Tricetin Reduces Inflammation and Acinar Cell Injury in Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: The Role of Oxidative Stress-Induced DNA Damage Signaling

Assessing Therapeutic Value and Side Effects of Key Botanical Compounds for Optimized Medical Treatments

Due to the significance of variable chemical groups across a wide spectrum of modern medicine, it is imperative to determine what is the most widely used group in medical applications with the fewest side effects. Ten compounds from ten chemical groups that are most commonly known for their medical uses were compared in terms of their therapeutic potential and side effects. The comparison among the selected compounds indicated the superiority of the flavonoids over other groups in the multitude of their utilizations and the lower side effects. Kaempferol and quercetin showed higher medical utilization with lower side effects. Whereas alkaloid compounds showed the lowest levels of medical use and the highest levels of side effects. Based on the comparison conducted, it is concluded to give priority to flavonoid compounds being used in medical applications because they exhibit the highest medical uses with the lowest side effects. Within flavonoids, kaempferol and quercetin are the two compounds that are highly recommended to be used in the widest range of medical applications. Serious caution should be considered before applying alkaloids to any medical service. Understanding the characteristics of these compounds can aid in developing safer and more effective treatments for medicinal plants.

Tricetin attenuates atherosclerosis by suppressing macrophage ferroptosis via activation of the NRF2 pathway

Tricetin (TRI) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects; however, its therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms in atherosclerosis remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of TRI on atherosclerosis. Our findings revealed that TRI inhibits macrophage ferroptosis by activating the NRF2 pathway. In vivo, ApoE-/- mice fed a high-fat diet and injected with TRI showed improved atherosclerosis progression through reduced oxidative stress and suppression of macrophage ferroptosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TRI administration increases GPX4 and xCT levels, attenuates oxidative stress, improves mitochondrial function, and inhibits lipid peroxidation, thereby suppressing ox-LDL-induced macrophage ferroptosis. Furthermore, TRI enhanced the nuclear translocation of NRF2. Notably, the protective effects of TRI on antioxidant capacity and ferroptosis were reversed in macrophages treated with ML385 (a specific NRF2 inhibitor). NRF2 knockdown in ApoE-/- mice using AAV-sh-NRF2 significantly reversed TRI-mediated inhibition of atherosclerosis progression and exacerbated macrophage ferroptosis in the plaque. Conclusively, this study identifies TRI as a potential therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis by inhibiting macrophage ferroptosis and oxidative stress through activation of the NRF2 pathway, offering a novel strategy to combat disease progression.

GSK-3β/Notch-1 Activation Promotes Radiation-Induced Renal Damage: The Role of Gallic Acid in Mitigation of Nephrotoxicity

Despite the therapeutic advances in treating malignancies, the efficient radiotherapeutic approaches with deprived adverse reactions still represent a potential clinical inquiry. The current study aims to elucidate the role of gallic acid (GA) in modifying the hazardous renal cytotoxicity induced by acute exposure to radiation. The MTT test was used to evaluate the viability of Vero cells exposed to 2 Gy gamma radiation with or without incubation of GA. In an in vivo model, male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups (n = 6): Control, Irradiated (IRR, 5 Gy), GA (100 mg/kg, i.p.) + IRR, and Glycogen synthase kinase inhibitor (GSKI, 3 mg/kg, i.p.) + IRR. Based on the MTT toxicity assay, from 0 and up to 5 μM dosages of GA did not demonstrate any cytotoxicity to Vero cells. The optimal GA dose that could protect the cells from radiation was 5 μM. Furthermore, GA exerted a protective effect from gamma radiation on renal tissue as indicated by corrected renal functions, decreased LDH level in serum, and balanced oxidative status, which is indicated by decreased tissue contents of NOx and TBARS with a significant increase of reduced GSH. These outcomes were inferred by the upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression. The overall molecular impact of radiation in damaging the renal tissue may be explained by modifying the upstream AKT activity and its downstream targets GSK-3β/Notch-1. Here, we concluded that the anticipated adverse reaction in the course of radiation exposure could be protected by daily administration of GA.

Antioxidative effect of astragalosides on acute pancreatitis in mice

Introduction

The research examined the antioxidative impact of astragalosides (AST) on experimental acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice. This study aims to assess the correlation between varying doses of astragalosides and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in an acute pancreatitis mouse model. By examining the interplay between astragaloside's protective effects and its antioxidant properties, we aim to deepen our understanding of its therapeutic potential in acute pancreatitis.

Methods

The AP model in mice was induced by retrograde injection of sodium deoxycholate into the biliary and pancreatic ducts. Serum amylase activity was monitored at various time points following induction. Furthermore, 24 hours post-induction, levels of serum nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in pancreatic tissue were assessed.

Results

The findings of this study illustrated that AST, while exhibiting a protective effect in experimental AP, could effectively lower the elevated serum NO levels, reduce MDA production, and enhance SOD activity in model mice. AST notably reduced MDA levels in the pancreatic tissue of AP mice, underscoring its ability to inhibit membrane peroxidation induced by oxygen free radicals. Furthermore, AST was observed to elevate SOD activity in scavenging oxygen free radicals in pancreatic tissue.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that AST enhances recovery in an experimental acute pancreatitis mouse model by exerting antioxidative effects.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 protects human trabecular meshwork cells against H2O2-induced injury via the regulation of the miR-29a-3p/VEGF/MMP-2 axis

Purpose

Human trabecular meshwork cell (HTMC) dysfunction results in imbalanced aqueous humor inflow and outflow, leading to an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). Uncontrolled high IOP can promote the occurrence of glaucoma, an irreversible optic neuropathy. Here, we explored whether the long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (lncRNA PVT1)/microRNA-29a-3p (miR-29a-3p) axis could ameliorate HTMC dysfunction under oxidative stress by modulating the expression of the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA) and the profibrotic factor metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2).

Methods

HTMCs were cultured under H2O2-induced oxidative stress for 48 h. The expression of lncRNA PVT1, miR-29a-3p, VEGFA, MMP-2, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Interference experiments were conducted via the transfection of HTMCs with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting lncRNA PVT1 or miR-29a-3p mimics. A luciferase reporter assay was undertaken to identify the presence of a miR-29a-3p binding site in lncRNA PVT1. Flow cytometry and Transwell and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays were employed to evaluate HTMC functions under oxidative stress with different treatments.

Results

In HTMCs, the expression of lncRNA PVT1 was induced by H2O2 treatment, whereas that of miR-29a-3p was inhibited. The levels of angiogenic factors (VEGFA, ICAM-1) and fibrosis-associated mediators (MMP-2, α-SMA) were upregulated in HTMCs under oxidative stress. The siRNA-mediated suppression of lncRNA PVT1 or the upregulation of miR-29a-3p significantly suppressed the expression of VEGFA, MMP-2, ICAM-1, and α-SMA. A luciferase reporter assay confirmed that lncRNA PVT1 directly targeted miR-29a-3p and acted as a miR-29a-3p sponge. The knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 restored the level of miR-29a-3p in H2O2-treated HTMCs, thereby inhibiting VEGFA and MMP-2, its target mRNAs. HTMC dysfunction, including increased apoptosis and decreased cell mobility and viability, could be effectively ameliorated by lncRNA PVT1 downregulation or miR-29a-3p overexpression under oxidative stress.

Conclusion

LncRNA PVT1 has potential as a therapeutic target for inhibiting VEGFA and MMP-2, thus protecting HTMCs, suppressing the progression of fibrosis, and, consequently, improving the outcome of glaucoma filtration surgery.

OGG1 Inhibition Reduces Acinar Cell Injury in a Mouse Model of Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal disease with a complex pathology including oxidative stress. Oxidative stress triggers oxidative DNA lesions such as formation of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) and also causes DNA strand breaks. DNA breaks can activate the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) which contributes to AP pathology. 8-oxoG is recognized by 8-oxoG glycosylase 1 (OGG1) resulting in the removal of 8-oxoG from DNA as an initial step of base excision repair. Since OGG1 also possesses a DNA nicking activity, OGG1 activation may also trigger PARP1 activation. In the present study we investigated the role played by OGG1 in AP. We found that the OGG1 inhibitor compound TH5487 reduced edema formation, inflammatory cell migration and necrosis in a cerulein-induced AP model in mice. Moreover, TH5487 caused 8-oxoG accumulation and reduced tissue poly(ADP-ribose) levels. Consistent with the indirect PARP inhibitory effect, TH5487 shifted necrotic cell death (LDH release and Sytox green uptake) towards apoptosis (caspase activity) in isolated pancreatic acinar cells. In the in vivo AP model, TH5487 treatment suppressed the expression of various cytokine and chemokine mRNAs such as those of TNF, IL-1β, IL1ra, IL6, IL16, IL23, CSF, CCL2, CCL4, CCL12, IL10 and TREM as measured with a cytokine array and verified by RT-qPCR. As a potential mechanism underlying the transcriptional inhibitory effect of the OGG1 inhibitor we showed that while 8-oxoG accumulation in the DNA facilitates NF-κB binding to its consensus sequence, when OGG1 is inhibited, target site occupancy of NF-κB is impaired. In summary, OGG1 inhibition provides protection from tissue injury in AP and these effects are likely due to interference with the PARP1 and NF-κB activation pathways.