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Zhu M, Wang Y, Han J, Sun Y, Wang S, Yang B, Wang Q, Kuang H. Artesunate Exerts Organ- and Tissue-Protective Effects by Regulating Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Autophagy, Apoptosis, and Fibrosis: A Review of Evidence and Mechanisms. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:686. [PMID: 38929125 PMCID: PMC11200509 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The human body comprises numerous organs and tissues operating in synchrony, it facilitates metabolism, circulation, and overall organismal function. Consequently, the well-being of our organs and tissues significantly influences our overall health. In recent years, research on the protective effects of artesunate (AS) on various organ functions, including the heart, liver, brain, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, bones, and others has witnessed significant advancements. Findings from in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that AS may emerge as a newfound guardian against organ damage. Its protective mechanisms primarily entail the inhibition of inflammatory factors and affect anti-fibrotic, anti-aging, immune-enhancing, modulation of stem cells, apoptosis, metabolic homeostasis, and autophagy properties. Moreover, AS is attracting a high level of interest because of its obvious antioxidant activities, including the activation of Nrf2 and HO-1 signaling pathways, inhibiting the release of reactive oxygen species, and interfering with the expression of genes and proteins associated with oxidative stress. This review comprehensively outlines the recent strides made by AS in alleviating organismal injuries stemming from various causes and protecting organs, aiming to serve as a reference for further in-depth research and utilization of AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingtao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Jianwei Han
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Yanping Sun
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Shuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Bingyou Yang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
| | - Qiuhong Wang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510024, China
| | - Haixue Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Application Research of Beiyao (Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China; (M.Z.); (Y.W.); (J.H.); (Y.S.); (S.W.); (B.Y.)
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Xie K, Li Z, Zhang Y, Wu H, Zhang T, Wang W. Artemisinin and its derivatives as promising therapies for autoimmune diseases. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27972. [PMID: 38596057 PMCID: PMC11001780 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin, a traditional Chinese medicine with remarkable antimalarial activity. In recent years, studies demonstrated that artemisinin and its derivatives (ARTs) showed anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. ARTs have been developed and gradually applied to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, their role in the treament of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in particular is less well recognized. This review will briefly describe the history of ARTs use in patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, the theorized mechanisms of action of the agents ARTs, their efficacy in patients with autoinmmune and inflammatory diseases. Overall, ARTs have numerous beneficial effects in patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and have a good safety profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaidi Xie
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/ AIDS Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/ AIDS Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/ AIDS Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/ AIDS Research, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/ AIDS Research, Beijing, 100069, China
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Kiss E, Kins S, Gorgas K, Venczel Szakács KH, Kirsch J, Kuhse J. Another Use for a Proven Drug: Experimental Evidence for the Potential of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives to Treat Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4165. [PMID: 38673751 PMCID: PMC11049906 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant-derived multitarget compounds may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for multifactorial diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Artemisinin and its derivatives were indicated to beneficially modulate various aspects of AD pathology in different AD animal models through the regulation of a wide range of different cellular processes, such as energy homeostasis, apoptosis, proliferation and inflammatory pathways. In this review, we aimed to provide an up-to-date overview of the experimental evidence documenting the neuroprotective activities of artemi-sinins to underscore the potential of these already-approved drugs for treating AD also in humans and propose their consideration for carefully designed clinical trials. In particular, the benefits to the main pathological hallmarks and events in the pathological cascade throughout AD development in different animal models of AD are summarized. Moreover, dose- and context-dependent effects of artemisinins are noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kiss
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.K.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mures, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania;
| | - Stefan Kins
- Department of Human Biology and Human Genetics, University of Kaiserslautern, 69120 Kaiserslautern, Germany;
| | - Karin Gorgas
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Kinga Hajnal Venczel Szakács
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mures, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania;
| | - Joachim Kirsch
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Jochen Kuhse
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (K.G.); (J.K.)
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Verma SK, Nandi A, Sinha A, Patel P, Mohanty S, Jha E, Jena S, Kumari P, Ghosh A, Jerman I, Chouhan RS, Dutt A, Samal SK, Mishra YK, Varma RS, Panda PK, Kaushik NK, Singh D, Suar M. The posterity of Zebrafish in paradigm of in vivo molecular toxicological profiling. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116160. [PMID: 38237351 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggrandised advancement in utility of advanced day-to-day materials and nanomaterials has raised serious concern on their biocompatibility with human and other biotic members. In last few decades, understanding of toxicity of these materials has been given the centre stage of research using many in vitro and in vivo models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish and a member of the minnow family has garnered much attention due to its distinct features, which make it an important and frequently used animal model in various fields of embryology and toxicological studies. Given that fertilization and development of zebrafish eggs take place externally, they serve as an excellent model organism for studying early developmental stages. Moreover, zebrafish possess a comparable genetic composition to humans and share almost 70% of their genes with mammals. This particular model organism has become increasingly popular, especially for developmental research. Moreover, it serves as a link between in vitro studies and in vivo analysis in mammals. It is an appealing choice for vertebrate research, when employing high-throughput methods, due to their small size, swift development, and relatively affordable laboratory setup. This small vertebrate has enhanced comprehension of pathobiology and drug toxicity. This review emphasizes on the recent developments in toxicity screening and assays, and the new insights gained about the toxicity of drugs through these assays. Specifically, the cardio, neural, and, hepatic toxicology studies inferred by applications of nanoparticles have been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K Verma
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Aditya Nandi
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Adrija Sinha
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Paritosh Patel
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India; Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Ealisha Jha
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Snehasmita Jena
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Puja Kumari
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 61137, Czech Republic
| | - Aishee Ghosh
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Raghuraj Singh Chouhan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ateet Dutt
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, UNAM, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Shailesh Kumar Samal
- Unit of Immunology and Chronic Disease, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yogendra Kumar Mishra
- Mads Clausen Institute, NanoSYD, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, Sønderborg DK-6400, Denmark
| | - Rajender S Varma
- Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation (CxI), Technical University of Liberec (TUL), Studentská 1402/2, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic
| | - Pritam Kumar Panda
- Condensed Matter Theory Group, Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nagendra Kumar Kaushik
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Deobrat Singh
- Condensed Matter Theory Group, Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Mrutyunjay Suar
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
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Li CJ, Zhai RR, Zhu XY, Guo ZF, Yang H. Discovery of effective combination from Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair against heart failure by spectrum-effect relationship analysis and zebrafish models. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 317:116832. [PMID: 37352946 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Traditional herbal pair Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (roots and rhizomes of Panax ginseng C.A. Mey, Renshen in Chinese) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux, Fuzi in Chinese), composition of two traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine formula, in which Shenfu decoction has been used clinically in China for the treatment of heart failure at present. AIM OF THE STUDY Although the ginsenosides and aconite alkaloids have been proven as the essential bioactive components in Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair, the exact composition of effective components to combat heart failure are still unclear. Therefore, spectrum-effect relationship analysis was performed to reveal its effective combination for anti-heart failure effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS Firstly, the chemical constituents of Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair were identified using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF MS). The 39 major compounds in Renshen-Fuzi with five different compatibility ratios were simultaneously quantified using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ MS/MS). Subsequently, zebrafish models induced by verapamil hydrochloride were constructed and four heart failure-related indexes were selected for pharmacodynamic evaluation of Renshen-Fuzi. To analyze the spectrum-effect relationships, partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were established among the contents of 39 compounds in Renshen-Fuzi with each pharmacodynamic index. According to the contribution of each compound to the whole efficacy, 12 compounds were finally screened out as the effective combination. RESULTS A total of 157 chemical compounds of Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair were identified, in which 39 components were simultaneously determined. The pharmacological effects indicated that Renshen-Fuzi with 1:2 ratio exhibited the best effect based on zebrafish model, which could improve cardiac output and blood flow velocity and inhibit pericardial enlargement and venous blood stasis significantly. A combination of 9 ginsenosides and 3 aconite alkaloids based on a component-efficacy modeling by PLSR was screened, and exerted approximately equivalent pharmacological effects compared with Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair. CONCLUSIONS Our findings elucidated the effective combination of Renshen-Fuzi herbal pair that has been used in clinic for the treatment of heart failure, which could also promote the pharmacological research and quality control of their formula such as Shenfu decoction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rong-Rong Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zi-Fan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Vaziri Z, Saleki K, Aram C, Alijanizadeh P, Pourahmad R, Azadmehr A, Ziaei N. Empagliflozin treatment of cardiotoxicity: A comprehensive review of clinical, immunobiological, neuroimmune, and therapeutic implications. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115686. [PMID: 37839109 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer and cardiovascular disorders are known as the two main leading causes of mortality worldwide. Cardiotoxicity is a critical and common adverse effect of cancer-related chemotherapy. Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity has been associated with various cancer treatments, such as anthracyclines, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and kinase inhibitors. Different methods have been reported for the management of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. In this regard, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), a class of antidiabetic agents, have recently been applied to manage heart failure patients. Further, SGLT2i drugs such as EMPA exert protective cardiac and systemic effects. Moreover, it can reduce inflammation through the mediation of major inflammatory components, such as Nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways, Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), and overall decreasing transcription of proinflammatory cytokines. The clinical outcome of EMPA administration is related to improving cardiovascular risk factors, including body weight, lipid profile, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness. Intriguingly, SGLT2 suppressors can regulate microglia-driven hyperinflammation affecting neurological and cardiovascular disorders. In this review, we discuss the protective effects of EMPA in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity from molecular, immunological, and neuroimmunological aspects to preclinical and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Vaziri
- Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; USERN Office, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Kiarash Saleki
- Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; USERN Office, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; Department of e-Learning, Virtual School of Medical Education and Management, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran
| | - Cena Aram
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parsa Alijanizadeh
- Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; USERN Office, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Ramtin Pourahmad
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Azadmehr
- Immunology Department, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Naghmeh Ziaei
- Clinical Research Development unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; Department of Cardiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
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Kuhse J, Groeneweg F, Kins S, Gorgas K, Nawrotzki R, Kirsch J, Kiss E. Loss of Extrasynaptic Inhibitory Glycine Receptors in the Hippocampus of an AD Mouse Model Is Restored by Treatment with Artesunate. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054623. [PMID: 36902054 PMCID: PMC10002537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by synaptic failure and neuronal loss. Recently, we demonstrated that artemisinins restored the levels of key proteins of inhibitory GABAergic synapses in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice, a model of cerebral amyloidosis. In the present study, we analyzed the protein levels and subcellular localization of α2 and α3 subunits of GlyRs, indicated as the most abundant receptor subtypes in the mature hippocampus, in early and late stages of AD pathogenesis, and upon treatment with two different doses of artesunate (ARS). Immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein levels of both α2 and α3 GlyRs are considerably reduced in the CA1 and the dentate gyrus of 12-month-old APP/PS1 mice when compared to WT mice. Notably, treatment with low-dose ARS affected GlyR expression in a subunit-specific way; the protein levels of α3 GlyR subunits were rescued to about WT levels, whereas that of α2 GlyRs were not affected significantly. Moreover, double labeling with a presynaptic marker indicated that the changes in GlyR α3 expression levels primarily involve extracellular GlyRs. Correspondingly, low concentrations of artesunate (≤1 µM) also increased the extrasynaptic GlyR cluster density in hAPPswe-transfected primary hippocampal neurons, whereas the number of GlyR clusters overlapping presynaptic VIAAT immunoreactivities remained unchanged. Thus, here we provide evidence that the protein levels and subcellular localization of α2 and α3 subunits of GlyRs show regional and temporal alterations in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice that can be modulated by the application of artesunate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Kuhse
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Femke Groeneweg
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Kins
- Department of Human Biology and Human Genetics, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Karin Gorgas
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralph Nawrotzki
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Kirsch
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eva Kiss
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mures, Romania
- Correspondence:
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Bauer B, Mally A, Liedtke D. Zebrafish Embryos and Larvae as Alternative Animal Models for Toxicity Testing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13417. [PMID: 34948215 PMCID: PMC8707050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prerequisite to any biological laboratory assay employing living animals is consideration about its necessity, feasibility, ethics and the potential harm caused during an experiment. The imperative of these thoughts has led to the formulation of the 3R-principle, which today is a pivotal scientific standard of animal experimentation worldwide. The rising amount of laboratory investigations utilizing living animals throughout the last decades, either for regulatory concerns or for basic science, demands the development of alternative methods in accordance with 3R to help reduce experiments in mammals. This demand has resulted in investigation of additional vertebrate species displaying favourable biological properties. One prominent species among these is the zebrafish (Danio rerio), as these small laboratory ray-finned fish are well established in science today and feature outstanding biological characteristics. In this review, we highlight the advantages and general prerequisites of zebrafish embryos and larvae before free-feeding stages for toxicological testing, with a particular focus on cardio-, neuro, hepato- and nephrotoxicity. Furthermore, we discuss toxicokinetics, current advances in utilizing zebrafish for organ toxicity testing and highlight how advanced laboratory methods (such as automation, advanced imaging and genetic techniques) can refine future toxicological studies in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Bauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Angela Mally
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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9
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Song YS, Dai MZ, Zhu CX, Huang YF, Liu J, Zhang CD, Xie F, Peng Y, Zhang Y, Li CQ, Zhang LJ. Validation, Optimization, and Application of the Zebrafish Developmental Toxicity Assay for Pharmaceuticals Under the ICH S5(R3) Guideline. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:721130. [PMID: 34595173 PMCID: PMC8476914 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.721130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish as an alternative animal model for developmental toxicity testing has been extensively investigated, but its assay protocol was not harmonized yet. This study has validated and optimized the zebrafish developmental toxicity assay previously reported by multiple inter-laboratory studies in the United States and Europe. In this study, using this classical protocol, of 31 ICH-positive compounds, 23 compounds (74.2%) were teratogenic in zebrafish, five had false-negative results, and three were neither teratogenic nor non-teratogenic according to the protocol standard; of 14 ICH-negative compounds, 12 compounds (85.7%) were non-teratogenic in zebrafish and two had false-positive results. After we added an additional TI value in the zebrafish treated with testing compounds at 2 dpf along with the original 5 dpf, proposed a new category as the uncategorized compounds for those TI values smaller than the cutoff both at 2 dpf and 5 dpf but inducing toxic phenotypes, refined the testing concentration ranges, and optimized the TI cut-off value from ≥ 10 to ≥ 3 for compounds with refined testing concentrations, this optimized zebrafish developmental assay reached 90.3% sensitivity (28/31 positive compounds were teratogenic in zebrafish) and 88.9% (40/45) overall predictability. Our results from this study strongly support the use of zebrafish as an alternative in vivo method for screening and assessing the teratogenicity of candidate drugs for regulatory acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Sheng Song
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Chen-Xia Zhu
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Jing Liu
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China
| | - Cheng-Da Zhang
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Xie
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Peng
- Hunter Biotechnology, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China.,Hunter Biotechnology, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | - Chun-Qi Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China.,Hunter Biotechnology, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Jiang Zhang
- Center of Safety Evaluation and Research, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College (Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences), Hangzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Efferth T, Oesch F. The immunosuppressive activity of artemisinin-type drugs towards inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:3023-3061. [PMID: 34288018 DOI: 10.1002/med.21842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. is well established for malaria therapy, but its bioactivity spectrum is much broader. In this review, we give a comprehensive and timely overview of the literature regarding the immunosuppressive activity of artemisinin-type compounds toward inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Numerous receptor-coupled signaling pathways are inhibited by artemisinins, including the receptors for interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), β3-integrin, or RANKL, toll-like receptors and growth factor receptors. Among the receptor-coupled signal transducers are extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K), AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK), phospholipase C γ1 (PLCγ), and others. All these receptors and signal transduction molecules are known to contribute to the inhibition of the transcription factor nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB). Artemisinins may inhibit NF-κB by silencing these upstream pathways and/or by direct binding to NF-κB. Numerous NF-κB-regulated downstream genes are downregulated by artemisinin and its derivatives, for example, cytokines, chemokines, and immune receptors, which regulate immune cell differentiation, apoptosis genes, proliferation-regulating genes, signal transducers, and genes involved in antioxidant stress response. In addition to the prominent role of NF-κB, other transcription factors are also inhibited by artemisinins (mammalian target of rapamycin [mTOR], activating protein 1 [AP1]/FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homologue [FOS]/JUN oncogenic transcription factor [JUN]), hypoxia-induced factor 1α (HIF-1α), nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NF-ATC1), Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT), NF E2-related factor-2 (NRF-2), retinoic-acid-receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor γ (ROR-γt), and forkhead box P-3 (FOXP-3). Many in vivo experiments in disease-relevant animal models demonstrate therapeutic efficacy of artemisinin-type drugs against rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus erythematosus, arthrosis, and gout), lung diseases (asthma, acute lung injury, and pulmonary fibrosis), neurological diseases (autoimmune encephalitis, Alzheimer's disease, and myasthenia gravis), skin diseases (dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis), inflammatory bowel disease, and other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Randomized clinical trials should be conducted in the future to translate the plethora of preclinical results into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Franz Oesch
- Oesch-Tox Toxicological Consulting and Expert Opinions, Ingelheim, Germany and Institute of Toxicology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Lin FJ, Li H, Wu DT, Zhuang QG, Li HB, Geng F, Gan RY. Recent development in zebrafish model for bioactivity and safety evaluation of natural products. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021; 62:8646-8674. [PMID: 34058920 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1931023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a species of freshwater fish, popular in aquariums and laboratories. Several advantageous features have facilitated zebrafish to be extensively utilized as a valuable vertebrate model in the lab. It has been well-recognized that natural products possess multiple health benefits for humans. With the increasing demand for natural products in the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and natural cosmetics, the zebrafish has emerged as an unprecedented tool for rapidly and economically screening and identifying safe and effective substances from natural products. This review first summarized the key factors for the management of zebrafish in the laboratory, followed by highlighting the current progress on the establishment and applications of zebrafish models in the bioactivity evaluation of natural products. In addition, the zebrafish models used for assessing the potential toxicity or health risks of natural products were involved as well. Overall, this review indicates that zebrafish are promising animal models for the bioactivity and safety evaluation of natural products, and zebrafish models can accelerate the discovery of novel natural products with potential health functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Jun Lin
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China.,Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Hang Li
- Research Center for Plants and Human Health, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Ding-Tao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi-Guo Zhuang
- China-New Zealand Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Kiwifruit, Sichuan Provincial Academy of Natural Resource Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua-Bin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang Geng
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ren-You Gan
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China.,Research Center for Plants and Human Health, Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
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Kadioglu O, Klauck SM, Fleischer E, Shan L, Efferth T. Selection of safe artemisinin derivatives using a machine learning-based cardiotoxicity platform and in vitro and in vivo validation. Arch Toxicol 2021; 95:2485-2495. [PMID: 34021777 PMCID: PMC8241674 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-021-03058-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The majority of drug candidates fails the approval phase due to unwanted toxicities and side effects. Establishment of an effective toxicity prediction platform is of utmost importance, to increase the efficiency of the drug discovery process. For this purpose, we developed a toxicity prediction platform with machine-learning strategies. Cardiotoxicity prediction was performed by establishing a model with five parameters (arrhythmia, cardiac failure, heart block, hypertension, myocardial infarction) and additional toxicity predictions such as hepatotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, mutagenicity, and tumorigenicity are performed by using Data Warrior and Pro-Tox-II software. As a case study, we selected artemisinin derivatives to evaluate the platform and to provide a list of safe artemisinin derivatives. Artemisinin from Artemisia annua was described first as an anti-malarial compound and later its anticancer properties were discovered. Here, random forest feature selection algorithm was used for the establishment of cardiotoxicity models. High AUC scores above 0.830 were achieved for all five cardiotoxicity indications. Using a chemical library of 374 artemisinin derivatives as a case study, 7 compounds (deoxydihydro-artemisinin, 3-hydroxy-deoxy-dihydroartemisinin, 3-desoxy-dihydroartemisinin, dihydroartemisinin-furano acetate-d3, deoxyartemisinin, artemisinin G, artemisinin B) passed the toxicity filtering process for hepatotoxicity, mutagenicity, tumorigenicity, and reproductive toxicity in addition to cardiotoxicity. Experimental validation with the cardiomyocyte cell line AC16 supported the findings from the in silico cardiotoxicity model predictions. Transcriptomic profiling of AC16 cells upon artemisinin B treatment revealed a similar gene expression profile as that of the control compound, dexrazoxane. In vivo experiments with a Zebrafish model further substantiated the in silico and in vitro data, as only slight cardiotoxicity in picomolar range was observed. In conclusion, our machine-learning approach combined with in vitro and in vivo experimentation represents a suitable method to predict cardiotoxicity of drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onat Kadioglu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sabine M Klauck
- Division of Cancer Genome Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Letian Shan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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