Effects of Deltamethrin on crayfish motor axon activity and neuromuscular transmission

To Investigate the Potential Mechanism of Huanglian Jiangtang Formula Lowering Blood Sugar in View of Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology

Objective

In view of network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, to explore the targets as well as effect mechanism of the Huanglian Jiangtang formula (including Coptis chinensis, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, rhubarb wine, Cortex Moutan, Rehmannia glutinosa, and dried ginger) in the type II diabetes therapy.

Methods

TCMSP and Batman database (DB) were used to retrieve the chemical components and action targets of drugs; GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, DrugBank, and other databases were applied to screen the disease targets. We used the UniProt DB to annotate the targets before building the drug-compound-target network with Cytoscape 3.9.1. We also exploited the String DB to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In addition, the targets for the treatment of type II diabetes were searched in the DrugBank, OMIM, GeneCards, and TTD database; then, we utilized Venn to intersect the key targets for the therapy of type II diabetes and active ingredient targets to obtain common targets. Furthermore, we exploited the common targets using GO and KEGG enrichment analysis method. The common targets and core components were analyzed by molecular docking using the AutoDock software.

Results

A total of 61 effective components of this compound were screened out; drugs and type II diabetes have 278 common targets; the PPI network screened core target proteins such as CDKN1A, CDK2, and E2F1 with the help of molecular docking technology; the three main compounds including quercetin, kaempferol, and gamma-aminobutyric acid were obtained. Besides, the key target proteins had excellent binding properties with the main components. The signal pathways of six compound interventions in type II diabetes were mostly related to cancer, cocaine addiction, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, glycine, serine, threonine metabolism, platinum drug resistance, and other pathways, according to the KEGG enrichment analysis method.

Conclusion

In the treatment of diabetes, the Huanglian Jiangtang formula has sorts of properties especially in the aspects of composition, target, and pathway. Its molecular target and mechanism of action may be related to pathways in cancer, cocaine addiction, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, glycine, serine, threonine metabolism, platinum drug resistance, and other pathways. This conclusion can provide theoretical support and science for further research.

Functions of potassium channels blocked by low micromolar 4-aminopyridine in the crayfish nervous system

4-aminopyridine (4-AP) is a potassium channel blocker that has been used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis and Lambert-Eaton disease. The concentration of this drug in the blood of patients was estimated to be in low or submicromolar range. Animal studies have shown that 4-AP at such low concentration selectively blocks a subset of channels in Kv1 or Kv3 families. The crayfish opener neuromuscular junction and ventral superficial flexor (VSF) preparations were used to examine functions of K⁺ channels blocked by low concentrations of 4-AP. At opener motor axons, intracellular recordings show that 4-AP could increase action potential (AP) amplitude, duration and after-depolarization (ADP) at 10 μM. As 4-AP concentration was increased, in two-fold steps, AP amplitude did not increase further up to 5 mM. AP duration and ADP increased significantly mainly in two concentration ranges, 10-50 μM and 1-5 mM. The effects of 50 μM 4-AP on the VSF were less consistent than that observed at the opener motor axons. 4-AP did not change AP amplitude of motor axons recorded with an extracellular electrode and changes in AP repolarizing potential was observed in ∼25% of the axons. EPSP recorded simultaneously with AP showed an increase in amplitude with 4-AP treatment only in 30% of the axon-EPSP pairs. 4-AP also increased firing frequencies of ∼50% of axons. In four animals, 4-AP "awakened" the firing of APs from an axon that was silent before the drug. The mixture of positive and negative 4-AP effects summarized above was observed in the same VSF preparations in all cases (n = 8). We propose that there is a significant diversity in the density 4-AP sensitive potassium channels among motor axons of the VSF. Functional significance in the differences of 4-AP sensitivity of the two motor systems is discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

How potential endocrine disruptor deltamethrin effects antioxidant enzyme levels and total antioxidant status on model organisms

Objective

Deltamethrin, synthetic pyrethroid, is a suspected endocrine disruptor contaminating ecosystems as toxic pollutant via agricultural activities and vector controls. The objective of the study is to determine the possible effects on human by evaluating antioxidant enzyme levels and total antioxidant status (TAS) of invertebrate model organism crayfish exposure to sublethal deltamethrin.

Materials and methods

Crayfish were exposed to 0.05 μg/L deltamethrin for 48 h and 7 days. Hemolymph samples were taken for TAS and total haemocyte counts (THCs). Gill, hepatopancreas and muscle tissues were examined for superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathion peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities.

Results

THCs were decreased (p < 0.05) and hemolymph TAS levels were increased according to control groups. Gill SOD, CAT and GPx enzyme activities were significantly rised. Hepatopancreas SOD activities unchanged. Hepatopancreas CAT activities were increased significantly after 48 h (p < 0.05), but returned back to controls after 7 days. Hepatopancreas GPx and muscle SOD activities were rised (p < 0.05), while muscle CAT and GPx values did not affect from deltametrin.

Conclusion

Deterioration of ecosystems are directly affect the humans. The toxic effects of deltamethrin for different stages of organisms on the food web will provide basic data to understand and estimate the effects on the human beings.