Exploration the Mechanism of Doxorubicin-Induced Heart Failure in Rats by Integration of Proteomics and Metabolomics Data

Multiple-matrices metabolomics combined with serum pharmacochemistry for discovering the potential targets and active constituents of Qifu decoction against heart failure

Qifu decoction (QFD) is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription for the treatment of heart failure. However, the mechanisms and active constituents of QFD are poorly understood. In this study, multi-matrices metabolomics (serum, urine, and myocardial mitochondria) based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOFMS), were employed for exploring the mechanisms of QFD against heart failure in rat model. Twenty-one, seventeen, and fifteen endogenous metabolite biomarkers associated with heart failure were identified from serum, urine, and myocardial mitochondria datasets, respectively. Fourteen, twelve, and ten of the identified serum, urine, and mitochondria biomarkers were significantly reversed by QFD, respectively. QFD-targeted pathways were involved in TCA cycle, branched chain amino acids metabolism, fatty acid β-oxidation, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism. In addition, QFD-derived constituents in serum were fully analyzed by UHPLC-Q-TOFMS and SUS-plot, and 24 QFD-derived components were identified in serum. Then, the correlation analysis between the QFD-reversed serum biomarkers and QFD-derived constituents in serum was employed to dissect the active constituents of QFD. It was found that eight prototypical components and three metabolites were highly correlated with efficacy and could serve as the active constituents of QFD against heart failure. Finally, neoline and calycosin, which highly correlated with branched-chain amino acid metabolism and fatty acid β-oxidation, were selected to validate in Na2S2O4-induced cell model. It was found that neoline and calycosin provided a significant protective effect against Na2S2O4-induced cell death in a low dose-dependent manner and increased the expressions of the pathway-related protein CPT1B and BCAT2 in the cell model. In conclusions, these findings provided light on the mechanisms and active constituents of QFD against heart failure. Neoline and calycosin could be selected as potential quality-markers of QFD against heart failure.

Computational approaches identify a transcriptomic fingerprint of drug-induced structural cardiotoxicity

Structural cardiotoxicity (SCT) presents a high-impact risk that is poorly tolerated in drug discovery unless significant benefit is anticipated. Therefore, we aimed to improve the mechanistic understanding of SCT. First, we combined machine learning methods with a modified calcium transient assay in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to identify nine parameters that could predict SCT. Next, we applied transcriptomic profiling to human cardiac microtissues exposed to structural and non-structural cardiotoxins. Fifty-two genes expressed across the three main cell types in the heart (cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts) were prioritised in differential expression and network clustering analyses and could be linked to known mechanisms of SCT. This transcriptomic fingerprint may prove useful for generating strategies to mitigate SCT risk in early drug discovery.

Characterization of systolic and diastolic function, alongside proteomic profiling, in doxorubicin-induced cardiovascular toxicity in mice

BACKGROUND

The anthracycline doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective anticancer agent, especially in breast cancer and lymphoma. However, DOX can cause cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR-CVT) in patients during treatment and in survivors. Current diagnostic criteria for CTR-CVT focus mainly on left ventricular systolic dysfunction, but a certain level of damage is required before it can be detected. As diastolic dysfunction often precedes systolic dysfunction, the current study aimed to identify functional and molecular markers of DOX-induced CTR-CVT with a focus on diastolic dysfunction.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with saline or DOX (4 mg/kg, weekly i.p. injection) for 2 and 6 weeks (respectively cumulative dose of 8 and 24 mg/kg) (n = 8 per group at each time point). Cardiovascular function was longitudinally investigated using echocardiography and invasive left ventricular pressure measurements. Subsequently, at both timepoints, myocardial tissue was obtained for proteomics (liquid-chromatography with mass-spectrometry). A cohort of patients with CTR-CVT was used to complement the pre-clinical findings.

RESULTS

DOX-induced a reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction from 72 ± 2% to 55 ± 1% after 2 weeks (cumulative 8 mg/kg DOX). Diastolic dysfunction was demonstrated as prolonged relaxation (increased tau) and heart failure was evident from pulmonary edema after 6 weeks (cumulative 24 mg/kg DOX). Myocardial proteomic analysis revealed an increased expression of 12 proteins at week 6, with notable upregulation of SERPINA3N in the DOX-treated animals. The human ortholog SERPINA3 has previously been suggested as a marker in CTR-CVT. Upregulation of SERPINA3N was confirmed by western blot, immunohistochemistry, and qPCR in murine hearts. Thereby, SERPINA3N was most abundant in the endothelial cells. In patients, circulating SERPINA3 was increased in plasma of CTR-CVT patients but not in cardiac biopsies.

CONCLUSION

We showed that mice develop heart failure with impaired systolic and diastolic function as result of DOX treatment. Additionally, we could identify increased SERPINA3 levels in the mice as well as patients with DOX-induced CVT and demonstrated expression of SERPINA3 in the heart itself, suggesting that SERPINA3 could serve as a novel biomarker.

Precision Cardio-oncology: Update on Omics-Based Diagnostic Methods

OPINION STATEMENT

Cardio-oncology is an emerging interdisciplinary field dedicated to the early detection and treatment of adverse cardiovascular events associated with anticancer treatment, and current clinical management of anticancer-treatment-related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR-CVT) remains limited by a lack of detailed phenotypic data. However, the promise of diagnosing CTR-CVT using deep phenotyping has emerged with the development of precision medicine, particularly the use of omics-based methodologies to discover sensitive biomarkers of the disease. In the future, combining information produced by a variety of omics methodologies could expand the clinical practice of cardio-oncology. In this review, we demonstrate how omics approaches can improve our comprehension of CTR-CVT deep phenotyping, discuss the positive and negative aspects of available omics approaches for CTR-CVT diagnosis, and outline how to integrate multiple sets of omics data into individualized monitoring and treatment. This will offer a reliable technical route for lowering cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in cancer patients and survivors.

Biomarkers of heart failure: advances in omics studies

Heart failure is a complex syndrome characterized by progressive circulatory dysfunction, manifesting clinically as pulmonary and systemic venous congestion, alongside inadequate tissue perfusion. The early identification of HF, particularly at the mild and moderate stages (stages B and C), presents a clinical challenge due to the overlap of signs, symptoms, and natriuretic peptide levels with other cardiorespiratory pathologies. Nonetheless, early detection coupled with timely pharmacological intervention is imperative for enhancing patient outcomes. Advances in high-throughput omics technologies have enabled researchers to analyze patient-derived biofluids and tissues, discovering biomarkers that are sensitive and specific for HF diagnosis. Due to the diversity of HF etiology, it is insufficient to study the diagnostic data of early HF using a single omics technology. This study reviewed the latest progress in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for the identification of HF biomarkers, offering novel insights into the early clinical diagnosis of HF. However, the validity of biomarkers depends on the disease status, intervention time, genetic diversity and comorbidities of the subjects. Moreover, biomarkers lack generalizability in different clinical settings. Hence, it is imperative to conduct multi-center, large-scale and standardized clinical trials to enhance the diagnostic accuracy and utility of HF biomarkers.

Water Extract of Capsella bursa-pastoris Mitigates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Upregulating Antioxidant Enzymes

Doxorubicin (DOX), an effective chemotherapeutic drug, causes cardiotoxicity in a cumulative and dose-dependent manner. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of hot-water extract of Capsella bursa-pastoris (CBW) on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DICT). We utilized H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells to evaluate the effects of CBW on DOX-induced cell death. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxygen consumption rate were measured in H9c2 cells. C57BL/6 mice were treated with DOX and CBW to assess their impact on various cardiac parameters. Human-induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes were also used to investigate DOX-induced electrophysiological changes and the potential ameliorative effects of CBW. UPLC-TQ/MS analysis identified seven flavonoids in CBW, with luteolin-7-O-glucoside and isoorientin as the major compounds. CBW inhibited DOX-induced death of H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes but did not affect DOX-induced death of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. CBW increased SOD levels in a dose-dependent manner, reducing ROS production and increasing the oxygen consumption rate in H9c2 cells. The heart rate, RR interval, QT, and ST prolongation remarkably recovered in C57BL/6 mice treated with the combination of DOX and CBW compared to those in mice treated with DOX alone. Administration of CBW with DOX effectively alleviated collagen accumulation, cell death in mouse heart tissues, and reduced the levels of creatinine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum. Furthermore, DOX-induced pathological electrophysiological features in human-induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes were ameliorated by CBW. CBW may prevent DICT by stabilizing SOD and scavenging ROS. The presence of flavonoids, particularly luteolin-7-O-glucoside and isoorientin, in CBW may contribute to its protective effects. These results suggest the potential of CBW as a traditional therapeutic option to mitigate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Preliminary Study on the Cardioprotective Benefits of 7-Hydroxyflavanone

The therapeutic properties of flavonoids are reported to offer cardioprotective benefits against doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). In the current study, we aimed to investigate the prophylactic properties of 7-hydroxyflavanone (7H), a flavonoid with antioxidative properties, against DIC. An in vitro model of DIC was established by exposing H9c2 cardiomyoblasts to Dox for 6 days. Similarly, cells were also co-treated with 7H to assess its ability to mitigate DIC. The data obtained indicate that 7H, as a co-treatment, alleviates Dox-induced oxidative stress by enhancing total glutathione content (p ≤ 0.001) and superoxide dismutase activity (p ≤ 0.001) whilst decreasing ROS (p ≤ 0.001), malondialdehyde production (p ≤ 0.001) and the secretion of interleukin-6 (p ≤ 0.001). The data also showed an improvement in mitochondrial function as shown via enhanced bioenergetics, mitochondrial membrane potential, and PGC1-alpha (p ≤ 0.05) and pAMPK (p ≤ 0.001) expression. The cardioprotective potential of 7H was further highlighted by its ability attenuate Dox-induced caspase 3/7 activity (p ≤ 0.001), apoptosis (p ≤ 0.001) and necrosis (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, our findings demonstrated the cardioprotective benefits of 7H and thus suggests that it could be a suitable candidate cardioprotective agent against DIC.

Effect of Danhong injection on heart failure in rats evaluated by metabolomics

Background

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by reduced ventricular filling or ejection function due to organic or non-organic cardiovascular diseases. Danhong injection (DHI) is a medicinal material used clinically to treat HF for many years in China. Although prior research has shown that Danhong injection can improve cardiac function and structure, the biological mechanism has yet to be determined.

Methods

Serum metabolic analysis was conducted via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE/MS) to explore underlying protective mechanisms of DHI in the transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced heart failure. Multivariate statistical techniques were used in the research, such as unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). MetaboAnalyst and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were employed to pinpoint pertinent metabolic pathways.

Results

After DHI treatment, cardiac morphology and function as well as the metabolism in model rats were improved. We identified 17 differential metabolites and six metabolic pathways. Two biomarkers, PC(18:3(6Z,9Z,12Z)/24:0) and L-Phenylalanine, were identified for the first time as strong indicators for the significant effect of DHI.

Conclusion

This study revealed that DHI could regulate potential biomarkers and correlated metabolic pathway, which highlighted therapeutic potential of DHI in managing HF.

Carvedilol Phenocopies PGC-1α Overexpression to Alleviate Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Prevent Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity in Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Doxorubicin (DOX), one of the most effective and widely used anticancer drugs, has the major limitation of cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity (CTRTOX) in the clinic. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial dysfunction are well-known consequences of DOX-induced injury to cardiomyocytes. This study aimed to explore the mitochondrial functional consequences and associated mechanisms of pretreatment with carvedilol, a ß-blocking agent known to exert protection against DOX toxicity. When disease modeling was performed using cultured rat cardiac muscle cells (H9c2 cells) and human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), we found that prophylactic carvedilol mitigated not only the DOX-induced suppression of mitochondrial function but that the mitochondrial functional readout of carvedilol-pretreated cells mimicked the readout of cells overexpressing the major regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, PGC-1α. Carvedilol pretreatment reduces mitochondrial oxidants, decreases cell death in both H9c2 cells and human iPSC-CM and maintains the cellular 'redox poise' as determined by sustained expression of the redox sensor Keap1 and prevention of DOX-induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation. These results indicate that, in addition to the already known ROS-scavenging effects, carvedilol has a hitherto unrecognized pro-reducing property against the oxidizing conditions induced by DOX treatment, the sequalae of DOX-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and compromised cell viability. The novel findings of our preclinical studies suggest future trial design of carvedilol prophylaxis, such as prescreening for redox state, might be an alternative strategy for preventing oxidative stress writ large in lieu of the current lack of clinical evidence for ROS-scavenging agents.

The Role of Selenium Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Liver Pathologies of Various Natures

The liver is the body's largest gland, and regulates a wide variety of physiological processes. The work of the liver can be disrupted in a variety of pathologies, the number of which is several hundred. It is extremely important to monitor the health of the liver and develop approaches to combat liver diseases. In recent decades, nanomedicine has become increasingly popular in the treatment of various liver pathologies, in which nanosized biomaterials, which are inorganic, polymeric, liposomal, albumin, and other nanoparticles, play an important role. Given the need to develop environmentally safe, inexpensive, simple, and high-performance biomedical agents for theragnostic purposes and showing few side effects, special attention is being paid to nanoparticles based on the important trace element selenium (Se). It is known that the metabolism of the microelement Se occurs in the liver, and its deficiency leads to the development of several serious diseases in this organ. In addition, the liver is the depot for most selenoproteins, which can reduce oxidative stress, inhibit tumor growth, and prevent other liver damage. This review is devoted to the description of the results of recent years, revealing the important role of selenium nanoparticles in the therapy and diagnosis of several liver pathologies, depending on the dose and physicochemical properties. The possibilities of selenium nanoparticles in the treatment of liver diseases, disclosed in the review, will not only reveal the advantages of their hepatoprotective properties but also significantly supplement the data on the role of the trace element selenium in the regulation of these diseases.

Metabolic substrates, histone modifications, and heart failure

Histone epigenetic modifications are chemical modification changes to histone amino acid residues that modulate gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. As both the phenotypic and causal factors, cardiac metabolism disorder exacerbates mitochondrial ATP generation deficiency, thus promoting pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, several concomitant metabolic substrates also promote the expression of hypertrophy-responsive genes via regulating histone modifications as substrates or enzyme-modifiers, indicating their dual roles as metabolic and epigenetic regulators. This review focuses on the cardiac acetyl-CoA-dependent histone acetylation, NAD⁺-dependent SIRT-mediated deacetylation, FAD⁺-dependent LSD-mediated, and α-KG-dependent JMJD-mediated demethylation after briefly addressing the pathological and physiological cardiac energy metabolism. Besides using an "iceberg model" to explain the dual role of metabolic substrates as both metabolic and epigenetic regulators, we also put forward that the therapeutic supplementation of metabolic substrates is promising to blunt HF via re-establishing histone modifications.

Lipopolyplex-Mediated Co-Delivery of Doxorubicin and FAK siRNA to Enhance Therapeutic Efficiency of Treating Colorectal Cancer

Tumor metastasis is a major concern in cancer therapy. In this context, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) gene overexpression, which mediates cancer cell migration and invasion, has been reported in several human tumors and is considered a potential therapeutic target. However, gene-based treatment has certain limitations, including a lack of stability and low transfection ability. In this study, a biocompatible lipopolyplex was synthesized to overcome the aforementioned limitations. First, polyplexes were prepared using poly(2-Hydroxypropyl methacrylamide-co-methylacrylate-hydrazone-pyridoxal) (P(HPMA-co-MA-hyd-VB6)) copolymers, which bore positive charges at low pH value owing to protonation of pyridoxal groups and facilitated electrostatic interactions with negatively charged FAK siRNA. These polyplexes were then encapsulated into methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG)-modified liposomes to form lipopolyplexes. Doxorubicin (DOX) was also loaded into lipopolyplexes for combination therapy with siRNA. Experimental results revealed that lipopolyplexes successfully released DOX at low pH to kill cancer cells and induced siRNA out of endosomes to inhibit the translation of FAK proteins. Furthermore, the efficient accumulation of lipopolyplexes in the tumors led to excellent cancer therapeutic efficacy. Overall, the synthesized lipopolyplex is a suitable nanocarrier for the co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and genes to treat cancers.

Revealment study on the regulation of lipid metabolism by Lingguizhugan Decoction in heart failure treatment based on integrated lipidomics and proteomics

Lingguizhugan Decoction (LGZGD) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine prescription. Our previous studies found that disorders of lipid metabolism were reversed by LGZGD in heart failure (HF) mice. This study aimed to reveal the regulation of lipid metabolism of LGZGD. A mice model of HF was established by intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin. The components of LGZGD were identified with the UHPLC-QTOF-MS method. The regulation of lipid metabolism by LGZGD was detected by serum lipidomics and heart tissue proteomics. Molecular docking was further performed to screen active components. A total of 78 compounds in LGZGD were identified. Results of lipidomics showed that 37 lipids illustrated a significant recovery trend to normal after the treatment of LGZGD. Results of proteomics demonstrated that 55 proteins were altered by the administration of LGZGD in HF mice. After enrichment analysis, the Prakg2/Ucp2/Plin1 axis on the Apelin pathway plays a vital role in HF treatment by LGZGD. Nine active components exhibited the outstanding ability of binding to the apelin receptor with MM-GBSA value lower than -60 Kcal/mol. In conclusion, all results combined together revealed that multi-component in the LGZGD had beneficial effects on the HF through ameliorating lipid disorders, which provides a novel insight into the cardioprotective effects of LGZGD and its clinical application.

Blood metabolomes as non-invasive biomarkers and targets of metabolic interventions for doxorubicin and trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity

This study aimed to identify the alterations of blood metabolome levels and their association with cardiac dysfunction and cardiac injury following treatment with doxorubicin and trastuzumab. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6 per group) to receive intraperitoneal injection with either: (1) 1 mL of normal saline solution (NSS) at days 0, 4, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (control group for doxorubicin); (2) 3 mg/kg/day of doxorubicin at days 0, 4, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (doxorubicin group); (3) 1 mL of NSS at days 0-6 (control group for trastuzumab); or (4) 4 mg/kg/day of trastuzumab at days 0-6 (trastuzumab group). Four days after the last injected dose, cardiac function was determined. The rats were then euthanized to collect venous blood and the heart for the quantification of 107 serum and 100 cardiac metabolomes using mass spectrometry-based targeted metabolomics. We observed strong relationships between 72 cardiac versus 61 serum metabolomes in doxorubicin and trastuzumab groups. Moreover, significant correlations between cardiac function and the cardiac injury biomarker versus 28 and 58 serum metabolomes were revealed in doxorubicin and trastuzumab-treated rats, respectively. Interestingly, the patterns of both serum and cardiac metabolome alterations differed between doxorubicin and trastuzumab groups. Our findings emphasize the potential role of the constituents of the blood metabolome as non-invasive biomarkers to assess severity and prognosis of heart failure induced by doxorubicin and trastuzumab. These findings may contribute to the development of metabolic-targeted therapy specific for cardioprotection during different phases of cancer treatment.

Pharmacogenomics in drug-induced cardiotoxicity: Current status and the future

Drug-induced cardiotoxicity (DICT) is an important concern of drug safety in both drug development and clinical application. The clinical manifestations of DICT include cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, heart failure, and a series of cardiac structural and functional changes. The occurrence of DICT has negative impacts on the life quality of the patients, brings additional social and economic burden. It is important to identify the potential factors and explore the mechanisms of DICT. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors can only partially explain the risk of DICT. Pharmacogenomic studies show accumulated evidence of genetics in DICT and suggest the potential to guide precision therapy to reduce risk of cardiotoxicity. The comprehensive application of technologies such as third-generation sequencing, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and genome editing has promoted the in-depth understanding of the functional role of susceptible genes in DICT. This paper reviewed drugs that cause DICT, the clinical manifestations and laboratory tests, as well as the related content of genetic variations associated with the risk of DICT, and further discussed the implication of new technologies in pharmacogenomics of DICT.

Exploration of the amino acid metabolic signature in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity using an optimized targeted metabolomics approach based on UPLC-MS/MS

Although anthracyclines improve the long-term survival rate of patients with cancer, severe and irreversible myocardial damage limits their clinical application. Amino acid (AA) metabolism in cardiomyocytes can be altered under pathological conditions. Therefore, exploring the AA metabolic signature in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) is important for identifying novel mechanisms. We established mouse and cellular models of Adriamycin (ADR)-induced cardiac injury. We observed a decreased expression of troponins I (cTnI) after ADR treatment and ADR accelerated the degradation of cTnI, implying that AA metabolism could be altered in AIC. Using a targeted AA metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), the AA metabolic signatures in the sera of AIC mice and supernatant samples of ADR-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes were analyzed. The levels of 14 AA metabolites were altered in ADR-treated mice (p < 0.05). Via bioinformatics analysis, we identified nine differential AA metabolites in mice and five differential AA metabolites in ADR-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Three AAs with increased levels (L-glutamate, L-serine, and L-tyrosine) overlapped in the two models, suggesting a possible mechanism of AA metabolic impairment during AIC. The metabolic pathways perturbed by AIC involved aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Our data suggests that ADR perturbed AA metabolism in AIC models. Moreover, the targeted AA metabolomics approach based on UPLC-MS/MS can be a unique platform to provide new clues for the prevention and treatment of AIC.

ELA-11 protects the heart against oxidative stress injury induced apoptosis through ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways

Increasing evidence revealed that apoptosis and oxidative stress injury were associated with the pathophysiology of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial injury. ELABELA (ELA) is a newly identified peptide with 32 amino acids, can reduce hypertension with exogenous infusion. However, the effect of 11-residue furn-cleaved fragment (ELA-11) is still unclear. We first administrated ELA-11 in DOX-injured mice and measured the cardiac function and investigated the effect of ELA-11 in vivo. We found that ELA-11 alleviated heart injury induced by DOX and inhibited cardiac tissues from apoptosis. In vitro, ELA-11 regulated the sensitivity towards apoptosis induced by oxidative stress with DOX treatment through PI3K/AKT and ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Similarly, ELA-11 inhibited oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in cobalt chloride (CoCl₂)-injured cardiomyocytes. Moreover, ELA-11 protected cardiomyocyte by interacting with Apelin receptor (APJ) by using 4-oxo-6-((pyrimidin-2-ylthio) methyl)-4H-pyran-3-yl 4-nitrobenzoate (ML221). Hence, our results indicated a protective role of ELA-11 in oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in DOX-induced myocardial injury.

Investigation into potential mechanisms of metabolic syndrome by integrative analysis of metabolomics and proteomics

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex syndrome cluster of metabolic disorders, which greatly increases the risks of diabetic and cardiovascular diseases. Although it has become a significantly worldwide public health burden, its pathogenesis largely remains unknown. In this study, we first performed an integrated analysis of proteomic and metabonomic data of liver tissues of rats between MetS and control groups to reveal possible mechanisms of MetS. A total of 16 significantly perturbed pathways were identified, of which three pathways were shared by patients with MetS and diabetes identified by analysis of serum samples, including alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Additionally, it was found that 18 differential metabolites were closely related with 36 differential proteins, which were considered as significantly discriminant metabolites and proteins between two groups and were mainly involved in metabolic processes of gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetyl-CoA, biosynthetic processes of cholesterol and amino acids. The results of PPI network analysis and topological parameter calculation of four methods revealed that 16 proteins can serve as hub proteins of MetS. Followed by searching the PubMed database and molecular docking of Cyp7a1 and Got1, we concluded that atorvastatin and resveratrol may be potential drugs for MetS.

Mitochondria and Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Complex Interplay

Cardiotoxicity has emerged as a major side effect of doxorubicin (DOX) treatment, affecting nearly 30% of patients within 5 years after chemotherapy. Heart failure is the first non-cancer cause of death in DOX-treated patients. Although many different molecular mechanisms explaining the cardiac derangements induced by DOX were identified in past decades, the translation to clinical practice has remained elusive to date. This review examines the current understanding of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy (DCM) with a focus on mitochondria, which were increasingly proven to be crucial determinants of DOX-induced cytotoxicity. We discuss DCM pathophysiology and epidemiology and DOX-induced detrimental effects on mitochondrial function, dynamics, biogenesis, and autophagy. Lastly, we review the current perspectives to contrast the development of DCM, which is still a relatively diffused, invalidating, and life-threatening condition for cancer survivors.

Friend or foe? Unraveling the complex roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases in cardiac disease and development

Regulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation is critical for most, if not all, fundamental cellular processes. However, we still do not fully understand the complex and tissue-specific roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases in the normal heart or in cardiac pathology. This review compares and contrasts the various roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases known to date in the context of cardiac disease and development. In particular, it will be considered how specific protein tyrosine phosphatases control cardiac hypertrophy and cardiomyocyte contractility, how protein tyrosine phosphatases contribute to or ameliorate injury induced by ischaemia / reperfusion or hypoxia / reoxygenation, and how protein tyrosine phosphatases are involved in normal heart development and congenital heart disease. This review delves into the newest developments and current challenges in the field, and highlights knowledge gaps and emerging opportunities for future research.

Integrated molecular biology and metabonomics approach to understand the mechanism underlying reduction of insulin resistance by corn silk decoction

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Corn silk is composed of the style and stigma of Zea mays L. Its medical value was first reported in "Southern Yunnan Materia Medica" in the Ming Dynasty. It was considered to be a heat-clearing and diuretic drug. In "Zhejiang Folk Herbal Medicine," the following has been reported: "Corn silk needs one liang. Decoction in water can cure diabetes." Recent studies have shown that corn silk can lower blood sugar levels; however, to date, corn silk has undergone simple pharmacodynamic evaluations, with both its degree and mechanism of action remaining unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of corn silk, with respect to having antioxidative ability, reducing insulin resistance, and having a hypoglycemic effect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model was established via a high sugar and high fat diet combined with streptozotocin (35 mg/kg) administration. Wistar rats were administered corn silk decoction and metformin via gavage for four weeks, and the fasting blood glucose (FBG) and body weight were measured every two weeks. After the experiment, the insulin level, insulin index, and glycogen content were determined. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the skeletal muscle tissue in rats. The levels of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase in the serum and skeletal muscle were detected, and the mRNA content and protein levels of key proteins in the JNK-IRS-GLUT4 signaling pathway were determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Then, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, combined with multiple statistical analyses, was used to identify potential biomarkers in the serum of T2DM rats, for determining the key metabolic pathways responsible for the action of corn silk.

RESULTS

The results showed that corn silk could reduce FBG, insulin level, and glycogen content in T2DM rats; reduce the level of oxidative stress in serum and skeletal muscle; restore the pathological structure of skeletal muscle; inhibit the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and insulin receptor substrate (IRS) in skeletal muscle; and upregulate the expression of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) for transport of glucose and to reduce insulin resistance. Moreover, metabonomic analysis elucidated that corn silk could significantly affect 26 biomarkers (such as pentosidine, palmitic acid, lysoPC, and p-Cresol sulfate) and metabolic pathways (such as phenylalanine metabolism, phospholipid metabolism, bile acid metabolism, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids).

CONCLUSION

The interaction between endogenous metabolites and proteins in signaling pathways was analyzed using metabonomics and molecular biology methods. Corn silk inhibited JNK-IRS-GLUT4 signal transduction in skeletal muscle via antioxidative effects, by increasing the sensitivity of peripheral tissue to insulin, by reducing insulin resistance, and through hypoglycemic effects.

Palmatine attenuates the doxorubicin-induced inflammatory response, oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis

BACKGROUND

As a natural isoquinoline alkaloid, palmatine (PLT) has been proven to play a protective role against a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, little research on the effects of PLT on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity has been carried out. Thus, we investigated the potential functions of PLT in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In the present study, a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) in mice was used to establish an acute cardiotoxicity model. Our study shows that PLT administration could reduce myocardial injury and improve cardiac dysfunction in DOX-treated mice. Further experiments showed that PLT administration suppressed the DOX-induced inflammatory response, oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mice. Moreover, we found that the protective effect of PLT treatment was counteracted by sirtuin1 (Sirt1) knockdown. In summary, our study shows that PLT treatment can exert a protective effect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Signature network-based survey of the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine on heart failure

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most common disabling and painful diseases. A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, Shengmaisan, is known as a multitarget medicine that is widely used clinically to treat heart failure (HF) in Asian countries. However, its mechanism has not been comprehensively demonstrated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To use a prediction network to figure out which disease link SMZ mainly alleviates in HF and find biomarkers related to myocardial fibrosis in the serum for clinical reference.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this article, we collected a large amount of actual measurement data and our own proteomics data, along with the biomarkers of heart failure staging under study to establish a precise network. Then, we tested and verified the medicinal effect of SMZ in treatment of HF after MI by Measurement of left ventricular wall thickness and ejection fraction by echocardiography. Then we tested the serum level of the potential targets of SMZ predicting by the network we developed using ELISA.

RESULTS

the cardiac ejection fraction and retarding the thinning of the anterior wall of the left ventricle increased after treating with SMZ. The serum level of EGFR and MAPK1 decreased in the groups treated with SMZ.

CONCLUSION

SMZ can improve the cardiac function of rats with MI by increasing the cardiac ejection fraction and retarding the thinning of the anterior wall of the left ventricle. In addition, SMZ could delay heart failure mainly by inhibiting the progression of myocardial fibrosis through decreasing the EGFR and MAPK1 levels.

Underlying the Mechanisms of Doxorubicin-Induced Acute Cardiotoxicity: Oxidative Stress and Cell Death

Cancer is a destructive disease that causes high levels of morbidity and mortality. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly efficient antineoplastic chemotherapeutic drug, but its use places survivors at risk for cardiotoxicity. Many studies have demonstrated that multiple factors are involved in DOX-induced acute cardiotoxicity. Among them, oxidative stress and cell death predominate. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying the source and effect of free radicals and dependent cell death pathways induced by DOX. Hence, we attempt to explain the cellular mechanisms of oxidative stress and cell death that elicit acute cardiotoxicity and provide new insights for researchers to discover potential therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Cancer Therapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity-A Metabolic Perspective on Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy

Long-term cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy are becoming ever more prevalent due to increased numbers of cancer survivors. Cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity (CTIC) is an incompletely understood consequence of various chemotherapies, targeted anti-cancer agents and radiation therapy. It is typically detected clinically by a reduction in cardiac left ventricular ejection fraction, assessed by echocardiography. However, once cardiac functional decline is apparent, this indicates irreversible cardiac damage, highlighting a need for the development of diagnostics which can detect CTIC prior to the onset of functional decline. There is increasing evidence to suggest that pathological alterations to cardiac metabolism play a crucial role in the development of CTIC. This review discusses the metabolic alterations and mechanisms which occur in the development of CTIC, with a focus on doxorubicin, trastuzumab, imatinib, ponatinib, sunitinib and radiotherapy. Potential methods to diagnose and predict CTIC prior to functional cardiac decline in the clinic are evaluated, with a view to both biomarker and imaging-based approaches. Finally, the therapeutic potential of therapies which manipulate cardiac metabolism in the context of adjuvant cardioprotection against CTIC is examined. Together, an integrated view of the role of metabolism in pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment is presented.

Evaluation of the effect of Shengxian Decoction on doxorubicin-induced chronic heart failure model rats and a multicomponent comparative pharmacokinetic study after oral administration in normal and model rats

Shengxian Decotion (SXT), a well-known Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula composed of Astragali Radix, Bupleuri Radix, Cimicifugae Rhizoma, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Platycodonis Radix, is clinically considered as an effective formula against cardiovascular diseases. However, the exact effective substance of SXT in treating chronic heart failure (CHF) still remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the benefit of SXT in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced CHF rats and established a UHPLC-MS/MS method to simultaneously determine 18 key compounds in a subsequent comparative pharmacokinetic study in normal and CHF rats. Histopathological studies, transmission electron microscopy, and echocardiography were applied to assess the therapeutic effect of SXT on DOX-induced CHF rats, which indicated that SXT significantly ameliorated DOX-induced CHF, similar to enalapril. In addition, we successfully established a UHPLC-MS/MS method to determine the pharmacokinetics of the components in rat plasma, which was validated with good linearity, inter-day and intra-day precisions and accuracies, matrix effects, extraction recovery, and stability values. Our results showed that only astragaloside IV showed increased plasma exposure in the CHF rats, while saikosaponin A, quercetin, timosaponin B-II, ferulic acid, isoferulic acid and formononetin decreased compared to their pharmacokinetic characteristics in the normal and CHF rats. This study demonstrates that SXT enjoys obvious therapeutic effect on DOX-induced CHF rats, and the altered metabolism of some compounds in SXT is affected by the pathological state of CHF rats. Our findings provide a better understanding of the in vivo exposure to complex compounds of SXT, supporting effective substance screening and further investigation of the therapeutic mechanism.

Toxicometabolomics: Small Molecules to Answer Big Toxicological Questions

Given the high biological impact of classical and emerging toxicants, a sensitive and comprehensive assessment of the hazards and risks of these substances to organisms is urgently needed. In this sense, toxicometabolomics emerged as a new and growing field in life sciences, which use metabolomics to provide new sets of susceptibility, exposure, and/or effects biomarkers; and to characterize in detail the metabolic responses and altered biological pathways that various stressful stimuli cause in many organisms. The present review focuses on the analytical platforms and the typical workflow employed in toxicometabolomic studies, and gives an overview of recent exploratory research that applied metabolomics in various areas of toxicology.