The Effects of a Meldonium Pre-Treatment on the Course of the Faecal-Induced Sepsis in Rats

From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Therapy: Understanding Sepsis-Induced Multiple Organ Dysfunction

Sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction arises from the highly complex pathophysiology encompassing the interplay of inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, mitochondrial damage, cellular energy failure, and dysbiosis. Over the past decades, numerous studies have been dedicated to elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms of sepsis in order to develop effective treatments. Current research underscores liver and cardiac dysfunction, along with acute lung and kidney injuries, as predominant causes of mortality in sepsis patients. This understanding of sepsis-induced organ failure unveils potential therapeutic targets for sepsis treatment. Various novel therapeutics, including melatonin, metformin, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), certain herbal extracts, and gut microbiota modulators, have demonstrated efficacy in different sepsis models. In recent years, the research focus has shifted from anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agents to exploring the modulation of energy metabolism and gut microbiota in sepsis. These approaches have shown a significant impact in preventing multiple organ damage and mortality in various animal sepsis models but require further clinical investigation. The accumulation of this knowledge enriches our understanding of sepsis and is anticipated to facilitate the development of effective therapeutic strategies in the future.

Influence of Nitrogen-Modified Atmosphere Storage on Lipid Oxidation of Peanuts: From a Lipidomic Perspective

The effect of nitrogen-modified atmosphere storage (NS) on peanut lipid oxidation was investigated in this paper. Non-targeted lipidomics was employed to detect the lipid metabolites in peanuts with the aim of exploring the mechanism of lipid oxidation in peanuts under different storage conditions. The results showed that compared with conventional storage (CS), NS significantly (p < 0.05) delayed the increase in acid value, carbonyl value, and 2-thiobarbituric acid value and the decrease in vitamin E content. However, the storage time has a much greater effect on lipid oxidation than the oxygen level in the storage environment. Lipidomics analysis revealed that there were significant differences in metabolite changes between CS and NS. NS reduced the decline of most glycerophospholipids by regulating lipid metabolism in peanuts. NS maintained higher levels of Diacylglycerol (DAG), sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG), lysophophatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) compared to CS. This work provided a basis for the application of NS technology to peanut storage.

The Effects of a Meldonium Pre-Treatment on the Course of the LPS-Induced Sepsis in Rats

A dysregulated and overwhelming response to an infection accompanied by the exaggerated pro-inflammatory state and metabolism disturbance leads to the fatal outcome in sepsis. Previously we showed that meldonium, an anti-ischemic drug clinically used to treat myocardial and cerebral ischemia, strongly increases mortality in faecal-induced peritonitis (FIP) in rats. We postulated that the same mechanism that is responsible for the otherwise strong anti-inflammatory effects of meldonium could be the culprit of the increased mortality. In the present study, we applied the LPS-induced model of sepsis to explore the presence of any differences from and/or similarities to the FIP model. When it comes to energy production, despite some shared similarities, it is evident that LPS and FIP models of sepsis differ greatly. A different profile of sympathoadrenal activation may account for this observation, as it was lacking in the FIP model, whereas in the LPS model it was strong enough to overcome the effects of meldonium. Therefore, choosing the appropriate model of sepsis induction is of great importance, especially if energy homeostasis is the main focus of the study. Even when differences in the experimental design of the two models are acknowledged, the role of different patterns of energy production cannot be excluded. On that account, our results draw attention to the importance of uninterrupted energy production in sepsis but also call for much-needed revisions of the current recommendations for its treatment.

Characterization of Systemic and Regional Hemodynamics and Vascular Dysfunction in Mice with Fecal Induced Peritonitis

Sepsis is associated with circulatory dysfunction contributing to disturbed blood flow and organ injury. Decreased organ perfusion in sepsis is attributed, in part, to the loss of vasoregulatory mechanisms. Identifying which vascular beds are most susceptible to dysfunction is important for monitoring the recovery of organ function and guiding interventions. This study aimed to investigate the development of vascular dysfunction as sepsis progressed to septic shock. Anesthetized C57Bl/6 mice were instrumented with a fiberoptic pressure sensor in the carotid artery for blood pressure measurements. In subgroups of mice, regional blood flow measurements were taken by positioning a perivascular flow probe around either the left carotid, left renal, or superior mesenteric arteries. Hemodynamic parameters and their responsiveness to bolus doses of vasoactive drugs were recorded prior to and continuously after injection of fecal slurry (1.3 mg/g body weight) for 4 h. Fecal slurry-induced peritonitis reduced mean arterial pressure (62.7 ± 2.4 mmHg vs. 37.5 ± 3.2 mmHg in vehicle and septic mice, respectively), impaired cardiac function, and eventually reduced organ blood flow (71.9%, 66.8%, and 65.1% in the superior mesenteric, renal, and carotid arteries, respectively). The mesenteric vasculature exhibited dysregulation before the renal and carotid arteries, and this underlying dysfunction preceded the blood pressure decline and impaired organ blood flow.