Intrauterine exposure to oxidative stress induces caspase-1-dependent enteric nerve cell pyroptosis

α7-nAChR/P300/NLRP3-regulated pyroptosis mediated poor articular cartilage quality induced by prenatal nicotine exposure in female offspring rats

Nicotine is developmentally toxic. Prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) affects the development of multiple fetal organs and causes susceptibility to a variety of diseases in offspring. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of PNE on cartilage development and osteoarthritis susceptibility in female offspring rats. Wistar rats were orally gavaged with nicotine on days 9-20 of pregnancy. The articular cartilage was obtained at gestational day (GD) 20 and postnatal week (PW) 24, respectively. Further, the effect of nicotine on chondrogenic differentiation was explored by the chondrogenic differentiation model in human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs). The PNE group showed significantly shallower Safranin O staining and lower Collagen 2a1 content of articular cartilage in female offspring rats. Further, we found that PNE activated pyroptosis in the articular cartilage at GD20 and PW24. In vitro experiments revealed that nicotine inhibited chondrogenic differentiation and activated pyroptosis. After interfering with nod-like receptors3 (NLRP3) expression by SiRNA, it was found that pyroptosis mediated the chondrogenic differentiation inhibition of WJ-MSCs induced by nicotine. In addition, we found that α7-nAChR antagonist α-BTX reversed nicotine-induced NLRP3 and P300 high expression. And, P300 SiRNA reversed the increase of NLRP3 mRNA expression and histone acetylation level in its promoter region induced by nicotine. In conclusion, PNE caused chondrodysplasia and poor articular cartilage quality in female offspring rats. PNE increased the histone acetylation level of NLRP3 promoter region by α7-nAChR/P300, which resulting in the high expression of NLRP3. Further, NLRP3 mediated the inhibition of chondrogenic differentiation by activating pyroptosis.

Molecular mechanisms of enteric neuropathies in high-fat diet feeding and diabetes

BACKGROUND

Obesity and diabetes are associated with altered gastrointestinal function and with the development of abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation among other symptoms. The enteric nervous system (ENS) regulates gastrointestinal motility. Enteric neuropathies defined as damage or loss of enteric neurons can lead to motility disorders.

PURPOSE

Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that drive enteric neurodegeneration in diabetes and obesity, including signaling pathways leading to neuronal cell death, oxidative stress, and microbiota alteration. We also highlight potential approaches to treat enteric neuropathies including antioxidant therapy to prevent oxidative stress-induced damage and the use of stem cells.

Luteolin enhanced antioxidant capability and induced pyroptosis through NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1 in splenic lymphocytes exposure to ammonia

During feeding process in intensive chicken farms, the prolonged exposure of chickens to elevated level of ammonia leads to substantial economic losses within poultry farming industry. Luteolin (Lut), known as its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, possesses the ability to eliminate free radicals and enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes, thus rendering it highly esteemed in production. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of Lut on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses of chicken splenic lymphocytes exposed to ammonia. In order to achieve this, we have replicated a protective model involving Lut against ammonia exposure in chicken splenic lymphocytes. The findings of the study indicated that Lut mitigated the elevation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by ammonia poisoning. Additionally, Lut demonstrated an increase in the expression of antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Furthermore, Lut exhibited a protective effect on cell morphology and ultrastructure following exposure to ammonia. Moreover, Lut exhibited a reduction in the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and inflammatory cytokines, which were found to be highly expressed in splenic lymphocytes after ammonia exposure. Additionally, Lut demonstrated the ability to inhibit the overexpression of pyroptosis-related genes and proteins (NLRP3 and Caspase-1) in splenic lymphocytes following ammonia exposure. Lut exerted an antioxidant effect on lymphocytes, counteracting elevated levels of oxidative stress following exposure to ammonia. Additionally, Lut had the potential to modulate the expression of HSPs, suppressed the inflammatory response subsequent to ammonia exposure, and influenced the expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1, thereby mitigating pyroptosis induced by ammonia exposure. The exploration of this subject matter can elucidate the protective properties of Lut against NH4Cl-induced damage in chicken splenic lymphocytes, while also offer insights and experimental groundwork for the utilization of natural therapeutics in animal husbandry to prevent and treat ammonia-related conditions.

The Oxidative Stress and Nervous Distress Connection in Gastrointestinal Disorders

Oxidative stress is increasingly recognized as a central player in a range of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, as well as complications stemming from therapeutic interventions. This article presents an overview of the mechanisms of oxidative stress in GI conditions and highlights a link between oxidative insult and disruption to the enteric nervous system (ENS), which controls GI functions. The dysfunction of the ENS is characteristic of a spectrum of disorders, including neurointestinal diseases and conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetic gastroparesis, and chemotherapy-induced GI side effects. Neurons in the ENS, while essential for normal gut function, appear particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. Mechanistically, oxidative stress in enteric neurons can result from intrinsic nitrosative injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, or inflammation-related pathways. Although antioxidant-based therapies have shown limited efficacy, recognizing the multifaceted role of oxidative stress in GI diseases offers a promising avenue for future interventions. This comprehensive review summarizes the literature to date implicating oxidative stress as a critical player in the pathophysiology of GI disorders, with a focus on its role in ENS injury and dysfunction, and highlights opportunities for the development of targeted therapeutics for these diseases.