The Suppression of Pin1-Alleviated Oxidative Stress through the p38 MAPK Pathway in Ischemia- and Reperfusion-Induced Acute Kidney Injury

Function and Mechanism of Abscisic Acid on Microglia-Induced Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), as a neurologically implemented disease with complex etiological factors, has a complex and variable pathogenesis. Accompanying further research, neuroinflammation has been found to be one of the possible factors in its pathogenesis. Microglia, as intrinsic immune cells in the brain, play an important role in maintaining microenvironmental homeostasis in the brain. However, over-activation of neurotoxic microglia in PD promotes neuroinflammation, which further increases dopaminergic (DA) neuronal damage and exacerbates the disease process. Therefore, targeting and regulating the functional state of microglia is expected to be a potential avenue for PD treatment. In addition, plant extracts have shown great potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders due to their abundant resources, mild effects, and the presence of multiple active ingredients. However, it is worth noting that some natural products have certain toxic side effects, so it is necessary to pay attention to distinguish medicinal ingredients and usage and dosage when using to avoid aggravating the progression of diseases. In this review, the roles of microglia with different functional states in PD and the related pathways inducing microglia to transform into neuroprotective states are described. At the same time, it is discussed that abscisic acid (ABA) may regulate the polarization of microglia by targeting them, promote their transformation into neuroprotective state, reduce the neuroinflammatory response in PD, and provide a new idea for the treatment of PD and the selection of drugs.

The molecular mechanisms of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 and its relevance to kidney disease

Pin1 is a member of the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase subfamily and is widely expressed in various cell types and tissues. Alterations in Pin1 expression levels play pivotal roles in both physiological processes and multiple pathological conditions, especially in the onset and progression of kidney diseases. Herein, we present an overview of the role of Pin1 in the regulation of fibrosis, oxidative stress, and autophagy. It plays a significant role in various kidney diseases including Renal I/R injury, chronic kidney disease with secondary hyperparathyroidism, diabetic nephropathy, renal fibrosis, and renal cell carcinoma. The representative therapeutic agent Juglone has emerged as a potential treatment for inhibiting Pin1 activity and mitigating kidney disease. Understanding the role of Pin1 in kidney diseases is expected to provide new insights into innovative therapeutic interventions and strategies. Consequently, this review delves into the molecular mechanisms of Pin1 and its relevance in kidney disease, paving the way for novel therapeutic approaches.

Puerarin alleviated oxidative stress and ferroptosis during renal fibrosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury via TLR4/Nox4 pathway in rats

PURPOSE

To investigate the role of puerarin on renal fibrosis and the underlying mechanism in renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) model.

METHODS

Rats were intraperitoneally injected with puerarin (50 or 100 mg/kg) per day for one week before renal I/R. The level of renal collagen deposition and interstitial fibrosis were observed by hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius Red staining, and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The ferroptosis related factors and TLR4/Nox4-pathway-associated proteins were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Puerarin was observed to alleviate renal collagen deposition, interstitial fibrosis and the α-SMA expression induced by I/R. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and glutathione (GSH) level were decreased in I/R and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) and Fe2+ level increased. However, puerarin reversed SOD, MDA, GSH and Fe2+ level changes induced by I/R and H/R. Besides, Western blot indicated that puerarin inhibited the expression of ferroptosis related factors in a dose-dependent manner, which further demonstrated that puerarin had the effect to attenuate ferroptosis. Moreover, the increased expression of TLR/Nox4-pathway-associated proteins were observed in I/R and H/R group, but puerarin alleviated the elevated TLR/Nox4 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that puerarin inhibited oxidative stress and ferroptosis induced by I/R and, thus, delayed the progression of renal fibrosis, providing a new target for the treatment of renal fibrosis.

Sufentanil inhibits Pin1 to attenuate renal tubular epithelial cell ischemia-reperfusion injury by activating the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) has become a great concern in clinical practice with high morbidity and mortality rates. Sufentanil has protective effects on IRI-induced organ injury. Herein, the effects of sufentanil on RIRI were investigated.

METHODS

RIRI cell model was established by hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R) stimulation. The mRNA and protein expressions were assessed using qRT-PCR and western blot. TMCK-1 cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS level were detected by JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential fluorescent probe and DCFH-DA fluorescent probe, respectively. LDH, SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA levels were determined by the kits. The interaction between FOXO1 and Pin1 promoter was analyzed using dual luciferase reporter gene and ChIP assays.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that sufentanil treatment attenuated H/R-induced cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation and activated PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 associated proteins, while these effects were reversed by PI3K inhibitor, suggesting that sufentanil attenuated RIRI via activating the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling pathway. We subsequently found that FOXO1 transcriptionally activated Pin1 in TCMK-1 cells. Pin1 inhibition ameliorated H/R-induced TCMK-1 cell apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, as expected, the biological effects of sufentanil on H/R-treated TMCK-1 cells were abrogated by Pin1 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

Sufentanil reduced Pin1 expression through activation of the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 signaling to suppress cell apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation in renal tubular epithelial cells during RIRI development.

Estradiol regulates oxidative stress and angiogenesis of myocardial microvascular endothelial cells via the CDK1/CDK2 pathway

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death, morbidity, and disability. Recently, it has been reported that gonadal hormones such as estradiol can act on membrane receptors and activate intracellular signaling mechanisms, thereby altering cellular function. This study aims to explore the function and molecular mechanism of estradiol on cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMVECs). Estradiol had low toxicity to CMVECs. Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) stimulation inhibited the proliferation and migration of CMVECs, while estradiol significantly promoted proliferation and migration. Estradiol inhibited il-1, IL6, and TNF-α secretion levels after H/R stimulation. Meanwhile, estradiol inhibits oxidative stress and promotes angiogenesis. Further, estradiol upregulated the gene and protein levels of cyclin-dependent kinases 1 (CDK1) and CDK2 after H/R stimulation. When knocking down CDK1 and CDK2 of CMVECs, estradiol did not affect the protein expression of Cyclin E1 and Cyclin D1. Meanwhile, the regulatory effect of estradiol on oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and inflammatory response was significantly weakened or even disappeared. In conclusion, estradiol mediates oxidative stress and angiogenesis of myocardial microvascular endothelial cells by regulating the CDK/cyclin signaling pathway.

Circular RNA_HIPK3-Targeting miR-93-5p Regulates KLF9 Expression Level to Control Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a clinical syndrome caused by various reasons that results in the rapid decline of renal function in a short period of time. Severe AKI can lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Circular RNA HIPK3 (circHIPK3) derived from the HIPK3 gene is involved in multiple inflammatory processes. The present research was performed to explore the function of circHIPK3 on AKI. The AKI model was established by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in C57BL/6 mice or hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) in HK-2 cells. The function and mechanism of circHIPK3 on AKI were explored via biochemical index measurement; hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT); flow cytometry; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); western blot; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP); and luciferase reporter assays. circHIPK3 was upregulated in kidney tissues of I/R-induced mice and in H/R-treated HK-2 cells, while the microRNA- (miR-) 93-5p level was decreased in H/R-stimulated HK-2 cells. Furthermore, circHIPK3 silencing or miR-93-5p overexpression could reduce the level of proinflammatory factors and oxidative stress and recover the cell viability in H/R-stimulated HK-2 cells. Meanwhile, the luciferase assay showed that Krüppel-like transcription factor 9 (KLF9) was the downstream target of miR-93-5p. Forced expression of KLF9 blocked the function of miR-93-5p on H/R-treated HK-2 cells. Knockdown of circHIPK3 improved the renal function and reduced the apoptosis level in vivo. In conclusion, circHIPK3 knockdown alleviated oxidative stress and apoptosis and inhibited inflammation in AKI via miR-93-5p-mediated downregulation of the KLF9 signal pathway.

Protective effects of mefunidone on ischemia-reperfusion injury/Folic acid-induced acute kidney injury

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is one of the most common causes of acute kidney injury (AKI). It poses a significant threat to public health, and effective therapeutic drugs are lacking. Mefunidone (MFD) is a new pyridinone drug that exerts a significant protective effect on diabetic nephropathy and the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model in our previous study. However, the effects of mefunidone on ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of mefunidone against ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury and explored the underlying mechanism. These results revealed that mefunidone exerted a protective effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury. In an ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury model, treatment with mefunidone significantly protected the kidney by relieving kidney tubular injury, suppressing oxidative stress, and inhibiting kidney tubular epithelial cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that mefunidone reduced mitochondrial damage, regulated mitochondrial-related Bax/bcl2/cleaved-caspase3 apoptotic protein expression, and protected mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes III and V levels both in vivo and in vitro, along with a protective effect on mitochondrial membrane potential in vitro. Given that folic acid (FA)-induced acute kidney injury is a classic model, we used this model to further validate the efficacy of mefunidone in acute kidney injury and obtained the same conclusion. Based on the above results, we conclude that mefunidone has potential protective and therapeutic effects in both ischemia-reperfusion injury- and folic acid-induced acute kidney injury.

PIN1-mediated ROS production is involved in antagonism of N-acetyl-L-cysteine against arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity

Arsenic, a widely existing environmental contaminant, is recognized to be toxic to multiple organs. Exposure to arsenic results in liver damage via excessive production of reactive oxidative species (ROS). PIN1 regulates the levels of ROS. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is an ROS scavenger that protects the hepatic functions. Whether PIN1 plays a regulatory role in NAC-mediated antagonism against arsenic hepatotoxicity remains largely unknown. In our study, the protective effects of NAC against arsenic (NaAsO2)-induced hepatotoxicity were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Arsenic exposure induced cytotoxicity by increasing the intracellular ROS production, impairing mitochondrial function and inducing apoptosis in L02 hepatocytes. Overexpression of PIN1 markedly protected against arsenic cytotoxicity, decreased ROS levels, and mitigated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in L02 cells. However, loss of PIN1 further aggravated arsenic-induced cytotoxicity and abolished the protective effects of NAC in L02 cells. An in vivo study showed that pretreatment with NAC rescued arsenic-induced liver injury by restoring liver function and suppressing hepatic oxidative stress. Overexpression of PIN1 in mice transfected with AAV-Pin1 relieved arsenic-induced liver dysfunction and hepatic oxidative stress. Taken together, our study identified PIN1 as a novel intervention target for antagonizing arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity, highlighting a new pharmacological mechanism of NAC targeting PIN1 in antagonism against arsenic toxicity.