Alpha-lipoic acid ameliorates H2O2-induced human vein endothelial cells injury via suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress

Long-Term Safety Evaluation of Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters Conjugated with α-Lipoic Acid: Insights from a Six-Month In Vivo Study

BACKGROUND

Fluorescent gold nanoclusters conjugated with α-lipoic acid (FANCs) have shown great promise for drug development. In a previous study, FANCs did not show any acute or subacute toxicity under 0.6-20 μM/100 μL/25 g body weight in male and female ICR mice. However, the chronic toxicity of FANCs has not been studied.

AIM OF STUDY

This study used oral administration of FANCs to determine the long-term safety profile and adverse effects in ICR mice.

METHODS

In vivo chronic toxicity was examined via oral administration of FANCs to male and female ICR mice. The daily food consumption, body weight, hematological profile, serum biochemical profile, organ coefficient, histopathological changes, and survival rate of the mice were calculated.

RESULTS

FANCs did not result in mortality due to chronic toxicity in both male and female mice. The animal behavior, body weight, hematological profile, serum biochemical profile, and organ coefficient showed no treatment-related malignant changes. This indicates that FANCs do not cause liver, renal, or other organ damage.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) is 20 μM/100 μL/25 g for 6 months of treatment in male and female ICR mice.

The Crucial Role of the Blood-Brain Barrier in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mechanisms of Disruption and Therapeutic Implications

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a crucial structure that maintains brain homeostasis by regulating the entry of molecules and cells from the bloodstream into the central nervous system (CNS). Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as ischemic stroke, compromise the integrity of the BBB. This leads to increased permeability and the infiltration of harmful substances, thereby accelerating neurodegeneration. In this review, we explore the mechanisms underlying BBB disruption, including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, vascular dysfunction, and the loss of tight junction integrity, in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss how BBB breakdown contributes to neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity, and the abnormal accumulation of pathological proteins, all of which exacerbate neuronal damage and facilitate disease progression. Furthermore, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving or restoring BBB function, such as anti-inflammatory treatments, antioxidant therapies, and approaches to enhance tight junction integrity. Given the central role of the BBB in neurodegeneration, maintaining its integrity represents a promising therapeutic approach to slow or prevent the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Fluorescent gold nanoclusters possess multiple actions against atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis caused major morbidity and mortality worldwide. Molecules possessing lipid-lowering and/or anti-inflammatory properties are potential druggable targets against atherosclerosis. We examined the anti-atherosclerotic effects of fluorescent gold nanoclusters (FANC), which were dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA)-capped 2-nm gold nanoparticles. We evaluated the 8-week effects of FANC in Western-type diet-fed ApoE-deficient mice by either continuous intraperitoneal delivery (20 μM, 50 μl weekly) or via drinking water (300 nM). FANC reduced aortic atheroma burden, serum total cholesterol, and oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal levels. FANC attenuated hepatic lipid deposit, with changed expression of lipid homeostasis-related genes HMGCR, SREBP, PCSK9, and LDLR in a pattern similar to mice treated with ezetimibe. FANC also inhibited intestinal cholesterol absorption, resembling the action of ezetimibe. The lipid-lowering and anti-atherosclerotic effects of FANC reappeared in Western-type diet-fed LDLr-deficient mice. FANC bound insulin receptor β (IRβ) via DHLA, leading to AKT activation. However, unlike insulin, which also bound IRβ to activate AKT to induce HO-1, activation of AKT by FANC was independent of HO-1 expression in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Alternatively, FANC up-regulated NRF2, interfered the binding of KEAP1 to NRF2, and promoted KEAP1 degradation to free NRF2 for nuclear entry to induce HO-1 that suppressed the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Consistently, FANC suppressed ox-LDL-induced enhanced attachment of THP-derived macrophages onto HAECs. In macrophages, FANC up-regulated ABCA1, and reversed ox-LDL-induced suppression of cholesterol efflux. FANC effected in vitro at nano moles. In conclusion, our findings showed novel actions and multiple mechanisms of FANC worked coherently against atherosclerosis.

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of α-Lipoic Acid on Lipopolysaccharide-induced Oxidative Stress in Rat Kidney

α-Lipoic acid (α-LA) is a naturally occurring organosulfur component. Oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as kidney and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and aging. Kidneys are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress and damage. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of α-LA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress parameters in rat kidneys. The experimental rats were divided into four groups: I-control (0.9% NaCl i.v.); II-α-LA (60 mg/kg b.w. i.v.); III-LPS (30 mg/kg b.w. i.v.); and IV-LPS + LA (30 mg/kg b.w. i.v. and 60 mg/kg b.w. i.v., respectively). In kidney homogenates the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), sulfhydryl groups (-SH), total protein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total glutathione (tGSH), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulphide (GSSG) and the GSH/GSSG ratio were determined. In addition, the levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured to assess inflammation and was estimated kidney oedema. Studies have shown that α-LA administered after LPS administration attenuated kidney oedema and significantly decreased TBARS, H₂O₂, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in rat kidneys. α-LA also resulted in increase -SH group, total protein, and SOD levels and ameliorated the GSH redox status when compared to the LPS group. The results suggest that α-LA plays an important role against LPS-induced oxidative stress in kidney tissue as well as downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The beneficial effect of Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation as a potential adjunct treatment in episodic migraines

The current study was performed to evaluate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on lactate, nitric oxide (NO), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) levels, and clinical symptoms in women with episodic migraines. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, ninety-two women with episodic migraines participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 300 mg/day ALA or placebo, twice per day for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes included headache severity, headache frequency per month, and duration of attacks and the secondary outcomes included lactate (a marker of mitochondrial function), NO, and VCAM-1 serum levels were measured at baseline and the end of the intervention. At the end of the study, there was a significant decrease in lactate serum levels (- 6.45 ± 0.82 mg/dl vs - 2.27 ± 1.17 mg/dl; P = 0.039) and VCAM-1 (- 2.02 ± 0.30 ng/ml vs - 1.21 ± 0.36 ng/ml; P = 0.025) in the ALA as compared to the placebo group. In addition, the severity (P < 0.001), frequency (P = 0.001), headache impact test (HIT-6) (P < 0.001), headache dairy results (HDR) (P = 0.003), and migraine headache index score (MHIS) (P < 0.001) had significantly decreased in the intervention as compared to the control group. No significant changes were observed for NO levels and duration of migraine pains. ALA supplementation can be considered a potential adjunct treatment in patients with migraine due to its improving mitochondrial and endothelial functions and clinical symptoms.

The Alpha-Lipoic Acid Improves Survival and Prevents Irinotecan-Induced Inflammation and Intestinal Dysmotility in Mice

Irinotecan, an anticancer drug, induces diarrhea and intestinal inflammation, resulting in an increase in the cost of care and in treatment delays. In this study, we investigated whether alpha-lipoic acid (α-LA) could improve irinotecan-mediated intestinal inflammation, diarrhea and dysmotility. Intestinal mucositis was induced by irinotecan injection (75 mg/kg, i.p., for 4 days) in Swiss mice. α-LA (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, gavage) was administered daily 1 h before the injection of irinotecan. Duodenum tissues were obtained for inflammation and proliferation analysis. The outcomes: diarrhea, intestinal dysmotility, weight body loss and survival were evaluated. Compared with the control condition, irinotecan diminished (p < 0.05) intestinal villus height, caused a loss of crypt integrity and intense inflammatory cell infiltration, increased myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-6 and IL-1β levels and decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in duodenum segments and increased gastric retention and decreased liquid retention in the medial intestinal segment, resulting in increased intestinal transit, severe diarrhea and reduced survival (approximately 72%). Furthermore, α-LA (200 mg/kg) pretreatment ameliorated (p < 0.05) these irinotecan-induced effects. Our findings show that α-LA reduced irinotecan-induced inflammation, intestinal dysmotility and diarrhea, resulting in improved survival. α-LA may be a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of gut dysmotility in patients with intestinal mucositis associated with irinotecan treatment.