Alpha-lipoic Acid Protects Against Chronic Alcohol Consumption-induced Cardiac Damage by the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2-associated PINK/Parkin Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Chronic alcohol intake contributes to high mortality rates due to ethanol-induced cardiac hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction, which are accompanied by increased oxidative stress and disrupted mitophagy. Alpha-lipoic acid (α-LA), a well-known antioxidant, has been shown to protect against cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation. However, little is known about its role and mechanism in the treatment of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Here, we evaluated the role of α-LA in alcohol-induced cardiac damage by feeding mice a 4.8% (v/v) alcohol diet with or without α-LA for 6 w. Our results suggested that chronic alcohol consumption increased mortality, blood alcohol concentrations, and serum aldehyde levels, but a-LA attenuated the elevations in mortality and aldehydes. Chronic alcohol intake also induced cardiac dysfunction, including enlarged left ventricles, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, enhanced cardiomyocyte size, and increased serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase myocardial isoenzyme. Moreover, alcohol intake led to the accumulation of collagen fiber and mitochondrial dysfunction, the effects of which were alleviated by α-LA. In addition, α-LA intake also prevented the increase in reactive oxygen species production and the decrease in mitochondrial number that were observed after alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol exposure activated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. These effects were diminished by α-LA intake by the activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2. Our data indicated that α-LA helps protect cardiac cells against the effects of chronic alcohol intake, likely by inhibiting PINK1/Parkin-related mitophagy through the activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2.

Effects of coconut water on blood sugar and retina of rats with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of coconut water on the general condition (fasting blood sugar and body weight) and retina of diabetic rats. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into normal controls (NC), diabetes mellitus (DM), diabetes+coconut water (DM+CW), and diabetes+glibenclamide (DM+Gli) groups. After 4 weeks of normal feeding, coconut water was given to group III-DM+CW and 0.6 mg/kg glibenclamide to group IV-DM+Gli. The blood sugar, body weight, total retinal thickness, pathological changes, and VEGF expression in the retina were analyzed at different time points. RESULTS: The fasting blood sugar was 4-6 mmol/L in group I-NC and continuously increased in group II-DM, whereas gradually decreased after the 4th experiment week in the remaining two groups. The rats, except in group I-NC, have lost weight. In group II-DM, the total retinal thickness was significantly increased after the 8th and 12th experiment week, and the pathological changes in retina were observed. VEGF was almost fully expressed in the ganglion cell layer and inner granular layer and partially expressed in the outer granular layer in group II-DM, and mainly expressed in the ganglion cell layer and inner layer in group I-NC, with a lighter color. Group III-DM + CW and group IV-DM + Gli demonstrated similar VEGF expression as in group I-NC. CONCLUSIONS: Coconut water has the potential to reduce blood sugar and diabetic retinal damage, serving as a candidate drug or nutrient for treating diabetes and its complications.

Hypertensive Retinopathy Secondary to Anlotinib Treatment.

PURPOSE: We report a case of a middle-aged woman who developed hypertensive retinopathy following oral administration of Anlotinib. OBSERVATIONS: A 48-year-old woman presented to our hospital with sudden painless loss of vision in both eyes combined with headache, nausea, and vomiting following oral administration of Anlotinib. This drug is often used to control cancer progression. Due to the deterioration of her blood pressure, which reached 167/113 mm Hg, Anlotinib was discontinued and the blood pressure was controlled by hypertension medications. This normalized her blood pressure, alleviated headache, and restored her vision. She visited our eye department 37 days later for eye check-up. The best-corrected visual acuities was 0.3 in the right eye and 0.4 in the left eye. The fundus examinations revealed a clear boundary of the optic papilla with significant stellate exudation in the macular area. The posterior pole of the retina displayed high hemorrhage, with a cotton-wool spot appearance. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed atrophy in the outer segment of macular area, and hard exudations in retinal layers. Based on these findings, hypertensive retinopathy was diagnosed, as a secondary complication of Anlotinib. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Anlotinib can induce hypertensive retinopathy. Patients receiving this drug should be closely monitored for potential complications.

A cyclometalating organic ligand with an Iridium center toward dramatically improved photovoltaic performance in organic solar cells.

Organometallic compounds as photoactive materials are relatively new in organic solar cells. Upon cyclometalation, the octahedral heteroleptic Ir complex TBzIr exhibits significantly enhanced optical-absorption and improved film-morphology compared to the planar organic 2-(5''-hexyl-[2,2':5',2''-terthiophen]-5-yl)benzo[d]thiazole (TBz) ligand. Thus, a dramatically improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) from ∼0 to 3.81% is attained when combined with PC71BM.