Identification of cuproptosis-related biomarkers in dilated cardiomyopathy and potential therapeutic prediction of herbal medicines

The anti-aging and anti-Alzheimer's disease potential of kinsenoside prepared from Anoectochilus roxburghii

Anoectochilus roxburghii is a high-value plant resource for nutraceutical efficacy and medicinal applications, among which kinsenoside is recognized as the main bioactive glycoside. However, the anti-aging and anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) activities of kinsenoside have long been neglected. The objective of this study was to investigate the influences of kinsenoside on aging and amyloid-β (Aβ) proteotoxicity and underlying molecular mechanisms in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Kinsenoside (50 μM) could significantly prolong the mean lifespan of C. elegans by 26.3 %. Moreover, it improved the physiological functions, stress resistance and in vivo antioxidant activities of C. elegans. Further studies indicated that kinsenoside upregulated the mRNA expression levels of aging-associated genes including sir-2.1, hsp-16.2, sek-1, skn-1, sod-3, hsf-1, gst-4. The genetic studies and molecular docking studies supported that SKN-1 and HSF-1 transcription factors were requirements for the kinsenoside-mediated longevity. Furthermore, kinsenoside could exert a protective effect on Aβ-induced proteotoxicity by regulating stress-responsive and autophagy-related genes in C. elegans CL4176. The results sheds light on the bioactive properties and pharmaceutical potential of kinsenoside including anti-aging and anti-AD, broadening the prospects of kinsenoside for industrial applications.

Aprocitentan mitigates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting cuproptosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial impairments via the activation of sirtuin 7

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapy drug for cancer while leads to several cardiac disorders including cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Aprocitentan is a novel dual endothelin-1 receptor antagonist and functions as an effective antihypertensive drug for resistant hypertension. However, the exact roles of aprocitentan in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains largely unclear.In this work, we explored potential participants of aprocitentan in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Mice were treated with DOX to induce cardiotoxicity, and then received either aprocitentan or tetrathiomolybdate interventions respectively. Compared with controls, DOX-treated mice exhibited cardiac impairments and dysfunction. Notably, aprocitentan or tetrathiomolybdate intervention remarkably mitigated DOX-mediated cardiac cardiotoxicity, as evidenced by alleviated myocardial fibrosis and improved cardiac function. Furthermore, aprocitentan or tetrathiomolybdate administration significantly mitigated myocardial cuproptosis, oxidative stress, cardiac aging and inflammation in DOX-treated mice with decreased levels of DLAT accumulation, as well as downregulated expressions of HSP70, P16 and P21, respectively. In cultured primary rat cardiomyocytes, treatment with aprocitentan alleviated DOX-induced augmentation of cuproptosis and oxidative stress with reduced DLAT accumulation. Moreover, aprocitentan administration strikingly reversed DOX-induced and elesclomol-aggravated cellular senescence and mitochondrial injury in cardiomyocytes. More importantly, knock-down of sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) by SIRT7 siRNA blocked the beneficial effects of aprocitentan on DOX-associated cuproptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial injury, and senescence in cardiomyocytes. In summary, aprocitentan exerts as a novel therapeutic agent for alleviation of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity through the inhibition of cuproptosis, oxidative stress, cardiac aging and mitochondrial injuries via the activation of SIRT7, offering new possibilities for prevention and treatment of DOX-induced cardiac disorders.

Role of copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in heart failure pathogenesis: implications for therapeutic strategies

Copper is an essential micronutrient involved in various physiological processes in various cell types. Consequently, dysregulation of copper homeostasis-either excessive or deficient-can lead to pathological changes, such as heart failure (HF). Recently, a new type of copper-dependent cell death known as cuproptosis has drawn increasing attention to the impact of copper dyshomeostasis on HF. Notably, copper dyshomeostasis was associated with the occurrence of HF. Hence, this review aimed to investigate the biological processes involved in copper uptake, transport, excretion, and storage at both the cellular and systemic levels in terms of cuproptosis and HF, along with the underlying mechanisms of action. Additionally, the role of cuproptosis and its related mitochondrial dysfunction in HF pathogenesis was analyzed. Finally, we reviewed the therapeutic potential of current drugs that target copper metabolism for treating HF. Overall, the conclusions of this review revealed the therapeutic potential of copper-based therapies that target cuproptosis for the development of strategies for the treatment of HF.

Sirtuin 7 ameliorates cuproptosis, myocardial remodeling and heart dysfunction in hypertension through the modulation of YAP/ATP7A signaling

Myocardial fibrosis is a typical pathological manifestation of hypertension. However, the exact role of sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) in myocardial remodeling remains largely unclear. Here, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and angiotensin (Ang) II-induced hypertensive mice were pretreated with recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-SIRT7, copper chelator tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) or copper ionophore elesclomol, respectively. Compared with normotensive controls, reduced SIRT7 expression and augmented cuproptosis were observed in hearts of hypertensive rats and mice with decreased FDX1 levels and increased HSP70 levels. Notably, intervention with rAAV-SIRT7 and TTM strikingly prevented DLAT oligomers aggregation, and elevated ATP7A and TOM20 expressions, contributing to the alleviation of cuproptosis, mitochondrial injury, myocardial remodeling and heart dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Ang II-induced hypertensive mice. In cultured rat primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), rhSIRT7 alleviated CuCl2, Ang II or elesclomol-induced cuproptosis and fibroblast activation by blunting DLAT oligomers accumulation and downregulating α-SMA expression. Additionally, conditioned medium from rhSIRT7-pretreated CFs remarkably mitigated cellular hypertrophy and mitochondrial impairments of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, as well as cell migration and polarization of RAW 264.7 macrophages. Importantly, verteporfin reduced CuCl2-induced cuproptosis, mitochondrial injury and fibrotic activation in CFs. Knockdown of ATP7A with si-ATP7A blocked cellular protective effects of rhSIRT7 and verteporfin in CFs. In conclusion, SIRT7 attenuates cuproptosis, myocardial fibrosis and heart dysfunction in hypertension through the modulation of YAP/ATP7A signaling. Targeting SIRT7 is of vital importance for developing therapeutic strategies in hypertension and hypertensive heart disorders.

Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease

Copper is a vital trace element in human physiology, essential for the synthesis of numerous crucial metabolic enzymes and facilitation of various biological processes. Regulation of copper levels within a narrow range is imperative for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significant roles of copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in health and disease pathogenesis. However, a comprehensive and up-to-date systematic review in this domain remains absent. This review aims to consolidate recent advancements in understanding the roles of cuproptosis and copper homeostasis in health and disease, focusing on the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions. Dysregulation of copper homeostasis, manifesting as either copper excess or deficiency, is implicated in the etiology of various diseases. Cuproptosis, a recently identified form of cell death, is characterized by intracellular copper overload. This phenomenon mediates a diverse array of evolutionary processes in organisms, spanning from health to disease, and is implicated in genetic disorders, liver diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and various cancers. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying cuproptosis and copper homeostasis, along with associated targeted therapeutic agents. Furthermore, it explores future research directions with the potential to yield significant advancements in disease treatment, health management, and disease prevention.

Identification of cuproptosis-related genes and immune infiltration in dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure. Cuproptosis is involved in various diseases, although its role in DCM is still unclear. Here, this study aims to investigate the feasibility of using genes related to cuproptosis as diagnostic biomarkers for DCM and the association of their expression with immune infiltration and drug target in cardiac tissue.

METHODS

Gene expression data from nonfailure (NF) and DCM samples were retrieved from the GEO database. Cuproptosis scores were calculated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to screen key modules associated with DCM and cuproptosis. Random forest and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were applied to identify signature genes. Finally, immune cell infiltration was assessed using ssGSEA. mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA regulatory networks and chemical-drug regulatory networks based on signature genes were analyzed by Cytoscape.

RESULTS

8 modules were aggregated by WGCNA, among which MEblue was significantly associated with cuproptosis scores and DCM. A diagnostic model made up of six signature genes including SEPTIN1, CLEC11A, ISG15, P3H3, SDSL, and INKA1 was selected. Furthermore, immune infiltration studies showed significant differences between DCM and NF. Drugs networks and ceRNA regulatory network based on six signature genes were successfully constructed.

CONCLUSION

Six signature genes (SEPTIN1, CLEC11A, ISG15, P3H3, SDSL, and INKA1) were identified as novel diagnostic biomarkers in DCM. In addition, the expression of these genes was associated with immune cell infiltration, suggesting that cuproptosis may be involved in the immune regulation of DCM.

Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Cell Death: Focus on Metal-Mediated Cell Death

Cardiac myocyte death is an essential initiator of the pathogenesis and progression of various etiological cardiomyopathies, including diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), a disease that has been reported since 1972. Cardiac cell death has been detected in the hearts of patients with diabetes and in animal models, and the role of cell death in the pathogenesis of DCM has been extensively investigated. The first review by the authors, specifically focusing on "Cell death and diabetic cardiomyopathy," was published in the journal, Cardiovascular Toxicology in 2003. Over the past two decades, studies investigating the role of cardiac cell death in the pathogenesis of DCM have gained significant attention, resulting in the discovery of several new kinds of cell death involving different mechanisms, including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis. After the 20th anniversary of the review published in 2003, we now provide an update with a focus on the potential role of metal-mediated cell death, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis in the development of DCM in compliance with this special issue. The intent of our review is to further stimulate work in the field to advance the body of knowledge and continue to drive efforts to develop more advanced therapeutic approaches to prevent cell death, particularly metal-dependent cell death, and, ultimately, to reduce or prevent the development of DCM.