Effect of octreotide on oxidative stress in the erythrocyte and kidney tissue in adriamycin-induced experimental nephrotic syndrome model / Efeito do octreotide no estresse oxidativo em eritrócitos e no tecido renal no modelo de síndrome nefrótica experimental induzida por adriamicina

Abstract Introduction: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is one of the reasons of end-stage kidney disease, and elucidating the pathogenesis and offer new treatment options is important. Oxidative stress might trigger pathogenesis systemically or isolated in the kidneys. Octreotide (OCT) has beneficial antioxidant effects. We aimed to investigate the source of oxidative stress and the effect of OCT on experimental NS model. Methods: Twenty-four non-uremic Wistar albino rats were divided into 3 groups. Control group, 2 mL saline intramuscular (im); NS group, adriamycin 5 mg/kg intravenous (iv); NS treatment group, adriamycin 5 mg/kg (iv) and OCT 200 mcg/kg (im) were administered at baseline (Day 0). At the end of 21 days, creatinine and protein levels were measured in 24-hour urine samples. Erythrocyte and renal catalase (CAT) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) were measured. Renal histology was also evaluated. Results: There was no significant difference among the 3 groups in terms of CAT and TBARS in erythrocytes. Renal CAT level was lowest in NS group, and significantly lower than the control group. In treatment group, CAT level significantly increased compared with NS group. In terms of renal histology, tubular and interstitial evaluations were similar in all groups. Glomerular score was significantly higher in NS group compared with control group and it was significantly decreased in treatment group compared to NS group. Conclusions: Oxidative stress in NS might be due to the decrease in antioxidant protection mechanism in kidney. Octreotide improves antioxidant levels and histology in renal tissue and might be a treatment option.

Resumo Introdução: Síndrome nefrótica (SN) é uma das causas de doença renal em estágio terminal. É importante elucidar a patogênese e oferecer novas opções de tratamento. Estresse oxidativo pode desencadear a patogênese sistemicamente ou isoladamente nos rins. O octreotide (OCT) tem efeitos antioxidantes benéficos. Nosso objetivo foi investigar a fonte de estresse oxidativo e efeito do OCT no modelo experimental de SN. Métodos: Dividimos 24 ratos albinos Wistar não urêmicos em 3 grupos. Grupo controle, 2 mL de solução salina intramuscular (im); grupo SN, adriamicina 5 mg/kg intravenosa (iv); grupo tratamento SN, adriamicina 5 mg/kg (iv) e OCT 200 mcg/kg (im) foram administrados no início do estudo (Dia 0). Aos 21 dias, mediram-se os níveis de creatinina e proteína em amostras de urina de 24 horas. Mediu-se a catalase (CAT) eritrocitária e renal e a substância reativa ao ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS). Avaliou-se também histologia renal. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa entre os três grupos em termos de CAT e TBARS em eritrócitos. O nível de CAT renal foi menor no grupo SN e significativamente menor que no grupo controle. No grupo tratamento, o nível de CAT aumentou significativamente em comparação com o grupo SN. Quanto à histologia renal, as avaliações tubular e intersticial foram semelhantes em todos os grupos. O escore glomerular foi significativamente maior no grupo SN em comparação com o grupo controle e diminuiu significativamente no grupo de tratamento em comparação com o grupo SN. Conclusões: Estresse oxidativo na SN pode ser devido à diminuição do mecanismo de proteção antioxidante nos rins. O octreotide melhora níveis de antioxidantes e histologia do tecido renal e pode ser uma opção de tratamento.

Down-regulation of XBP1s alleviates the senescence of renal tubular epithelial cells induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation through Sirt3/SOD2/mtROS signaling pathway / 器官移植

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s) in the senescence of primary renal tubular epithelial cells induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Methods Primary renal tubular epithelial cells were divided into the normal control group (NC group), H/R group, empty adenovirus negative control group (Ad-shNC group), targeted silencing XBP1s adenovirus group (Ad-shXBP1s group), empty adenovirus+H/R treatment group (Ad-shNC+H/R group) and targeted silencing XBP1s adenovirus+H/R treatment group (Ad-shXBP1s +H/R group), respectively. The expression levels of XBP1s in the NC, H/R, Ad-shNC and Ad-shXBP1s groups were measured. The number of cells stained with β-galactosidase, the expression levels of cell aging markers including p53, p21 and γH2AX, and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in the Ad-shNC, Ad-shNC+H/R and Ad-shXBP1s+H/R groups. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was employed to verify Sirtuin 3 (Sirt3) of XBP1s transcription regulation, and the expression levels of Sirt3 and downstream SOD2 after down-regulation of XBP1s were detected. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) were detected by flow cytometry. Results Compared with the NC group, the expression level of XBP1s was up-regulated in the H/R group. Compared with the Ad-shNC group, the expression level of XBP1s was down-regulated in the Ad-shXBP1s group (both P<0.001). Compared with the Ad-shNC group, the number of cells stained with β-galactosidase was increased, the expression levels of p53, p21 and γH2AX were up-regulated, the levels of ROS, MDA and mtROS were increased, the SOD activity was decreased, the expression level of Sirt3 was down-regulated, and the ratio of Ac-SOD2/SOD2 was increased in the Ad-shNC+H/R group. Compared with the Ad-shNC+H/R group, the number of cells stained with β-galactosidase was decreased, the expression levels of p53, p21 and γH2AX were down-regulated, the levels of ROS, MDA and mtROS were decreased, the SOD activity was increased, the expression level of Sirt3 was up-regulated and the ratio of Ac-SOD2/SOD2 was decreased in the Ad-shXBP1s+H/R group (all P<0.05). Conclusions Down-regulation of XBP1s may ameliorate the senescence of primary renal tubular epithelial cells induced by H/R, which probably plays a role through the Sirt3/SOD2/mtROS signaling pathway.

Research progress on association between macrophages and ischemia-reperfusion injury / 器官移植

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an extremely complicated pathophysiological process, which may occur during the process of myocardial infarction, stroke, organ transplantation and temporary interruption of blood flow during surgery, etc. As key molecules of immune system, macrophages play a vital role in the pathogenesis of IRI. M1 macrophages are pro-inflammatory cells and participate in the elimination of pathogens. M2 macrophages exert anti-inflammatory effect and participate in tissue repair and remodeling and extracellular matrix remodeling. The balance between macrophage phenotypes is of significance for the outcome and treatment of IRI. This article reviewed the role of macrophages in IRI, including the balance between M1/M2 macrophage phenotype, the mechanism of infiltration and recruitment into different ischemic tissues. In addition, the potential therapeutic strategies of targeting macrophages during IRI were also discussed, aiming to provide reference for alleviating IRI and promoting tissue repair.

Buzhong Yiqitang Regulates Apoptosis via Nrf2/ROS Pathway to Alleviate Cisplatin Resistance in A549/DDP Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Buzhong Yiqitang-containing serum in alleviating the cisplatin resistance in human non-small cell lung cancer （A549/DDP） cells via regulating the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/reactive oxygen species （ROS） signaling pathway. MethodThe serum containing Buzhong Yiqitang was prepared and A549/DDP cells were cultured and randomly grouped： blank （10% blank serum）， cisplatin （10% blank serum+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）， Buzhong Yiqitang （10% Buzhong Yiqitang-containing serum+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）， ML385 （10% blank serum+5 μmol·L-1 ML385+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）， Buzhong Yiqitang+ML385 （10% Buzhong Yiqitang-containing serum+5 μmol·L-1 ML385+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）， tertiary butylhydroquinone （TBHQ） （10% blank serum+5 μmol·L-1 TBHQ+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）， and Buzhong Yiqitang+TBHQ （10% Buzhong Yiqitang-containing serum+5 μmol·L-1 TBHQ+20 mg·L-1 cisplatin）. The median inhibitory concentration （IC50） of cisplatin in each group was determined by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method and the resistance index （RI） was calculated. The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry. The ROS content of each group was determined with the DCFH-DA fluorescence probe. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of Nrf2， cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3 （cleaved Caspase-3）， cytochrome C （Cyt C）， and B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）. ResultCompared with those in the cisplatin group， the IC50 and RI of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin in Buzhong Yiqitang， ML385， and Buzhong Yiqitang+ML385 groups decreased （P˂0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the cisplatin， Buzhong Yiqitang， ML385， and Buzhong Yiqitang+ML385 groups showed increased apoptosis rate of A549/DDP cells （P˂0.05）. Compared with the blank group， cisplatin promoted the expression of Nrf2 （P˂0.05）. Compared with the cisplatin group， Buzhong Yiqitang， ML385， and Buzhong Yiqitang+ML385 inhibited the expression of Nrf2 （P<0.05）， elevated the ROS level （P˂0.05）， up-regulated the protein levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and Cyt C， and down-regulated the protein level of Bcl-2 （P<0.05）， which were the most significant in the Buzhong Yiqitang+ML385 group. Compared with the cisplatin group， the TBHQ group showed increased IC50 and RI of cisplatin （P<0.05）， decreased apoptosis rate of A549/DDP cells （P<0.05）， up-regulated protein levels of Nrf2 and Bcl-2 （P<0.05）， lowered level of ROS （P˂0.05）， and down-regulated protein levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and Cyt C （P<0.05）. Compared with the TBHQ group， Buzhong Yiqitang+TBHQ decreased the IC50 and RI of cisplatin in A549/DDP cells （P<0.05）， increased the apoptosis rate （P<0.05）， down-regulated the protein levels of Nrf2 and Bcl-2 （P<0.05）， increased ROS （P˂0.05）， and up-regulated the protein levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and Cyt C （P<0.05）. ConclusionBuzhong Yiqitang induced apoptosis by inhibiting Nrf2/ROS pathway to alleviate cisplatin resistance in A549/DDP cells.

The potential role of apigenin in the enhancement of the antioxidant adaptation to exercise by bioactive dietary compounds

Oxidative stress (OS) occurs when the antioxidant defense system is overwhelmed by the predominance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-oxidant factors. Several diseases such as hypertension, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by chronic OS. Physical exercise constitutes an affordable tool to prevent or ameliorate these conditions. However, during physical activity, acute ROS are produced inducing an activation in peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-Gamma Coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1α), and nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), PGC-1α/Nrf2 pathway. This signaling pathway facilitates interaction with antioxidant response elements (ARE), thereby initiating an upregulation in the expression of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and mitochondrial biogenesis. In both cases, whether involving healthy animals or individuals engaged in physical exercise, supplementation with antioxidant scavengers leads to a reduction in the expression and activity of PGC-1α, SOD, CAT, and GPX across various tissues, which is not observed with indirect antioxidants. The preventive role of physical exercise against chronic OS is avoided when executed in conjunction with supplementation of scavenger antioxidants. However, similar to exercise, the indirect antioxidant apigenin can activate the PGC1-α/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Here, we summarize evidence supporting apigenin as a non-nutritional supplement that could enhance the adaptive effects of exercise, improving the endogenous antioxidant defense. Therefore, apigenin could be an interesting supplement to enhance the endogenous antioxidant adaptation induced by exercise in healthy subjects, but also to improve the effectiveness of exercise to prevent oxidative stress-associated diseases.

El estrés oxidativo (OS) ocurre cuando el sistema de defensa antioxidante es sobrepasado por el predominio de especies reactivas de oxígeno (ROS) y factores prooxidantes. Varias enfermedades como la hipertensión, la resistencia a la insulina, la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y enfermedades neurodegenerativas se caracterizan por un OS crónico. El ejercicio físico constituye una herramienta asequible para prevenir o mejorar estas enfermedades. Sin embargo, durante la actividad física, se producen ROS agudas que inducen una activación en la vía PGC-1α/Nrf2. Esta vía de señalización facilita la interacción con los elementos de respuesta antioxidante (ARE), iniciando así una regulación que permite la expresión de enzimas antioxidantes, incluidas SOD, CAT, GPX y biogénesis mitocondrial. En ambos casos, ya sea que se trate de animales sanos o de individuos que practican ejercicio físico, la suplementación con antioxidantes "scavengers" conduce a una reducción en la expresión y actividad de PGC-1α, SOD, CAT y GPX en varios tejidos, lo que no se observa con antioxidantes "indirectos". El papel preventivo del ejercicio físico contra el OS crónico se atenúa cuando se realiza en conjunto con la suplementación de antioxidantes "scavengers". Sin embargo, de manera similar al ejercicio, la apigenina es un antioxidante "indirecto" que puede activar la vía de señalización PGC1-α/Nrf2. Aquí, resumimos la evidencia que respalda a apigenina como un suplemento no-nutricional que podría mejorar los efectos adaptativos del ejercicio, mejorando la defensa antioxidante endógena de sujetos sanos que no tienen suficiente tiempo para hacer ejercicio.

Effect of mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations on oxidative stress and feeding behaviour in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats

Objectives: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from mobile phones is known to produce a stress response because of its effect on hypothalamus. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives with increasing usage not only in terms of number of users but also increase in talk time. The present study aimed to study the effect of mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations on oxidative stress and feeding behaviour assessment in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Materials and Methods: Twelve male SD rats of 10–12 weeks old, weighing 180–220 g, were housed and allowed to acclimatise in a room with 12:12 h light-dark cycle with ad libitum amount of food and reverse osmosis (RO) water before the start of the study. Then, rats were divided into control and RF-EMR exposed groups, and everyday feed intake and body weight were measured. At the end of the study period, blood sample was collected through retro orbital puncture for biochemical investigations. Results: The present study showed significant increase in malondialdehyde and serum corticosterone levels and decrease feeding behaviour in rats exposed to RF-EMR in rats exposed to RF-EMR. Conclusion: This study proves that mobile RF-EMR causes oxidative stress and oxidative damage leading to decreased feeding behaviour in SD rats.

Radicales libres y sistema antioxidante

Los radicales libres son compuestos caracterizados por tener un electrón desapareado en su orbital externo, condición que los torna altamente reactivos, es decir, tienen la propiedad de interactuar a través de reacciones controladas por difusión con proteínas, lípidos y ácidos nucleicos. También se les ha designado como especies reactivas de oxígeno (ERO), especies reactivas de nitrógeno (ERN) o especies reactivas de azufre (ERA). En el organismo humano se generan, principalmente, en la cadena transportadora de electrones mitocondrial, donde específicamente participan los complejos respiratorios I y III que tienen la propiedad de reducir al oxígeno y convertirlo en anión superóxido; así mismo, pueden formarse haciendo uso de una gran diversidad de reacciones enzimáticas y no enzimáticas en las que intervienen sustancias que la célula sintetiza o que se ingieren con los alimentos y algunos medicamentos. El ser humano dispone de un sistema antioxidante, que es de naturaleza enzimática y no enzimática, el cual tiene como función proteger al organismo de la acción nociva de los radicales libres; comprende enzimas -como catalasa, superóxido dismutasa, tiorredoxina, etc.- y compuestos no enzimáticos -como glutatión, ferritina, mioglobina, etc.-, pero no son lo suficientemente eficientes para protegerlo, por lo que es necesaria la ingesta de alimentos que contengan en su composición sustancias con propiedades antioxidantes cuya acción protectora dependerá de su reactividad química, así como de su concentración; estos compuestos antioxidantes se encuentran principalmente en las frutas y verduras, habiéndose identificado polifenoles, flavonoides, carotenoides, vitamina C, vitamina E, etc. Un número considerable de evidencias sugiere que la ingesta de sustancias antioxidantes protege al organismo del efecto dañino de los radicales libres, pero cuando prevalece la acción oxidante sobre la antioxidante puede conducirse al estrés oxidativo, condición que está estrechamente vinculada con una gran diversidad de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles como cáncer, diabetes mellitus, obesidad, psoriasis, aterosclerosis, entre otras. Todo ello parece indicar que el término "estado estable redox celular" describe de manera apropiada la constante adaptación a una situación de rápido recambio químico, y sugiere que las sustancias implicadas en este proceso se designen como "especies biológicamente reactivas" en razón de la existencia de compuestos nocivos como el peróxido de hidrógeno, peroxinitrito, etc., que no son propiamente radicales libres, pero ejercen efectos dañinos a las células.

Free radicals are compounds characterized by having an unpaired electron in their outer orbit, a condition that makes them highly reactive, i.e., they interact through diffusion-controlled reactions with proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. They have also been referred to as reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) or reactive sulfur species (RSS). In the human organism, they are mainly produced in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, where respiratory complexes I and III specifically participate and reduce oxygen by converting it into superoxide anion. Likewise, they can be formed through a wide variety of enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions involving substances that are synthesized by cells or are ingested with food and some medicines. Human beings have an antioxidant system which is both enzymatic and non-enzymatic in nature and whose function is to protect the organism from the harmful action of free radicals. This system includes enzymes-such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, thioredoxin, etc.-and non-enzymatic compounds- such as glutathione, ferritin, myoglobin, etc. However, they are not efficient enough to protect it, so it is necessary to eat foods that contain substances with antioxidant properties whose protective action will depend on their chemical reactivity and their concentration. These antioxidant compounds are mainly found in fruits and vegetables, where polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, etc. have been identified. A significant amount of evidence suggests that the intake of antioxidant substances protects the body from the damaging effect of free radicals, but when the oxidative action prevails over the antioxidant action, it can lead to oxidative stress, a condition that is closely linked to a wide variety of chronic non-communicable diseases including cancer, diabetes mellitus, obesity, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, among others. All this seems to indicate that the term "cellular redox steady state" more appropriately describes the constant adaptation to a situation of rapid chemical turnover and suggests that the substances involved in this process be designated as "biologically reactive species" due to the existence of harmful compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, etc., which are not-strictly speaking-free radicals but have toxic effects on cells.

Research advances in the cascade interaction between reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species and the NF-κB signaling pathway in liver fibrosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Liver fibrosis is a compensatory response in the process of tissue repair after chronic liver injury, and it is also a necessary pathological process in the progression of a variety of chronic liver diseases. In the pathological state, the imbalance between hepatic oxidative system and antioxidant system can lead to the excessive production or insufficient clearance of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which may induce the injury of hepatocytes, expand inflammatory response, and promote the development and progression of liver fibrosis. As a master regulator of oxidative stress and inflammatory response, NF-κB plays a key role in the process of liver fibrosis. Therefore, the cascade interaction between ROS/RNS and the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a guiding role in further clarifying the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and exploring effective prevention and treatment strategies. This article reviews and discusses the interaction between ROS/RNS and the NF-κB signaling pathway and its important role in the progression of liver fibrosis, so as to provide strategies and references for targeted therapy for liver fibrosis.

The bactericidal mechanisms of carbon monoxide and the feasibility of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules as anti-infective drugs / 药学学报

The bactericidal mechanism of carbon monoxide (CO) and the feasibility of CO-releasing molecules as anti-infective drugs were summarized by consulting scientific literature, combined with our own research work. Anaerobic bacteria are usually tolerant to high concentration of CO, and some can even grow with CO as sole carbon or energy source, but most pathogenic bacteria are sensitive to CO. In view of the difficulty of gaseous CO in controlling the applying dose and the action site, CO release molecules were synthesized. CO release molecules not only have higher bactericidal activities against common pathogenic bacteria than gaseous CO, but also have the ability to kill antibiotics-resistant bacteria and destroy their biofilms. CO mainly binds with heme-Fe2+ in cells, interrupting the electron transfer of respiration chains, which would result in the generation of reactive oxygen species. CO can also disturb intracellular ion balance, which further triggers free radical reactions. Due to its diverse acting targets, uneasy to induce drug resistance, and synergistic effect with other antibiotics, CO is expected to be the next generation of anti-infection drugs.

Biological Mechanism of Drought Improving Quality of Rhizoma Atractylodis Chinensis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the biological mechanism of drought improving the quality of Rhizoma Atractylodis Chinensis and establish a new method for the production of high-quality medicinal materials. MethodThe fresh roots of Atractylodes chinensis were soaked in 0 （control）， 5%， 10%， and 20% PEG-6000 solutions. The changes in reactive oxygen species （ROS） level， antioxidant enzyme activity， activities of key enzymes in primary metabolism and secondary metabolism， and content of secondary metabolites were compared. ResultCompared with the control group， the treatment with 20% PEG for 2 days elevated the levels of superoxide anion radicals （O2-·）， hydrogen peroxide （H2O2）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） by 172.5%， 56.9%， and 14.7%， respectively. The treatment did not change the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， reduced the peroxidase （POD） activity， and increased the catalase （CAT） activity by 10.8%. It increased the activities of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase （HMGR）， phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC）， and acetyl-CoA carboxylase （ACC） by 49.9%， 12.1%， and 19.0%， respectively. Furthermore， the content of atractylodin， β-eudesmol， atractylone， and atractylenolide Ⅱ was increased by 51.0%， 36.9%， 47.1%， and 91.5%， respectively. The simulated drought stress can cause the burst of ROS in the fresh roots of A. chinensis， induce the physiological state of plants under drought， change the antioxidant system， and promote the massive synthesis of secondary metabolites in a short time. ConclusionPEG-6000-simulated drought stress can greatly improve the quality of A. chinensis in cultivation.

Effect and Mechanism of Nongsuo Dangguiwan in Relieving Oxidative Stress in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Rats Based on Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Nongsuo Dangguiwan in improving ovarian oxidative stress in rats with ovarian dysfunction. MethodThirty-six adult female SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， positive drug group （Femoston， 0.3 mg·kg-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose groups of concentrated Nongsuo Dangguiwan （2.08， 4.16， 8.32 g·kg-1）， with six rats in each group. Rats， except for those in the normal group， were injected with 80 mg·kg-1 vinyl cyclohexene dioxide （VCD） per day for 14 consecutive days to induce ovarian dysfunction. From the 15th day， rats were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage， while those in the model group received 2 mL·kg-1 saline， once daily for 28 consecutive days. The ovarian index， levels of related hormones including estradiol （E2）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， and anti-mullerian hormone （AMH） in serum， as well as superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity and glutathione （GSH） content in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The malondialdehyde （MDA） content in serum was detected by the thiobarbituric acid （TAB） method. Ovarian morphology was observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， heme oxygenase-1 （HO-1）， SOD2， and SOD1 in ovarian tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry （IHC） and Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant reduction in growing follicles in the ovary， loose arrangement of granulosa cells in the follicle， decreased body weight， ovarian index， and serum AMH and E2 levels， increased LH and FSH levels （P<0.01）， reduced levels of SOD and GSH in serum （P<0.01）， and increased MDA level （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the groups with drug intervention showed increased ovarian index （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased serum E2 level （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased FSH， AMH， and LH levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased number of growing follicles in the ovary， potentiated SOD activity in serum， increased GSH content， decreased MDA content （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulated expression levels of Nrf2， HO-1， SOD2， and SOD1 proteins in ovarian tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionNongsuo Dangguiwan can regulate serum hormone levels， increase the expression of Nrf2， HO-1， SOD2， and SOD1 in ovarian tissues， and improve ovarian antioxidant capacity to resist oxidative stress injury， thereby improving ovarian reserve function.

Research progress on the role of superoxide dismutase in diabetic retinopathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is the main cause of visual impairment and blindness in working-age people, which is the most common microvascular disease among diabetes complications.Hyperglycemia state can result in the aggravation of oxidative stress, release a large number of reactive oxygen species(ROS), and cause damage to protein, DNA or RNA in tissues and cells, thus causing cell death. Oxidative stress is considered as one of the important factors for the occurrence and development of DR. Antioxidant defense system is the key component of maintaining redox homeostasis. Superoxide dismutase(SOD)is a major antioxidant enzyme, which maintains the first line of defense in the antioxidant enzyme library. There are three kinds of SOD isozymes in mammals, which mainly protect cells from superoxide damage by accelerating the mutation reaction of SOD. It may delay the occurrence and development of DR by regulating the level of antioxidant enzyme SOD. Currently, the pathogenesis of DR remains unclear. In this paper, the protective effect of antioxidant enzyme SOD on pericytes and ganglion cells in DR was reviewed.

ROS-removing nano-medicine for navigating inflammatory microenvironment to enhance anti-epileptic therapy

As a neurological disorder in the brain, epilepsy is not only associated with abnormal synchronized discharging of neurons, but also inseparable from non-neuronal elements in the altered microenvironment. Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) merely focusing on neuronal circuits frequently turn out deficient, which is necessitating comprehensive strategies of medications to cover over-exciting neurons, activated glial cells, oxidative stress and chronic inflammation synchronously. Therefore, we would report the design of a polymeric micelle drug delivery system that was functioned with brain targeting and cerebral microenvironment modulation. In brief, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive phenylboronic ester was conjugated with poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) to form amphiphilic copolymers. Additionally, dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA), an analogue of glucose, was applied to target glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and facilitate micelle penetration across the blood‒brain barrier (BBB). A classic hydrophobic AED, lamotrigine (LTG), was encapsulated in the micelles via self-assembly. When administrated and transferred across the BBB, ROS-scavenging polymers were expected to integrate anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and neuro-electric modulation into one strategy. Moreover, micelles would alter LTG distribution in vivo with improved efficacy. Overall, the combined anti-epileptic therapy might provide effective opinions on how to maximize neuroprotection during early epileptogenesis.

A metabolic intervention strategy to break evolutionary adaptability of tumor for reinforced immunotherapy

The typical hallmark of tumor evolution is metabolic dysregulation. In addition to secreting immunoregulatory metabolites, tumor cells and various immune cells display different metabolic pathways and plasticity. Harnessing the metabolic differences to reduce the tumor and immunosuppressive cells while enhancing the activity of positive immunoregulatory cells is a promising strategy. We develop a nanoplatform (CLCeMOF) based on cerium metal-organic framework (CeMOF) by lactate oxidase (LOX) modification and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839) loading. The cascade catalytic reactions induced by CLCeMOF generate reactive oxygen species "storm" to elicit immune responses. Meanwhile, LOX-mediated metabolite lactate exhaustion relieves the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, preparing the ground for intracellular regulation. Most noticeably, the immunometabolic checkpoint blockade therapy, as a result of glutamine antagonism, is exploited for overall cell mobilization. It is found that CLCeMOF inhibited glutamine metabolism-dependent cells (tumor cells, immunosuppressive cells, etc.), increased infiltration of dendritic cells, and especially reprogrammed CD8+ T lymphocytes with considerable metabolic flexibility toward a highly activated, long-lived, and memory-like phenotype. Such an idea intervenes both metabolite (lactate) and cellular metabolic pathway, which essentially alters overall cell fates toward the desired situation. Collectively, the metabolic intervention strategy is bound to break the evolutionary adaptability of tumors for reinforced immunotherapy.

Vitisin B inhibits influenza A virus replication by multi-targeting neuraminidase and virus-induced oxidative stress

The development of drug-resistant influenza and new pathogenic virus strains underscores the need for antiviral therapeutics. Currently, neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors are commonly used antiviral drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention and treatment of influenza. Here, we show that vitisin B (VB) inhibits NA activity and suppresses H1N1 viral replication in MDCK and A549 cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which frequently occur during viral infection, increase virus replication by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway, downmodulating glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) expression, and decreasing the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant response activity. VB decreased virus-induced ROS generation by increasing G6PD expression and Nrf2 activity, and inhibiting NF-κB translocation to the nucleus through IKK dephosphorylation. In addition, VB reduced body weight loss, increased survival, decreased viral replication and the inflammatory response in the lungs of influenza A virus (IAV)-infected mice. Taken together, our results indicate that VB is a promising therapeutic candidate against IAV infection, complements existing drug limitations targeting viral NA. It modulated the intracellular ROS by G6PD, Nrf2 antioxidant response pathway, and NF-κB signaling pathway. These results demonstrate the feasibility of a multi-targeting drug strategy, providing new approaches for drug discovery against IAV infection.

Pathologically triggered in situ aggregation of nanoparticles for inflammation-targeting amplification and therapeutic potentiation

Uncontrolled and persistent inflammation is closely related to numerous acute and chronic diseases. However, effective targeting delivery systems remain to be developed for precision therapy of inflammatory diseases. Herein we report a novel strategy for engineering inflammation-accumulation nanoparticles via phenolic functionalization. Different phenol-functionalized nanoparticles were first developed, which can undergo in situ aggregation upon triggering by the inflammatory/oxidative microenvironment. Phenolic compound-decorated poly (lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles, in particular tyramine (Tyr)-coated nanoparticles, showed significantly enhanced accumulation at inflammatory sites in mouse models of colitis, acute liver injury, and acute lung injury, mainly resulting from in situ cross-linking and tissue anchoring of nanoparticles triggered by local myeloperoxidase and reactive oxygen species. By combining a cyclodextrin-derived bioactive material with Tyr decoration, a multifunctional nanotherapy (TTN) was further developed, which displayed enhanced cellular uptake, anti-inflammatory activities, and inflammatory tissue accumulation, thereby affording amplified therapeutic effects in mice with colitis or acute liver injury. Moreover, TTN can serve as a bioactive and inflammation-targeting nanoplatform for site-specifically delivering a therapeutic peptide to the inflamed colon post oral administration, leading to considerably potentiated in vivo efficacies. Preliminary studies also revealed good safety of orally delivered TTN. Consequently, Tyr-based functionalization is promising for inflammation targeting amplification and therapeutic potentiation of nanotherapies.

A neutrophil-biomimic platform for eradicating metastatic breast cancer stem-like cells by redox microenvironment modulation and hypoxia-triggered differentiation therapy

Metastasis accounts for 90% of breast cancer deaths, where the lethality could be attributed to the poor drug accumulation at the metastatic loci. The tolerance to chemotherapy induced by breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and their particular redox microenvironment further aggravate the therapeutic dilemma. To be specific, therapy-resistant BCSCs can differentiate into heterogeneous tumor cells constantly, and simultaneously dynamic maintenance of redox homeostasis promote tumor cells to retro-differentiate into stem-like state in response to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Herein, we develop a specifically-designed biomimic platform employing neutrophil membrane as shell to inherit a neutrophil-like tumor-targeting capability, and anchored chemotherapeutic and BCSCs-differentiating reagents with nitroimidazole (NI) to yield two hypoxia-responsive prodrugs, which could be encapsulated into a polymeric nitroimidazole core. The platform can actively target the lung metastasis sites of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), and release the escorted drugs upon being triggered by the hypoxia microenvironment. During the responsiveness, the differentiating agent could promote transferring BCSCs into non-BCSCs, and simultaneously the nitroimidazole moieties conjugated on the polymer and prodrugs could modulate the tumor microenvironment by depleting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH) and amplifying intracellular oxidative stress to prevent tumor cells retro-differentiation into BCSCs. In combination, the BCSCs differentiation and tumor microenvironment modulation synergistically could enhance the chemotherapeutic cytotoxicity, and remarkably suppress tumor growth and lung metastasis. Hopefully, this work can provide a new insight in to comprehensively treat TNBC and lung metastasis using a versatile platform.

AAZ2 induces mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis by targeting PDK1 in gastric cancer / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Drastic surges in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce cell apoptosis, while most chemotherapy drugs lead to the accumulation of ROS. Here, we constructed an organic compound, arsenical N-‍(4-(1,3,2-dithiarsinan-2-yl)phenyl)acrylamide (AAZ2), which could prompt the ROS to trigger mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in gastric cancer (GC). Mechanistically, by targeting pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1), AAZ2 caused metabolism alteration and the imbalance of redox homeostasis, followed by the inhibition of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and leading to the activation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)/Bcl2-associated X (Bax)/caspase-9 (Cas9)/Cas3 cascades. Importantly, our in vivo data demonstrated that AAZ2 could inhibit the growth of GC xenograft. Overall, our data suggested that AAZ2 could contribute to metabolic abnormalities, leading to mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis by targeting PDK1 in GC.

Hypoxia-induced ROS aggravate tumor progression through HIF-1α-SERPINE1 signaling in glioblastoma / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Hypoxia, as an important hallmark of the tumor microenvironment, is a major cause of oxidative stress and plays a central role in various malignant tumors, including glioblastoma. Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a hypoxic microenvironment promote glioblastoma progression; however, the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Herein, we found that hypoxia promoted ROS production, and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioblastoma cells, while this promotion was restrained by ROS scavengers N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). Hypoxia-induced ROS activated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) signaling, which enhanced cell migration and invasion by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, the induction of serine protease inhibitor family E member 1 (SERPINE1) was ROS-dependent under hypoxia, and HIF-1α mediated SERPINE1 increase induced by ROS via binding to the SERPINE1 promoter region, thereby facilitating glioblastoma migration and invasion. Taken together, our data revealed that hypoxia-induced ROS reinforce the hypoxic adaptation of glioblastoma by driving the HIF-1α-SERPINE1 signaling pathway, and that targeting ROS may be a promising therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma.

MiR -18a -5p aggravates homocysteine -induced myocardial injury via autophagy / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Hyperhomocysteinaemia (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. MicroRNA (miR)-18a-5p is closely related to cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate the effects of miR-18a-5p on homocysteine (Hcy)-induced myocardial cells injury.@*METHODS@#H9c2 cells were transfected with miR-18a-5p mimic/miR-18a-5p mimic negative control (NC) or combined with Hcy for intervention, and untreated cells were set as a control group. The transfection efficiency was verified by real-time RT-PCR, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to determine cell viability. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Western blotting was performed to measure the protein levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-I, LC3-II, Beclin1, p62, Bax, Bcl-2, and Notch2. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the interaction of miR-18a-5p with Notch2.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control, treatment with Hcy or transfection with miR-18a-5p mimic alone, or combined treatment with Hcy and miR-18a-5p mimic/miR-18a-5p mimic NC significantly reduced the H9c2 cell viability, promoted apoptosis and ROS production, up-regulated the expressions of Bax and Beclin, down-regulated the expressions of Bcl-2, p62, and Notch2, and increased the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I (all P<0.05). Compared with the combined intervention of miR-18a-5p mimic NC and Hcy group, the above indexes were more significantly changed in the combined intervention of miR-18a-5p mimic and Hcy group, and the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (all P<0.05). There is a targeted binding between Notch2 and miR-18a-5p.@*CONCLUSIONS@#MiR-18a-5p could induce autophagy and apoptosis via increasing ROS production in cardiomyocytes, and aggravate Hcy-induced myocardial injury. Notch2 is a target of miR-18a-5p.