Empagliflozin Ameliorates Preeclampsia and Reduces Postpartum Susceptibility to Adriamycin in a Mouse Model Induced by Angiotensin Receptor Agonistic Autoantibodies

Effect of SGLT2 inhibition on salt-induced hypertension in female Dahl SS rats

Sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLTs) in the kidneys play a pivotal role in glucose reabsorption. Several clinical and population-based studies revealed the beneficial effects of SGLT2 inhibition on hypertension. Recent work from our lab provided significant new insight into the role of SGLT2 inhibition in a non-diabetic model of salt-sensitive hypertension, Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats. Dapagliflozin (Dapa) blunted the development of salt-induced hypertension by causing glucosuria and natriuresis without changes in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System. However, our initial study used male SS rats only, and the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on hypertension in females has not been studied. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine whether SGLT2 inhibition alters blood pressure and kidney function in female Dahl SS rats. The result showed that administration of Dapa for 3 weeks prevented the progression of salt-induced hypertension in female rats, similar to its effects in male SS rats. Diuresis and glucose excretion were significantly increased in Dapa-treated rats. SGLT2 inhibition also significantly attenuated kidney but not heart fibrosis. Despite significant effects on blood pressure, Dapa treatment caused minor changes to electrolyte balance and no effects on kidney and heart weights were observed. Our data suggest that SGLT2 inhibition in a non-diabetic model of salt-sensitive hypertension blunts the development of salt-induced hypertension independent of sex.

Empagliflozin improves kidney senescence induced by D-galactose by reducing sirt1-mediated oxidative stress

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors have received widespread attention because of their significant protective effects on the kidney. Previous studies have shown that Sirt1, as which is an antiaging protein, is closely related to the maintenance of redox homeostasis. The goal of this study was to determine whether empagliflozin could ameliorate D-galactose-induced renal senescence in mice, and examine the possible mechanisms of Sirt1. We constructed a rapid ageing model in mice by administering D-galactose. An ageing model was constructed by treating cells with high glucose. Treadmill and Y-maze tests were used to assess exercise tolerance and learning memory ability. Pathologically stained sections were used to assess kidney injury. Tissue and cell senescence were evaluated by senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining. The expression levels of P16, SOD1, SOD2 and Sirt1 were detected by immunoblotting. D-gal-treated mice exhibited significant age-related changes, as measured by behavioural tests and ageing marker protein levels. empagliflozin alleviated these ageing manifestations. In addition, Sirt1, SOD1 and SOD2 levels were downregulated in model mice and upregulated by empagliflozin treatment. Empagliflozin had similar protective effects at the cellular level, and these effects were reduced by the Sirt1 inhibitor. Empagliflozin has an antiaging effect, which may be related to reducing Sirt1-mediated oxidative stress.

Meta-Analysis of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Offspring of Preeclampsia Pregnancies

This study aimed to assess cardiovascular risk factors in the offspring of preeclampsia (PE) pregnancies. PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, and other foreign language databases, as well as SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and China Science and Technology Journal Databases, were searched. The case-control studies on cardiovascular risk factors in the offspring of PE pregnancies from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019 were collected. A random-effects model or a fixed-effects model was used, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis to determine the OR value and 95%CI of each cardiovascular risk factor. A total of 16 documents were included in this research, all of which were case-control studies, with a total of 4046 cases in the experimental group and 31,505 in the control group. The meta-analysis that was conducted demonstrated that SBP [MD = 1.51, 95%CI (1.15, 1.88)] and DBP [MD = 1.90, 95%CI (1.69, 2.10)] values in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented an elevation relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group. The total cholesterol value in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented an elevation relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = 0.11, 95%CI (0.08, 0.13)]. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol value in the PE pregnancy offspring group was comparable to that in the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = 0.01, 95%CI (-0.02, 0.05)]. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol value in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented an elevation relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = 0.02, 95%CI (0.01, 0.03)]. The non-HDL cholesterol value in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented an elevation relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = 0.16, 95%CI (0.13, 0.19)]. The triglycerides [MD = -0.02, 95%CI (-0.03, -0.01)] and glucose [MD = -0.08, 95%CI (-0.09, -0.07)] values in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented a depletion relative to the non-PE pregnancy group. The insulin value in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented a depletion relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = -0.21, 95%CI (-0.32, -0.09)]. The BMI value in the PE pregnancy offspring group presented an elevation relative to the non-PE pregnancy offspring group [MD = 0.42, 95%CI (0.27, 0.57)]. In conclusion, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and increased BMI occur postpartum with PE, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Setting a stage: Inflammation during preeclampsia and postpartum

Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality worldwide. The immune system plays a critical role in normal pregnancy progression; however, inappropriate inflammatory responses have been consistently linked with PE pathophysiology. This inflammatory phenotype consists of activation of the innate immune system, adaptive immune system, and increased inflammatory mediators in circulation. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the inflammatory profile seen in PE persists into the postpartum period. This manuscript aims to highlight recent advances in research relating to inflammation in PE as well as the inflammation that persists postpartum in women after a PE pregnancy. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in obstetric disorders associated with COVID-19 infection during pregnancy. This manuscript also aims to shed light on the relationship between COVID-19 infection during pregnancy and the increased incidence of PE in these women.

Critical Reanalysis of the Mechanisms Underlying the Cardiorenal Benefits of SGLT2 Inhibitors and Reaffirmation of the Nutrient Deprivation Signaling/Autophagy Hypothesis

SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2) inhibitors produce a distinctive pattern of benefits on the evolution and progression of cardiomyopathy and nephropathy, which is characterized by a reduction in oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, restoration of mitochondrial health and enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, a decrease in proinflammatory and profibrotic pathways, and preservation of cellular and organ integrity and viability. A substantial body of evidence indicates that this characteristic pattern of responses can be explained by the action of SGLT2 inhibitors to promote cellular housekeeping by enhancing autophagic flux, an effect that may be related to the action of these drugs to produce simultaneous upregulation of nutrient deprivation signaling and downregulation of nutrient surplus signaling, as manifested by an increase in the expression and activity of AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase), SIRT1 (sirtuin 1), SIRT3 (sirtuin 3), SIRT6 (sirtuin 6), and PGC1-α (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α) and decreased activation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). The distinctive pattern of cardioprotective and renoprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors is abolished by specific inhibition or knockdown of autophagy, AMPK, and sirtuins. In the clinical setting, the pattern of differentially increased proteins identified in proteomics analyses of blood collected in randomized trials is consistent with these findings. Clinical studies have also shown that SGLT2 inhibitors promote gluconeogenesis, ketogenesis, and erythrocytosis and reduce uricemia, the hallmarks of nutrient deprivation signaling and the principal statistical mediators of the ability of SGLT2 inhibitors to reduce the risk of heart failure and serious renal events. The action of SGLT2 inhibitors to augment autophagic flux is seen in isolated cells and tissues that do not express SGLT2 and are not exposed to changes in environmental glucose or ketones and may be related to an ability of these drugs to bind directly to sirtuins or mTOR. Changes in renal or cardiovascular physiology or metabolism cannot explain the benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors either experimentally or clinically. The direct molecular effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in isolated cells are consistent with the concept that SGLT2 acts as a nutrient surplus sensor, and thus, its inhibition causes enhanced nutrient deprivation signaling and its attendant cytoprotective effects, which can be abolished by specific inhibition or knockdown of AMPK, sirtuins, and autophagic flux.