Sulforaphane Modulates the Inflammation and Delays Neurodegeneration on a Retinitis Pigmentosa Mice Model

Kidney Injury in a Murine Hemorrhagic Shock/Resuscitation Model Is Alleviated by sulforaphane's Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Action

Hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation (HS/R) can lead to acute kidney injury, mainly manifested as oxidative stress and inflammatory injury in the renal tubular epithelial cells, as well as abnormal autophagy and apoptosis. Sulforaphane (SFN), an agonist of the nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway, is involved in multiple biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, autophagy, and apoptosis regulation. This study investigated the effect of SFN on acute kidney injury after HS/R in mice. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in mice by controlling the arterial blood pressure at a range of 35-45 mmHg for 90 min within arterial blood withdrawal. Fluid resuscitation was carried out by reintroducing withdrawn blood and 0.9% NaCl. We found that SFN suppressed the elevation of urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels in the blood induced by HS/R. SFN mitigated pathological alterations including swollen renal tubules and renal casts in kidney tissue of HS/R mice. Inflammation levels and oxidative stress were significantly downregulated in mouse kidney tissue after SFN administration. In addition, the kidney tissue of HS/R mice showed high levels of autophagosomes as observed by electron microscopy. However, SFN can further enhance the formation of autophagosomes in the HS/R + SFN group. SFN also increased autophagy-related proteins Beclin1 expression and suppressed P62 expression, while increasing the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and LC3-I (LC3-II/LC3-I). SFN also effectively decreased cleaved caspase-3 level and enhanced the ratio of anti-apoptotic protein B cell lymphoma 2 and Bcl2-associated X protein (Bcl2/Bax). Collectively, SFN effectively inhibited inflammation and oxidative stress, enhanced autophagy, thereby reducing HS/R-induced kidney injury and apoptosis levels in mouse kidneys.

Transgenerational hormesis in healthy aging and antiaging medicine from bench to clinics: Role of food components

Neurodegenerative diseases have multifactorial pathogenesis, mainly involving neuroinflammatory processes. Finding drugs able to treat these diseases, expecially because for most of these diseases there are no effective drugs, and the current drugs cause undesired side effects, represent a crucial point. Most in vivo and in vitro studies have been concentrated on various aspects related to neurons (e.g. neuroprotection), however, there has not been focus on the prevention of early stages involving glial cell activation and neuroinflammation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that nutritional phytochemicals including polyphenols, the main active constituents of the Mediterranean diet, maintain redox balance and neuroprotection through the activation of hormetic vitagene pathway. Recent lipidomics data from our laboratory indicate mushrooms as strong nutritional neuronutrients with strongly activity against neuroinflammation in Meniere' diseaseas, a model of cochleovestibular neural degeneration, as well as in animal model of traumatic brain injury, or rotenone induced parkinson's disease. Moreover, Hidrox®, an aqueous extract of olive containing hydroxytyrosol, and Boswellia, acting as Nrf2 activators, promote resilience by enhancing the redox potential, and thus, regulate through hormetic mechanisms, cellular stress response mechanisms., Thus, modulation of cellular stress pathways, in particular vitagenes system, may be an innovative approach for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative disorders.

Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutic Mechanisms of Isothiocyanates: Insights from Sulforaphane

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) belong to a group of natural products that possess a highly reactive electrophilic -N=C=S functional group. They are stored in plants as precursor molecules, glucosinolates, which are processed by the tyrosinase enzyme upon plant tissue damage to release ITCs, along with other products. Isolated from broccoli, sulforaphane is by far the most studied antioxidant ITC, acting primarily through the induction of a transcription factor, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which upregulates downstream antioxidant genes/proteins. Paradoxically, sulforaphane, as a pro-oxidant compound, can also increase the levels of reactive oxygen species, a mechanism which is attributed to its anticancer effect. Beyond highlighting the common pro-oxidant and antioxidant effects of sulforaphane, the present paper was designed to assess the diverse anti-inflammatory mechanisms reported to date using a variety of in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Sulforaphane downregulates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, cycloxyhenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. The signalling pathways of nuclear factor κB, activator protein 1, sirtuins 1, silent information regulator sirtuin 1 and 3, and microRNAs are among those affected by sulforaphane. These anti-inflammatory actions are sometimes due to direct action via interaction with the sulfhydryl structural moiety of cysteine residues in enzymes/proteins. The following are among the topics discussed in this paper: paradoxical signalling pathways such as the immunosuppressant or immunostimulant mechanisms; crosstalk between the oxidative and inflammatory pathways; and effects dependent on health and disease states.

Possible Prophylactic Effects of Sulforaphane on LPS-Induced Recognition Memory Impairment Mediated by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammatory Proteins in the Prefrontal Cortex Region of the Brain

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant global health concern, characterized by neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Neuroinflammation is a crucial factor in AD development and progression, yet effective pharmacotherapy remains elusive. Sulforaphane (SFN), derived from cruciferous vegetables and mainly from broccoli, has shown a promising effect via in vitro and in vivo studies as a potential treatment for AD. This study aims to investigate the possible prophylactic mechanisms of SFN against prefrontal cortex (PFC)-related recognition memory impairment induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration.

METHODOLOGY

Thirty-six Swiss (SWR/J) mice weighing 18-25 g were divided into three groups (n = 12 per group): a control group (vehicle), an LPS group (0.75 mg/kg of LPS), and an LPS + SFN group (25 mg/kg of SFN). The total duration of the study was 3 weeks, during which mice underwent treatments for the initial 2 weeks, with daily monitoring of body weight and temperature. Behavioral assessments via novel object recognition (NOR) and temporal order recognition (TOR) tasks were conducted in the final week of the study. Inflammatory markers (IL-6 and TNF), antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH, and CAT), and pro-oxidant (MDA) level, in addition to acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity and active (caspase-3) and phosphorylated (AMPK) levels, were evaluated. Further, PFC neuronal degeneration, Aβ content, and microglial activation were also examined using H&E, Congo red staining, and Iba1 immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTS

SFN pretreatment significantly improved recognition memory performance during the NOR and TOR tests. Moreover, SFN was protected from neuroinflammation and oxidative stress as well as neurodegeneration, Aβ accumulation, and microglial hyperactivity.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results suggested that SFN has a potential protective property to mitigate the behavioral and biochemical impairments induced by chronic LPS administration and suggested to be via an AMPK/caspase-3-dependent manner.

Navigating the future of retinitis pigmentosa treatments: A comprehensive analysis of therapeutic approaches in rd10 mice

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a degenerative disease, caused by genetic mutations that lead to a loss in photoreceptors. For research on RP, rd10 mice, which carry mutations in the phosphodiesterase (PDE) gene, exhibit degenerative patterns comparable to those of patients with RP, making them an ideal model for investigating potential treatments. Although numerous studies have reported the potential of biochemical drugs, gene correction, and stem cell transplantation in decelerating rd10 retinal degeneration, a comprehensive review of these studies has yet to be conducted. Therefore, here, a comparative analysis of rd10 mouse treatment research over the past decade was performed. Our findings suggest that biochemical drugs capable of inhibiting the inflammatory response may be promising therapeutics. Additionally, significant progress has been made in the field of gene therapy; nevertheless, challenges such as strict delivery requirements, bystander editing, and off-target effects still need to be resolved. Nevertheless, secretory function is the only unequivocal protective effect of stem cell transplantation. In summary, this review presents a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of the treatment approaches employing rd10 mice as experimental subjects, describing a clear pathway for future RP treatment research and identifies potential clinical interventions.

Sulforaphane Attenuates AOM/DSS-Induced Colorectal Tumorigenesis in Mice via Inhibition of Intestinal Inflammation

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a compound derived from cruciferous plants. It has received considerable attention in recent years due to its effectiveness in cancer prevention and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antitumor potential of sulforaphane on colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC) through the establishment of a mouse model with AOM/DSS. First, AOM/DSS and DSS-induced model were established and administered SFN for 10 wk, and then the severity of colitis-associated colon cancer was examined macroscopically and histologically. Subsequently, immune cells and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME) were quantified. Finally, the influence of sulforaphane was also investigated using different colon cell lines. We found that sulforaphane treatment decreased tumor volume, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) expansion, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, and the level of IL-10 in serum. Also, it enhanced the antitumor activities of CD8+ T cells and significantly reduced tumorigenesis as induced by AOM/DSS. SFN also attenuated intestinal inflammation in DSS-induced chronic colitis by reshaping the inflammatory microenvironment. This work demonstrates that sulforaphane suppresses carcinogenesis-associated intestinal inflammation and prevents AOM/DSS-induced intestinal tumorigenesis and progression.

Preclinical investigations on broccoli-derived sulforaphane for the treatment of ophthalmic disease

Vision loss causes a significant burden on individuals and communities on a financial, emotional and social level. Common causes include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa (RP; also known as 'rod-cone dystrophy'). As the population continues to grow and age globally, an increasing number of people will experience vision loss. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop therapies that can curb early pathological events. The broccoli-derived compound, sulforaphane (SFN), is reported to have multiple health benefits and modes of action. In this review, we outline the preclinical findings on SFN in ocular diseases and discuss the future clinical testing of this compound.

Pathological role of inflammation in ocular disease progress and its targeting by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their exosome; current status and prospect

Because of their unique capacity for differentiation to a diversity of cell lineages and immunosuppressive properties, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are being looked at as a potential new treatment option in ophthalmology. The MSCs derived from all tissue sources possess immunomodulatory attributes through cell-to-cell contact and releasing a myriad of immunomodulatory factors (IL-10, TGF-β, growth-related oncogene (GRO), indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO), nitric oxide (NO), interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)). Such mediators, in turn, alter both the phenotype and action of all immune cells that serve a pathogenic role in the progression of inflammation in eye diseases. Exosomes from MSCs, as natural nano-particles, contain the majority of the bioactive components of parental MSCs and can easily by-pass all biological barriers to reach the target epithelial and immune cells in the eye without interfering with nearby parenchymal cells, thus having no serious side effects. We outlined the most recent research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits of MSC and MSC-exosome in the treatment of inflammatory eye diseases in the current article.

Loss of Fas Receptor Function Preserves Photoreceptor Structure and Function in Two Mouse Models of Inherited Retinal Degeneration

Purpose

The genetic heterogeneity of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) has limited the development of mutation-specific therapies, necessitating the development of therapeutic approaches targeting broadly shared pathophysiologic pathways. The Fas receptor has been reported as a contributor to retinal cell death and inflammation in a wide variety of ocular diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess targeting the Fas pathway as a novel mutation-independent approach to improve photoreceptor survival in IRD.

Methods

We examined the effects of genetic inactivation of the Fas receptor on retinal degeneration in two distinct IRD mouse models, P23H and rd10. The Fas-lpr mouse, which contains a functionally inactive Fas receptor, was crossed with the P23H and rd10 mice to generate P23H/Fas-lpr and rd10/Fas-lpr mice. Fas activation, photoreceptor survival and retinal function were assessed.

Results

We detected elevated levels of Fas receptor and microglial activation in the retinas of both P23H and rd10 mice. Inactivation of Fas in these two IRD models (P23H/Fas-lpr and rd10/Fas-lpr mice) resulted in reduced cell death, increased photoreceptor survival, improved retinal function, and reduced microglial activation and inflammatory cytokine production.

Conclusions

The protective effect of a nonfunctional Fas receptor in two different mouse models of retinal degeneration suggests that whereas the individual IRD mutation may be specific, the retina's response to the different stressors appears to be shared and driven by Fas. Reducing Fas activity might represent a potential mutation-independent therapeutic approach to preserve retinal structure and function in patients with IRD.

Long-term sulforaphane-treatment restores redox homeostasis and prevents cognitive decline in middleaged female and male rats, but cannot revert previous damage in old animals

Aging is a complex and detrimental process, which disrupts most organs and systems within the organisms. The nervous system is morphologically and functionally affected during normal aging, and oxidative stress has been involved in age-related damage, leading to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative processes. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a hormetin that activates the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. So, we aimed to evaluate if SFN long-term treatment was able to prevent age-associated cognitive decline in adult and old female and male rats. Memory was evaluated in adult (15-month-old), and old (21-month-old) female and male Wistar rats after three months of SFN treatment. Young rats (4-month-old) were used as age controls. The antioxidant response induction, the redox state (GSH/GSSG), and oxidative damage were determined in the brain cortex (Cx) and hippocampus (Hc). Our results showed that SFN restored redox homeostasis in the Cx and Hc of adult rats, thus preventing cognitive decline in both sexes; however, the redox responses were not the same in males and females. Old rats were not able to recover their redox state as adults did, but they had a mild improvement. These results suggest that SFN mainly prevents rather than reverts neural damage; though, there might also be a range of opportunities to use hormetins like SFN, to improve redox modulation in old animals.