The Effects of Agomelatine Treatment on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Septic Lung Injuries in Rats

Alleviation of LPS-induced acute lung injury by propolis-based nanocomposites through the TLR4/NFKB and P2X7/AKT pathways: Randomized-controlled experimental study

Sepsis-associated acute lung injury continues to pose a significant medical challenge with substantial morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of propolis-based treatments and their nanocomposites in modulating inflammation and apoptosis using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat model of sepsis. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into seven groups (n = 6): control, LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p.), LPS + Propolis (100 mg/kg, i.p.), LPS + NanoPropolis (100 mg/kg, i.p.), LPS + silver nanoparticles propolis (AgNPsPro) (50 mg/kg), and a negative propolis group (100 mg/kg, i.p.). The rats were assessed for inflammatory, oxidative stress, and apoptotic markers through Western blot, histopathological analyses, and biochemical measurements. The LPS group exhibited significantly higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) and the systemic infection marker presepsin (PRSN) in blood, as well as the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung tissue. The treatment groups, particularly LPS + AgNPsPro, showed significant reductions in these markers, with decreased levels of MDA, IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, and TLR4, and increased GSH content in lung tissue (p < 0.05). The anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 was upregulated, while pro-apoptotic BAX expression was reduced, indicating enhanced cell survival. The P2X7 receptor, a key inflammation regulator, and the AKT signaling pathway, involved in cell survival, were positively modulated by the treatments. Histopathological findings corroborated these results, showing less lung tissue damage. In conclusion, propolis-based treatments, especially in combination with nanoparticles, demonstrate therapeutic potential in reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in sepsis-induced lung injury.

Cadmium-induced lung injury is associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and altered SIRT1 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling; protective role of the melatonin agonist agomelatine

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous heavy metal extensively employed in manufacturing polyvinyl chloride, batteries, and other industries. Acute lung injury has been directly connected to Cd exposure. Agomelatine (AGM), a melatonin analog, is a drug licensed for treating severe depression. This study evaluated the effect of AGM against Cd-induced lung injury in rats. AGM was administered in a dose of 25 mg/kg/day orally, while cadmium chloride (CdCl2) was injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 1.2 mg/kg to induce lung injury. Pre-treatment with AGM remarkably ameliorated Cd-induced lung histopathological abrasions. AGM decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, suppressed NDAPH oxidase, and boosted the antioxidants. AGM increased Nrf2, GCLC, HO-1, and TNXRD1 mRNA, as well as HO-1 activity and downregulated Keap1. AGM downregulated Bax and caspase-3 and upregulated Bcl-2, SIRT1, and FOXO3 expression levels in the lung. In conclusion, AGM has a protective effect against Cd-induced lung injury via its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects mediated via regulating Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRT1/FOXO3 signaling.

Experimental Sepsis Models: Advantages and Limitations

Sepsis is a major health problem that causes millions of deaths worldwide every year. Due to the complexity of its pathophysiology, there is no clear treatment method for it. Existing treatments impose an additional financial burden on the health systems of countries every year. Clinical and preclinical studies are continuously being conducted in order to prevent the development of sepsis, treat patients with sepsis, reduce mortality, and solve the socioeconomic problems that arise from it. However, it is not possible to directly test every study and potential new treatment in humans. Preclinical studies enable an understanding of pathophysiological events and the development of targeted therapies. For this purpose, many experimental sepsis models have been and continue to be applied. The extent to which these models can reflect the human sepsis condition is an important issue that needs to be emphasized. Each method has diferent strengths and weaknesses. Researchers should choose the most appropriate experimental model according to the characteristics of the experiments they plan and, if possible, conduct their studies on diferent models.

Aquaporins: Potential Targets in Inflammatory Diseases

Inflammation involves a long chain of molecular reactions and cellular activity designed to repair tissue damaged by various causes. The inflammatory process and its complex mechanisms have recently become a focus of interest for many researchers. After the onset of inflammation, various adverse conditions that initiate the inflammatory response need to be addressed; however, failure to limit the inflammatory reaction may result in the damage or destruction of host cells. Therefore, inflammatory reactions play a role in many diferent diseases. Aquaporins (AQPs), commonly referred to as water channels, are protein channels responsible for forming pores in the membranes of biological cells. Their main function is to aid in the movement of water between cells. Aquaporins not only regulate transepithelial fluid transport across membranes but also play a role in regulating essential events crucial for the inflammatory response. Aquaporins have been shown in many studies to have important roles in inflammatory diseases. This clearly indicates that AQPs may be potential targets for inflammatory diseases. This review summarizes the research to date on the structure and function of AQPs and provides an update on the relationship between AQPs and various human inflammatory diseases.

Effect of trimetazidine against ovarian ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat model: A new pathway: JAK2/STAT3

Objectives

Ovarian ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is an extremely complex pathological problem that begins with oxygen deprivation, progresses to excessive free radical production, and intensifies inflammation. The JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway is a multipurpose signaling transcript channel that plays a role in several biological functions. Trimetazidine (TMZ) is a cellular anti-ischemic agent. This study aims to investigate the effects of TMZ on ovarian I/R injury in rats.

Materials and Methods

sixty four rats were divided into 8 groups at random: healthy(group1); healthy+TMZ20(group2); ischemia (I) (group 3); I+TMZ10(group4); I+ TMZ20(group5); I/R(group6); I/R+TMZ10(group7); I/R+TMZ20(group8). Vascular clamps were placed just beneath the ovaries and over the uterine horns for 3 hr to induce ischemia. The clamps were removed for the reperfusion groups, and the rats were reperfused with care to ensure that the blood flowed into the ovaries, subjecting them to reperfusion for 3 hr. TMZ was administered orally by gavage 6 and 1 hr before operations. At the end of the experiment, ovarian tissues were removed for biochemical, molecular, and histopathological investigation.

Results

TMZ administration ameliorated ischemia/reperfusion-induced disturbances in GSH and MDA levels. TMZ treatment inhibited I/R-induced JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation in ovarian tissues. TMZ administration also improved the increase in the mRNA expressions of IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-κB caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury. Moreover, TMZ treatment improved histopathologic injury in ovarian tissues caused by ischemia/reperfusion.

Conclusion

TMZ treatment protected rats against ovarian ischemia/reperfusion injury by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory cascades. These findings may provide a mechanistic basis for using TMZ to treat ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Sepsis: Immunopathology, Immunotherapies, and Future Perspectives

Sepsis is a syndrome that includes physiological, pathological, and biochemical abnormalities resulting from the host immune response to infection. Despite the improved treatment modalities in recent years, the incidence and mortality of sepsis are still increasing. Sepsis immunopathology is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers. The successes experienced with immunotherapeutics in the treatment of cancer and coronavirus disease 2019, which are diseases with similar pathophysiological features and common immune defects with sepsis, have given rise to the hope that similar successes can be achieved in the treatment of sepsis. In this review, future perspectives on the immunopathology of sepsis and immunotherapeutics are presented to improve the current understanding of the disease.

Salvianolic acid A alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation by inhibiting complement activation

Introduction

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a syndrome characterized by coagulopathy, microthrombus, and multiple organ failure. The complement system in DIC is overactivated, and the functions of complement and coagulation pathways are closely related. Our previous screening revealed that salvianolic acid A (SAA) has anti-complement activity. The hyper-activated complement system was involved in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced DIC in rats. The effects of SAA anti-complement action on LPS-induced DIC in rats were investigated.

Methods

The complement activity of the classical pathway and alternative pathway was detected through an in vitro hemolysis assay. The binding sites of SAA and complement C3b were predicted by molecular docking. LPS-induced disseminated coagulation experiments were performed on male Wistar rats to assess coagulation function, complement activity, inflammation, biochemistry, blood routine, fibrinolysis, and survival.

Results

SAA had an anti-complement activity in vivo and in vitro and inhibited the complement activation in the classical and alternative pathway of complement. The infusion of LPS into the rats impaired the coagulation function, increased the plasma inflammatory cytokine level, complemented activation, reduced the clotting factor levels, fibrinogen, and platelets, damaged renal, liver, and lung functions, and led to a high mortality rate (85%). SAA treatment of rats inhibited complement activation and attenuated the significant increase in D-dimer, interleukin-6, alanine aminotransferase, and creatinine. It ameliorated the decrease in plasma levels of fibrinogen and platelets and reversed the decline in activity of protein C and antithrombin III. The treatment reduced kidney, liver, and lung damage, and significantly improved the survival rate of rats (46.2 and 78.6% for the low- and high-dose groups, respectively).

Conclusion

SAA reduced LPS-induced DIC by inhibiting complement activation. It has considerable potential in DIC treatment.