Formononetin Protects LPS-Induced Mastitis Through Suppressing Inflammation and Enhancing Blood-Milk Barrier Integrity via AhR-Induced Src Inactivation

Nutrition, gastrointestinal microorganisms and metabolites in mastitis occurrence and control

Mastitis affects almost all mammals including humans and dairy cows. In the dairy industry, bovine mastitis is a disease with a persistently high incidence, causing serious losses to the health of cows, the quality of dairy products, and the economy of dairy farms. Although local udder infection caused by the invasion of exogenous pathogens into the mammary gland was considered the main cause of mastitis, evidence has been established and continues to grow, showing that nutrition factors and gastrointestinal microbiome (GM) as well as their metabolites are also involved in the development of mammary inflammatory response. Suboptimal nutrition is recognized as a risk factor for increased susceptibility to mastitis in cattle, in particular the negative energy balance. The majority of data regarding nutrition and bovine mastitis involves micronutrients. In addition, the dysbiotic GM can directly trigger or aggravate mastitis through entero-mammary gland pathway. The decreased beneficial commensal bacteria, lowered bacterial diversity, and increased pathogens as well as proinflammatory metabolites are found in both the milk and gastrointestinal tract of mastitic dairy cows. This review discussed the relationship between the nutrition (energy and micronutrient levels) and mastitis, summarized the role of GM and metabolites in regulating mastitis. Meanwhile, several non-antibiotics strategies were provided for the prevention and alleviation of mastitis, including micronutrients, probiotics, short-chain fatty acids, high-fiber diet, inulin, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Potential mechanisms of formononetin against inflammation and oxidative stress: a review

Formononetin (FMNT) is a secondary metabolite of flavonoids abundant in legumes and graminaceous plants such as Astragalus mongholicus Bunge [Fabaceae; Astragali radix] and Avena sativa L. [Poaceae]. Astragalus is traditionally used in Asia countries such as China, Korea and Mongolia to treat inflammatory diseases, immune disorders and cancers. In recent years, inflammation and oxidative stress have been found to be associated with many diseases. A large number of pharmacological studies have shown that FMNT, an important bioactive metabolite of Astragalus, has a profoundly anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. This review focuses on providing comprehensive and up-to-date findings on the efficacy of the molecular targets and mechanisms involve of FMNT and its derivatives against inflammation and oxidative stress in both in vitro and in vivo. Relevant literature on FMNT against inflammation and oxidative stress between 2013 and 2023 were analyzed. FMNT has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential and shows mild or no toxicity in various diseases. Moreover, in the medical field, FMNT has shown potential in the prevention and treatment of cancers, neurological diseases, fibrotic diseases, allergic diseases, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and autoimmune diseases. Thus, it is expected to be utilized in more products in the medical, food and cosmetic industries in the future.

Formononetin protects against Aspergillus fumigatus Keratitis: Targeting inflammation and fungal load

PURPOSE

To investigate the potential treatment of formononetin (FMN) on Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis with anti-inflammatory and antifungal activity.

METHODS

The effects of FMN on mice with A. fumigatus keratitis were evaluated through keratitis clinical scores, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and plate counts. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors was measured using RT-PCR, ELISA, or Western blot. The distribution of macrophages and neutrophils was explored by immunofluorescence staining. The antifungal properties of FMN were assessed through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), propidium iodide (PI) staining, fungal spore adhesion, and biofilm formation assay.

RESULTS

In A. fumigatus keratitis mice, FMN decreased the keratitis clinical scores, macrophages and neutrophils migration, and the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. In A. fumigatus-stimulated human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs), FMN reduced the expression of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and NLRP3. FMN also decreased the expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor (TSLPR). Moreover, FMN reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by A. fumigatus in HCECs. Furthermore, FMN inhibited A. fumigatus growth, prevented spore adhesion and disrupted fungal biofilm formation in vitro. In vivo, FMN treatment reduced the fungal load in mice cornea at 3 days post infection (p.i.).

CONCLUSION

FMN demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties, and exhibited a protective effect on mouse A. fumigatus keratitis.

Coexpression analysis of lncRNAs and mRNAs identifies potential regulatory long noncoding RNAs involved in the inflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide on bovine mammary epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

The infection of bovine mammary glands by pathogenic microorganisms not only causes animal distress but also greatly limits the development of the dairy industry and animal husbandry. A deeper understanding of the host's initial response to infection may increase the accuracy of selecting drug-resistant animals or facilitate the development of new preventive or therapeutic intervention strategies. In addition to their functions of milk synthesis and secretion, bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) play an irreplaceable role in the innate immune response. To better understand this process, the current study identified differentially expressed long noncoding lncRNAs (DE lncRNAs) and mRNAs (DE mRNAs) in BMECs exposed to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and further explored the functions and interactions of these lncRNAs and mRNAs.

RESULTS

In this study, transcriptome analysis was performed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and the functions of the DE mRNAs and DE lncRNAs were predicted by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Next, we constructed a modulation network to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions and roles of these lncRNAs and mRNAs in the context of LPS-induced inflammation. A total of 231 DE lncRNAs and 892 DE mRNAs were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that pathways related to inflammation and the immune response were markedly enriched in the DE genes. In addition, research results have shown that cell death mechanisms, such as necroptosis and pyroptosis, may play key roles in LPS-induced inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the current study identified DE lncRNAs and mRNAs and predicted the signaling pathways and biological processes involved in the inflammatory response of BMECs that might become candidate therapeutic and prognostic targets for mastitis. This study also revealed several possible pathogenic mechanisms of mastitis.

Formononetin improves the inflammatory response and bone destruction in knee joint lesions by regulating the NF-kB and MAPK signaling pathways

Formononetin (FMN) is a phytoestrogen that belongs to the isoflavone family. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as, many other biological activities. Existing evidence has aroused interest in its ability to protect against osteoarthritis (OA) and promote bone remodeling. To date, research on this topic has not been thorough and many issues remain controversial. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to explore the protective effect of FMN against knee injury and clarify the possible molecular mechanisms. We found that FMN inhibited osteoclast formation induced by receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL). Inhibition of the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 in the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a role in this effect. Similarly, during the inflammatory response of primary knee cartilage cells activated by IL-1β, FMN inhibited the NF-κB signaling pathway and the phosphorylation of the ERK and JNK proteins in the MAPK signaling pathway to suppress the inflammatory response. In addition, in vivo experiments showed that both low- and high-dose FMN had a clear protective effect against knee injury in the DMM (destabilization of the medial meniscus) model, and the therapeutic effect of high-dose FMN was stronger. In conclusion, these studies provide evidence of the protective effect of FMN against knee injury.

Exploring the effect of Yinzhihuang granules on alcoholic liver disease based on pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Yinzhihuang granules (YZHG) is a commonly used Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of liver disease. However, the mechanism of YZHG in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is still unclear.

METHODS

This study combined liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technology, pharmacodynamics, network pharmacology and molecular docking methods to evaluate the potential mechanism of YZHG in the treatment of ALD.

RESULTS

A total of 25 compounds including 4-hydroxyacetophenone, scoparone, geniposide, quercetin, baicalin, baicalein, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in YZHG were identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The pharmacodynamic investigations indicated that YZHG could improve liver function and the degree of liver tissue lesions, and reduce liver inflammation and oxidative stress in ALD mice. Network pharmacology analysis showed that YZHG treated ALD mainly by regulating inflammation-related signaling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The results of the PPI network and molecular docking showed that the targets of SRC, HSP90AA1, STAT3, EGFR and AKT1 could be the key targets of YZHG in the treatment of ALD.

CONCLUSION

This study explored the potential compounds, potential targets and signaling pathways of YZHG in the treatment of ALD, which is helpful to clarify the efficacy and mechanism of YZHG and provide new insights for the clinical application of YZHG.

Prenatal Lipopolysaccharide Exposure Alters Hepatic Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme Expression in Mouse Offspring via Histone Modifications

Inflammation is a major regulator of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), therefore contributing to the interindividual variability of drug effects. However, whether prenatal inflammation affects DMEs expression in offspring remains obscure. This study investigated the effects of prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure on hepatic expression of inflammatory-related genes, nuclear receptors, and DMEs in offspring mice. Prenatal LPS exposure on gestational day (GD) 10 led to higher expression of NF-κB, Pxr, and Cyp2b10, while lower expression of Car, Ahr, Cyp3a11, and Ugt1a1 in postnatal day (PD) 30 offspring. However, multiple doses of LPS exposure on GD10-14 resulted in higher levels of inflammatory-related genes, Cyp1a2, and Cyp2b10, and lower levels of Pxr and Cyp3a11 in PD30 offspring liver. For PD60 offspring, decreased hepatic expression of NF-κB and IL-6, and increased expression of Pxr and Cyp3a11 were seen in single-dose LPS groups, whereas opposite results were observed in the multiple-dose LPS groups. Notably, enhanced H3K4me3 levels in the PXR response elements of the Cyp3a11 promoter were observed in the liver of PD60 offspring mice from dams treated with multiple doses of LPS during pregnancy. Overall, this study suggests that parental LPS exposure could persistently alter the hepatic expression of DMEs, and histone modifications may contribute to the long-term effects.

Formononetin Attenuates Renal Tubular Injury and Mitochondrial Damage in Diabetic Nephropathy Partly via Regulating Sirt1/PGC-1α Pathway

Mitochondrial abnormality is one of the main factors of tubular injury in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Formononetin (FMN), a novel isoflavonoid isolated from Astragalus membranaceus, has diverse pharmacological activities. However, the beneficial effects of FMN on renal tubular impairment and mitochondrial dysfunction in DN have yet to be studied. In this study, we performed in vivo tests in Streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic rats to explore the therapeutic effects of FMN on DN. We demonstrated that FMN could ameliorate albuminuria and renal histopathology. FMN attenuated renal tubular cells apoptosis, mitochondrial fragmentation and restored expression of mitochondrial dynamics-associated proteins, such as Drp1, Fis1 and Mfn2, as well as apoptosis-related proteins, such as Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3. Moreover, FMN upregulated the protein expression of Sirt1 and PGC-1α in diabetic kidneys. In vitro studies further demonstrated that FMN could inhibit high glucose-induced apoptosis of HK-2 cells. FMN also reduced the production of mitochondrial superoxide and alleviated mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss. Furthermore, FMN partially restored the protein expression of Drp1, Fis1 and Mfn2, Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved-caspase-3, Sirt1 and PGC-1α in HK-2 cells exposure to high glucose. In conclusion, FMN could attenuate renal tubular injury and mitochondrial damage in DN partly by regulating Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway.