Effect of apigenin on dynamin-related protein 1 in type 1 diabetic rats with cardiovascular complications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular complications cause increased mortality rates among diabetics. The molecular mechanisms of aberrant mitochondrial dynamics in diabetes mellitus (DM) are not fully understood. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is thought to be a major regulator of mitochondrial fission. There is lack of studies that examined the relationship between apigenin and Drp1 expression in DM. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the expression of Drp1 in diabetic rats with cardiovascular complications, as well as to appraise the role of apigenin in modulating this expression.

METHODS

Twenty-eight adult male albino Wister rats were randomly and equally allocated into four groups: naive, streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic control and two apigenin-injected diabetic groups (early and late). Body weight, heart weight, blood pressure and ECG were recorded. Evaluation of blood glucose level, lipid profile and cardiac functions were measured. Determination of Drp1 mRNA expression, and histological examination of cardiac tissues from the four groups were performed.

RESULTS

Diabetic control rats developed decrease of body weight, increase of blood pressure, deterioration of the normal ECG pattern and upregulation of Drp1 mRNA expression in cardiac tissues. There was a significant correlation between the relative expression of Drp1 and all examined parameters. Apigenin-injection improved fasting blood glucose, lipid profile and cardiac function indicators (i.e., ECG parameters, CK-MB and troponin) as well as the cardiac histological structure. The decrease of Drp1 expression was more evident with early than with late apigenin-injection, however, without statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased level of Drp1 expression in diabetic rats may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiovascular complications. The changes that occurred in response to apigenin injection highlight its potential ameliorative effect on the diabetic cardiovascular complications and pave the route for further investigations.

Unveiling the interplay between NSAID-induced dysbiosis and autoimmune liver disease in children: insights into the hidden gateway to autism spectrum disorders. Evidence from ex vivo, in vivo, and clinical studies

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a diverse group of neuropsychiatric conditions, and recent evidence has suggested a connection between ASD and microbial dysbiosis. Immune and gastrointestinal dysfunction are associated with dysbiosis, and there are indications that modulating the microbiota could improve ASD-related behaviors. Additionally, recent findings highlighted the significant impact of microbiota on the development of autoimmune liver diseases, and the occurrence of autoimmune liver disease in children with ASD is noteworthy. In the present study, we conducted both an in vivo study and a clinical study to explore the relationship between indomethacin-induced dysbiosis, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and the development of ASD. Our results revealed that indomethacin administration induced intestinal dysbiosis and bacterial translocation, confirmed by microbiological analysis showing positive bacterial translocation in blood cultures. Furthermore, indomethacin administration led to disturbed intestinal permeability, evidenced by the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasomes pathway and elevation of downstream biomarkers (TLR4, IL18, caspase 1). The histological analysis supported these findings, showing widened intestinal tight junctions, decreased mucosal thickness, inflammatory cell infiltrates, and collagen deposition. Additionally, the disturbance of intestinal permeability was associated with immune activation in liver tissue and the development of AIH, as indicated by altered liver function, elevated ASMA and ANA in serum, and histological markers of autoimmune hepatitis. These results indicate that NSAID-induced intestinal dysbiosis and AIH are robust triggers for ASD existence. These findings were further confirmed by conducting a clinical study that involved children with ASD, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and a history of NSAID intake. Children exposed to NSAIDs in early life and complicated by dysbiosis and AIH exhibited elevated serum levels of NLRP3, IL18, liver enzymes, ASMA, ANA, JAK1, and IL6. Further, the correlation analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between the measured parameters and the severity of ASD. Our findings suggest a potential link between NSAIDs, dysbiosis-induced AIH, and the development of ASD. The identified markers hold promise as indicators for early diagnosis and prognosis of ASD. This research highlights the importance of maintaining healthy gut microbiota and supports the necessity for further investigation into the role of dysbiosis and AIH in the etiology of ASD.