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Lu T, Chen X, Zhang Q, Shang K, Yang X, Xiang W. Vitamin D Relieves Epilepsy Symptoms and Neuroinflammation in Juvenile Mice by Activating the mTOR Signaling Pathway via RAF1: Insights from Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Studies. Neurochem Res 2024:10.1007/s11064-024-04176-y. [PMID: 38837094 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04176-y] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, and the exploration of potential therapeutic drugs for its treatment is still ongoing. Vitamin D has emerged as a promising treatment due to its potential neuroprotective effects and anti-epileptic properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin D on epilepsy and neuroinflammation in juvenile mice using network pharmacology and molecular docking, with a focus on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Experimental mouse models of epilepsy were established through intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine, and in vitro injury models of hippocampal neurons were induced by glutamate (Glu) stimulation. The anti-epileptic effects of vitamin D were evaluated both in vivo and in vitro. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis were used to identify potential targets and regulatory pathways of vitamin D in epilepsy. The involvement of the mTOR signaling pathway in the regulation of mouse epilepsy by vitamin D was validated using rapamycin (RAPA). The levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Gene and protein expressions were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to analyze the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. In in vivo experiments, vitamin D reduced the Racine scores of epileptic mice, prolonged the latency of epilepsy, and inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the hippocampus. Furthermore, network pharmacology analysis identified RAF1 as a potential target of vitamin D in epilepsy, which was further confirmed by molecular docking analysis. Additionally, the mTOR signaling pathway was found to be involved in the regulation of mouse epilepsy by vitamin D. In in vitro experiments, Glu stimulation upregulated the expressions of RAF1 and LC3II/LC3I, inhibited mTOR phosphorylation, and induced neuronal apoptosis. Mechanistically, vitamin D activated the mTOR signaling pathway and alleviated mouse epilepsy via RAF1, while the use of the pathway inhibitor RAPA reversed this effect. Vitamin D alleviated epilepsy symptoms and neuroinflammation in juvenile mice by activating the mTOR signaling pathway via RAF1. These findings provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-epileptic effects of vitamin D and further supported its use as an adjunctive therapy for existing anti-epileptic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Lu
- School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China
- Department of Neonatology, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou, 570203, China
| | - Xiuling Chen
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical School Central South University, Haikou, 570208, China
| | - Qin Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, 570312, China
| | - Kun Shang
- Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Xiaogui Yang
- Department of Neonatology, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou, 570203, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- School of Pediatrics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, China.
- Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570312, China.
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570216, China.
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Liu Z, Zhang J, Li X, Hu Q, Chen X, Luo L, Ai L, Ye J. Astrocytic expression of Yes-associated protein (YAP) regulates retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Microvasc Res 2024; 151:104611. [PMID: 37774941 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2023.104611] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Pathological neovascularization is the hallmark of many vascular oculopathies. There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding retinal neovascularization research. A working hypothesis that astrocytic Yes-associated protein (YAP) act as a key factor in retinal neovascularization was proposed. And our study was conducted to verified this hypothesis. In vivo, we successfully generated mice deficient in YAP in astrocytes (YAPf/f GFAP-Cre mice) and set up oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. Pathological neovascularization was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting. In vitro, cultured retinal astrocytes were transfected with YAP siRNA. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot were used to determine the proteins in the supernatants and cells. The results showed that YAP was upregulated and activated in the OIR mice retinas. Conditional ablation of YAP aggravated pathological neovascularization, along with the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Studies in vitro confirmed that the knockdown of YAP in astrocytes lead to increases in VEGF-A and MCP-1 levels, thus enhancing pro-angiogenic capability of YAP-deficit astrocytes. In conclusion, astrocytic YAP alleviates retinal pathological angiogenesis by inhibiting the over-activation of astrocytes, which suppresses excessive VEGF-A production and neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jieqiong Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiumei Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Linlin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liqianyu Ai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jian Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Wen D, Ren X, Li H, He Y, Hong Y, Cao J, Zheng C, Dong L, Li X. Low expression of RBP4 in the vitreous humour of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy who underwent Conbercept intravitreal injection. Exp Eye Res 2022; 225:109197. [PMID: 35932904 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF antibodies has been widely used in the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). However, anti-VEGF drugs can exacerbate fibrosis and eventually lead to retinal detachment. To explore proteins closely related to fibrosis, we conducted proteomic analysis of human vitreous humour collected from PDR patients who have or have not intravitreal Conbercept (IVC) injection. Sixteen vitreous humour samples from PDR patients with preoperative IVC and 20 samples from those without preoperative IVC were examined. An immunodepletion kit was used to remove high-abundance vitreous proteins. Conbercept-induced changes were determined using a tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomic strategy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to confirm the concentrations of selected proteins and validate the proteomic results. Based on a false discovery rate between 0.05% and -0.05% and a fold-change > 1.5, 97 proteins were altered (49 higher levels and 48 lower levels) in response to IVC. Differentially expressed proteins were found in the extracellular and intracellular regions and were found to be involved in VEGF binding and VEGF-activated receptor activity. Protein-protein interactions indicated associations with fibrosis, neovascularisation and inflammatory signalling pathways. We found the low levels of RBP4 in the vitreous humour of PDR patients with IVC injection, as revealed by ELISA and proteomic profiling. Moreover, RBP4 significantly restored the mitochondrial function of HRMECs induced by AGEs and down regulated the level of glycolysis. Our study is the first to report that RBP4 decreases in the vitreous humour of PDR patients who underwent Conbercept treatment, thereby verifying the role of RBP4 in glucose metabolism. Results provide evidence for the potential mechanism underlying Conbercept-related fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejia Wen
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinjun Ren
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui Li
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Ye He
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaru Hong
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingjing Cao
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Chuanzhen Zheng
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China
| | - Lijie Dong
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xiaorong Li
- Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, 300384, Tianjin, China.
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Fu Z, Nilsson AK, Hellstrom A, Smith LEH. Retinopathy of prematurity: Metabolic risk factors. eLife 2022; 11:e80550. [PMID: 36420952 PMCID: PMC9691009 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
At preterm birth, the retina is incompletely vascularized. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is initiated by the postnatal suppression of physiological retinal vascular development that would normally occur in utero. As the neural retina slowly matures, increasing metabolic demand including in the peripheral avascular retina, leads to signals for compensatory but pathological neovascularization. Currently, only late neovascular ROP is treated. ROP could be prevented by promoting normal vascular growth. Early perinatal metabolic dysregulation is a strong but understudied risk factor for ROP and other long-term sequelae of preterm birth. We will discuss the metabolic and oxygen needs of retina, current treatments, and potential interventions to promote normal vessel growth including control of postnatal hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hyperoxia-induced retinal metabolic alterations. Early supplementation of missing nutrients and growth factors and control of supplemental oxygen promotes physiological retinal development. We will discuss the current knowledge gap in retinal metabolism after preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjie Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Anders K Nilsson
- The Sahlgrenska Centre for Pediatric Ophthalmology Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Ann Hellstrom
- The Sahlgrenska Centre for Pediatric Ophthalmology Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Lois EH Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
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Xie B, Zhang L, Lou C, Wei S, Li J, Bai H, Dardik A. Wood-Derived Vascular Patches Loaded With Rapamycin Inhibit Neointimal Hyperplasia. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:933505. [PMID: 35928960 PMCID: PMC9343873 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.933505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Patches are commonly used to close blood vessels after vascular surgery. Most currently used materials are either prosthetics or animal-derived; although natural materials, such as a leaf, can be used as a patch, healing of these natural materials is not optimal; rhodamine and rapamycin have been used to show that coating patches with drugs allow drug delivery to inhibit neointimal hyperplasia that may improve patch healing. Wood is abundant, and its stiffness can be reduced with processing; however, whether wood can be used as a vascular patch is not established. We hypothesized that wood can be used as a vascular patch and thus may serve as a novel plant-based biocompatible material.Method: Male Sprague–Dawley rats (aged 6–8 weeks) were used as an inferior vena cava (IVC) patch venoplasty model. After softening, wood patches coated with rhodamine and rapamycin were implanted into the rat subcutaneous tissue, the abdominal cavity, or the IVC. Samples were explanted on day 14 for analysis.Result: Wood patches became soft after processing. Patches showed biocompatibility after implantation into the subcutaneous tissue or the abdominal cavity. After implantation into the IVC, the patches retained mechanical strength. There was a significantly thinner neointima in wood patches coated with rapamycin than control patches (146.7 ± 15.32 μm vs. 524.7 ± 26.81 μm; p = 0.0001). There were CD34 and nestin-positive cells throughout the patch, and neointimal endothelial cells were Eph-B4 and COUP-TFII-positive. There was a significantly smaller number of PCNA and α-actin dual-positive cells in the neointima (p = 0.0003), peri-patch area (p = 0.0198), and adventitia (p = 0.0004) in wood patches coated with rapamycin than control patches. Piezo1 was expressed in the neointima and peri-patch area, and there were decreased CD68 and piezo1 dual-positive cells in wood patches coated with rapamycin compared to control patches.Conclusion: Wood can be used as a novel biomaterial that can be implanted as a vascular patch and also serve as a scaffold for drug delivery. Plant-derived materials may be an alternative to prosthetics or animal-based materials in vascular applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boao Xie
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chunyang Lou
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shunbo Wei
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing’an Li
- School of Material Science and Engineering & Henan Key Laboratory of Advanced Magnesium Alloy & Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold Technology (Ministry of Education), Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hualong Bai
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Vascular Physiology and Applied Research Laboratory of Zhengzhou City, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hualong Bai, ; Alan Dardik,
| | - Alan Dardik
- The Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Surgery and of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- *Correspondence: Hualong Bai, ; Alan Dardik,
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Niu Z, Shi Y, Li J, Qiao S, Du S, Chen L, Tian H, Wei L, Cao H, Wang J, Gao L. Protective effect of rapamycin in models of retinal degeneration. Exp Eye Res 2021; 210:108700. [PMID: 34245755 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex retinal disease with no viable treatment strategy. The causative mechanistic pathway for this disease is not yet clear. Therefore, it is highly warranted to screen effective drugs to treat AMD. Rapamycin are known to inhibit inflammation and has been widely used in the clinic as an immunosuppressant. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of rapamycin on the AMD retinal degeneration model. The AMD models were established by injection of 35 mg/kg sodium iodate (NaIO3) into the tail vein. Then the treated mice intraperitoneally received rapamycin (2 mg/kg) once a day. The histomorphological analysis showed that rapamycin could inhibit retinal structure damage and apoptosis. Experiments revealed that rapamycin significantly attenuated inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Our experimental results demonstrated that rapamycin has protected the retinal against degeneration induced by NaIO3. The therapeutic effect was more significant after 7 days of treatment. Therefore, our study potentially provides a powerful experimental support for the treatment of AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanyu Niu
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Yongpeng Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Jiande Li
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Shufan Qiao
- Colloge of Life Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Shaobo Du
- School of Stomatology of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Linchi Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Huanbing Tian
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Li Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Hanwen Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Ji Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Lan Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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