Addition of oh8dG to Cardioplegia Attenuated Myocardial Oxidative Injury through the Inhibition of Sodium Bicarbonate Cotransporter Activity

Multiple Regulatory Signals and Components in the Modulation of Bicarbonate Transporters

Bicarbonate transporters are responsible for the appropriate flux of bicarbonate across the plasma membrane to perform various fundamental cellular functions. The functions of bicarbonate transporters, including pH regulation, cell migration, and inflammation, are highlighted in various cellular systems, encompassing their participation in both physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we focused on recently identified modulatory signaling components that regulate the expression and activity of bicarbonate transporters. Moreover, we addressed recent advances in our understanding of cooperative systems of bicarbonate transporters and channelopathies. This current review aims to provide a new, in-depth understanding of numerous human diseases associated with the dysfunction of bicarbonate transporters.

Melatonin enhanced the cardioprotective effects of HTK solution on Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts subjected to ischemia/reperfusion

Objectives

Cardiac arrest is a crucial procedure in various cardiac surgeries, during which the heart is subjected to an ischemic state. The occurrence of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is inevitable due to aortic blockage and opening. The Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution is commonly used as an organ protection liquid to mitigate cardiac injury during cardiac surgery. Despite its widespread use, there is significant potential for improving its protective efficacy.

Materials and Methods

The cardioprotective effect of HTK solution with and without melatonin was evaluated using the isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse heart model. The isolated C57bL/6 mouse hearts were randomly divided into four groups: control, I/R, HTK solution treatment before reperfusion (HTK+I/R), and HTK solution combined with melatonin before reperfusion (HTK+M+I/R). Cardiac function and myocardial injury markers were then measured. AMP-activated protein kinase α2 (AMPKα2) KO mice were used to investigate the underlying mechanism.

Results

In our study, we found that melatonin significantly improved the protective effects of HTK solution in an isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse model, mechanistically by reducing mitochondrial damage, improving energy metabolism, inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and reducing myocardial infarction size. We also observed that the HTK solution alone was ineffective in inhibiting ER stress, but when melatonin was added, there was a significant reduction in ER stress. Furthermore, melatonin was found to alleviate carbonyl stress during cardiac I/R. Interestingly, our results showed that the cardioprotective properties of melatonin were dependent on AMPKα2.

Conclusion

The findings presented in this study offer a valuable empirical foundation for the development of perioperative cardioprotective strategies.

Antioxidant Activity of Urtica dioica: An Important Property Contributing to Multiple Biological Activities

Urtica dioica (UD) is a multi-functional plant known to be used as both food and medicine from ancient times. The plant has the potential to be used as a fertilizer and for biological pest control. It is also used in textile and related industries for its quality fibers. In the recent past, the plant has received great attention for its numerous important biological activities and food applications. The antioxidant activity of UD is the crucial factor supporting its important biological activities, such as anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant activity of UD is also found to be protective in different organs, including the brain, liver, lungs, kidney, ovary, and uterus, and may also be protective against diseases associated with these organs. Few clinical studies have endorsed the antioxidant potential of UD in patients. The current work is an attempt to comprehensively compile and discuss the antioxidant activity of UD from in vitro, in vivo and human studies. The insights of the current study would be helpful in getting a panoramic view of the antioxidant potential of UD, and provide direction for optimizing and developing it for therapeutic applications against important diseases and conditions in the near future.