PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil attenuates cardiac microRNA 214 upregulation and pro-apoptotic signaling after chronic alcohol ingestion in mice

The anti ulcerogenic effect of sildenafil and moringa on ulcers in rats

BACKGROUND

Moringa and Sildenafil oleifera (MO) have been shown to mitigate the ulcerogenic effects of medications that induce ulcers in rats.

OBJECTIVE

the goal of This research is to assess the combined protective effects of Sildenafil citrate and the Indian herb Moringa oleifera against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by oral administration of indomethacin. Forty-eight rats were randomly distributed into six groups: Group 1 (control); Group 2 (indomethacin 60 mg/kg); Group 3 (sildenafil 50 mg/kg prior to indomethacin); Group 4 (Moringa leaf powder 200 mg/kg prior to indomethacin); Group 5 (both sildenafil and Moringa prior to indomethacin); and Group 6 (omeprazole prior to indomethacin).

RESULTS

Indomethacin significantly increased gastric mucosal ulceration in comparison to the control group. Rats in the indomethacin group exhibited elevated levels of Caspase 3, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and malondialdehyde (MDA), while nitric oxide (NO) levels were reduced. Pretreatment with omeprazole resulted in a reduction of MDA, TNF-α, and Caspase 3 levels, but had no effect on NO levels. Pretreatment with sildenafil and/or Moringa significantly impacting the ulcer scores and make it less, increased NO levels, and decreased tissue MDA and TNF-α levels.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that Sildenafil and Moringa oleifera exhibit gastroprotective effects in experimentally induced gastric ulcer models in rats.

Cardiomyopathies and a brief insight into DOX-induced cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Cardiomyopathy is a heterogeneous group of myocardial disorders characterized by structural and functional abnormalities of the heart muscle. It is classified into primary (genetic, mixed, or acquired) and secondary categories, resulting in various phenotypes including dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive patterns. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common primary form, can cause exertional dyspnea, presyncope, and sudden cardiac death. Dilated cardiomyopathy typically presents with heart failure symptoms, while restrictive cardiomyopathy is rarer and often associated with systemic diseases. Diagnosis involves a comprehensive evaluation including history, physical examination, electrocardiography, and echocardiography. Treatment options range from pharmacotherapy and lifestyle modifications to implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and heart transplantation in refractory cases.

MAIN BODY

Anthracyclines, particularly doxorubicin, have emerged as crucial components in cancer treatment, demonstrating significant antitumor activity across various malignancies. These drugs have become standard in numerous chemotherapy regimens, improving patient outcomes. However, their use is associated with severe cardiotoxicity, including cardiomyopathy and heart failure. The mechanisms of anthracycline action and toxicity are complex, involving DNA damage, iron-mediated free radical production, and disruption of cardiovascular homeostasis. Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC) is a severe complication of cancer treatment with a poor prognosis and limited effective treatments. The pathophysiology of DIC involves multiple mechanisms, including oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial damage, and calcium homeostasis disorder. Despite extensive research, no effective treatment for established DIC is currently available. Dexrazoxane is the only FDA-approved protective agent, but it has limitations. Recent studies have explored various potential therapeutic approaches, including natural drugs, endogenous substances, new dosage forms, and herbal medicines. However, the lack of experimental models incorporating pre-existing cancer limits the understanding of DIC pathophysiology and treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Cardiomyopathy, whether primary or secondary, poses a significant clinical challenge due to its varying etiologies and poor prognosis in advanced stages. Anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy is a severe complication of chemotherapy, with doxorubicin being a notable contributor. Despite advancements in cancer therapies, the cardiotoxic effects of anthracyclines necessitate further investigation into effective preventive strategies and therapeutic interventions to improve patient outcomes.

miR-30d Attenuates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension via Targeting MTDH and PDE5A and Modulates the Beneficial Effect of Sildenafil

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with aberrant pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cell (PASMC) function and vascular remodeling. MiR-30d plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular disorders. However, the function of miR-30d in PAH progression remained unknown. Our study shows that circulating miR-30d level is significantly reduced in the plasma from PAH patients. In miR-30d transgenic (TG) rats, overexpressing miR-30d attenuates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Increasing miR-30d also inhibits platelet-derived growth factor-bb (PDGF-bb)-induced proliferation and migration of human PASMC. Metadherin (MTDH) and phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) are identified as direct target genes of miR-30d. Meanwhile, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) acts as a positive upstream regulator of miR-30d. Using miR-30d knockout (KO) rats treated with sildenafil, a PDE5A inhibitor that is used in clinical PAH therapies, it is further found that suppressing miR-30d partially attenuates the beneficial effect of sildenafil against MCT-induced PH and vascular remodeling. The present study shows a protective effect of miR-30d against PAH and pulmonary vascular remodeling through targeting MTDH and PDE5A and reveals that miR-30d modulates the beneficial effect of sildenafil in treating PAH. MiR-30d should be a prospective target to treat PAH and pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Analysis of hsa-miR-19a-3p and hsa-miR-19b-3p modulation and phosphodiesterase type 5 expression in the vaginal epithelium of premenopausal women with genital arousal disorder

BACKGROUND

Few studies have investigated the role of the phosphodiesterase type 5A (PDE5A) isoenzyme in female genital tissue disorders, exclusively taken from cadavers, as well as the epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the regulation of PDE5A levels.

AIM

The aim was to study the in vivo association between microRNA (miRNA) expression and the expression levels of PDE5A in women with female genital arousal disorder (FGAD) compared with healthy women.

METHODS

Premenopausal women affected by FGAD (cases) and sexually healthy women (control group) underwent microbiopsy of the periclitoral anterior vaginal wall for the collection of tissue samples. Computational analyses were preliminarily performed in order to identify miRNAs involved in the modulation of PDE5A by using miRNA-messenger RNA interaction prediction tools. Differences in the expression levels of miRNAs and PDE5A were finally investigated in cases and control subjects by using the droplet digital polymerase chain reaction amplification system and stratifying women considering their age, number of pregnancies, and body mass index.

OUTCOMES

Expression levels of miRNAs were able to target PDE5A and the tissue expression in women with FGAD compared with healthy women.

RESULTS

The experimental analyses were performed on 22 (43.1%) cases and 29 (56.9%) control subjects. Two miRNAs with the highest interaction levels with PDE5A, hsa-miR-19a-3p (miR-19a) and hsa-miR-19b-3p (miR-19b), were identified and selected for validation analyses. A reduction of the expression levels of both miRNAs was observed in women with FGAD compared with the control subjects (P < .05). Moreover, PDE5A expression levels were higher in women with FGAD and lower in women without sexual dysfunctions (P < .05). Finally, a correlation between body mass index and the expression levels of miR-19a was found (P < .01).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Women with FGAD had higher levels of PDE5 compared with control subjects; therefore, the administration of PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors) could be useful in women with FGAD.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

The strength of the current study was to analyze genital tissue obtained in vivo from premenopausal women. A limitation was to not investigate other factors, including endothelial nitric oxide synthetases, nitric oxide, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study indicate that the modulation of selected miRNAs could influence PDE5A expression in genital tissues in healthy women or in those with FGAD. Such findings further suggest that treatment with PDE5 inhibitors, as a modulator of PDE5A expression, could be indicated for women with FGAD.

Epigenetic modification in alcohol use disorder and alcoholic cardiomyopathy: From pathophysiology to therapeutic opportunities

Alcohol consumption prompts detrimental psychological, pathophysiological and health issues, representing one of the major causes of death worldwide. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is characterized by compulsive alcohol intake and loss of control over alcohol usage, arises from a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. More importantly, long-term abuse of alcohol is often tied with unfavorable cardiac remodeling and contractile alterations, a cadre of cardiac responses collectively known as alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM). Recent evidence has denoted a pivotal role for ethanol-triggered epigenetic modifications, the interface between genome and environmental cues, in the organismal and cellular responses to ethanol exposure. To-date, three major epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA-based mechanisms) have been identified for the onset and development of AUD and ACM. Importantly, these epigenetic changes induced by alcohol may be detectable in the blood, thus offering diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic promises of epigenetic markers for AUD and alcoholic complications. In addition, several epigenetic drugs have shown efficacies in the management of alcohol abuse, loss of control for alcohol usage, relapse, drinking-related anxiety and behavior in withdrawal. In this context, medications targeting epigenetic modifications may hold promises for pharmaceutical management of AUD and ACM.