Vaccarin alleviates hypertension and nephropathy in renovascular hypertensive rats

Vaccarin Ameliorates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity via Inhibition of p38 MAPK Mediated Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Doxorubicin is a frequently used chemotherapeutic agent for treating various malignancies. However, it leads to severe cardiotoxic side effects, such as heart failure, and elevates the risk of sudden cardiac death among cancer patients. While oxidative stress has been identified as the primary cause of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, therapeutic antioxidant approaches have yielded unsatisfactory outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic potential of vaccarin, an active flavonoid glycoside extracted from traditional Chinese herbal agent Semen Vaccariae, in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. We observed that vaccarin significantly ameliorates doxorubicin-induced heart dysfunction in mouse model and suppresses oxidative stress mediated cell apoptosis via specifically inhibiting the activation of p38 MAPK pathway. In vitro, we observed that vaccarin alleviates doxorubicin-induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and ROS generation in H9c2 cell, but the p38 MAPK agonist anisomycin reverses these effects. Our findings provide a promising natural antioxidant to protect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Responses Triggered by the Immune System in Hypertensive Conditions and Repercussions on Target Organ Damage: A Review

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is a chronic, multifactorial clinical condition characterized by sustained high blood pressure levels. It is often associated with functional-structural alterations of target organs, which include heart, brain, kidneys, and vasculature.

OBJECTIVE

This study highlights the recent correlation between the immune system and hypertension and its repercussions on target-organ damage.

METHODS

The descriptors used for the search of the study were "hypertension", "immunity", and "target organs". The methodology of the study followed the main recommendations of the PRISMA statement.

RESULTS

The damage to the vasculature arises mainly from the migration of T cells and monocytes that become pro-inflammatory in the adventitia, releasing TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-17, which induce endothelial damage and hinder vascular relaxation. In the renal context, the inflammatory process associated with hypertension culminates in renal invasion by leukocytes, which contribute to the injury of this organ by mechanisms of intense sympathetic stimulation, activation of the reninangiotensin system, sodium retention, and aggravation of oxidative stress. In the cardiac context, hypertension increases the expression of pro-inflammatory elements, such as B, T, and NK cells, in addition to the secretion of IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-23, and TNF-α from angiotensin II, reactive oxygen species, and aldosterone. This pro-inflammatory action is also involved in brain damage through SphK1. In view of the above, the participation of the immune system in hypertension-induced injuries seems to be unequivocal.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, understanding the multifactorial mechanisms related to hypertension will certainly allow for more efficient interventions in this condition, preventing target organ damage.

EPA-Enriched Phospholipids Alleviate Renal Interstitial Fibrosis in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats by Regulating TGF-β Signaling Pathways

Hypertensive nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease caused by hypertension. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) has been reported to possess an antihypertensive effect, and our previous study suggested that EPA-enriched phospholipid (EPA-PL) had more significant bioactivities compared with traditional EPA. However, the effect of dietary EPA-PL on hypertensive nephropathy has not been studied. The current study was designed to examine the protection of EPA-PL against kidney damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Treatment with EPA-PL for three weeks significantly reduced blood pressure through regulating the renin–angiotensin system in SHRs. Moreover, dietary EPA-PL distinctly alleviated kidney dysfunction in SHRs, evidenced by reduced plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and 24 h proteinuria. Histology results revealed that treatment of SHRs with EPA-PL alleviated renal injury and reduced tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Further mechanistic studies indicated that dietary EPA-PL remarkably inhibited the activation of TGF-β and Smad 3, elevated the phosphorylation level of PI3K/AKT, suppressed the activation of NF-κB, reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β and IL-6, and repressed the oxidative stress and the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway in the kidney. These results indicate that EPA-PL has potential value in the prevention and alleviation of hypertensive nephropathy.

Effects of tanshinone combined with valsartan on hypertensive nephropathy and its influence on renal function and vascular endothelial function

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the curative effects of tanshinone combined with valsartan on hypertensive nephropathy and its influence on renal and endothelial damage.

METHODS

A total of 102 hypertensive nephropathy patients who were admitted to our hospital from October 2015 to November 2019 were recruited and divided into a monotherapy group (MG, n=54) and a combined group (CG, n=48), in accordance with the treatment methods. Based on routine treatment, patients in the CG received treatment of tanshinone combined with valsartan, while patients in the MG received treatment of valsartan only. The clinical efficacy, adverse reactions, blood pressure, renal function indexes, vascular endothelial injury indexes, levels of inflammatory cytokines and stress response indexes of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

After treatment, the effective rate in the CG was higher than that in the MG, and the levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and microalbumin (mAlb) in the CG were lower than those in the MG (P < 0.05). After treatment, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels in the CG were lower than those in the MG, while nitric oxide (NO) level was higher than that in the MG (P < 0.05). No serious adverse reactions occurred in the two groups during treatment, with similar situations (P > 0.05). The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in the CG were lower than those in the MG after treatment, while the level of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was higher (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Tanshinone combined with valsartan can treat hypertensive nephropathy safely and effectively, and reduce renal and endothelial damage by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

Hericium erinaceus potentially rescues behavioural motor deficits through ERK-CREB-PSD95 neuroprotective mechanisms in rat model of 3-acetylpyridine-induced cerebellar ataxia

Cerebellar ataxia is a neurodegenerative disorder with no definitive treatment. Although several studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus (H.E.), its mechanisms in cerebellar ataxia remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of H.E. treatment in an animal model of 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP)-induced cerebellar ataxia. Animals administered 3-AP injection exhibited remarkable impairments in motor coordination and balance. There were no significant effects of 25 mg/kg H.E. on the 3-AP treatment group compared to the 3-AP saline group. Interestingly, there was also no significant difference in the 3-AP treatment group compared to the non-3-AP control, indicating a potential rescue of motor deficits. Our results revealed that 25 mg/kg H.E. normalised the neuroplasticity-related gene expression to the level of non-3-AP control. These findings were further supported by increased protein expressions of pERK1/2-pCREB-PSD95 as well as neuroprotective effects on cerebellar Purkinje cells in the 3-AP treatment group compared to the 3-AP saline group. In conclusion, our findings suggest that H.E. potentially rescued behavioural motor deficits through the neuroprotective mechanisms of ERK-CREB-PSD95 in an animal model of 3-AP-induced cerebellar ataxia.

Vaccarin prevents ox-LDL-induced HUVEC EndMT, inflammation and apoptosis by suppressing ROS/p38 MAPK signaling

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), inflammation and apoptosis in endothelial cells play crucial roles in the progression of cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis. Vaccarin is a flavonoid glycoside from vaccariae semen associated with powerful cardiovascular protective effects. However, the effects of vaccarin on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) injury in response to ox-LDL remain unknown. Herein, we showed that treatment with vaccarin significantly suppressed ox-LDL-induced HUVEC inflammation, EndMT and apoptosis. Mechanistically, the HUVECs exposed to ox-LDL exhibited enlarged reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, which was counteracted by vaccarin. Importantly, ROS activator hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and p38 MAPK activator anisomycin pretreatment prevent the protective effect of vaccarin on endothelial injury induced by ox-LDL. Our study suggested that vaccarin impeded ox-LDL-triggered HUVEC inflammation, EndMT and apoptosis via inhibition of ROS/p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Vaccarin may have a therapeutic effect on endothelial injury-related disorders.