Resveratrol Supplementation Protects Against Nicotine-Induced Kidney Injury

Active smoking in urban households: An association between urinary cotinine metabolite level and serum eGFR concentration

INTRODUCTION

Smoking stands as a primary contributor to preventable deaths globally and is linked to an increased risk of developing kidney failure and other diseases. A few studies have focused on the negative correlation between serum cotinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), indicating decreased kidney function. This study investigated the associations between urinary cotinine metabolite concentration and serum eGFR among active smokers in urban households.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of active smokers in urban households' community Bangkok, Thailand from January to April 2023. The study involved 85 participants aged ≥18 years who were active smokers. Both urinary cotinine and serum eGFR concentrations were used as biomarkers. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare the urinary cotinine metabolite based on differences in the characteristic variable. We used multiple linear regression to test the association between cotinine metabolite and characteristics variables. Spearman's analysis was used to test the correlation between cotinine metabolite and eGFR concentration.

RESULTS

The association between urinary cotinine metabolite and serum eGFR concentration decreased with increasing cotinine concentrations (r= -0.223, p=0.041), suggesting a decline in kidney function. However, this study found no significant difference between urinary cotinine metabolite and characteristic variables (p>0.05). Additionally, those who smoked for ≥10 years (117.40 ± 89.80 ng/mL), smoked ≥10 cigarettes per day (117.40 ± 89.80 ng/mL) and used conventional cigarettes (124.53 ± 115.10 ng/mL). The results of the multiple linear regression models analysis indicated that those who were smokers for ≥10 years (β=0.076; 95% CI: -31.575-59.715) and those who were smoked ≥10 cigarettes/day (β=0.126; 95% CI: -65.636-18.150) were not associated with urinary cotinine metabolite level.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that the urinary cotinine metabolite level is associated with serum eGFR concentration among active smokers in urban households. The current study suggests that clinical identification and a prospective cohort study are needed before robust conclusions about how tobacco affects kidney efficiency.

Electronic cigarettes can damage lingual papillae and taste buds. Can vitamins C and E supplementation reverse this damage?

AIMS

This histological study focuses on the impact of electronic cigarette liquid (EC) on lingual papillae, especially taste buds, compare it to nicotine, and investigates the potential of vitamins in reversing these unwanted changes.

MAIN METHODS

40 adult male rats were allocated into 5 groups. Control injected saline intraperitoneally, electronic cigarettes group injected EC-liquid containing nicotine of dose (0.75 mg/kg), electronic cigarette group injected EC-liquid then supplemented orally with vitamins C and E, nicotine group injected pure nicotine of dose (0.75 mg/kg) and lastly nicotine group injected with pure nicotine of dose (0.75 mg/kg) then supplemented orally with vitamins C and E. Keratin surface area and the ratio between taste buds and its epithelial covering surface areas in fungiform papillae were measured.

KEY FINDINGS

Histological examination of EC group revealed abnormal epithelial stratification and mitotic figs. EC plus V group showed intact basal cell layer. N group showed better histological stratification than EC group. Fungiform and circumvallate papillae in EC and N groups showed distorted appearance of taste buds. Histomorphometry analysis showed a significant decrease in taste buds to epithelium surface areas in EC, nicotine, and EC plus V groups, p-value (<0.05). There was no significant difference between control and N plus V groups.

SIGNIFICANCE

Administration of vitamins C and E showed preservation of normal histological features of the lingual mucous membrane. EC caused striking damage to taste buds even after the administration of vitamins. The negative effects of electronic cigarettes are not confined only to the presence of nicotine.

Biomedical Research on Substances of Abuse: The Italian Case Study

Substances of abuse have the potential to cause addiction, habituation or altered consciousness. Most of the research on these substances focuses on addiction, and is carried out through observational and clinical studies on humans, or experimental studies on animals. The transposition of the EU Directive 2010/63 into Italian law in 2014 (IT Law 2014/26) includes a ban on the use of animals for research on substances of abuse. Since then, in Italy, public debate has continued on the topic, while the application of the Article prohibiting animal research in this area has been postponed every couple of years. In the light of this debate, we briefly review a range of methodologies - including animal and non-animal, as well as patient or population-based studies - that have been employed to address the biochemical, neurobiological, toxicological, clinical and behavioural effects of substances of abuse and their dependency. We then discuss the implications of the Italian ban on the use of animals for such research, proposing concrete and evidence-based solutions to allow scientists to pursue high-quality basic and translational studies within the boundaries of the regulatory and legislative framework.

Prophylactic role of olive fruit extract against cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress in Sprague-Dawley rats

Cigarette smoke exposure increases the production of free radicals leading to initiation of several pathological conditions by triggering the oxidative stress and inflammatory cascade. Olive fruit owing to its unique phytochemical composition possesses antioxidant, immune modulatory, and anti-inflammatory potential. Considering the compositional alterations in olive fruits during ripening, the current experimental trail was designed to investigate the prophylactic role of green and black olives against the oxidative stress induced by cigarette smoke exposure in rats. Purposely, rats were divided into five different groups: NC (negative control; normal diet), PC [positive control; normal diet + smoke exposure (SE)], drug (normal diet + SE + citalopram), GO (normal diet + SE + green olive extract), and BO (normal diet + SE + black olive extract). Rats of all groups were exposed to cigarette smoke except "NC" and were sacrificed for collection of blood and organs after 28 days of experimental trial. The percent reduction in total oxidative stress by citalopram and green and black olive extracts in serum was 29.72, 58.69, and 57.97%, respectively, while the total antioxidant capacity increased by 30.78, 53.94, and 43.98%, accordingly in comparison to PC. Moreover, malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced by 29.63, 42.59, and 45.70% in drug, GO, and BO groups, respectively. Likewise, green and black olive extracts reduced the leakage of hepatic enzymes in sera, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) by 23.44 and 25.80% and 35.62 and 37.61%, alanine transaminase (ALT) by 42.68 and 24.39% and 51.04 and 35.41%, and aspartate transaminase (AST) by 31.51 and 16.07% and 40.50 and 27.09% from PC and drug group, respectively. Additionally, olive extracts also maintained the antioxidant pool, i.e., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione in serum. Furthermore, histological examination revealed that olive extracts prevented the cigarette smoke-induced necrosis, pyknotic alterations, and congestion in the lung, hepatic, and renal parenchyma. Besides, gene expression analysis revealed that olive extracts and citalopram decreased the brain and lung damage caused by stress-induced upregulation of NRF-2 and MAPK signaling pathways. Hence, it can be concluded that olives (both green and black) can act as promising antioxidant in alleviating the cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress.

Chemoprevention effect of the Mediterranean diet on colorectal cancer: Current studies and future prospects

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Nevertheless, more than 70% of CRC cases are resulted from sporadic tumorigenesis and are not inherited. Since adenoma-carcinoma development is a slow process and may take up to 20 years, diet-based chemoprevention could be an effective approach in sporadic CRC. The Mediterranean diet is an example of a healthy diet pattern that consists of a combination of nutraceuticals that prevent several chronic diseases and cancer. Many epidemiological studies have shown the correlation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and low incidence of CRC. The goal of this review is to shed the light on the anti-inflammatory and anti-colorectal cancer potentials of the natural bioactive compounds derived from the main foods in the Mediterranean diet.

Natural Product-based Nanomedicine: Recent Advances and Issues for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the elderly and is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration caused by different pathologies. The most significant challenges in treating AD include the inability of medications to reach the brain because of its poor solubility, low bioavailability, and the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, current evidence suggests the disruption of BBB plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. One of the critical challenges in treating AD is the ineffective treatments and their severe adverse effects. Nanotechnology offers an alternative approach to facilitate the treatment of AD by overcoming the challenges in drug transport across the BBB. Various nanoparticles (NP) loaded with natural products were reported to aid in drug delivery for the treatment of AD. The nano-sized entities of NP are great platforms for incorporating active materials from natural products into formulations that can be delivered effectively to the intended action site without compromising the material's bioactivity. The review highlights the applications of medicinal plants, their derived components, and various nanomedicinebased approaches for the treatment of AD. The combination of medicinal plants and nanotechnology may lead to new theragnostic solutions for the treatment of AD in the future.

Complex interactions between nicotine and resveratrol in the Drosophila melanogaster wing spot test

Nicotine (NIC) and resveratrol (RES) are chemicals in tobacco and wine, respectively, that are widely consumed concurrently worldwide. NIC is an alkaloid known to be toxic, addictive and to produce oxidative stress, while RES is thought of as an antioxidant with putative health benefits. Oxidative stress can induce genotoxic damage, yet few studies have examined whether NIC is genotoxic in vivo. In vitro studies have shown that RES can ameliorate deleterious effects of NIC. However, RES has been reported to have both antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects, and an in vivo study reported that 0.011 mM RES was genotoxic. We used the Drosophila melanogaster wing spot test to determine whether NIC and RES, first individually and then in combination, were genotoxic and/or altered the cell division. We hypothesized that RES would modulate NIC’s effects. NIC was genotoxic in the standard (ST) cross in a concentration-independent manner, but not genotoxic in the high bioactivation (HB) cross. RES was not genotoxic in either the ST or HB cross at the concentrations tested. We discovered a complex interaction between NIC and RES. Depending on concentration, RES was protective of NIC’s genotoxic damage, RES had no interaction with NIC, or RES had an additive or synergistic effect, increasing NIC’s genotoxic damage. Most NIC, RES, and NIC/RES combinations tested altered the cell division in the ST and HB crosses. Because we used the ST and HB crosses, we demonstrated that genotoxicity and cell division alterations were modulated by the xenobiotic metabolism. These results provide evidence of NIC’s genotoxicity in vivo at specific concentrations. Moreover, NIC’s genotoxicity can be modulated by its interaction with RES in a complex manner, in which their interaction can lead to either increasing NIC’s damage or protecting against it.

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Nicotine was genotoxic at specific concentrations in the Drosophila wing spot test.

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Resveratrol protected against nicotine’s genotoxic effects at some concentrations.

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Resveratrol increased nicotine’s genotoxicity at specific concentrations.

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Nicotine and resveratrol have a complex interaction in vivo.

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Studying chemicals in combination in vivo may uncover unexpected interactions.

AKT/foxo3a signal pathway mediates the protective mechanism of resveratrol on renal interstitial fibrosis and oxidative stress in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether protein kinase B (serine/threonrine kinase, AKT)/forkhead box protein O3a (foxo3a) pathway mediates the protective mechanism of resveratrol (RSV) on renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) and oxidative stress.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were grouped into Sham group, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) group and UUO + RSV group. HE staining was used to test the pathological damage of RIF intervened by RSV, biochemical analyzer was used to measure serum renal injury indexes (creatinine, Cr, blood urea nitrogen, Bun), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect oxidative stress indexes (malondialdehyde, MDA; glutathione, GSH; superoxide dismutase, SOD). AKT/FoxO3a signaling pathway markers and renal interstitial indexes were measured by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Compared with Sham group, HE staining in UUO group showed significant RIF pathological damage; Cr and Bun indexes were increased, and AKT/FoxO3a signal pathway was activated, as indicated by increased p-AKT/AKT and p-FoxO3a/FoxO3a; TGF-β1 and α-SMA protein levels in fibrosis indexes were increased, while E-cadherin decreased; MDA was increased, GSH and SOD were decreased in oxidative stress indexes, while those in UUO + RSV group were improved.

CONCLUSION

AKT/foxo3a signaling pathway mediates the protective mechanism of RSV on RIF and oxidative stress in UUO rats, and RSV can improve RIF and oxidative stress in UUO rats by inhibiting AKT/foxo3a signaling pathway.

Effects of Smoking on Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetes is a systemic metabolic disease with serious complications that cause significant stress on the healthcare system. Diabetic kidney disease is the primary cause of end stage renal disease globally and its progression is accelerated by various factors. Another major healthcare hazard is tobacco consumption and smoking has deleterious effects on renal physiology. Prominent factors are defined as sympathetic activity, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and dyslipidemia. This review aims to enlighten the mechanism underlying the cumulative negative effect of simultaneous exposure to hyperglycemia and nicotine.

Treatment of Glaucoma with Natural Products and Their Mechanism of Action: An Update

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness. It is generally caused by increased intraocular pressure, which results in damage of the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells, ultimately leading to visual field dysfunction. However, even with the use of intraocular pressure-lowering eye drops, the disease still progresses in some patients. In addition to mechanical and vascular dysfunctions of the eye, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Hence, the use of natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may represent an alternative approach for glaucoma treatment. The present review highlights recent preclinical and clinical studies on various natural products shown to possess neuroprotective properties for retinal ganglion cells, which thereby may be effective in the treatment of glaucoma. Intraocular pressure can be reduced by baicalein, forskolin, marijuana, ginsenoside, resveratrol and hesperidin. Alternatively, Ginkgo biloba, Lycium barbarum, Diospyros kaki, Tripterygium wilfordii, saffron, curcumin, caffeine, anthocyanin, coenzyme Q10 and vitamins B3 and D have shown neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells via various mechanisms, especially antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis mechanisms. Extensive studies are still required in the future to ensure natural products' efficacy and safety to serve as an alternative therapy for glaucoma.

Fenofibrate Prevents nicotine-induced Acute Kidney Injury: Possible Involvement of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

Objective:

The present study investigated the possible effect of fenofibrate (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-α agonist) in nicotine-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in rats.

Materials and Methods:

Nicotine (2 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) was administered for 4 weeks to induce AKI in rats. Lipid profile and renal oxidative stress were measured and expression of mRNA for eNOS was assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction along with serum and renal tissue nitrite levels. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and microproteinuria were estimated along with the kidney histology, as markers of kidney function. Treatment with fenofibrate (30 mg/kg per oral, 4 weeks) was initiated 3 days before the administration of nicotine and continued for 4 weeks from the day of administration of nicotine.

Results:

Nicotine administered rats developed apparent AKI confirmed by elevated markers of kidney function and noticeable glomerulosclerosis and tubular cell degeneration. Nicotine decreases the expression of mRNA for eNOS, along with serum and renal tissue nitrite levels. In addition, nicotine showed significantly lipid alteration beside decrease oxidative stress, assessed in terms of increase in serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and a marked decrease in tissue reduced glutathione. However, fenofibrate significantly prevented the development of nicotine-AKI by reducing serum creatinine, BUN, and urinary protein, normalizing the lipid profile, reducing renal oxidative stress, increases the eNOS expression and concentration of serum and renal nitrate levels.

Conclusion:

Fenofibrate attenuates nicotine-induced AKI, via its antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant property. Moreover, fenofibrate induced upregulation of eNOS expression additionally play key roles in the improvement of nicotine-induced AKI could be the future alternative.

Folic acid-induced animal model of kidney disease

The kidneys are a vital organ that is vulnerable to both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) which can be caused by numerous risk factors such as ischemia, sepsis, drug toxicity and drug overdose, exposure to heavy metals, and diabetes. In spite of the advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of AKI and CKD as well AKI transition to CKD, there is still no available therapeutics that can be used to combat kidney disease effectively, highlighting an urgent need to further study the pathological mechanisms underlying AKI, CKD, and AKI progression to CKD. In this regard, animal models of kidney disease are indispensable. This article reviews a widely used animal model of kidney disease, which is induced by folic acid (FA). While a low dose of FA is nutritionally beneficial, a high dose of FA is very toxic to the kidneys. Following a brief description of the procedure for disease induction by FA, major mechanisms of FA-induced kidney injury are then reviewed, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial abnormalities such as impaired bioenergetics and mitophagy, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and increased expression of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Finally, application of this FA-induced kidney disease model as a platform for testing the efficacy of a variety of therapeutic approaches is also discussed. Given that this animal model is simple to create and is reproducible, it should remain useful for both studying the pathological mechanisms of kidney disease and identifying therapeutic targets to fight kidney disease.

Nicotine exacerbates tacrolimus-induced renal injury by programmed cell death

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Cigarette smoking is an important modifiable risk factor in kidney disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms for this are lacking. This study aimed to assess whether nicotine (NIC), a major toxic component of cigarette smoking, would exacerbates tacrolimus (TAC)-induced renal injury.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were treated daily with NIC, TAC, or both drugs for 4 weeks. The influence of NIC on TAC-caused renal injury was examined via renal function, histopathology, oxidative stress, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and programmed cell death (apoptosis and autophagy).

RESULTS

Both NIC and TAC significantly impaired renal function and histopathology, while combined NIC and TAC treatment aggravated these parameters beyond the effects of either alone. Increased oxidative stress, ER stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, proinf lammatory and profibrotic cytokine expressions, and programmed cell death from either NIC or TAC were also aggravated by the two combined.

CONCLUSION

Our observations suggest that NIC exacerbates chronic TAC nephrotoxicity, implying that smoking cessation may be beneficial for transplant smokers taking TAC.

Smoking a Dangerous Addiction: A Systematic Review on an Underrated Risk Factor for Oral Diseases

Despite growing knowledge of the adverse effects of cigarette smoking on general health, smoking is one of the most widely prevalent addictions around the world. Globally, about 1.1 billion smokers and over 8 million people die each year because of cigarette smoking. Smoking acts as a source for a variety of oral and systemic diseases. Various periodontal issues such as increased pocket depth, loss of alveolar bone, tooth mobility, oral lesions, ulcerations, halitosis, and stained teeth are more common among smokers. This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines from PRISMA, and research articles were retrieved from the Web database sources on 31 May 2021. The quality of research articles was ensured by the type of evidence from combined schema incorporating as schema-13 evidence type description, Cochrane health promotion and public health field (CHPPHF), and the health gains notation framework-14 screening question for quality assessment of qualitative and quantitative studies. Smokers have been found to have bleeding on probing, periodontal pockets, and clinical attachment loss compared to nonsmokers. Oral and respiratory cancers are among the most lethal known diseases caused by cigarette smoking and other commonly occurring sequelae such as stained teeth, periodontal diseases, etc.

Sleeping, Smoking, and Kidney Diseases: Evidence From the NHANES 2017-2018

Study Objectives: Smoking and sleep are modifiable factors associated with the chronic kidney diseases. However, the interaction of smoking and sleep on the renal function are still unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the interactive impacts of smoking and sleep on the renal function. Methods: Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The study population were categorized into nine subgroups by smoking (smoking every day, sometimes, and non-smokers recently) and sleep duration (short duration ≤ 6 h, normal duration 6-9 h, and longer duration ≥ 9 h on the weekdays). Results: The study group with a short sleep duration had significantly higher serum cotinine and hydrocotinine levels compared with the other two sleep groups. After adjusting the demographic characteristics (age, race, body mass index, and marital status), sleep quality (snoring or breathing cessation), and comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol, anemia, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, and stroke), non-smokers with short or long sleep duration had significant lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels than the study group who smoked every day and slept ≤ 6 h. The effects of sleep duration on eGFR levels varied with smoking status. For the study group smoking every day, eGFR levels increased as sleep duration decreased, whereas for the study group smoking sometimes, eGFR levels increased as sleep duration increased. The U-shaped effects of eGFR levels were observed among non-smokers whose normal sleep duration was associated with better eGFR levels. Normal sleep duration was an important protective factor of the renal function for non-smokers than smokers. Conclusions: The effects of sleep duration on eGFR levels varied with smoking status. Normal sleep duration was a protective factor and more crucial for non-smokers than for smokers.

Ameliorating effect of melatonin against nicotine induced lung and heart toxicity in rats

The present study was carried out to investigate the ameliorative effects of melatonin against nicotine-induced heart and lung toxicity. For this purpose, 75 mature male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats weighing 150-170 g were randomly divided into five groups (15 rats each): control group (rats were I/P injected with 1% ethanol in saline), nicotine group (rats were I/P injected with 0.6 mg/kg body weight), and combined nicotine and melatonin groups (rats received nicotine as in the previous group and melatonin at a dose of 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively); all treatments were continued for 21 days. Fasting blood samples were collected from each rat at the 11th day and one day after the end of the last injection (22nd day) for complete blood count (CBC) determination, while sera were collected for the determination of lipid profiles. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as DNA fragmentation percentage were assessed in cardiac tissue. Heart and lung samples were collected for estimation of caspase-3 expression and histopathological examination. The results revealed that nicotine increased the number of RBCs, Hb concentration, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) and decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL). In addition, it decreased SOD activity and GSH concentration with increased MDA concentration, and DNA fragmentation in the heart, as well as caspase-3 expression in both heart and lungs. It also induced histopathological changes in the heart and lung tissues. Melatonin could ameliorate the deleterious effect of nicotine on the previous parameters either partially or completely, where melatonin restored complete blood count, improved lipid profile, mended lipid peroxidation and antioxidant parameters in the cardiac tissue, rectified caspase-3 expression in the heart and lungs, ameliorated DNA fragmentation percentage in the heart, and protected both heart and lung tissue against the harmful effect of nicotine. It is concluded that melatonin has a protective effect on the heart and lungs against the harmful effect of nicotine.

The protective effect of lycopene against oxidative kidney damage associated with combined use of isoniazid and rifampicin in rats

It is known that the combined use of antibiotics, such as isoniazid and rifampicin, in the treatment of tuberculosis causes oxidative kidney damage. The aim of this study was to biochemically and histopathologically investigate the effect of lycopene on oxidative kidney damage due to the administration of isoniazid and rifampicin in albino Wistar male rats. Lycopene at a dose of 5 mg/kg was orally administered to lycopene+isoniazid+rifampicin (LIR) rats, and normal sunflower oil (0.5 mL) was orally administered to isoniazid+rifampicin (IR) and healthy control (HG) rats as vehicle by gavage. One hour after the administration of lycopene and vehicle, 50 mg/kg isoniazid and rifampicin were given orally to the LIR and IR groups. This procedure was performed once a day for 28 days. Rats were sacrificed by a high dose of anesthesia at the end of this period, and oxidant-antioxidant parameters were measured in the removed kidney tissues. Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were measured in blood samples, and kidney tissues were also evaluated histopathologically. The combined administration of isoniazid and rifampicin changed the oxidant-antioxidant balance in favor of oxidants, and it increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, which are indicators of kidney function. Co-administration of isoniazid and rifampicin also caused oxidative kidney damage. Lycopene biochemically and histopathologically decreased oxidative kidney damage induced by isoniazid and rifampicin administration. These results suggested that lycopene may be beneficial in the treatment of nephrotoxicity due to isoniazid and rifampicin administration.

Sodium acetate prevents nicotine-induced cardiorenal dysmetabolism through uric acid/creatine kinase-dependent pathway

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoking or nicotine replacement therapy has been associated with cardiometabolic disorders (CMD). Hyperuricemia has been implicated in the pathogenesis of CMD and cardiorenal dysfunction. Gut microbiota-derived short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been reported to have beneficial glucoregulatory and cardiorenal protective effects. This study aimed at investigating the effect of acetate, a gut-derived SCFA, on nicotine-induced CMD and associated cardiorenal dysmetabolism.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Twenty-four male Wistar rats (n = 6/group) were grouped as: vehicle (p.o.), nicotine-exposed (1.0 mg/kg; p.o.), and sodium acetate-treated (200 mg/kg; p.o.) with or without nicotine exposure daily for 6 weeks. Glucose regulation was evaluated by oral glucose tolerance test and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. Cardiac and renal triacylglycerol (TG), lactate, nitric oxide (NO), uric acid (UA) levels, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and xanthine oxidase (XO) activities were measured.

RESULTS

The CMD were confirmed in the nicotine-exposed rats that exhibited lower body weight, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, glucose intolerance, increased cardiac and renal TG, TG/HDL-cholesterol, UA, lactate, lipid peroxidation, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, LDH, CK, ADA and XO activities. Concurrent treatment with acetate prevented nicotine-induced glucometabolic and cardiorenal alterations.

CONCLUSION

In summary, these results implied that nicotine exposure caused glucometabolic dysregulation and surplus lipid deposit in the heart and kidney through increased UA production and CK activity. Therefore, oral acetate administration prevents cardiorenal lipotoxicity and glucometabolic dysregulation via suppression of UA production and CK activity in nicotine-exposed rats.

Effects of resveratrol on the inflammatory response and renal injury in hyperuricemic rats

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Hyperuricemic nephropathy is a common cause of acute kidney injury. Resveratrol can ameliorate kidney injury, but the explicit mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of resveratrol on the inflammatory response and renal injury in hyperuricemic rats.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A rat model of hyperuricemic nephropathy was established by the oral administration of a mixture of adenine and potassium oxinate. Biochemical analysis and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to assess the rat kidney function. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to evaluate the immune and oxidative responses.

RESULTS

The expression levels of urine albumin and β2-microglobulin were significantly decreased after resveratrol treatment. In addition, the levels of serum creatinine and uric acid were significantly decreased in the resveratrol groups, compared with the control group. The levels of proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, in kidney tissue and serum were also increased in the hyperuricemic rats, and resveratrol treatment inhibited their expression. Moreover, the total antioxidant capacity in kidney tissue as well as the superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase levels in serum were all decreased by resveratrol treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Resveratrol may protect against hyperuricemic nephropathy through regulating the inflammatory response.

Resveratrol Modulates Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-β) Signaling Pathway for Disease Therapy: A New Insight into Its Pharmacological Activities

Resveratrol (Res) is a well-known natural product that can exhibit important pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory. An evaluation of its therapeutic effects demonstrates that this naturally occurring bioactive compound can target different molecular pathways to exert its pharmacological actions. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is an important molecular pathway that is capable of regulating different cellular mechanisms such as proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. TGF-β has been reported to be involved in the development of disorders such as diabetes, cancer, inflammatory disorders, fibrosis, cardiovascular disorders, etc. In the present review, the relationship between Res and TGF-β has been investigated. It was noticed that Res can inhibit TGF-β to suppress the proliferation and migration of cancer cells. In addition, Res can improve fibrosis by reducing inflammation via promoting TGF-β down-regulation. Res has been reported to be also beneficial in the amelioration of diabetic complications via targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway. These topics are discussed in detail in this review to shed light on the protective effects of Res mediated via the modulation of TGF-β signaling.

Grape juice or wine: which is the best option?

Grapes used in the wine or juice production are mainly Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca and possess high amounts of polyphenolic compounds. These compounds are associated with the reduction of the inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and protection against cardiovascular diseases. The industrial processes used for juice and wine production may interfere with the antioxidant composition of these products and the effects on human health. The aim of this review is to compare the effects of the consumption of wine or grape juice on cardiovascular risk factors. We used PRISMA guidelines and Medline/PUBMED and EMBASE to perform our search. The main effects of red wine and grape juice in humans were a reduction of body mass index, waist circumference, glycemia, plasma lipid peroxidation, total cholesterol, LDL-c, triglycerides, blood pressure, and homocysteine levels. Both wine and grape juice possess numerous bioactive compounds that are potentially responsible for many beneficial effects on human health. Nevertheless, there is a need for more double-blind, randomized controlled studies comparing the effects of juice and wine consumption without the biases that occur when comparisons are made with different populations, ages, doses, and different types of wine or juice.