The canonical Notch signaling was involved in the regulation of intestinal epithelial cells apoptosis after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Ischemia-reperfusion injury: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury paradoxically occurs during reperfusion following ischemia, exacerbating the initial tissue damage. The limited understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying I/R injury hinders the development of effective therapeutic interventions. The Wnt signaling pathway exhibits extensive crosstalk with various other pathways, forming a network system of signaling pathways involved in I/R injury. This review article elucidates the underlying mechanisms involved in Wnt signaling, as well as the complex interplay between Wnt and other pathways, including Notch, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B, transforming growth factor-β, nuclear factor kappa, bone morphogenetic protein, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor-Ca2+-Activin A, Hippo-Yes-associated protein, toll-like receptor 4/toll-interleukine-1 receptor domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β, and hepatocyte growth factor/mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor. In particular, we delve into their respective contributions to key pathological processes, including apoptosis, the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, cell hypertrophy, fibrosis, ferroptosis, neurogenesis, and blood-brain barrier damage during I/R injury. Our comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms involved in Wnt signaling during I/R reveals that activation of the canonical Wnt pathway promotes organ recovery, while activation of the non-canonical Wnt pathways exacerbates injury. Moreover, we explore novel therapeutic approaches based on these mechanistic findings, incorporating evidence from animal experiments, current standards, and clinical trials. The objective of this review is to provide deeper insights into the roles of Wnt and its crosstalk signaling pathways in I/R-mediated processes and organ dysfunction, to facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic agents for I/R injury.

Omega-3 fatty acids impair miR-1-3p-dependent Notch3 down-regulation and alleviate sepsis-induced intestinal injury

Background

Sepsis is a troublesome syndrome that can cause intestinal injury and even high mortality rates. Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are known to protect against intestinal damage. Accordingly, the current study set out to explore if omega-3 FAs could affect sepsis-induced intestinal injury with the involvement of the microRNA (miR)-1-3p/Notch3-Smad axis.

Methods

First, cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) was performed to establish septic mouse models in C57BL/6J mice, and mouse intestinal epithelial MODE-K cells were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish sepsis cell models. The CLP-induced septic mice or LPS-exposed cells were subjected to treatment with Omega-3 FAs and activin (Smad signaling activator), miR-1-3p inhibitor and over-expressed/short hairpin RNA (oe-/sh)-Notch3 to explore their roles in inflammation, intestinal oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was further performed to verify the regulatory relationship between miR-1-3p and Notch3.

Results

Omega-3 FAs inhibited CLP-induced intestinal injury and ameliorated LPS-induced intestinal epithelial cell injury by down-regulating miR-1-3p, as evidenced by decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6, in addition to diminished levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde levels and superoxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, miR-1-3p could down-regulate Notch3, which inactivated the Smad pathway.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings indicated that omega-3 FAs elevate the expression of Notch3 by down-regulating miR-1-3p, and then blocking the Smad pathway to alleviate intestinal epithelial inflammation and oxidative stress injury caused by sepsis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10020-021-00425-w.

MicroRNA-146a overexpression alleviates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute lung injury in mice

Previous studies have shown that microRNAs (miRs), such as miR-146a play an important role in the pathogenesis of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury; however, the role of miR-146a in intestinal I/R-induced acute lung injury has not been elucidated. An intestinal I/R-induced injury mouse model was established in the present study by clamping the superior mesenteric artery and expression levels of miR-146a in intestinal and lung tissue samples were evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Intestinal and lung histopathological characteristics in mice with intestinal I/R-induced injury were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and mRNA and protein expression levels in intestinal and lung tissue samples were evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. miR-146a expression was significantly downregulated in the intestinal and lung tissue samples of mice with intestinal I/R-induced injury. Intestinal I/R injury-induced histopathological changes in the lung and intestines, and pulmonary edema in mice transduced with an adenoviral miR-146a-overexpression vector (the miR-146a overexpression group) were alleviated. mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ and TGF-β1, and protein expression levels of TNF receptor-associated factor 6, phosphorylated-p65 NF-κB, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 in lung and intestinal tissue samples were downregulated in I/R-miR-146a-overexpressing mice, compared with those from the I/R-negative control group. Thus, the present study identified that pre-treatment with the miR-146a overexpression vector alleviated intestinal I/R-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Inhibition of microRNA-34a Suppresses Epileptiform Discharges Through Regulating Notch Signaling and Apoptosis in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures and some seizures can cause neuronal apoptosis, which is possible to make contributions to the epilepsy phenotype, impairments in cognitive function or even epileptogenesis. Moreover, many studies have indicated that microRNA-34a (miRNA-34a) is involved in apoptosis through regulating Notch signaling. However, whether miRNA-34a participates in neuronal apoptosis after seizures remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the expression of miRNA-34a and its effects on the epileptiform discharge in spontaneous recurrent epileptiform discharges (SREDs) rat hippocampal neuronal pattern. Mg²⁺-free medium was used to induce SREDs, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of miRNA-34a, western blot was used to determine the expression of Notch pathway and apoptosis-related proteins, and whole cell current clamp recordings was used to observe the alteration of epileptiform discharge. We found obvious apoptosis, increased expression of miRNA-34a and decreased expression of Notch signaling in Mg²⁺-free-treated neurons. Treatment with miRNA-34a inhibitor decreased the frequency of action potentials, activated Notch signaling and prevented neuronal apoptosis in Mg²⁺-free-treated neurons. However, treatment with miRNA-34a mimics increased the frequency of action potentials, down-regulated Notch signaling and promoted neuronal apoptosis in Mg²⁺-free-treated neurons. Furthermore, γ-secretase inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-di-uorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butylester (DAPT), an inhibitor of Notch signaling, could weaken anti-apoptosis effect of miRNA-34a inhibitor. These results suggest that inhibition of miRNA-34a could suppress epileptiform discharges through regulating Notch signaling and apoptosis in the rat hippocampal neuronal model of SREDs.

Jagged-1 attenuates LPS-induced apoptosis and ROS in rat intestinal epithelial cells

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, non-specific inflammatory disease that occurs in the colonic mucosa. This study investigated the role of the Notch pathway in affecting the pathogenesis of UC and regulating intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis. Caspase-3 activity was measured and flow cytometry was used to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and Ki-67 expression. Flow cytometry was applied to detect apoptosis, proliferation, and ROS content. Under LPS stimulation conditions, the IEC-6 cells were divided into 3 groups, including control, 5 and 10 μg/mL Jagged-1 protein pretreatment. The mRNA and protein expressions of Jagged-1, Notch1, Hes1, and OLFM4 in colon tissues were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. The ROS production, Ki-67 expression, and caspase-3 activity were significantly increased, and Jagged-1, Notch1, Hes1, and OLFM4 mRNA and protein levels were obviously elevated in the colon tissue of UC model rats compared with control. LPS treatment apparently up-regulated Jagged-1, Notch1, and OLFM4 expression in IEC-6 cells, resulting in marked enhancement in apoptosis and ROS generation, and reduction of proliferation. Administration of Jagged-1 before LPS stimulation further upregulated the expressions of Notch1 and OLFM4 in IEC cells, weakened apoptosis and ROS production, and alleviated the inhibitory effect of LPS on IEC-6 cell proliferation. UC lesions can activate the Notch signaling pathway in colon tissue, which may play a role in emergency repair. Upregulation of the Notch signaling pathway significantly reduced inflammatory stimuli-induced apoptosis and ROS generation in intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in increased cell proliferation.

Protective effect of CDDO-imidazolide against intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is life-threatening and challenging in clinical practice. CDDO-imidazolide (CDDO-Im) is therapeutic in alleviating I/R injury. Nevertheless, there is a lack of investigation on the effects of CDDO-Im on intestinal I/R. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: (a) the sham group, (b) the CDDO-Im group, (c) the I/R group, and (d) the I/R + CDDO-Im group. Intestinal I/R was performed by clamping arteria mesenteric anterior for 45 min, followed by 24 h reperfusion. In addition, Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test were used to compare the survival rates among groups by observing for 24 h. Intestinal I/R in model group demonstrated severe injury of the intestinal mucosa, lung, kidney, and liver. The intestinal mucosal damage and intestinal barrier dysfunction were obviously attenuated in CDDO-Im-treated group compared with the model group. Also, preconditioning with CDDO-Im reduced pulmonary, hepatic and renal damage, and decreased oxidative stress (malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and NO) and pro-inflammatory responses (tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6)) following I/R injury. Furthermore, we also observed that these protective properties of CDDO-Im were accomplished by the activation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway and upregulation of its downstream antioxidant genes, including heme oxygenase (HO-1), NQO-1, and glutamate–cysteine ligase regulatory subunit (GCLM). Our data suggest that CDDO-Im exerts a beneficial effect on intestinal I/R-associated mucosal barrier dysfunction and distant organ injuries.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation maintained the intestinal epithelial barrier function through Notch1 dependent signaling pathway

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induces disruption of the intestinal barrier function. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has a vital role in maintaining the intestinal barrier function. However, the precise mechanism by which AhR maintains intestinal barrier function remains unclear. Notch1 signaling is downstream of AhR, and has also been reported to have a role in the development of tight junctions (TJs) and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, we hypothesized that AhR activation may attenuate the intestinal barrier dysfunction through increased activation of Notch1 signaling. Adult C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: Sham, I/R and I/R + 6-formylindolo(3,2-b)carbazole (Ficz) groups. Mice were sacrificed after I/R for 6 h and the intestine was harvested for histological examination, mRNA and protein content analysis, and mucosal permeability investigation. Additionally, a hypoxic Caco‑2 cell culture model was used to evaluate the role of AhR‑Notch1 signaling in the development of TJs and epithelial permeability in vitro. The AhR‑Notch1 signaling components and TJ proteins were assessed by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence staining. Epithelial permeability was detected by transepithelium electrical resistance. The data demonstrated that Ficz significantly attenuated the intestinal tissue damage and the disrupted distribution of TJs, increased the expression of TJ proteins, reversed the decrease in TER and upregulated epithelial Notch1 signaling following intestinal I/R in vivo and hypoxia in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition of Notch1 signaling by N‑[N‑(3,5‑difluorophenacetyl)‑L‑alanyl]‑S‑phenylglycine t‑butyl ester (inhibitor of Notch signaling) counteracted the effects of Ficz on the development of TJs in hypoxic Caco‑2 cells. In conclusion, AhR activation ameliorated epithelial barrier dysfunction following intestinal I/R and hypoxia through upregulation of Notch1 signaling, which suggests that AhR may be a potential pharmaceutical agent to combat this condition.

MicroRNA-137 regulates hypoxia-induced retinal ganglion cell apoptosis through Notch1

The apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a hallmark of several optic neuropathies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recently identified regulators of various biological processes. However, the role of miRNAs in regulating RGC apoptosis remains largely unknown. We herein aimed to demonstrate that miR-137 acts as a hypoxia-responsive gene in RGCs that is downregulated under hypoxic conditions. It was observed that overexpression of miR-137 markedly aggravated hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis, whereas inhibition of miR-137 effectively protected RGCs against hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Hypoxia induced Notch1 expression and signaling activation, while blocking Notch signaling significantly aggravated hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis. Further data revealed that the pro-survival Akt signaling pathway was involved in miR-137-Notch signaling pathway-mediated RGC protection. Knockdown of Notch significantly reversed the effect of anti‑miR-137 on RGC protection and Akt signaling activation. In addition, blocking Akt signaling also significantly abrogated the protective effect of anti-miR-137 on hypoxia-induced cell injury. Overall, the results of the present study demonstrated that miR-137 targets Notch1 expression, revealing a novel link between miR-137 and Notch signaling, and suggesting that a miR-137/Notch1 axis may serve as a potential molecular target for the treatment of hypoxia-induced retinal diseases.

MicroRNA-378 protects against intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury via a mechanism involving the inhibition of intestinal mucosal cell apoptosis

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains a major clinical event and contributes to high morbidity and mortality rates, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Recent studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) have important roles in organ I/R injury, but the changes and potential roles of miRNAs in intestinal I/R-induced intestinal injury are unclear. This study was designed to analyze the miRNA expression profiles in intestinal mucosa after I/R injury and to explore the role of target miRNA during this process. Using miRNA microarray analysis, we found changes of 19 miRNAs from the expression profile of miRNAs in a mouse model of intestinal I/R and further verified them by RT-qPCR. Here, we report that miR-378 is one of the markedly decreased miRNAs and found the putative target mRNA that is linked to cell death after applying the TargetScan, miRanda, CLIP-Seq and miRDB prediction algorithms. Our results show that the overexpression of miR-378 significantly ameliorated intestinal tissue damage in wild-type and transgenic mice and oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion-challenged IEC-6 cell injury. Moreover, miR-378 overexpression reduced intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis in both in vivo and in vitro ischemic models and attenuated cleaved caspase-3 expression. Collectively, our results revealed that the suppression of caspase-3 activation by miRNA-378 overexpression may be involved in the protective effects of intestinal ischemic damage. MiRNA-378 may serve as a key regulator and therapeutic target in intestinal I/R injury.

Deciphering the Complex Signaling Systems That Regulate Intestinal Epithelial Cell Death Processes and Shedding

Intestinal epithelial cells play a fundamental role in maintaining homeostasis. Shedding of intestinal cells in a controlled manner is critical to maintenance of barrier function. Barrier function is maintained during this shedding process by a redistribution of tight junctional proteins to facilitate closure of the gap left by the shedding cell. However, despite the obvious importance of epithelial cell shedding to gut health, a central question is how the extrusion of epithelial cells is achieved, enabling barrier integrity to be maintained in the healthy gut and restored during inflammation remains largely unanswered. Recent studies have provided evidence that excessive epithelial cell shedding and loss of epithelial barrier integrity is triggered by exposure to lipopolysaccharide or tumor necrosis factor alpha. Subsequent studies have provided evidence of the involvement of specific cellular components and signaling mechanisms as well as the functionality of microbiota that can be either detrimental or beneficial for intestinal barrier integrity. This review will focus on the evidence and decipher how the signaling systems through which the mucosal immune system and microbiota can regulate epithelial cell shedding and how these mechanisms interact to preserve the viability of the epithelium.

MicroRNA-682-mediated downregulation of PTEN in intestinal epithelial cells ameliorates intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Intestinal ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury causes inflammation and tissue damage and contributes to high morbidity and mortality, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive and effective therapies are still lacking. We report here a critical role of the microRNA 682 (miR-682) as a key regulator and therapeutic target in intestinal I/R injury. MiR-682 was markedly induced in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) during intestinal ischemia in mice and in the human colonic epithelial cells during hypoxia, but was undetected rapidly after intestinal reperfusion in IEC of mice. MiR-682 induction during hypoxia was modulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). On lentivirus-mediated miR-682 overexpression in vivo during intestinal reperfusion or miR-682 mimic transfection in vitro during hypoxia, miR-682 decreased the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and subsequently activated nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65. Consequently, NF-κB activation by miR-682-mediated PTEN downregulation prevented reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction, inflammatory reaction, mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and IEC apoptosis. The effect of miR-682-mediated PTEN/NF-κB pathway on IECs resulted in protection against intestinal I/R injury in mice. However, NF-κB chemical inhibitor reversed miR-682-mediated decreased PTEN expression, ROS induction, inflammation and IEC apoptosis. Collectively, these results identify a novel miR-682/PTEN/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway in IEC injury induced by I/R that could be targeted for therapy.

Protective effects of fenofibrate against acute lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in mice

This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether pretreatment with fenofibrate could mitigate acute lung injury (ALI) in a mice model of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 6): sham, intestinal I/R + vehicle, and intestinal I/R + fenofibrate. Intestinal I/R was achieved by clamping the superior mesenteric artery. Fenofibrate (100 mg/kg) or equal volume of vehicle was injected intraperitoneally 60 minutes before the ischemia. At the end of experiment, measurement of pathohistological score, inflammatory mediators and other markers were performed. In addition, a 24-hour survival experiment was conducted in intestinal I/R mice treated with fenofibrate or vehicle. The chief results were as anticipated. Pathohistological evaluation indicated that fenofibrate ameliorated the local intestine damage and distant lung injury. Pretreatment with fenofibrate significantly decreased inflammatory factors in both the intestine and the lung. Consistently, renal creatine levels and hepatic ALT levels were significantly decreased in the fenofibrate group. Moreover, serum systemic inflammatory response indicators were significantly alleviated in the fenofibrate group. In addition, fenofibrate administration significantly improved the survival rate. Collectively, our data indicated that pretreatment with fenofibrate prior to ischemia attenuated intestinal I/R injury and ALI.