Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1α inhibition by topotecan protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes

Effect of atorvastatin on lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation and hypoxia in mice; modulation of HIF-1α, CINC and MIP-2

BACKGROUND

Acute lung injury is a crucial pathological state, particularly in some severe infectious respiratory illnesses, distinguished by acute inflammation, pulmonary edema, hypoxia, and neutrophil recruitment. Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) play a vital role in neutrophil recruitment.

OBJECTIVE

Here, we validated the potential repressing effect of atorvastatin on acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were injected with LPS (250 μg/kg; i.p.) daily for 7 days, and atorvastatin (25 and 50 mg/kg; orally) daily along with LPS.

RESULTS

Atorvastatin ameliorated oxidative stress as evidenced by increased reduced glutathione (GSH) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, it lessened inflammatory biomarkers including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), CINC, and MIP-2, as well as hypoxia biomarker hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Moreover, atorvastatin slowed the progression of lung tissue histological lesions.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, the present study suggests that, atorvastatin effectively protects against LPS-induced acute lung injury through inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and neutrophil recruitment.

Identification of potential therapeutic targets for nonischemic cardiomyopathy in European ancestry: an integrated multiomics analysis

BACKGROUND

Nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NISCM) is a clinical challenge with limited therapeutic targets. This study aims to identify promising drug targets for NISCM.

METHODS

We utilized cis-pQTLs from the deCODE study, which includes data from 35,559 Icelanders, and SNPs from the FinnGen study, which includes data from 1,754 NISCM cases and 340,815 controls of Finnish ancestry. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to estimate the causal relationship between circulating plasma protein levels and NISCM risk. Proteins with significant associations underwent false discovery rate (FDR) correction, followed by Bayesian colocalization analysis. The expression of top two proteins, LILRA5 and NELL1, was further analyzed using various NISCM datasets. Descriptions from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) validated protein expression. The impact of environmental exposures on LILRA5 was assessed using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), and molecular docking identified the potential small molecule interactions.

RESULTS

MR analysis identified 255 circulating plasma proteins associated with NISCM, with 16 remaining significant after FDR correction. Bayesian colocalization analysis identified LILRA5 and NELL1 as significant, with PP.H4 > 0.8. LILRA5 has a protective effect (OR = 0.758, 95% CI, 0.670-0.857) while NELL1 displays the risk effect (OR = 1.290, 95% CI, 1.199-1.387) in NISCM. Decreased LILRA5 expression was found in NISCM such as diabetic, hypertrophic, dilated, and inflammatory cardiomyopathy, while NELL1 expression increased in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. HPA data indicated high LILRA5 expression in neutrophils, macrophages and endothelial cells within normal heart and limited NELL1 expression. Immune infiltration analysis revealed decreased neutrophil in diabetic cardiomyopathy. CTD analysis identified several small molecules that affect LILRA5 mRNA expression. Among these, Estradiol, Estradiol-3-benzoate, Gadodiamide, Topotecan, and Testosterone were found to stably bind to the LILRA5 protein at the conserved VAL-15 or THR-133 residues in the Ig-like C2 domain.

CONCLUSION

Based on European Ancestry Cohort, this study reveals that LILRA5 and NELL1 are potential therapeutic targets for NISCM, with LILRA5 showing particularly promising prospects in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Several small molecules interact with LILRA5, implying potential clinical implication.

Spontaneous spheroids from alveolar bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cells maintain pluripotency of stem cells by regulating hypoxia-inducible factors

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous spheroid culture is a novel three-dimensional (3D) culture strategy for the rapid and efficient selection of progenitor cells. The objectives of this study are to investigate the pluripotency and differentiation capability of spontaneous spheroids from alveolar bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AB-MSCs); compare the advantages of spontaneous spheroids to those of mechanical spheroids; and explore the mechanisms of stemness enhancement during spheroid formation from two-dimensional (2D) cultured cells.

METHODS

AB-MSCs were isolated from the alveolar bones of C57BL/6 J mice. Spontaneous spheroids formed in low-adherence specific culture plates. The stemness, proliferation, and multi-differentiation capacities of spheroids and monolayer cultures were investigated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), immunofluorescence, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and oil-red O staining. The pluripotency difference between the spontaneous and mechanical spheroids was analyzed using RT-qPCR. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIFs) inhibition experiments were performed to explore the mechanisms of stemness maintenance in AB-MSC spheroids.

RESULTS

AB-MSCs successfully formed spontaneous spheroids after 24 h. AB-MSC spheroids were positive for MSC markers and pluripotency markers (Oct4, KLF4, Sox2, and cMyc). Spheroids showed higher Ki67 expression and lower Caspase3 expression at 24 h. Under the corresponding conditions, the spheroids were successfully differentiated into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages. AB-MSC spheroids can induce neural-like cells after neurogenic differentiation. Higher expression of osteogenic markers, adipogenic markers, and neurogenic markers (NF-M, NeuN, and GFAP) was found in spheroids than in the monolayer. Spontaneous spheroids exhibited higher stemness than mechanical spheroids did. HIF-1α and HIF-2α were remarkably upregulated in spheroids. After HIF-1/2α-specific inhibition, spheroid formation was significantly reduced. Moreover, the expression of the pluripotency genes was suppressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Spontaneous spheroids from AB-MSCs enhance stemness and pluripotency. HIF-1/2α plays an important role in the stemness regulation of spheroids. AB-MSC spheroids exhibit excellent multi-differentiation capability, which may be a potent therapy for craniomaxillofacial tissue regeneration.

Curcumin treats endometriosis in mice by the HIF signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate whether curcumin has a therapeutic effect on endometriosis (EM) and to determine the specific mechanism.

METHODS

Network pharmacology was used to obtain the core targets of curcumin for the treatment of EM and the specific biologic processes involved. A mouse model of EM was constructed and divided into different groups, as follows: control, negative control, curcumin, and denogestrel. The number, volume, and degree of adhesions of the lesions in each group were measured. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and VEGFA in the peritoneal cavity were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot and Q-PCR were used to detect HIF-1α and VEGFA proteins and gene expression levels in the lesion tissues.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology suggested that curcumin treated EM through the HIF signaling pathway, of which IL-6, HIF-1α, and VEGFA are key targets. The number of lesions, volume, and degree of adhesions were significantly reduced in the curcumin group compared to the negative control group and the control group (P < 0.05). IL-6, IL-1β, and VEGFA levels were reduced in the peritoneal fluid (P < 0.05). HIF-1α and VEGFA protein and gene levels were significantly reduced in the lesions (P < 0.05). No modulation of HIF-1α was shown by denogestins.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin played a role in the treatment of EM by modulating the HIF signaling pathway, improving the local hypoxia of the lesion, and reducing the inflammatory state of EM.

The Interplay of Hypoxia Signaling on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches

Simple Summary

The regulation of hypoxia has recently emerged as having a central impact in mitochondrial function and dysfunction in various diseases, including the major disorders threatening worldwide: cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Despite the studies in this matter, its effective role in protection and disease progression even though its direct molecular mechanism in both disorders is still to be elucidated. This review aims to cover the current knowledge about the effect of hypoxia on mitochondrial function and dysfunction, and inflammation, in cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and reports further therapeutic strategies based on the modulation of hypoxic pathways.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancer continue to be the primary cause of mortality worldwide and their pathomechanisms are a complex and multifactorial process. Insufficient oxygen availability (hypoxia) plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of both CVDs and cancer diseases, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), the main sensor of hypoxia, acts as a central regulator of multiple target genes in the human body. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that mitochondria are the major target of hypoxic injury, the most common source of reactive oxygen species during hypoxia and key elements for inflammation regulation during the development of both CVDs and cancer. Taken together, observations propose that hypoxia, mitochondrial abnormality, oxidative stress, inflammation in CVDs, and cancer are closely linked. Based upon these facts, this review aims to deeply discuss these intimate relationships and to summarize current significant findings corroborating the molecular mechanisms and potential therapies involved in hypoxia and mitochondrial dysfunction in CVDs and cancer.