may be attributed to reducing oxidative stress, myocardial fibrosis, apoptosis and autophagy.

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone alleviates cardiac fibrosis by restoring circadian signals via downregulating Bmal1/Akt pathway

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) pathway is a therapeutic target in cardiac diseases. A BDNF mimetic, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), is emerging as a protective agent in cardiomyocytes; however, its potential role in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and fibrosis remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to explore the effects of 7,8-DHF on cardiac fibrosis and the possible mechanisms. Myocardial ischemia (MI) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were used to establish models of cardiac fibrosis. Hematoxylin & eosin and Masson's trichrome stains were used for histological analysis and determination of collagen content in mouse myocardium. Cell viability kit, EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine) assay and immunofluorescent stain were employed to examine the effects of 7,8-DHF on the proliferation and collagen production of CFs. The levels of collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), TGF-β1, Smad2/3, and Akt as well as circadian rhythm-related signals including brain and muscle Arnt-like protein 1 (Bmal1), period 2 (Per2), and cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) were analyzed. Treatment with 7,8-DHF markedly alleviated cardiac fibrosis in MI mice. It inhibited the activity of CFs accompanied by decreasing number of EdU-positive cells and downregulation of collagen I, α-SMA, TGF-β1, and phosphorylation of Smad2/3. 7,8-DHF significantly restored the dysregulation of Bmal1, Per2, and Cry2, but inhibited the overactive Akt. Further, inhibition of Bmal1 by SR9009 effectively attenuated CFs proliferation and collagen production of CFs. In summary, these findings indicate that 7,8-DHF attenuates cardiac fibrosis and regulates circadian rhythmic signals, at least partly, by inhibiting Bmal1/Akt pathway, which may provide new insights into therapeutic cardiac remodeling.

Scutellarin suppresses triple-negative breast cancer metastasis by inhibiting TNFα-induced vascular endothelial barrier breakdown

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with high vascularity and frequent metastasis. Tumor-associated abnormal vasculature was reported to accelerate TNBC metastasis. Scutellarin (SC) is a natural flavonoid with a cardiovascular protective function. In this study, SC reduced TNBC metastasis and alleviated tumor-associated vascular endothelial barrier injury in vivo. SC rescued the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced diminishment of endothelial junctional proteins and dysfunction of the endothelial barrier in vitro. SC reduced the increased transendothelial migration of TNBC cells through a monolayer composed of TNFα-stimulated human mammary microvascular endothelial cells (HMMECs) or human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). TNFα induced the nuclear translocation of enhancer of zeste homolog-2 (EZH2), and its chemical inhibitor GSK126 blocked TNFα-induced endothelial barrier disruption and subsequent TNBC transendothelial migration. TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) is the main receptor by which TNFα regulates endothelial barrier breakdown. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)1/2 was found to be downstream of TNFα/TNFR2 and upstream of EZH2. Additionally, SC abrogated the TNFR2-ERK1/2-EZH2 signaling axis both in vivo and in vitro. Our results suggest that SC reduced TNBC metastasis by suppressing TNFα-initiated vascular endothelial barrier breakdown through rescuing the reduced expression of junctional proteins by regulating the TNFR2-ERK1/2-EZH2 signaling pathway.

Network pharmacology-based study on the mechanism of scutellarin against zearalenone-induced ovarian granulosa cell injury

Zearalenone(ZEA) is a kind of mycotoxin widely existing in nature, its toxic effects can lead to the reproductive disorders in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of scutellarin against ovarian granulosa cell(GCs) injury induced by ZEA based on network pharmacology, molecular docking method. The results show that 293 drug targets of scutellarin were found from PhamMapper database, and 583 disease targets were selected from Genecards database. Finally, 57 scutellarin targets were obtained for the repair of GCs injury with gene intersection. The protein-protein interaction(PPI), gene ontology(GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) analysis indicated that MAPK signaling pathway was most likely activated by scutellarin. Scutellarin with JNK or Caspase-3 had minimal and negative free binding energy in molecular docking analysis, indicating that they might be the acting targets of scutellarin. Cell viability was significantly decreased in ZEA treated cells. However, GCs viability, the level of estradiol(E₂) and progesterone(P₄) were significantly increased with addition of scutellarin to ZEA treated cells. Western blot analysis showed that scutellarin significantly reduced the expression of JNK, c-jun and Cleaved-caspasee-3 in GCs compared with ZEA treatment. In conclusion, scutellarin could alleviate the ovarian GCs injury by down-regulating the expression of JNK, c-jun and Cleaved-caspase-3 through the activation of MAPK/JNK signaling pathway. Our results will provide a theoretical foundation for the treatment of reproductive disorders with scutellarin.

Scutellarin ameliorates neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy associated with GAP43-dependent signaling pathway

Background

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) refers to the perinatal asphyxia caused by the cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury. The current study was aimed at investigating the therapeutic efficacy of Scutellarin (Scu) administration on neurological impairments induced by hypoxic-ischemic injury and exploring the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Primary cortical neurons were cultured and subjected to oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD), and then treated with Scu administration. The growth status of neurons was observed by immunofluorescence staining of TUJ1 and TUNEL. Besides, the mRNA level of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43) in OGD neurons with Scu treatment was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). To further verify the role of GAP43 in Scu treatment, GAP43 siRNA and knockout were applied in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, behavioral evaluations were performed to elucidate the function of GAP43 in the Scu-ameliorated long-term neurological impairments caused by HI insult. The underlying biological mechanism of Scu treatment was further elucidated via network pharmacological analysis. Finally, the interactive genes with GAP43 were identified by Gene MANIA and further validated by qRT-PCR.

Results

Our data demonstrated that Scu treatment increased the number of neurons and axon growth, and suppressed cell apoptosis in vitro. And the expression of GAP43 was downregulated after OGD, but reversed by Scu administration. Besides, GAP43 silencing aggravated the Scu-ameliorated neuronal death and axonal damage. Meanwhile, GAP43 knockout enlarged brain infarct area and deteriorated the cognitive and motor dysfunctions of HI rats. Further, network pharmacological analysis revealed the drug targets of Scu participated in such biological processes as neuronal death and regulation of neuronal death, and apoptosis-related pathways. GAP43 exhibited close relationship with PTN, JAK2 and STAT3, and GAP43 silencing upregulated the levels of PTN, JAK2 and STAT3.

Conclusions

Collectively, our findings revealed Scu treatment attenuated long-term neurological impairments after HI by suppressing neuronal death and enhancing neurite elongation through GAP43-dependent pathway. The crucial role of Scutellarin in neuroprotection provided a novel possible therapeutic agent for the treatment of neonatal HIE.

Graphic abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-021-00517-z.

Scutellarin alleviates type 2 diabetes (HFD/low dose STZ)-induced cardiac injury through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and fibrosis in mice

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a serious global health concern which severely affected public health as well as socio-economic growth worldwide. Scutellarin (SCU), a bioactive flavonoid, is known for its efficacious action against a range of ailments including cardiovascular problems. The present study was conducted to find out possible protective effect and its associated mechanisms of SCU on experimental type 2 diabetes-induced cardiac injury.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetes was induced by treating animals with high fat diet for 4 weeks and a single intraperitoneal dose (35 mg/kg body weight) of streptozotocin and diabetic animals received SCU (10 or 20 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Scutellarin attenuated type 2 diabetes-induced hyperglycemia, bodyweight loss, hyperlipidaemia, cardiac functional damage with histopathological alterations and fibrosis. Scutellarin treatment to type 2 diabetic mice ameliorated oxidative stress, inflammatory status and apoptosis in heart. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms for such mitigation of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in heart involved modulation of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathway and intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptosis pathway, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings suggest that SCU is effective in protecting type 2 diabetes-induced cardiac injury by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses and apoptosis, and it is also worth considering the efficacious potential of SCU to treat diabetic cardiomyopathy patients.

Scutellarin-induced A549 cell apoptosis depends on activation of the transforming growth factor-β1/smad2/ROS/caspase-3 pathway

Scutellarin plays an anti-tumor role in A549 lung cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, scutellarin was used to treat A549 cells for 12, 24, and 48 h, followed by the addition of Tempo, a selective scavenger of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and SB431542, a transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 receptor inhibitor. A dihydroethidium fluorescence probe was used to measure the intracellular ROS level, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect cell viability, and flow cytometry was performed to examine apoptosis. Western blots were used to detect the total protein level of TGF-β1, p-smad2, and cleaved caspase-3 in A549 cells. The results showed that scutellarin significantly inhibited cell viability and increased apoptosis. Scutellarin also promoted intracellular ROS production, TGF-β1/smad2 signaling pathway activation, and cleaved caspase-3 expression, which was partly reversed by Tempo. Moreover, scutellarin-induced intracellular ROS production and cleaved caspase-3 expression were inhibited by blocking the TGF-β1/smad2 pathway with SB431542. In conclusion, scutellarin promoted apoptosis and intracellular ROS accumulation, which could be abrogated by Tempo and SB431542 treatment in A549 cells. Our study indicated that scutellarin induced A549 cell apoptosis via the TGF-β1/smad2/ROS/caspase-3 pathway.

Traditional Chinese medicine as a therapeutic option for cardiac fibrosis: Pharmacology and mechanisms

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide and cardiac fibrosis is a common pathological process for cardiac remodeling in cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac fibrosis not only accelerates the deterioration progress of diseases but also becomes a pivotal contributor for futile treatment in clinical cardiovascular trials. Although cardiac fibrosis is common and prevalent, effective medicines to provide sufficient clinical intervention for cardiac fibrosis are still unavailable. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the natural essence experienced boiling, fry, and other processing methods, including active ingredients, extracts, and herbal formulas, which have been applied to treat human diseases for a long history. Recently, research has increasingly focused on the great potential of TCM for the prevention and treatment of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we aim to clarify the identified pro-fibrotic mechanisms and intensively summarize the application of TCM in improving cardiac fibrosis by working on these mechanisms. Through comprehensively analyzing, TCM mainly regulates the following pathways during ameliorating cardiac fibrosis: attenuation of inflammation and oxidative stress, inhibition of cardiac fibroblasts activation, reduction of extracellular matrix accumulation, modulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, modulation of autophagy, regulation of metabolic-dependent mechanisms, and targeting microRNAs. We also discussed the deficiencies and the development direction of anti-fibrotic therapies on cardiac fibrosis. The data reviewed here demonstrates that TCM shows a robust effect on alleviating cardiac fibrosis, which provides us a rich source of new drugs or drug candidates. Besides, we also hope this review may give some enlightenment for treating cardiac fibrosis in clinical practice.

Lefty1 Ameliorates Post-infarction Fibrosis by Suppressing p-Smad2 and p-ERK1/2 Signaling Pathways

Transforming growth factor-β1 signaling pathways are known to involve in the development of post-infarction fibrosis, a process characterized by the aberrant activation, proliferation, and differentiation of fibroblasts, as well as the unbalanced turnover of extracellular matrix proteins. Recent studies have shown that Lefty1, a novel member of TGF-β superfamily, acts as a brake on the TGF-β signaling pathway in non-cardiac tissues. However, its role in myocardial infarction (MI)-induced fibrosis and left ventricular remodeling has not been fully elucidated. Here, for the first time, we reported that Lefty1 alleviated post-MI fibroblast proliferation, differentiation, and secretion through suppressing p-Smad2 and p-ERK1/2 signaling pathways in vivo and in vitro. In MI mice or TGF-β1-treated neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFBs), the expression of Lefty1 was upregulated. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Lefty1 significantly attenuated TGF-β1-induced CFBs' proliferation, differentiation, and collagen production. Using the adeno-associated virus approach, we confirmed that Lefty1 attenuates MI-induced cardiac injury, as evidenced by the decreased infarct size and preserved cardiac function. These results highlight the importance of Lefty1 in the prevention of post-MI fibrosis and may help identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention of cardiac fibrosis. Graphical abstract.

Breviscapine: A Review on its Phytochemistry, Pharmacokinetics and Therapeutic Effects

Breviscapine is one of the extracts of several flavonoids of Erigeron breviscapus. Scutellarin is the main active component of breviscapine, and the qualitative or quantitative criteria as well. Scutellarin and its analogs share a similar skeleton of the flavonoids. Breviscapine has been widely used in the treatment of cerebral infarction and its sequelae, cerebral thrombus, coronary heart disease (CHD), and angina pectoris. Breviscapine has a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as increasing blood flow, improving microcirculation, dilating blood vessels, decreasing blood viscosity, promoting fibrinolysis, inhibiting platelet aggregation, and thrombosis formation, etc. In addition, breviscapine and its analogs have significant value for drug research and development because of the superiority of those significant bioactivities. Furthermore, an increasing number of pharmacokinetic studies have explored the mechanism of scutellarin and its analogs. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the current research on breviscapine, scutellarin, and the analogs, the structural features, distribution situation, preparation method, content determination method, clinical applications, pharmacological action as well as pharmacokinetics are summarized in the present review.

Therapeutic miR-21 Silencing Reduces Cardiac Fibrosis and Modulates Inflammatory Response in Chronic Chagas Disease

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), remains a serious public health problem for which there is no effective treatment in the chronic stage. Intense cardiac fibrosis and inflammation are hallmarks of chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC). Previously, we identified upregulation of circulating and cardiac miR-21, a pro-fibrotic microRNA (miRNA), in subjects with CCC. Here, we explored the potential role of miR-21 as a therapeutic target in a model of chronic Chagas disease. PCR array-based 88 microRNA screening was performed in heart samples obtained from C57Bl/6 mice chronically infected with T. cruzi and serum samples collected from CCC patients. MiR-21 was found upregulated in both human and mouse samples, which was corroborated by an in silico analysis of miRNA-mRNA target prediction. In vitro miR-21 functional assays (gain-and loss-of-function) were performed in cardiac fibroblasts, showing upregulation of miR-21 and collagen expression upon transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) and T. cruzi stimulation, while miR-21 blockage reduced collagen expression. Finally, treatment of T. cruzi-infected mice with locked nucleic acid (LNA)-anti-miR-21 inhibitor promoted a significant reduction in cardiac fibrosis. Our data suggest that miR-21 is a mediator involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis and indicates the pharmacological silencing of miR-21 as a potential therapeutic approach for CCC.

Metabolism and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Active Ingredients in Erigeron breviscapus

BACKGROUND

Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. is a plant species in the Compositae family. More than ten types of compounds-such as flavonoids, caffeinate esters, and volatile oils-have been identified in Erigeron breviscapus; however, it remains unknown as to which compounds are associated with clinical efficacy. In recent years, flavonoids and phenolic acids have been considered as the main effective components of Erigeron breviscapus. The metabolism and mechanisms of these compounds in vivo have been extensively studied to improve our understanding of the drug.

METHODS

In the present review, we summarize the relationships among these compounds, their metabolites, and their pharmacodynamics. Many methods have been implemented to improve the separation and bioavailability of these compounds from Erigeron breviscapus.

RESULTS

In China, Erigeron breviscapus has been used for many years. In recent years, through the study of its metabolism and the mechanisms of its effective components, the effects of Erigeron breviscapus in the treatment of various diseases have been extensively studied. Findings have indicated that Erigeron breviscapus improves cardiovascular and cerebrovascular function and that one of its ingredients, scutellarin, has potential value in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, diabetic vascular complications, and other conditions. In addition, phenolic acid compounds and their metabolites also play an important role in anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and improving blood lipids.

CONCLUSION

Erigeron breviscapus plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular/ cerebrovascular diseases, neuroprotection, and cancer through many different mechanisms of action. Further investigation of its efficacious components and metabolites may provide more possibilities for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine and the development of novel drugs.

Effect of Sutellarin on Neurogenesis in Neonatal Hypoxia–Ischemia Rat Model: Potential Mechanisms of Action

To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Scutellarin (SCU) on neurite growth and neurological functional recovery in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) rats. Primary cortical neurons were cultured to detect the effect of SCU on cell viability of neurons under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Double immunofluorescence staining of Tuj1 and TUNEL then observed the neurite growth and cell apoptosis in vitro,and double immunofluorescence staining of NEUN and TUNEL was performed to examine the neuronal apoptosis and cell apoptosis in brain tissues after HI in vivo. Pharmacological efficacy of SCU was also evaluated in HI rats by neurobehavioral tests, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining. Astrocytes and microglia expression in damaged brain tissues were detected by immunostaining of GFAP and Iba1. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot were applied to investigate the genetic expression changes and the protein levels of autophagy-related proteins in the injured cortex and hippocampus after HI. We found that SCU administration preserved cell viability, promoted neurite outgrowth and suppressed apoptosis of neurons subjected to OGD both in vitroand in vivo. Meanwhile, 20 mg/kg SCU treatment improved neurological functions and decreased the expression of astrocytes and microglia in the cortex and hippocampus of HI rats. Additionally, SCU treatment depressed the elevated levels of autophagy-related proteins and the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in both cortex and hippocampus. This study demonstrated the potential therapeutic efficacy of SCU by enhancing neurogenesis and restoring long-term neurological dysfunctions, which might be associated with p75NTR depletion in HI rats.

Anti-colorectal cancer effects of scutellarin revealed by genomic and proteomic analysis

Background

Colorectal cancer, one of the most common digestive tumors with high mortality and morbidity worldwide, currently lacks effective therapies available to improve the prognosis. This study was aimed to investigate the potency of Scutellarin against colorectal cancers, and explore the related mechanism via genomic and proteomic analysis.

Methods

Cell counting kit-8 assay was employed to detect the viability of HCT-116 and RKO cell lines treated with Scutellarin. The apoptosis of HCT-116 and RKO cells after Scutellarin administration was determined by TUNEL staining and Caspase 3/7 activity. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry analysis. The wound healing and transwell invasion test detected the role of Scutellarin in migration and invasion of HCT-116 and RKO cells. Meanwhile, the energy metabolism and growth of tumor tissues in vivo at day 28 were observed by PET-CT after Scutellarin administration with 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg into 4-week-old nude mice. Blood routine and liver functions were also detected to evaluate the side effect of Scutellarin. Furthermore, the disease and function classifications which the differentially expressed genes and proteins involved after Scutellarin treatment were determined by genomic and proteomic analysis respectively.

Results

The Scutellarin inhibited the migration and increased apoptosis of HCT-116 and RKO cell lines. Besides, Scutellarin treatment substantially decreased the growth and volume of colorectal tumors in nude mice without side effects on the blood routine and liver function. The differentially expressed genes in RKO cells after Scutellarin administration were mainly enriched in cell death and survival, organismal injury and abnormalities, and cancer. In addition, forty-seven upregulated and twenty-nine downregulated proteins were identified. Functional clustering analysis exhibited enriched biological processes, cellular components, molecular functions and related pathways of these proteins in cellular metabolic. Then protein–protein interactions analysis showed the regulatory relationship among these differentially expressed proteins.

Conclusions

Taken together, the present findings revealed that Scutellarin exerted significant antitumor effect with no side effects in the blood and liver by regulating various important molecules in tumor proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis.

Scutellarin protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation

BACKGROUND

Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome plays a key role in cardiac dysfunction for acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Scutellarin (Scu) is a flavonoid purified from Erigeron breviscapus. Whether Scu has any influence on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiomyocytes remains unknown.

PURPOSE

We aimed to examine the therapeutic effect of Scu on cardiomyocyte ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and its effect on NLRP3 inflammasome in rats with acute myocardial I/R injury and anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R)-induced H9c2 injuries.

METHODS

Heart injuries were induced through 30 min of ischemia followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Scu was intraperitoneally administered 15 min before vascular ligation. Effects of Scu on cardiac injury were detected by echocardiograms, TTC staining, and histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The effects of Scu on biochemical parameters were analyzed. H9c2 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of Scu for 6 h before A/R exposure. Afterward, cell viability, LDH release, and Hoechst 33342 and peromide iodine double staining were determined. Western blot analyses of proteins, including those involved in autophagy, NLRP3, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), and Akt signaling, were conducted.

RESULTS

In vivo study revealed that Scu improved diastolic dysfunction, ameliorated myocardium structure abnormality, inhibited myocyte apoptosis and inflammatory response, and promoted autophagy. Scu reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inhibited mTORC1 activity, and increased Akt phosphorylation. In vitro investigation showed the same results. The Scu-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome and mTORC1 inhibition and cardioprotection were abolished through the genetic silencing of Akt by siRNA.

CONCLUSIONS

The cardioprotective effect of Scu was achieved through its anti-inflammatory effect. It suppressed the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, inflammasome restriction by Scu was dependent on Akt activation and mTORC1 inhibition.

H2S attenuates the myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats through modulating PKC-ERK1/2MAPK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the roles and underlying mechanism of exogenous H2S (hydrogen sulfide) in attenuating the myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats.

METHODS:

A total of 40 SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, STZ group, STZ + H2S group and H2S group. To build the DM rat model , the rats in the STZ group and STZ + H2S group were injected streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally, While the rats in the STZ + H2S group and the H2S group received sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), which provides exogenous H2S. Eight weeks later, the myocardial tissues of rats were used to detecting the collagen deposition through Masson staining, as well as some protein expressions related to myocardial fibrosis and signaling pathway by western blotting.

RESULTS:

Comparing to control group, the collagen deposition of myocardial matrix remarkably increased in the STZ group, and almost all the proteins that are relative to myocardial fibrosis, inflammatory and signaling pathway show an overexpression, except for PPARG and NF-κBp65. When Compared with the STZ group, the collagen deposition was obviously attenuated in STZ + H2S group, as well as the protein expressions above-mentioned, While PPARG was up-regulated.

CONCLUSION:

The myocardial fibrosis in DM rats can be attenuated effectively by exogenous H2S, and the underlying mechanism is likely to regulating PKC-ERK1/2MAPK signaling pathway, improving the MMPs/TIMPs expression dysregulation and inhibiting inflammatory reaction.

Choline Attenuates Cardiac Fibrosis by Inhibiting p38MAPK Signaling Possibly by Acting on M3 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor

Choline has been reported to produce a variety of cellular functions including cardioprotection via activating M₃ muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M₃R) under various insults. However, whether choline offers similar beneficial effects via the same mechanism in cardiac fibrosis remained unexplored. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of choline on cardiac fibrosis and the underlying signaling mechanisms, particularly the possible involvement of M₃R. Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) mouse model was established to simulate the cardiac fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 treatment was employed to induce proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts in vitro. Choline chloride and M₃R antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) were used to unravel the potential role of M₃R. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and interstitial fibrosis was quantified by Masson staining. Protein levels of collagens I and III were determined by Western blot analysis. The role of M₃R in the proliferation cardiac fibroblasts was validated by silencing M₃R with specific small interference RNA (siRNA). Furthermore, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway including p38MAPK and ERK1/2 as well as the TGF-β1/Smad pathway were analyzed. M₃R protein was found abundantly in cardiac fibroblasts. M₃R protein level, as identified by Western blotting, was higher in mice with excessive cardiac fibrosis and in TGF-β1-induced cardiac fibrosis as well. Choline significantly inhibited interstitial fibrosis, and this beneficial action was reversed by 4-DAMP. Production of collagens I and III was reduced after choline treatment but restored by 4-DAMP. Expression silence of endogenous M₃R using siRNA increased the level of collagen I. Furthermore, the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and the p38MAPK pathways were both suppressed by choline. In summary, choline produced an anti-fibrotic effect both in vivo and in vitro by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and p38MAPK pathways. These findings unraveled a novel pharmacological property of choline linked to M₃R, suggesting that choline regulates cardiac fibrosis and the associated heart diseases possibly by acting on M₃R.

Long non-coding RNA cardiac hypertrophy-associated regulator governs cardiac hypertrophy via regulating miR-20b and the downstream PTEN/AKT pathway

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is a key factor leading to heart failure and ultimately sudden death. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as a new player in gene regulation relevant to a wide spectrum of human disease including cardiac disorders. Here, we characterize the role of a specific lncRNA named cardiac hypertrophy‐associated regulator (CHAR) in CH and delineate the underlying signalling pathway. CHAR was found markedly down‐regulated in both in vivo mouse model of cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload and in vitro cellular model of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II (AngII) insult. CHAR down‐regulation alone was sufficient to induce hypertrophic phenotypes in healthy mice and neonatal rat ventricular cells (NRVCs). Overexpression of CHAR reduced the hypertrophic responses. CHAR was found to act as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to down‐regulate miR‐20b that we established as a pro‐hypertrophic miRNA. We experimentally established phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), an anti‐hypertrophic signalling molecule, as a target gene for miR‐20b. We found that miR‐20b induced CH by directly repressing PTEN expression and indirectly increasing AKT activity. Moreover, CHAR overexpression mitigated the repression of PTEN and activation of AKT by miR‐20b, and as such, it abrogated the deleterious effects of miR‐20b on CH. Collectively, this study characterized a new lncRNA CHAR and unravelled a new pro‐hypertrophic signalling pathway: lncRNA‐CHAR/miR‐20b/PTEN/AKT. The findings therefore should improve our understanding of the cellular functionality and pathophysiological role of lncRNAs in the heart.

Crocin attenuates isoprenaline-induced myocardial fibrosis by targeting TLR4/NF-κB signaling: connecting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis

Crocin is isolated from saffron and has multiple activities. There are many reports on its beneficial effects for cardiovascular disease, but crocin's effects on anti-myocardial fibrosis have not yet been reported. This study investigated crocin's effects and potential mechanisms on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial fibrosis (MF) in mice. Mice were infused intraperitoneally with crocin with concurrent ISO subcutaneous injections over 2 weeks. Electrocardiography, cardiac weight index (CWI), hydroxyproline content, and heart morphology changes were observed. Administration of crocin markedly decreased heart rate, J-point elevation, QRS interval, CWI, and hydroxyproline content in the myocardial tissues, and improved heart pathologic morphology. Versus the control group, the ISO group showed an increase in lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities and malondialdehyde content. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione contents decreased in the ISO group; crocin caused a significant reduction in oxidative stress levels in ISO-induced MF. ISO led to a significant increase in interleukin-1 and -6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in addition to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) (p65) and toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 expressions. Crocin treatment suppressed these inflammatory cytokine expressions. Moreover, crocin treatment caused a significant decrease in connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA levels in addition to a decrease in B cell lymphoma-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-3 expressions. Crocin has a protective effect on ISO-induced MF, which may be associated with the TLR4/NF-κB (p65) signal transduction pathway.

Scutellarin inhibits hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in bladder cancer cells

Scutellarin, an active component of flavonoid, displays a variety of physiological actions and has been applied for the treatment of diverse diseases including hypertension and cerebral infarction as well as cerebral thrombosis. In recent time, Scutellarin has been demonstrated to possess the anticancer activity. But the biological significance of Scutellarin in bladder cancer (BC) remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we explored the specific effect of Scutellarin on BC progression. We found that Scutellarin inhibited hypoxia-induced BC cell migration and invasion in vitro as well as suppressed hypoxia-induced BC metastasis in vivo. Moreover, Scutellarin significantly reversed hypoxia-promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in BC cells and the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways were implicated in the suppressive effect. Taken together, we suggested the potential value of Scutellarin as a novel anticancer agent for BC treatment.

Upregulation of microRNA-7 contributes to inhibition of the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells through the inhibition of IGF1R

We aim to uncover the methylation of microRNA-7 (miR-7) promoter in osteosarcoma (OS) and the inner mechanism of miR-7 on the progression of OS cells. Expression and methylation state of miR-7 in OS tissues and cells were detected. With the aim to unearth the ability of miR-7 in OS, the proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, invasion, migration of OS cells, and the tumor growth in nude mice were determined. Meanwhile, IGF1R expression was detected and the association between miR-7 and IGF1R was confirmed. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression was tested by immunohistochemical staining, and the lung metastasis was observed by H&E staining. miR-7 expression was decreased and methylation state of miR-7 was increased in OS tissues and cells. Upregulated miR-7 inhibited proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion,and migration, while inducing apoptosis of OS cells and the tumor growth as well as PCNA expression in nude mice. Expression of IGF1R was downregulated in OS cells with overexpression of miR-7. Experiments verified the binding site between miR-7 and IGF1R. Our study demonstrates that abnormal methylation of miR-7 contributes to decreased miR-7 in OS. In addition, miR-7 represses the initiation and progression of OS cells through the inhibition of IGF1R.

MK5 haplodeficiency decreases collagen deposition and scar size during post-myocardial infarction wound repair

MK5 is a protein serine/threonine kinase activated by p38, ERK3, and ERK4 MAPKs. MK5 mRNA and immunoreactivity are detected in mouse cardiac fibroblasts, and MK5 haplodeficiency attenuates the increase in collagen 1-α1 mRNA evoked by pressure overload. The present study examined the effect of MK5 haplodeficiency on reparative fibrosis following myocardial infarction (MI). Twelve-week-old MK5^+/- and wild-type littermate (MK5^+/+) mice underwent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADL). Surviving mice were euthanized 8 or 21 days post-MI. Survival rates did not differ significantly between MK5^+/+ and MK5^+/- mice, with rupture of the LV wall being the primary cause of death. Echocardiographic imaging revealed similar increases in LV end-diastolic diameter, myocardial performance index, and wall motion score index in LADL-MK5^+/+ and LADL-MK5^+/- mice. Area at risk did not differ between LADL-MK5^+/+ and LADL-MK5^+/- hearts. In contrast, infarct size, scar area, and scar collagen content were reduced in LADL-MK5^+/- hearts. Immunohistochemical analysis of mice experiencing heart rupture revealed increased MMP-9 immunoreactivity in the infarct border zone of LADL-MK5^+/- hearts compared with LADL-MK5^+/+. Although inflammatory cell infiltration was similar in LADL-MK5^+/+ and LADL-MK5^+/- hearts, angiogenesis was more pronounced in the infarct border zone of LADL-MK5^+/- mice. Characterization of ventricular fibroblasts revealed reduced motility and proliferation in fibroblasts isolated from MK5^-/- mice compared with those from both wild-type and haplodeficient mice. siRNA-mediated knockdown of MK5 in fibroblasts from wild-type mice also impaired motility. Hence, reduced MK5 expression alters fibroblast function and scar morphology but not mortality post-MI. NEW & NOTEWORTHY MK5/PRAK is a protein serine/threonine kinase activated by p38 MAPK and/or atypical MAPKs ERK3/4. MK5 haplodeficiency reduced infarct size, scar area, and scar collagen content post-myocardial infarction. Motility and proliferation were reduced in cultured MK5-null cardiac myofibroblasts.

Scutellarin Suppresses Platelet Aggregation and Stalls Lesional Progression in Mouse With Induced Endometriosis

Platelets play an important role in the development of endometriosis. Scutellarin is a flavonoid isolated from a medicinal herb traditionally used as a potent antiplatelet agent. In this study, we sought to evaluate its potential therapeutic effect, if any, in mice with induced endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced in 27 female Balb/c mice by intraperitoneal injection of uterine fragments. Two weeks after the induction, the 27 mice were randomly divided in equal sizes into 3 groups: untreated, which received only vehicle, and low-dose and high-dose groups, which received low- and high dose of scutellarin treatment. Hotplate test was administrated to all mice before endometriosis induction, and before and after the scutellarin treatment. Two weeks after the treatment, a blood sample was drawn before sacrifice and all lesions were harvested. The peripheral platelet activation rate and total lesion weight were assessed, and immunohistochemistry and histochemistry analyses were performed to evaluate the extent of proliferation, angiogenesis, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (FMT), and fibrosis in lesions. Compared with untreated mice, mice in both low-dose and high-dose groups had significantly reduced lesion weight and improved hyperalgesia. Scutellarin also reduced the peripheral-activated platelets rate and resulted in significantly reduced platelet aggregation, cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, the extent of FMT, and the extent of fibrosis in lesions. Thus, we conclude that scutellarin is efficacious in treating endometriosis in vivo by suppressing platelet aggregation, inhibiting proliferation, angiogenesis, and fibrogenesis, resulting in reduced lesion size and improved pain behavior. As such, scutellarin may be a potentially promising therapeutics for the treatment of endometriosis.

Natural Products as a Source for Antifibrosis Therapy

Although fibrosis is a final pathological feature of many chronic diseases, few interventions are available that specifically target the pathogenesis of fibrosis. Natural products are becoming increasingly recognized as effective therapies for fibrosis. The highlights of common cellular and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis facilitate the discovery of effective antifibrotic drugs. We describe some new profibrotic mechanisms and corresponding therapeutic targets using natural products. Interleukin, ephrin-B2, Gas6/TAM, Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog pathway, PPARγ, lysophosphatidic acid, and CTGF are promising therapeutic targets. Natural products can target these mediators and inhibit chronic inflammation, myofibroblast activation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and extracellular matrix accumulation to alleviate fibrosis. Of note, natural products have the potential to inhibit fibrosis in one organ, simultaneously targeting fibrosis in multiple other organs, which provides us new strategies to find antifibrotic drugs.

Scutellarin Enhances Antitumor Effects and Attenuates the Toxicity of Bleomycin in H22 Ascites Tumor-Bearing Mice

Bleomycin (BLM) is a broad spectrum anti-tumor drug and inducing pulmonary fibrosis. As an anti-tumor drug without immunosuppression, it is urgent to find a drug that reduces the side effects of BLM. Scutellarin (SCU), a flavone extracted from Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz, has anti-inflammatory activity and ability to inhibit tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion. However, the combined role of SCU and BLM treatment in tumor is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the possible effect and related mechanisms of BLM combined with SCU in the treatment of tumor through in vivo and in vitro experiments. In vivo experiments showed that BLM combined with SCU in the treatment of mice bearing H22 ascites tumor prolonged the survival time, alleviated BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis, reduced the production of TNF-α; IL-6, and the levels of MDA and MPO. BLM combined with SCU increased the apoptotic rate of H22 ascites cells and the levels of cleaved-caspases-3 and -8. Furthermore, BLM combined with SCU increased the protein expression of p53 and gene expression of miR-29b, and decreased the expression of TGF-β1. In vitro experiment results showed that BLM combined with SCU inhibited the viability of H22 cells and MRC-5 cells, promoted H22 cell apoptosis, up-regulated the protein expression of p53 and down-regulated the protein expression of α-SMA and collagen-I in MRC-5 cells. These experimental results suggested that SCU could enhance the anti-tumor effect of BLM and reduce BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis, indicating SCU as a potential adjuvant for BLM in the future.

Sulforaphane, a Natural Isothiocyanate Compound, Improves Cardiac Function and Remodeling by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in a Rabbit Model of Chronic Heart Failure

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sulforaphane (SFN), a natural isothiocyanate compound, in a rabbit ascending aortic cerclage model of chronic heart failure (CHF).

Material/Methods

Thirty New Zealand White rabbits were divided into the sham operation group (n=10), the CHF group (n=10), and the CHF + SFN group (n=10) treated with subcutaneous SFN (0.5 mg/kg) for five days per week for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, echocardiography and biometric analysis were performed, followed by the examination of the rabbit hearts. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot were used to detect levels of inflammatory cytokines, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA).

Results

In the CHF group, compared with the sham operation group, there was an increase in the heart weight to body weight ratio (HW/BW), the left ventricular weight to body weight ratio (LVW/BW), the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), the left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels, the cardiac collagen volume fraction (CVF), apoptotic index, expression levels of collagen I, collagen III, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the myocardial tissue, and a decrease in the left ventricular shortening fraction (LVFS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and cardiac superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. These changes were corrected in the SFN-treated group.

Conclusions

In a rabbit model of CHF, treatment with SFN improved cardiac function and remodeling by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation.

Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols in Cardiac Fibrosis

Cardiac fibrosis, in response to injury and stress, is central to a broad constellation of cardiovascular diseases. Fibrosis decreases myocardial wall compliance due to extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, leading to impaired systolic and diastolic function and causing arrhythmogenesis. Although some conventional drugs, such as β-blockers and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, have been shown to alleviate cardiac fibrosis in clinical trials, these traditional therapies do not tend to target all the fibrosis-associated mechanisms, and do not hamper the progression of cardiac fibrosis in patients with heart failure. Polyphenols are present in vegetables, fruits, and beverages and had been proposed as attenuators of cardiac fibrosis in different models of cardiovascular diseases. Together with results found in the literature, we can show that some polyphenols exert anti-fibrotic and myocardial protective effects by mediating inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrotic molecular signals. This review considers an overview of the mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis, illustrates their involvement in different animal models of cardiac fibrosis treated with some polyphenols and projects the future direction and therapeutic potential of polyphenols on cardiac fibrosis.

Pharmacological Effects of Scutellarin, An Active Component of Genus Scutellaria and Erigeron: A Systematic Review

Flavonoid compound scutellarin (Scu) is quite frequently met in the plant kingdom, particularly in the genus Scutellaria (Lamiaceae) and Erigeron (Asteraceae). The extract of the herb of Erigeron breviscapus, containing this component in high amount, has been used for many years in traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, studies have made great progress on the usefulness of Scu for treating various diseases by testing its mechanism of action. They support the traditional use of Scu rich plant in heart and cerebral ischemia. Scu can potentially be applied in Alzheimer's disease, Helicobacter pylori infection, vascular complications of diabetes and as an inhibitor of certain carcinomas. Various methods were designed to improve its isolation from plant material, solubility, absorption and bioavailability. On the basis of recent studies, it is suggested that Scu could be a promising candidate for new natural drug and deserves particular attention in further research and development.

The lncRNA Plscr4 Controls Cardiac Hypertrophy by Regulating miR-214

Cardiac hypertrophy accompanied by maladaptive cardiac remodeling is the uppermost risk factor for the development of heart failure. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have various biological functions, and their vital role in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy still needs to be explored. In this study, we demonstrated that lncRNA Plscr4 was upregulated in hypertrophic mice hearts and in angiotensin II (Ang II)–treated cardiomyocytes. Next, we observed that overexpression of Plscr4 attenuated Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Conversely, the inhibition of Plscr4 gave rise to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Furthermore, overexpression of Plscr4 attenuated TAC (transverse aortic constriction)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Finally, we demonstrated that Plscr4 acted as an endogenous sponge of miR-214 and forced expression of Plscr4 downregulated miR-214 expression to promote Mfn2 and attenuate hypertrophy. In contrast, knockdown of Plscr4 upregulated miR-214 to induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Additionally, luciferase assay showed that miR-214 was the direct target of Plscr4, and overexpression of miR-214 counteracted the anti-hypertrophy effect of Plscr4. Collectively, these findings identify Plscr4 as a negative regulator of cardiac hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro due to its regulation of the miR-214-Mfn2 axis, suggesting that Plscr4 might act as a therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Effect of genistein on myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats and its mechanism

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of genistein (GEN) on myocardial fibrosis in type 1 diabetic rats and explore the underlying mechanisms. Rats were divided into 4 groups: Normal control (N), diabetic control (D), low-dose GEN treatment (L) and high-dose GEN treatment (H) groups. Following 8 weeks, the ventricular hemodynamic parameters, fasting blood glucose (FBG), heart-weight to body-weight ratio (HW/BW), myocardial hydroxyproline (Hyp) content, serum creatine kinase MB isozyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured. The histomorphology and ultrastructure of the heart were observed. The protein expression of myocardial transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad)-3, phosphorylated (p)-Smad3, Smad4, collagen-I and collagen-III were estimated. Compared with the N group, while the cardiac function was decreased, the levels of FBG, HW/BW, Hyp content, CK-MB, LDH, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were increased in the D group. The myocardial histomorphological alterations and ultrastructure were damaged, and the protein expression of myocardial TGF-β1, Smad3, p-Smad3, Smad4, collagen-I and collagen-III were increased in the D group. Compared with the D group, there were no differences in the ventricular hemodynamic parameters, FBG and p-Smad3 expression in the L group, while HW/BW, Hyp content, CK-MB, LDH, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels were decreased. The myocardial histomorphological damage was alleviated and the protein expression of TGF-β1, Smad3, Smad4, collagen-I and collagen-III was decreased in the L group. Compared with L group, excluding FBG, the aforementioned indices were improved in the H group. In conclusion, GEN can attenuate myocardial fibrosis in type 1 diabetic rats, and the underlying mechanisms may be associated with the reduction of CK-MB and LDH leakage, inhibition of the inflammatory reaction, and suppression of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway to regulate collagen expression.