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Liu YJ, Xu JJ, Yang C, Li YL, Chen MW, Liu SX, Zheng XH, Luo P, Li R, Xiao D, Shan ZG. Muscone inhibits angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy through the STAT3, MAPK and TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathways. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 51:39. [PMID: 38158445 PMCID: PMC10756871 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08916-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Muscone is a chemical monomer derived from musk. Although many studies have confirmed the cardioprotective effects of muscone, the effects of muscone on cardiac hypertrophy and its potential mechanisms are unclear.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of muscone on angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS AND RESULTS In the present study, we found for the first time that muscone exerted inhibitory effects on Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac injury in mice. Cardiac function was analyzed by echocardiography measurement, and the degree of cardiac fibrosis was determined by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Masson trichrome staining and western blot assay. Secondly, qRT-PCR experiment showed that muscone attenuated cardiac injury by reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, western blot analysis found that muscone exerted cardio-protective effects by inhibiting phosphorylation of key proteins in the STAT3, MAPK and TGF-β/SMAD pathways. In addition, CCK-8 and determination of serum biochemical indexes showed that no significant toxicity or side effects of muscone on normal cells and organs. CONCLUSIONS Muscone could attenuate Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy, in part, by inhibiting the STAT3, MAPK, and TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jiang Liu
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Jia-Jia Xu
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Cui Yang
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Yan-Lin Li
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Min-Wei Chen
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Shi-Xiao Liu
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Xiang-Hui Zheng
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China
| | - Ping Luo
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Di Xiao
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China
| | - Zhong-Gui Shan
- School of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China.
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Colin M, Delaitre C, Foulquier S, Dupuis F. The AT 1/AT 2 Receptor Equilibrium Is a Cornerstone of the Regulation of the Renin Angiotensin System beyond the Cardiovascular System. Molecules 2023; 28:5481. [PMID: 37513355 PMCID: PMC10383525 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28145481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The AT1 receptor has mainly been associated with the pathological effects of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) (e.g., hypertension, heart and kidney diseases), and constitutes a major therapeutic target. In contrast, the AT2 receptor is presented as the protective arm of this RAS, and its targeting via specific agonists is mainly used to counteract the effects of the AT1 receptor. The discovery of a local RAS has highlighted the importance of the balance between AT1/AT2 receptors at the tissue level. Disruption of this balance is suggested to be detrimental. The fine tuning of this balance is not limited to the regulation of the level of expression of these two receptors. Other mechanisms still largely unexplored, such as S-nitrosation of the AT1 receptor, homo- and heterodimerization, and the use of AT1 receptor-biased agonists, may significantly contribute to and/or interfere with the settings of this AT1/AT2 equilibrium. This review will detail, through several examples (the brain, wound healing, and the cellular cycle), the importance of the functional balance between AT1 and AT2 receptors, and how new molecular pharmacological approaches may act on its regulation to open up new therapeutic perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Colin
- CITHEFOR, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, MHeNS-School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sébastien Foulquier
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, MHeNS-School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- CARIM-School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Gan PXL, Liao W, Linke KM, Mei D, Wu XD, Wong WSF. Targeting the renin angiotensin system for respiratory diseases. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2023; 98:111-144. [PMID: 37524485 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an indispensable role in regulating blood pressure through its effects on fluid and electrolyte balance. As an aside, cumulative evidence from experimental to clinical studies supports the notion that dysregulation of RAS contributes to the pro-inflammatory, pro-oxidative, and pro-fibrotic processes that occur in pulmonary diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and acute lung injury (ALI). Pharmacological intervention of the various RAS components can be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of these respiratory diseases. In this chapter, we first give a recent update on the RAS, and then compile, review, and analyse recent reports on targeting RAS components as treatments for respiratory diseases. Inhibition of the pro-inflammatory renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin (Ang) II, and Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) axis, and activation of the protective ACE2, AT2R, Ang (1-7), and Mas receptor axis have demonstrated varying degrees of efficacies in experimental respiratory disease models or in human trials. The newly identified alamandine/Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor member D pathway has shown some therapeutic promise as well. However, our understanding of the RAS ligand-and-receptor interactions is still inconclusive, and the modes of action and signaling cascade mediating the newly identified RAS receptors remain to be better characterized. Clinical data are obviously lacking behind the promising pre-clinical findings of certain well-established molecules targeting at different pathways of the RAS in respiratory diseases. Translational human studies should be the focus for RAS drug development in lung diseases in the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyllis X L Gan
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - W Liao
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore; Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research Enterprise, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kira M Linke
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - D Mei
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - X D Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - W S Fred Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore; Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research Enterprise, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Drug Discovery and Optimization Platform, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
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Abstract
Long COVID refers to the lingering symptoms which persist or appear after the acute illness. The dominant long COVID symptoms in the two years since the pandemic began (2020-2021) have been depression, anxiety, fatigue, concentration and cognitive impairments with few reports of psychosis. Whether other symptoms will appear later on is not yet known. For example, dopamine-dependent movement disorders generally take many years before first symptoms are seen. Post-stroke depression and anxiety may explain many of the early long COVID cases. Hemorrhagic, hypoxic and inflammatory damages of the central nervous system, unresolved systematic inflammation, metabolic impairment, cerebral vascular accidents such as stroke, hypoxia from pulmonary damages and fibrotic changes are among the major causes of long COVID. Glucose metabolic and hypoxic brain issues likely predispose subjects with pre-existing diabetes, cardiovascular or lung problems to long COVID as well. Preliminary data suggest that psychotropic medications may not be a danger but could instead be beneficial in combating COVID-19 infection. The same is true for diabetes medications such as metformin. Thus, a focus on sigma-1 receptor ligands and glucose metabolism is expected to be useful for new drug development as well as the repurposing of current drugs. The reported protective effects of psychotropics and antihistamines against COVID-19, the earlier reports of reduced number of sigma-1 receptors in post-mortem schizophrenic brains, with many antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs being antihistamines with significant affinity for the sigma-1 receptor, support the role of sigma and histamine receptors in neuroinflammation and viral infections. Literature and data in all these areas are accumulating at a fast rate. We reviewed and discussed the relevant and important literature.
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