Protective Effect of miR-204 on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyocyte Injury via HMGB1

HMGB1 as an extracellular pro-inflammatory cytokine: Implications for drug-induced organic damage

Drug-induced organic damage encompasses various intricate mechanisms, wherein HMGB1, a non-histone chromosome-binding protein, assumes a significant role as a pivotal hub gene. The regulatory functions of HMGB1 within the nucleus and extracellular milieu are interlinked. HMGB1 exerts a crucial regulatory influence on key biological processes including cell survival, inflammatory regulation, and immune response. HMGB1 can be released extracellularly from the cell during these processes, where it functions as a pro-inflammation cytokine. HMGB1 interacts with multiple cell membrane receptors, primarily Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), to stimulate immune cells and trigger inflammatory response. The excessive or uncontrolled HMGB1 release leads to heightened inflammatory responses and cellular demise, instigating inflammatory damage or exacerbating inflammation and cellular demise in different diseases. Therefore, a thorough review on the significance of HMGB1 in drug-induced organic damage is highly important for the advancement of pharmaceuticals, ensuring their effectiveness and safety in treating inflammation as well as immune-related diseases. In this review, we initially outline the characteristics and functions of HMGB1, emphasizing their relevance in disease pathology. Then, we comprehensively summarize the prospect of HMGB1 as a promising therapeutic target for treating drug-induced toxicity. Lastly, we discuss major challenges and propose potential avenues for advancing the development of HMGB1-based therapeutics.

MicroRNA in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin (DOX), a broad-spectrum chemotherapy drug, is widely applied to the treatment of cancer; however, DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) limits its clinical therapeutic utility. However, it is difficult to monitor and detect DIC at an early stage using conventional detection methods. Thus, sensitive, accurate, and specific methods of diagnosis and treatment are important in clinical practice. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and are stable and easy to detect. Moreover, miRNAs are expected to become biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DIC; thus, there are currently many studies focusing on the role of miRNAs in DIC. In this review, we list the prominent studies on the diagnosis and treatment of miRNAs in DIC, explore the feasibility and difficulties of using miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and provide recommendations for future research.

Role of oxidative stress and inflammation-related signaling pathways in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a powerful and commonly used chemotherapeutic drug, used alone or in combination in a variety of cancers, while it has been found to cause serious cardiac side effects in clinical application. More and more researchers are trying to explore the molecular mechanisms of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC), in which oxidative stress and inflammation are considered to play a significant role. This review summarizes signaling pathways related to oxidative stress and inflammation in DIC and compounds that exert cardioprotective effects by acting on relevant signaling pathways, including the role of Nrf2/Keap1/ARE, Sirt1/p66Shc, Sirt1/PPAR/PGC-1α signaling pathways and NOS, NOX, Fe²⁺ signaling in oxidative stress, as well as the role of NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD, HMGB1/TLR4/MAPKs/NF-κB, mTOR/TFEB/NF-κB pathways in DOX-induced inflammation. Hence, we attempt to explain the mechanisms of DIC in terms of oxidative stress and inflammation, and to provide a theoretical basis or new idea for further drug research on reducing DIC. Video Abstract.

The relationship between HMGB1 and autophagy in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels and has become the third leading threat to human health after cancer and cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have shown that autophagy is closely associated with diabetes. Under normal physiological conditions, autophagy promotes cellular homeostasis, reduces damage to healthy tissues and has bidirectional effects on regulating diabetes. However, under pathological conditions, unregulated autophagy activation leads to cell death and may contribute to the progression of diabetes. Therefore, restoring normal autophagy may be a key strategy to treat diabetes. High-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a chromatin protein that is mainly present in the nucleus and can be actively secreted or passively released from necrotic, apoptotic, and inflammatory cells. HMGB1 can induce autophagy by activating various pathways. Studies have shown that HMGB1 plays an important role in insulin resistance and diabetes. In this review, we will introduce the biological and structural characteristics of HMGB1 and summarize the existing knowledge on the relationship between HMGB1, autophagy, diabetes, and diabetic complications. We will also summarize potential therapeutic strategies that may be useful for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Non-coding RNAs in cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity: Mechanisms, biomarkers, and treatments

As a result of ongoing breakthroughs in cancer therapy, cancer patients' survival rates have grown considerably. However, cardiotoxicity has emerged as the most dangerous toxic side effect of cancer treatment, negatively impacting cancer patients' prognosis. In recent years, the link between non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity has received much attention and investigation. NcRNAs are non-protein-coding RNAs that impact gene expression post-transcriptionally. They include microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In several cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy-induced cardiotoxicity, ncRNAs play a significant role in the onset and progression of cardiotoxicity. This review focuses on the mechanisms of ncRNAs in cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity, including apoptosis, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, autophagy, aging, calcium homeostasis, vascular homeostasis, and fibrosis. In addition, this review explores potential ncRNAs-based biomarkers and therapeutic strategies, which may help to convert ncRNAs research into clinical practice in the future for early detection and improvement of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity.

Serum miR-204 and miR-451 Expression and Diagnostic Value in Patients with Pulmonary Artery Hypertension Triggered by Congenital Heart Disease

Objective

To determine the level of expression and clinical importance of serum miR-204 and miR-451 in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension caused by congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH).

Methods

From July 2019 to January 2021, 114 infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) were hospitalized at Qingdao's Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital. They were grouped into categories: CHD (53 cases) and CHD-PAH (61 cases) based on whether they had pulmonary hypertension (PAH). In addition, 60 healthy children were selected as the control group. All children underwent routine biochemical examination, echocardiography, and pulmonary arterial pressure examination. By using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in the blood were measured. Additionally, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the expression levels of miR-204 and miR-451 in peripheral blood. The correlation between miR-204, miR-451, BNP, ADMA, and mPAP was investigated using Pearson correlation analysis.

Results

Consequently, the TC, BNP, and ADMA serum levels were considerably higher in the CHD and CHD-PAH groups than in the control group (P < 0.05), whereas BNP and ADMA serum levels were significantly higher in the CHD-PAH group than in the CHD group (P < 0.05). According to RT-PCR data, the expression levels of miR-204 and miR-451 in the peripheral blood of children in the CHD and CHD-PAH groups were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when compared to the control group. The expression levels of miR-204 and miR-451 in the peripheral blood of children in the CHD-PAH group were substantially lower (P < 0.05) than in the CHD group. Significantly, the findings of the ROC curve revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of CHD-PAH diagnosed by miR-204 and miR-451 alone was 0.737 and 0.725, respectively, and the AUC of joint diagnosis was 0.840, which was greater than that of single diagnosis (P < 0.05). Patients with CHD-PAH had lower levels of miR-204 and miR-451 in their blood, and this was found to be associated with BNP, ADMA, and mPAP, analyzed by Pearson correlation.

Conclusions

Children with CHD-PAH can be diagnosed based on aberrant expressions of miR-204 and miR-451 in their peripheral blood serum. Moreover, CHD-PAH can be diagnosed if the combination of miR-204 and miR-451 is detected as a biomarker, which has a higher diagnostic value.

MicroRNAs in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, despite the wide diversity of molecular targets identified and the development of therapeutic methods. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small (about 22 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level in the cytoplasm and play complicated roles in different CVDs. While miRNA overexpression in one type of cell protects against heart disease, it promotes cardiac dysfunction in another type of cardiac cell. Moreover, recent studies have shown that, apart from cytosolic miRNAs, subcellular miRNAs such as mitochondria- and nucleus-localized miRNAs are dysregulated in CVDs. However, the functional properties of cellular- and subcellular-localized miRNAs have not been well characterized. In this review article, by carefully revisiting animal-based miRNA studies in CVDs, we will address the regulation and functional properties of miRNAs in various CVDs. Specifically, the cell-cell crosstalk and subcellular perspective of miRNAs are highlighted. We will provide the background for attractive molecular targets that might be useful in preventing the progression of CVDs and heart failure (HF) as well as insights for future studies.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Review

Doxorubicin is a broad-spectrum chemotherapy drug applied in antitumor therapy. However, its clinical utility is limited by its fatal cardiotoxicity. Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC) begins with the first DOX dose and is characterized by being cumulative dose-dependent, and its early diagnosis using common detection methods is very difficult. Therefore, it is urgent to determine the underlying mechanism of DIC to construct treatment strategies for the early intervention before irreversible damage to the myocardium occurs. Growing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play regulatory roles in the cardiovascular system. miRNAs may be involved in DIC by acting through multiple pathways to induce cardiomyocyte injury. Recent studies have shown that the dysregulation of miRNA expression can aggravate the pathological process of DIC, including the induction of oxidative stress, apoptosis, ion channel dysfunction and microvascular dysfunction. Current findings on the roles of miRNAs in DIC have led to a wide range of studies exploring candidate miRNAs to be utilized as diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for DIC. In this review, we discuss frontier studies on the roles of miRNAs in DIC to better understand their functions, develop relevant applications in DIC, discuss possible reasons for the limitations of their use and speculate on innovative treatment strategies.

MicroRNA miR-215-5p regulates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte injury by targeting ZEB2

ABSTRACT

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a chemotherapeutic drug for treating various cancers. However, the DOX-induced cardiotoxicity greatly limits its clinical application. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerged as critical mediators of cardiomyocyte injury. This work explored the function of miR-215-5p in the regulation of DOX-induced mouse HL-1 cardiomyocyte injury. An in vitro model of DOX-treated cardiotoxicity was established in HL-1 cells. Gene expression was measured by RT-qPCR. Cell viability was detected using CCK-8. Cell death and apoptosis were tested using TUNEL, flow cytometry, and caspase 3/7 activity assays. Luciferase reporter assay was used to examine the target of miR-215-5p. We found that DOX induced cardiomyocyte injury and upregulated miR-215-5p in HL-1 cells. Inhibition of miR-215-5p attenuated DOX-induced cardiomyocyte death and apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistical experiments indicated that ZEB2 was targeted by miR-215-5p. Additionally, ZEB2 expression was reduced in DOX-treated HL-1 cells. Rescue assays indicated that ZEB2 knockdown reversed the effects of miR-215-5p inhibition. In conclusion, miR-215-5p inhibition protects HL-1 cells against DOX-induced injury by upregulating ZEB2 expression.