Maternal serum sestrin 2 levels in preeclampsia and their relationship with the severity of the disease

Investigation of Nrf2-Keap-1 pathway, Sestrin 2 and oxidative stress markers in serum of patients with placenta Accreata spectrum

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is an important disease group with risks such as maternal bleeding, hysterectomy, and death, which expresses the pathological adhesion of the placenta to the uterine myometrium, including placenta accreta, increta, and percreta, with an increased incidence with an increase in cesarean section rates. In this study, we aimed to investigate the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 (Keap1) pathway in these patients. Serum Sestrin 2, Nrf2, Keap1, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) levels were performed by the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. In the findings obtained, Nrf2, Keap1, GSK-3ß, MDA-LDL levels, SOD and GSH-Px activities were statistically significantly different in the patient group compared to the control group. While MDA-LDL values were found to be high in the patient group, Nrf2, Keap1, GSK-3ß levels, SOD and GSH-Px activities were significantly lower, except for Sestrin 2 values. In addition, when grouped according to the degree of invasion, Nrf2 levels were found to be lower and Keap1 levels higher. As a result, it was determined that the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway was disrupted in PAS patients, and the oxidant/antioxidant balance was impaired in the oxidant direction. The results show that Nrf2 and Keap1 parameters can be useful in determining the degree of placental invasion.

Interventions of sestrin proteins: Insights to clinical therapy

Sestrin proteins, conserved family proteins which mainly induced by ROS, DNA damage, inflammation, and other injuries. Growing evidences proved sestrin proteins exert protective functions in cardiovascular diseases, chronic degenerative osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal diseases, aging and others, sestrin proteins exhibit an anti-inflammatory response, improving metabolism and other valuable character. However, there is no comprehensive and detailed summary and literature research on the intervention methods of sestrin proteins at present. As the advance of research during last several years, exercise training and other interventions are considered to be the potential methods to up-regulate expression level of protein. In view of the physiological function of this protein, a review of the main studies on regulating the expression level of this protein can provide a novel approach for the clinical treatment and scientific research. In present study, all related researches about interventions and potential mechanisms were reviewed and the mainstream methodologies were described.

Evaluation of maternal serum sestrin-2 levels in intrauterine growth restriction

BACKGROUND

Sestrin-2 (SESN2) is a antioxidant protein that can be activated by a number of conditions, including DNA damage and hypoxia.

AIMS

Our objective was to evaluate maternal serum SESN2 levels in patients with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and its association with adverse perinatal outcomes.

METHODS

This prospective study included a total of 87 pregnant women admitted to our tertiary care center between 2018 August and 2019 July. The study group consisted of a total of 44 patients who had been diagnosed with IUGR. Forty-three low-risk and gestational age-matched pregnant women were taken as control group. Demographic data, maternal serum SESN2 levels, and maternal-neonatal outcomes were evaluated. SESN2 levels were analyzed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and compared between groups.

RESULTS

Maternal serum SESN2 levels were significantly higher in the IUGR group compared to control group (22.38 ng/ml vs. 13.0 ng/ml, p < 0.001). In correlation analysis, a negative significant correlation was found between SESN2 levels and gestational week at delivery (r = - 0.387, p < 0.001). The ideal cut-off value for detecting IUGR was 9.5 ng/ml, and the area under the curve was 0.719 (95%CI: 0.610-0.827). Birth interval, gestational week at birth, birth weight, and 1-5-min Apgar scores were lower in the IUGR group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal serum SESN2 levels are elevated in IUGR and are associated with adverse neonatal outcome. Considering that SESN2 is involved in pathogenesis, it can be used as a new marker for the evaluation of IUGR.

Sestrin-2 and hypoxia-ınducible factor-1 alpha levels in major depressive disorder and its subtypes

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study is to measure the levels of sestrin-2 (SESN2) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), which can be determinants in the relevant physiopathology and etiology, assessment of the clinical severity, and identification of new treatment targets in major depressive disorder (MDD) and its subtypes.

METHODS

A total of 230 volunteers, including 153 patients diagnosed with MDD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and 77 healthy controls, were included in the study. Of the MDD patients included in the study, 40 had melancholic features, 40 had anxious distress features, 38 had atypical features, and the remaining 35 had psychotic features. All participants were administered the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S) scale. Serum SESN2 and HIF-1α levels of the participants were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

RESULTS

The HIF-1α and SESN2 values of the patient group were found to be significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). The HIF-1α and SESN2 values were significantly lower in patients with melancholic, anxious distress, and atypical features compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The HIF-1α and SESN2 levels did not differ significantly between patients with psychotic features and the control group (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings of the study suggested that knowledge of SESN2 and HIF-1α levels may contribute to the explanation of the etiology of MDD, objective assessment of the severity of the disease, and identification of new treatment targets.

Sestrin proteins in cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases such as AMI, AS, cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis can be alleviated by controlling the inflammatory response, cellular proliferation, production of ROS and secretion of cytokines. Sestrins are considered to be protective proteins which can prevent age-related diseases. A potential mechanism is an inhibitory effect on mTORC, which depends on the sestrin-AMPK-mTORC pathway. Sestrins regulate the M1/M2 macrophage balance, level of ROS and certain cytokines during stress and cardiovascular diseases through the above pathway. Sestrins exert different functions in diverse organs and tissue. According to existing studies, the main functions of sestrins are strongly associated with the pathological features of cardiovascular disease and exert protective roles in cardiovascular disease. Based on the current evidence, we present a mini-review on the physiological functions and mechanism of sestrins in cardiology. The purpose of this review is to summarize the functions and mechanism of sestrins in common cardiovascular diseases, to raise awareness in clinicians that sestrins may be an important potential target for controlling progression of disease.

Sestrin2 alleviates palmitate-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, and defective invasion of human trophoblast cells

PROBLEM

Maternal obesity induces elevated saturated fatty acid palmitate levels in the blood and causes pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, fetal growth abnormalities, and stillbirth. Sestrin2, a highly conserved stress-inducible protein, is involved in the cellular responses of various stress conditions and homeostatic regulation. However, the effects of Sestrin2 on trophoblast cells have not yet been investigated. Here, we investigated the role of Sestrin2 in palmitate-induced lipotoxicity and its underlying mechanisms in human first-trimester trophoblast cells (Sw.71).

METHOD OF STUDY

Mouse placental tissues were obtained from low-fat diet-fed mice (n = 14) and high-fat diet-fed mice (n = 14) at gestation day 17.5. Sw.71 cells were treated with palmitate or bovine serum albumin as vehicle controls. The role of Sestrin2 in palmitate-induced lipotoxicity was examined by immunocytochemistry, immunoblot analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, and invasion assay.

RESULTS

Expression of placental Sestrin2 was elevated in high-fat diet-fed dams compared to that of low-fat diet-fed dams. Prolonged treatment of Sw.71 cells with palmitate-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent expressions of Sestrin2 protein and mRNA, and the treatment also triggered apoptosis. Knockdown of Sestrin2 increased palmitate-mediated ER stress, inflammatory signaling, and apoptosis. Furthermore, Sestrin2 suppressed impaired trophoblast invasion caused by palmitate and attenuated palmitate-induced ER stress and inflammation via AMPK/mTORC1 pathways.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides the relationship between Sestrin2, AMPK/mTORC1 pathway, and trophoblast function, suggesting that Sestrin2 may be a novel potential therapeutic target for the prevention of pregnancy complications.