PTEN-induced kinase 1-induced dynamin-related protein 1 Ser637 phosphorylation reduces mitochondrial fission and protects against intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury

Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang induces mitophagy in colonic epithelial cells to inhibit colitis-associated colorectal cancer

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Based on the core pathogenesis of hepatosplenic disorder and qi transformation disorder in ulcerative colitis, Tong-Xie-Yao-Fang (TXYF) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine commonly used to treat ulcerative colitis. Our study revealed that it has the potential to prevent colitis-associated colorectal cancer, which embodies the academic concept in traditional Chinese medicine of treating the disease before it develops.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was aimed at evaluating the therapeutic role of TXYF in treating colitis-associated colorectal cancer and exploring its possible underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A colitis-associated colorectal cancer model was established in mice using azoxymethane and dextran sulfate sodium salt to examine the therapeutic effect of TXYF. The mouse body weights were observed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to evaluate mouse colon histopathology. Colon cancer cells and colon epithelial cells were used to explore the potential molecular mechanisms. The proliferation and apoptosis of cells were detected by CCK8 and cell colony assays, flow cytometry and western blotting. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mitophagy markers were examined by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

TXYF inhibited the tumorigenesis of mice with colitis-associated colorectal cancer and the growth of inflammatory colon cells. TXYF induced mitophagy in colon cancer cells through the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin pathway to reverse EMT, which was consistent with the results in mice with colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study demonstrated that TXYF effectively inhibited the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer through the PINK1/Parkin pathway, which provides new evidence for prevention strategies for this disease.

Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome via Drp1 Overexpression in Kupffer Cells Aggravates Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Hepatic Steatosis

Background and Aims

Donors with fatty livers are considered to address the shortage of livers for transplantation, but those livers are particularly sensitive to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and an increased incidence of graft failure is observed. Kupffer cells account for 20-35% of liver nonparenchymal cells, and have been shown to participate in the process of IRI and inflammatory reactions of hepatic steatosis. NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) is an intracellular sensor activated by Kupffer cells to promote generation and participates in IRI. Dynamics-associated protein 1 (Drp1) is one of the main proteins regulating mitochondrial division and exacerbates IRI by affecting mitochondrial dynamics. The mechanism of interaction of Kupffer cells with Drp1 and NLRP3 to aggravate IRI has not been clarified.

Methods

A mouse model of hepatic steatosis was established by feeding the mice with a high-fat diet. In vitro experiments were performed using AML12 normal mouse liver cells and RAW264.7 mononuclear macrophage cells cultured in medium with palmitate and oleic acid. Western blotting and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were used to detect the expression of NLRPP3 and Drp1 in IRI in the control and high-fat diet groups. The expression of F4/80+ cells during IRI in hepatic steatosis was verified by IHC staining, and the role of NLRPP3 and Drp1 in Kupffer-cell mediated IRI was investigated by targeting Drp-1 inhibition.

Results

Drp1 and NLRP3 expression was increased during IRI in hepatic steatosis, and the expression of Drp1 and NLRP3 were decreased after the elimination of Kupffer cells. That indicated Kupffer cells were involved in the process of IRI in hepatic steatosis through the action of Drp1 and NLRP3. After Drp1 inhibition, liver function was restored and NLRP3 expression level was reduced.

Conclusions

Kupffer cells aggravated IRI in hepatic steatosis via NLRP3 and Drp1. Drp1 inhibitors might be useful as specific therapeutics to alleviate IRI in hepatic steatosis and may have promise in case of liver donor shortage.

Selenium-enriched Cardamine violifolia protects against sepsis-induced intestinal injury by regulating mitochondrial fusion in weaned pigs

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the dysregulated response of the host to an infection, and treatments are limited. Recently, a novel selenium source, selenium-enriched Cardamine violifolia (SEC) has attracted much attention due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but little is known about its role in the treatment of sepsis. Here, we found that SEC alleviated LPS-induced intestinal damage, as indicated by improved intestinal morphology, and increased disaccharidase activity and tight junction protein expression. Moreover, SEC ameliorated the LPS-induced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as indicated by decreased IL-6 level in the plasma and jejunum. Moreover, SEC improved intestinal antioxidant functions by regulating oxidative stress indicators and selenoproteins. In vitro, TNF-α-challenged IPEC-1 cells were examined and showed that selenium-enriched peptides, which are the main functional components extracted from Cardamine violifolia (CSP), increased cell viability, decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity and improved cell barrier function. Mechanistically, SEC ameliorated LPS/TNF-α-induced perturbations in mitochondrial dynamics in the jejunum and IPEC-1 cells. Moreover, CSP-mediated cell barrier function is primarily dependent on the mitochondrial fusion protein MFN2 but not MFN1. Taken together, these results indicate that SEC mitigates sepsis-induced intestinal injury, which is associated with modulating mitochondrial fusion.

Mitochondrial dynamics, elimination and biogenesis during post-ischemic recovery in ischemia-resistant and ischemia-vulnerable gerbil hippocampal regions

Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) result from a temporary blockage in blood circulation in the brain. As TIAs cause disabilities and often precede full-scale strokes, the effects of TIA are investigated to develop neuroprotective therapies. We analyzed changes in mitochondrial network dynamics, mitophagy and biogenesis in sections of gerbil hippocampus characterized by a different neuronal survival rate after 5-minute ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) insult. Our research revealed a significantly greater mtDNA/nDNA ratio in CA2-3, DG hippocampal regions (5.8 ± 1.4 vs 3.6 ± 0.8 in CA1) that corresponded to a neuronal resistance to I/R. During reperfusion, an increase of pro-fission (phospho-Ser616-Drp1/Drp1) and pro-fusion proteins (1.6 ± 0.5 and 1.4 ± 0.3 for Mfn2 and Opa1, respectively) was observed in CA2-3, DG. Selective autophagy markers, PINK1 and SQSTM1/p62, were elevated 24-96 h after I/R and accompanied by significant elevation of transcription factors proteins PGC-1α and Nrf1 (1.2 ± 0.4, 1.78 ± 0.6, respectively) and increased respiratory chain proteins (e.g., 1.5 ± 0.3 for complex IV at I/R 96 h). Contrastingly, decreased enzymatic activity of citrate synthase, reduced Hsp60 protein level and electron transport chain subunits (0.88 ± 0.03, 0.74 ± 0.1 and 0.71 ± 0.1 for complex IV at I/R 96 h, respectively) were observed in I/R-vulnerable CA1. The phospho-Ser616-Drp1/Drp1 was increased while Mfn2 and total Opa1 reduced to 0.88 ± 0.1 and 0.77 ± 0.17, respectively. General autophagy, measured as LC3-II/I ratio, was activated 3 h after reperfusion reaching 2.37 ± 0.9 of control. This study demonstrated that enhanced mitochondrial fusion, followed by late and selective mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis might together contribute to reduced susceptibility to TIA.

Mitochondrial fission mediated by Drp1-Fis1 pathway and neurodegenerative diseases

In recent years, the role of mitochondrial dynamics in neurodegenerative diseases has becoming increasingly important. More and more evidences have shown that in pathological conditions, abnormal mitochondrial divisions, especially Drp1-Fis1-mediated divisions, play an important role in the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, glaucoma, and other neurodegenerative diseases. This review highlights several new mechanisms of physiological fission of mitochondria and the difference/connection of physiological/pathological mitochondrial fission. In addition, we described the relationship between abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and neurodegenerative diseases in detail and emphatically summarized its detection indicators in basic experiments, trying to provide references for further mechanism exploration and therapeutic targets.

Propofol via Antioxidant Property Attenuated Hypoxia-Mediated Mitochondrial Dynamic Imbalance and Malfunction in Primary Rat Hippocampal Neurons

BACKGROUND

Hypoxia may induce mitochondrial abnormality, which is associated with a variety of clinical phenotypes in the central nervous system. Propofol is an anesthetic agent with neuroprotective property. We examined whether and how propofol protected hypoxia-induced mitochondrial abnormality in neurons.

METHODS

Primary rat hippocampal neurons were exposed to propofol followed by hypoxia treatment. Neuron viability, mitochondrial morphology, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production were measured. Mechanisms including reactive oxygen species (ROS), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK), protein kinase A (PKA), HIF-1α, Drp1, Fis1, Mfn1, Mfn2, and Opa1 were investigated.

RESULTS

Hypoxia increased intracellular ROS production and induced mPTP opening, while reducing ATP production, MMP values, and neuron viability. Hypoxia impaired mitochondrial dynamic balance by increasing mitochondrial fragmentation. Further, hypoxia induced the translocation of HIF-1α and increased the expression of Drp1, while having no effect on Fis1 expression. In addition, hypoxia induced the phosphorylation of ERK and Drp1ser616, while reducing the phosphorylation of PKA and Drp1ser637. Importantly, we demonstrated all these effects were attenuated by pretreatment of neurons with 50 μM propofol, antioxidant α-tocopherol, and ROS scavenger ebselen. Besides, hypoxia, propofol, α-tocopherol, or ebselen had no effect on the expression of Mfn1, Mfn2, and Opa1.

CONCLUSIONS

In rat hippocampal neurons, hypoxia induced oxidative stress, caused mitochondrial dynamic imbalance and malfunction, and reduced neuron viability. Propofol protected mitochondrial abnormality and neuron viability via antioxidant property, and the molecular mechanisms involved HIF-1α-mediated Drp1 expression and ERK/PKA-mediated Drp1 phosphorylation.

Dexmedetomidine inhibits mitochondria damage and apoptosis of enteric glial cells in experimental intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury via SIRT3-dependent PINK1/HDAC3/p53 pathway

BACKGROUND

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury commonly occurs during perioperative periods, resulting in high morbidity and mortality on a global scale. Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a selective α2-agonist that is frequently applied during perioperative periods for its analgesia effect; however, its ability to provide protection against intestinal I/R injury and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.

METHODS

To fill this gap, the protection of Dex against I/R injury was examined in a rat model of intestinal I/R injury and in an inflammation cell model, which was induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plus interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) stimulation.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrated that Dex had protective effects against intestinal I/R injury in rats. Dex was also found to promote mitophagy and inhibit apoptosis of enteric glial cells (EGCs) in the inflammation cell model. PINK1 downregulated p53 expression by promoting the phosphorylation of HDAC3. Further studies revealed that Dex provided protection against experimentally induced intestinal I/R injury in rats, while enhancing mitophagy, and suppressing apoptosis of EGCs through SIRT3-mediated PINK1/HDAC3/p53 pathway in the inflammation cell model.

CONCLUSION

Hence, these findings provide evidence supporting the protective effect of Dex against intestinal I/R injury and its underlying mechanism involving the SIRT3/PINK1/HDAC3/p53 axis.