Orientin, a Bio-Flavonoid from Trigonella hamosa L., Regulates COX-2/PGE-2 in A549 Cell Lines via miR-26b and miR-146a

Cancer is a severe health condition and considered one of the major healthcare issues and is in need of innovative strategy for a cure. The current study aimed to investigate the chemical profile of Trigonella hamosa L. and a potential molecular approach to explain its regulation in cancer progression through an inflammatory mediator (COX-2) in A549 non-small lung cancer cell lines via in silico, mechanistic and molecular aspects. T. hamosa was extracted and then subjected to a CCK-8 cell viability assay in different cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231, A549 and HCT-116. Total extract was subjected to several chromatographic techniques to yield orientin (OT); the structure was elucidated by inspection of NMR spectroscopic data. To achieve anticancer effects of OT, a cell viability assay using a CCK-8 kit, immunoprecipitation by Western blot, cell migration using a wound healing assay, cell invasion using a Matrigel-Transwell assay, apoptosis by AO/EB dual staining, flow cytometric analysis and DAPI staining, a silenced COX-2 model to determine PGE-2 production and real-time PCR and Western blot of BCL-2, CYP-1A1, iNOS and COX-2 markers were carried out. The results demonstrated that OT decreased the cell proliferation and controlled cell migration and invasive properties. OT destabilized the COX-2 mRNA and downregulated its expression in A549 cell lines. Virtual binding showed interaction (binding energy −10.43) between OT and COX-2 protein compared to the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (CLX) (binding energy −9.4). The OT-CLX combination showed a superior anticancer effect. The synergistic effect of OT-CLX combination was noticed in controlling the migration and invasion of A549 cell lines. OT-CLX downregulated the expression of BCL-2, iNOS and COX-2 and activated the proapoptotic gene CYP-1A1. OT mitigated the COX-2 expression via upregulation of miR-26b and miR-146a. Interestingly, COX-2-silenced transfected A549 cells exhibited reduced expression of miR-26b and miR-146a. The findings confirmed the direct interaction of OT with COX-2 protein. PGE-2 expression was quantified in both naïve and COX-2-silenced A549 cells. OT downregulated the release of PGE-2 in both tested conditions. These results confirmed the regulatory effect of OT on A549 cell growth in a COX-2-dependent manner. OT activated apoptosis via activation of CYP-1A1 expression in an independent manner. These results revealed that the OT-CLX combination could serve as a potential synergistic treatment for effective inflammatory-mediated anticancer strategies.

Subchronic administration of mitoxantrone and the influence of enzyme inhibitors on its induced cardiotoxicity in mice: role of NRF-2/CYP2E1

OBJECTIVE

Mitoxantrone (MTX)- induced cardiotoxicity is a clinical concern that is limiting its use. The aim of this paper, therefore, was to investigate the subchronic administration of MTX plus nonspecific/specific inhibitors of CYP450/2E1, to assess the extent of oxidative-induced injury by measuring levels of oxidative cardiac and injury biomarkers in mice and to evaluate the effects of CYP2E1 on caspase 3 activity and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (NRF-2).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice (n = 32) were divided into four treatment groups of eight: control, MTX, MTX + 4-methlypyrazole (4MP) and MTX + disulfiram (Disf). After 6 weeks of treatments, blood and heart samples were collected.

RESULTS

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis of MTX-treated plasma samples revealed several metabolites with different retention times. Cardiac antioxidant enzymes and creatine kinase (CK) levels were not significantly different among the groups. However, cardiac troponin and caspase 3 activity were significantly raised, with increased CYP2E1 expressions and reduced NRF-2 expression. Tissue damage was observed in all the treatment groups, including MTX, leading to the conclusion that MTX-induced cardiotoxicity was mediated by CYP2E1 activity, which initiated caspase 3 production, and decreased NRF-2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, agents that inhibit CPY2E1 expression might attenuate MTX-induced cardiotoxicity by increasing NRF-2 expression.

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) Fruits as a Potential Cardioprotective Agent: The Role of Circulating Progenitor Cells

Context: Date palms, along with their fruits’ dietary consumption, possess enormous medicinal and pharmacological activities manifested in their usage in a variety of ailments in the various traditional systems of medicine. In recent years, the identification of progenitor cells in the adult organ systems has opened an altogether new approach to therapeutics, due to the ability of these cells to repair the damaged cells/tissues. Hence, the concept of developing therapeutics, which can mobilize endogenous progenitor cells, following tissue injury, to enhance tissue repair process is clinically relevant.

Objectives: The present study investigates the potential of date of palm fruit extracts in repairing tissue injury following myocardial infarction (MI) potentially by mobilizing circulating progenitor cells.

Methods: Extracts of four different varieties of date palm fruits common in Saudi Arabia eastern provision were scrutinized for their total flavonoid, total phenolic, in vitro antioxidant capacity, as well as their effects on two different rodent MI models.

Results: High concentrations of phenolic and flavonoid compounds were observed in date palm fruit extracts, which contributed to the promising antioxidant activities of these extracts and the observed high protective effect against various induced in vivo MI. The extracts showed ability to build up reserves and to mobilize circulating progenitor cells from bone marrow and peripheral circulation to the site of myocardial infraction.

Conclusion: Date palm fruit extracts have the potential to mobilize endogenous circulating progenitor cells, which can promote tissue repair following ischemic injury.

Caffeine treatment prevents rapid eye movement sleep deprivation-induced impairment of late-phase long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus

The CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) are physically and functionally closely related areas of the hippocampus, but they differ in various respects, including their reactions to different insults. The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effects of chronic caffeine treatment on late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) and its signalling cascade in the DG area of the hippocampus of rapid eye movement sleep-deprived rats. Rats were chronically treated with caffeine (300 mg/L drinking water) for 4 weeks, after which they were sleep-deprived for 24 h. L-LTP was induced in in anaesthetized rats, and extracellular field potentials from the DG area were recorded in vivo. The levels of L-LTP-related signalling proteins were assessed by western blot analysis. Sleep deprivation markedly reduced L-LTP magnitude, and basal levels of total cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (P-CREB), and calcium/calmodulin kinase IV (CaMKIV). Chronic caffeine treatment prevented the reductions in the basal levels of P-CREB, total CREB and CaMKIV in sleep-deprived rats. Furthermore, caffeine prevented post-L-LTP sleep deprivation-induced downregulation of P-CREB and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the DG. The current findings show that caffeine treatment prevents acute sleep deprivation-induced deficits in brain function.

Prevention by Regular Exercise of Acute Sleep Deprivation-Induced Impairment of Late Phase LTP and Related Signaling Molecules in the Dentate Gyrus

The dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 regions of the hippocampus are intimately related physically and functionally, yet they react differently to insults. The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effects of regular treadmill exercise on late phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) and its signaling cascade in the DG region of the hippocampus of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-deprived rats. Adult Wistar rats ran on treadmills for 4 weeks then were acutely sleep deprived for 24 h using the modified multiple platform method. After sleep deprivation, the rats were anesthetized and L-LTP was induced in the DG region. Extracellular field potentials from the DG were recorded in vivo, and levels of L-LTP-related signaling proteins were assessed both before and after L-LTP expression using immunoblot analysis. Sleep deprivation reduced the basal levels of phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (P-CREB) as well as other upstream modulators including calcium/calmodulin kinase IV (CaMKIV) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the DG of the hippocampus. Regular exercise prevented impairment of the basal levels of P-CREB and total CREB as well as those of CaMKIV in sleep-deprived animals. Furthermore, regular exercise prevented sleep deprivation-induced inhibition of L-LTP and post-L-LTP downregulation of P-CREB and BDNF levels in the DG. The current findings show that our exercise regimen prevents sleep deprivation-induced deficits in L-LTP as well as the basal and poststimulation levels of key signaling molecules.

Skin uptake and clearance of ciclopirox following topical application

The assessment of skin uptake and clearance are important to determine the efficiency and systemic safety of dermatological formulations. The objective of this study was to assess the skin uptake, clearance and possible systemic delivery of ciclopirox following topical application in Wistar rats. In vitro studies (3 h) were carried out in excised pig skin to assess the permeation and retention capacity of ciclopirox in skin layers using gel formulations (1% and 2% w/v). In vivo dermatopharmacokinetics (DPK) parameters were determined by measuring the drug levels in the skin as a function of time post application (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 h) and post removal (3, 4, 6 and 8 h) of the formulation in Wistar rats. The plasma drug concentrations were also determined in the same animals. In vitro data indicate the low permeability and high retention of ciclopirox in the stratum corneum. The DPK data observed indicate a higher Cmax value (175.43 ± 25.62 μg/cm2) and AUC (632.14 ± 102.26 μg.h/cm2) with the 2% (w/v) gel formulation. Further, the skin elimination of ciclopirox follows first order kinetics with a short half-life (t1/2 ~2 h). The fraction of drug reaching the systemic circulation was found to be significantly low (~0.15% of the applied dose). A relation between the drug concentration in the skin layers and the plasma was observed with a short lag period. The topical availability of ciclopirox was found to be relatively low and endured rapid clearance with minimal systemic uptake.

Simultaneous determination of moxifloxacin and cefixime by first and ratio first derivative ultraviolet spectrophotometry

BACKGROUND

The new combination of moxifloxacin HCl and cefixime trihydrate is approved for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections in adults. At initial formulation development and screening stage a fast and reliable method for the dissolution and release testing of moxifloxacin and cefixime were highly desirable. The zero order overlaid UV spectra of moxifloxacin and cefixime showed >90% overlapping. Hence, simple, accurate precise and validated two derivative spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of moxifloxacin and cefixime.

METHODS

In the first derivative spectrophotometric method varying concentration of moxifloxacin and cefixime were prepared and scanned in the range of 200 to 400 nm and first derivative spectra were calculated (n = 1). The zero crossing wavelengths 287 nm and 317.9 nm were selected for determination of moxifloxacin and cefixime, respectively. In the second method the first derivative of ratio spectra was calculated and used for the determination of moxifloxacin and cefixime by measuring the peak intensity at 359.3 nm and 269.6 nm respectively.

RESULTS

Calibration graphs were established in the range of 1-16 μg /mL and 1-15 μg /mL for both the drugs by first and ratio first derivative spectroscopic methods respectively with good correlation coefficients. Average accuracy of assay of moxifloxacin and cefixime were found to be 100.68% and 98 93%, respectively. Relative standard deviations of both inter and intraday assays were less than 1.8%. Moreover, recovery of moxifloxacin and cefixime was more than 98.7% and 99.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The described derivative spectrophotometric methods are simple, rapid, accurate, precise and excellent alternative to sophisticated chromatographic techniques. Hence, the proposed methods can be used for the quality control of the cited drugs and can be extended for routine analysis of the drugs in formulations.

Impaired neural transmission and synaptic plasticity in superior cervical ganglia from β-amyloid rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Basal synaptic transmission and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity were evaluated in superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) of amyloid-β rat model of Alzheimer's disease (Aβ rat) using electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Rats were administered Aβ peptides (a mixture of 1:1 Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42) by chronic intracerebroventricular infusion via 14-day mini-osmotic pumps (300 pmol/day). Control rats received Aβ40-1 (inactive reverse peptide: 300 pmol/day). Ganglionic compound action potentials were recorded before (basal) and after repetitive stimulation. In isolated SCG, ganglionic long-term potentiation (gLTP) was generated by a brief train of stimuli (20Hz for 20s) and ganglionic long-term depression (gLTD) was produced with trains of paired pulses. The input/output (I/O) curves of ganglia from Aβ rats showed a marked downward shift along all stimulus intensities, compared to those of ganglia from control animals, indicating impaired basal synaptic transmission. In addition, repetitive stimulation induced robust gLTP and gLTD in ganglia isolated from control animals, but, the same protocols failed to induce gLTP or gLTD in ganglia from Aβ rats indicating impairment of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in these animals. Western blotting of SCG homogenate from Aβ rats revealed reduction in the ratio of phosphorylated-/total-CaMKII and in calcineurin protein levels. Although other mechanisms could be involved, these changes in signaling molecules could represent an important molecular mechanism linked to the failure to express synaptic plasticity in Aβ rat ganglia. Results of the current study could explain some of the peripheral nervous system manifestations of Alzheimer's disease.

Chronic psychosocial stress enhances long-term depression in a subthreshold amyloid-beta rat model of Alzheimer's disease

In addition to genetic aspects, environmental factors such as stress may also play a critical role in the etiology of the late onset, sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study examined the effect of chronic psychosocial stress in a sub-threshold Aβ (subAβ) rat model of AD on long-term depression by two techniques: electrophysiological recordings of synaptic plasticity in anesthetized rats, and immunoblot analysis of memory- and AD-related signaling molecules. Chronic psychosocial stress was induced using a rat intruder model. The subAβ rat model of AD, which was intended to represent outwardly normal individuals with a pre-disposition to AD, was induced by continuous infusion of 160 pmol/day Aβ₁₋₄₂ via a 14-day i.c.v. osmotic pump. Results from electrophysiological recordings showed that long-term depression evoked in stress/subAβ animals was significantly enhanced compared with that in animals exposed to stress or subAβ infusion alone. Molecular analysis of various signaling molecules 1 h after induction of long-term depression revealed an increase in the levels of calcineurin and phosphorylated CaMKII in groups exposed to stress compared with other groups. The levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were significantly decreased in stress/subAβ animals but not in stress or subAβ animals. In addition, the levels of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme were markedly increased in stress/subAβ. These findings suggest that chronic stress may accelerate the impairment of synaptic plasticity and consequently cognition in individuals 'at-risk' for AD.

Sleep deprivation prevents stimulation-induced increases of levels of P-CREB and BDNF: protection by caffeine

It is well known that caffeine and sleep deprivation have opposing effects on learning and memory; therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the effects of chronic (4wks) caffeine treatment (0.3g/l in drinking water) on long-term memory deficit associated with 24h sleep deprivation. Animals were sleep deprived using the modified multiple platform method. The results showed that chronic caffeine treatment prevented the impairment of long-term memory as measured by performance in the radial arm water maze task and normalized L-LTP in area CA1 of the hippocampi of sleep-deprived anesthetized rats. Sleep deprivation prevents the high frequency stimulation-induced increases in the levels of phosphorylated-cAMP response element binding protein (P-CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seen during the expression of late phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP). However, chronic caffeine treatment prevented the effect of sleep-deprivation on the stimulated levels of P-CREB and BDNF. The results suggest that chronic caffeine treatment may protect the sleep-deprived brain probably by preserving the levels of P-CREB and BDNF.

Acute nicotine treatment prevents REM sleep deprivation-induced learning and memory impairment in rat

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (SD) is implicated in impairment of spatial learning and memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). An increase in nicotine consumption among habitual smokers and initiation of tobacco use by nonsmokers was observed during SD. Although nicotine treatment was reported to attenuate the impairment of learning and memory and LTP associated with several mental disorders, the effect of nicotine on SD-induced learning and memory impairment has not been studied. Modified multiple platform paradigm was used to induce SD for 24 or 48 h during which rats were injected with saline or nicotine (1 mg kg(-1) s.c.) twice a day. In the radial arm water maze (RAWM) task, 24- or 48-h SD significantly impaired learning and short-term memory. In addition, extracellular recordings from CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus in urethane anesthetized rats showed a significant impairment of LTP after 24- and 48-h SD. Treatment of normal rats with nicotine for 24 or 48 h did not enhance spatial learning and memory or affect magnitude of LTP in the CA1 and DG regions. However, concurrent, acute treatment of rats with nicotine significantly attenuated SD-induced impairment of learning and STM and prevented SD-induced impairment of LTP in the CA1 and DG regions. These results show that acute nicotine treatment prevented the deleterious effect of sleep loss on cognitive abilities and synaptic plasticity.

Chronic caffeine treatment prevents sleep deprivation-induced impairment of cognitive function and synaptic plasticity

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This study was undertaken to provide a detailed account of the effect of chronic treatment with a small dose of caffeine on the deleterious effects of sleep loss on brain function in rats.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We investigated the effects of chronic (4 weeks) caffeine treatment (0.3 g/L in drinking water) on memory impairment in acutely (24 h) sleep-deprived adult male Wistar rats. Sleep deprivation was induced using the modified multiple platform model. The effects of caffeine on sleep deprivation-induced hippocampus-dependent learning and memory deficits were studied by 3 approaches: learning and memory performance in the radial arm water maze task, electrophysiological recording of early long-term potentiation (E-LTP) in area CA1 of the hippocampus, and levels of memory- and synaptic plasticity-related signaling molecules after E-LTP induction.

MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS

The results showed that chronic caffeine treatment prevented impairment of hippocampus-dependent learning, shortterm memory and E-LTP of area CA1 in the sleep-deprived rats. In correlation, chronic caffeine treatment prevented sleep deprivation-associated decrease in the levels of phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (P-CaMKII) during expression of E-LTP.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that long-term use of a low dose of caffeine prevents impairment of short-term memory and E-LTP in acutely sleep-deprived rats.