Cadmium induced mouse spermatogonia apoptosis via mitochondrial calcium overload mediated by IP3R-MCU signal pathway

Nd:YAG1064nm laser functions against Sporothrix globosa by inducing PANoptosis via the regulation of ZBP1-induced PANoptosome activation

Background

Due to the emergence of drug resistance in recent years, there is a need for new non-pharmacological treatment methods for sporotrichosis. Our previous study demonstrated that the Nd:YAG1064nm laser exhibited remarkable antifungal activity against Sporothrix globosa, but its exact mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to detect PANoptosis regulatory protein ZBP1 expression in the skin lesions of patients with sporotrichosis, reveal the exact mechanism of Nd:YAG1064nm laser against sporotrichosis, and provide novel targets and methods for the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of sporotrichosis.

Methodology/principal findings

The ZBP1 level of 60 patients with sporotrichosis (≤3 months; n = 30 and >3 months; n = 30) and 30 HC were retrospectively reviewed using immunohistochemistry. The morphological changes, Hoechst/PI apoptosis and necroptosis preliminary exploration analysis, DNA fragmentation, calcium determination, and metacaspase activation were investigated in vitro. For the in vivo studies, mice were infected with S. globosa and then treated with a laser, and their footpad skin lesions and changes in the histology of tissue samples were compared. Changes in the levels of ZBP1, PANoptosome [RIPK1, RIPK3, Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD), CASP8], pyroptosis (CASP1, GSDMD), apoptosis (CASP3), and necroptosis (MLKL) related proteins were assessed using immunohistochemistry, whereas the levels of interleukin 17 (IL-17) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in peripheral blood were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ZBP1 expression was significantly increased in S. globosa-infected patients. Laser treatment effectively inhibited the growth of S. globosa in vitro, destroying its morphological structure, and maybe inducing apoptosis and necroptosis. Moreover, DNA fragmentation, calcium release into the cytoplasm, and metacaspase activation were observed. In addition, laser treatment demonstrated a clear therapeutic effect in animal models of sporotrichosis, which can lead to PANoptosis-related apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis. Immune response-related macrophages perceive nucleic acid level changes through ZBP1 to recognize S. globosa and induce PANoptosis by activating the PANoptosome (RIPK1/RIPK3/FADD/CASP8) complex with a Th1/Th17 cell response to combat sporotrichosis.

Conclusion

Nd:YAG1064nm laser mediated PANoptosis resistance to sporotrichosis via ZBP1-PANoptosome-PANoptosis pathway.

EXERCISE PRECONDITIONING IMPROVES MESENTERIC LYMPHATIC CONTRACTILITY THROUGH MAM IN RATS FOLLOWING HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK

ABSTRACT

Restoration of mesenteric lymphatic microcirculation is crucial for alleviating severe hemorrhagic shock-induced death. Exercise preconditioning (EP) enhances adaptability and resistance to injury and disease. The mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane (MAM) plays a crucial role in the energy and information exchange between the two organelles. Therefore, we hypothesized that EP ameliorates mesenteric lymphatic contractility through MAM in rats following hemorrhagic shock, aiming to confirm that EP enhances resistance to hemorrhagic shock and further popularizes the idea that exercise is beneficial for health. To test this hypothesis, we observed the effects of EP for 4 weeks on survival time and mesenteric lymphatic contractility in conscious rats following hemorrhagic shock and further explored the effects of MAM agonists and inhibitors. The results showed that EP prolonged the survival time and improved the mesenteric lymphatic contractility and reactivity in vivo and in vitro in rats underwent hemorrhagic shock, ameliorated the MAM ultrastructure in lymphatic smooth muscle cells (LSMCs) and reduced the voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1, a vital protein of MAM) and IP3R1 expressions in mesenteric lymphatic tissue. Importantly, treatment with 2-APB (IP3R1 inhibitor) or VBIT-12 (VDAC1 inhibitor) prolonged the survival time, improved mesenteric lymphatic contractility in vivo , ameliorated the MAM ultrastructure injury, and decreased the IP3R1 or VDAC1 expressions in LSMCs in rats following hemorrhagic shock. In contrast, the administration of drinking water containing CdCl 2 (IP3R1 activator) abolished the beneficial effect of EP on hemorrhagic shock. Taken together, the protective effect of EP on lymphatic contractility following hemorrhagic shock was achieved by improving MAM in LSMCs.

Emamectin benzoate exposure induced carp kidney injury by triggering mitochondrial oxidative stress to accelerate ferroptosis and autophagy

Emamectin benzoate (EMB), commonly used as an insecticide in fishery production, inevitably leaves residual chemicals in aquatic environments. High-level EMB exposure can cause severe damage to multiple systems of marine animals, potentially through mechanisms involving severe mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress. However, it is not clear yet how EMB exposure at a certain level can cause damage to fish kidney tissue. In this study, we exposed carps to an aquatic environment containing 2.4 μg/L of EMB and cultured carp kidney cells in vitro, established a cell model exposed to EMB. Our findings revealed that EMB exposure resulted in severe kidney tissue damage in carp and compromised the viability of grass carp kidney cells (CIK cells). By RNA-seq analysis, EMB exposure led to significant differences in mitochondrial homeostasis, response to ROS, ferroptosis, and autophagy signals in carp kidney tissue. Mechanistically, EMB exposure induced mitochondrial oxidative stress by promoting the generation of mitochondrial superoxide and reducing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Additionally, EMB exposure triggered loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, an imbalance in mitochondrial fusion/division homeostasis, and dysfunction in oxidative phosphorylation, ultimately impairing ATP synthesis. Notably, EMB exposure also accelerated excessive autophagy and ferroptosis of cells by contributing to the formation of lipid peroxides and autophagosomes, and the deposition of Fe2+. However, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) treatment alleviated the damage and death of CIK cells by inhibiting oxidative stress. Overall, our study demonstrated that EMB exposure induced mitochondrial oxidative stress, impaired mitochondrial homeostasis, and function, promoted autophagy and ferroptosis of kidney cells, and ultimately led to kidney tissue damage in carp. Our research enhanced the toxicological understanding on EMB exposure and provides a model reference for comparative medicine.

Zinc mitigates cadmium-induced sperm dysfunction through regulating Ca2+ and metallothionein expression in the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal element that might adversely affect sperm function such as the acrosome reaction (AR). Although it is widely recognized that zinc (Zn) plays a crucial role in sperm quality, the complete elucidation of how Zn ameliorates Cd-induced sperm dysfunction is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the protective effects of Zn against the sperm dysfunction induced by Cd in the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense. The results demonstrated that Cd exposure not only impaired the sperm ultrastructure, but also caused sperm dysfunction by decreasing the AR induction rate, acrosome enzyme activity, and Ca2+ content in sperm while elevating the activity and transcription expression of key Ca2+ signaling pathway-related proteins Calmodulin (CAM) and Ca2+-ATPase. However, the administration of Zn was found to alleviate Cd-induced sperm morphological and functional disorders by increasing the activity and transcription levels of CaM and Ca2+-ATPase, thereby regulating intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and reversing the decrease in Ca2+ contents caused by Cd. Furthermore, this study was the first to investigate the distribution of metallothionein (MT) in the AR of S. henanense, and it was found that Zn can reduce the elevated levels of MT in crabs caused by Cd, demonstrating the significance of Zn in inducing MT to participate in the AR process and in metal detoxification in S. henanense. These findings offer novel perspectives and substantiation regarding the utilization of Zn as a protective agent against Cd-induced toxicity and hold significant practical implications for mitigating Cd-induced sperm dysfunction.

MicroRNA-129-1-3p protects chicken granulosa cells from cadmium-induced apoptosis by down-regulating the MCU-mediated Ca2+ signaling pathway

Cadmium (Cd) is known as a female reproductive toxicant. Our previous study has shown that Cd can influence the proliferation and cell cycle of granulosa cells and induce apoptosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the regulation of Cd-induced granulosa cell damage in chickens. However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which microRNA-129-1-3p (miR-129-1-3p) regulates Cd-induced cytotoxicity in chicken granulosa cells. As anticipated, exposure to Cd resulted in the induction of oxidative stress in granulosa cells, accompanied by the downregulation of antioxidant molecules and/or enzymes of Nrf2, Mn-SOD, Cu-Zn SOD and CAT, and the upregulation of Keap1, GST, GSH-Px, GCLM, MDA, hydrogen peroxide and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS). Further studies found that Cd exposure causes mitochondrial calcium ions (Ca2+) overload, provoking mitochondrial damage and apoptosis by upregulating IP3R, GRP75, VDAC1, MCU, CALM1, MFF, caspase 3, and caspase 9 gene and/or protein expressions and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, while downregulating NCX1, NCLX and MFN2 gene and/or protein expressions and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM or the MCU inhibitor MCU-i4 significantly rescued Cd-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby attenuating apoptosis. Additionally, a luciferase reported assay and western blot analysis confirmed that miR-129-1-3p directly target MCU. MiR-129-1-3p overexpression almost completely inhibited protein expression of MCU, increased the gene and protein expressions of NCLX and MFN2 downregulated by Cd, and attenuated mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, MMP depression and mitochondria damage induced by Cd. Moreover, the overexpression of miR-129-1-3p led to a reduction in mtROS and cell apoptosis levels, and a suppression of the gene and protein expressions of caspase 3 and caspase 9. As above, these results provided the evidence that IP3R-MCU signaling pathway activated by Cd plays a significant role in inducing mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis. MiR-129-1-3p exerts a protective effect against Cd-induced granulosa cell apoptosis through the direct inhibition of MCU expression in the ovary of laying hens.

MicroRNA miR-212-5p Regulates the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway by Targeting A-Raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase (ARAF) to Regulate Cowshed PM2.5-Induced NR8383 Apoptosis

Objective: To investigate the role of miR-212-5p-targeted ARAF during the apoptosis of rat alveolar macrophages induced by cowshed PM2.5. Methods: miRNA and related target genes and pathways were predicted using the KEGG, TargetScan, and other prediction websites. NR8383 macrophages were treated with cowshed PM2.5 to establish an in vitro lung injury model in rats; meanwhile, for the assessment of cell viability, apoptosis, intracellular calcium ions, and mitochondrial membrane potential in NR8383 cells, RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-212-5p and the target gene ARAF. Results: The bioinformatic analyses showed that miR-212-5p and ARAF were involved in PM2.5-associated cellular damage. Exposure to different concentrations (0 μg/mL, 60 μg/mL, 180 μg/mL, 300 μg/mL) with different durations (0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h) of cowshed PM2.5 resulted in apoptosis, increased intracellular calcium ions, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. The miR-212-5p mimic group showed an up-regulation of Bax and cleaved Caspase 3 expression but decreased Bcl2 expression compared to the NC group, and overexpression of ARAF up-regulated the expression of p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 and simultaneously reversed the above phenomena. Conclusions: miR-212-5p targets ARAF to affect the cowshed PM2.5-induced apoptosis through the MEK/ERK signaling pathway, providing a potential target for relevant farming industry and pathology studies.

Cadmium exposure-induced rat testicular dysfunction and its mechanism of chronic stress

Cadmium is a common environmental pollutant in daily life, the toxic mechanisms of chronic cadmium exposure on the testes have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore the effects of cadmium exposure on male reproductive health and its mechanism. The results showed that cadmium exposure led widened interstitial spaces, abnormal seminiferous tubule morphology, and decreased Leydig cell numbers. Moreover, sperm quality was significantly reduced, along with a decrease in fertility rate. And cadmium exposure could activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, elevate blood glucocorticoid levels, subsequently increase glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression and activation in testicular Leydig cells. Then GR act on the glucocorticoid receptor element (GRE) in the DNA methyltransferase 3 A (DNMT3A) promoter region and upregulate DNMT3A expression. Consequently, this led to an increase in DNA methylation levels in the angiotensin II receptor 2 (AT2R) promoter region, resulting in reduced AT2R expression and inhibiting testicular steroidogenesis. This study systematically elucidated that cadmium exposure could lead to testicular steroidogenesis suppression and decreased fertility through the GR/DNMT3A/AT2R signaling pathway. This research further provides theoretical and experimental evidence for confirming the threat of cadmium exposure to human reproduction, and contributes to the guidance and protection of male reproductive health.

Effects of chrysin in cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in the rat; role of multi-pathway regulation

BACKGROUND

Cadmium (Cd) is a strong toxic agent and causes serious damage to testicular tissues. Chrysin (CHR) is a natural flavonoid with many effective properties, especially antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. The current study describes new evidence for the ameliorative effects of CHR on oxidative stress, apoptosis, autophagy and inflammation pathways in Cd-induced testicular tissue toxicity.

METHODS

Thirty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups, control, Cd, CHR, Cd + CHR25, and Cd + CHR50. Cd was administered alone at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight or in combination with CHR 25 mg/kg and CHR 50 mg/kg for 7 days. Cd and CHR were administered orally. Biochemical, molecular, and histological methods were used to investigate inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidant pathways in testicular tissue.

RESULTS

Cd increased lipid peroxidation, JAK-2/STAT-3 levels, inflammation-related NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS levels, AKT-2, FOXO1, Bax, Apaf-1 and Caspase-3 levels, autophagic Beclin-1, LC3A and LC3B. The Cd also caused a decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and GSH levels, antiapoptotic Bcl-2 levels. CHR, on the other hand, had the opposite effect of all these Cd-induced changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the data of this study indicate that testicular damage associated with Cd toxicity could be ameliorated by CHR administration.