Salvianolic acid A improve mitochondrial respiration and cardiac function via inhibiting apoptosis pathway through CRYAB in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Salvianolic acid A (SAA) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has a good therapeutic effect on cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanisms by which SAA improves mitochondrial respiration and cardiac function in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) remain unknown. This study aims to elucidate whether SAA had any cardiovascular protection on the pathophysiology of DCM and explored the potential mechanisms. Diabetes was induced in rats by 30 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) treatment. After a week of stability, 5 mg/kg isoprenaline (ISO) was injected into the rats subcutaneously. 3 mg/kg SAA was orally administered for six weeks and 150 mg/kg Metformin was selected as a positive group. At the end of this period, cardiac function was assessed by ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and relevant cardiac injury biomarkers testing. Treatment with SAA improved cardiac function, glucose, and lipid levels, mitochondrial respiration, and suppressed myocardial inflammation and apoptosis. Furthermore, SAA treatment inhibits the apoptosis pathway through CRYAB in diabetic cardiomyopathy rats. As a result, this study not only provides new insights into the mechanism of SAA against DCM but also provides new therapeutic ideas for the discovery of anti-DCM compounds in the clinic.

Dan-Shen-Yin Granules Prevent Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension via STAT3/HIF-1α/VEGF and FAK/AKT Signaling Pathways.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the treatment of complex diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. However, it is hard to identify their modes of action on account of their multiple components. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of Dan-Shen-Yin (DSY) granules on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH), and then to decipher the molecular mechanisms of DSY. Systematic pharmacology was employed to identify the targets of DSY on HPH. Furthermore, core genes were identified by constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes (KEGG) analysis. Related genes and pathways were verified using a hypoxia-induced mouse model and hypoxia-treated pulmonary artery cells. Based on network pharmacology, 147 potential targets of DSY on HPH were found, constructing a PPI network, and 13 hub genes were predicted. The results showed that the effect of DSY may be closely associated with AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and HIF-1 signaling pathways, as well as biological processes such as cell proliferation. Consistent with network pharmacology analysis, experiments in vivo demonstrated that DSY could prevent the development of HPH in a hypoxia-induced mouse model and alleviate pulmonary vascular remodeling. In addition, inhibition of STAT3/HIF-1α/VEGF and FAK/AKT signaling pathways might serve as mechanisms. Taken together, the network pharmacology analysis suggested that DSY exhibited therapeutic effects through multiple targets in the treatment of HPH. The inferences were initially confirmed by subsequent in vivo and in vitro studies. This study provides a novel perspective for studying the relevance of TCM and disease processes and illustrates the advantage of this approach and the multitargeted anti-HPH effect of DSY.

Aesculin suppresses the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis via the Akt/GSK3ß/NF-κB pathway to mitigate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Aesculin (AES), an effective component of Cortex fraxini, is a hydroxycoumarin glucoside that has diverse biological properties. The nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been heavily interwoven with the development of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether AES makes a difference to the changes of the NLRP3 inflammasome in MIRI. PURPOSE: We used rats that were subjected to MIRI and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) that underwent oxygen-glucose deprivation/restoration (OGD/R) process to investigate what impacts AES exerts on MIRI and the NLRP3 inflammasome activation. METHODS: The establishment of MIRI model in rats was conducted using the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 0.5 h ischemia and then untying the knot for 4 h of reperfusion. After reperfusion, AES were administered intraperitoneally using 10 and 30 mg/kg doses. We evaluated the development of reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias, hemodynamic changes, infarct size, and the biomarkers in myocardial injury. The inflammatory mediators and pyroptosis were also assessed. AES at the concentrations of 1, 3, and 10 µM were imposed on the NRCMs immediately before the restoration process. We also determined the cell viability and cell death in the NRCMs exposed to OGD/R insult. Furthermore, we also analyzed the levels of proteins that affect the NLRP3 inflammasome activation, pyroptosis, and the AKT serine/threonine kinase (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3ß)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway via western blotting. RESULTS: We found that AES notably attenuated reperfusion arrhythmias and myocardia damage, improved the hemodynamic function, and ameliorated the inflammatory response and pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes in rats and NRCMs. Additionally, AES reduced the NLRP3 inflammasome activation in rats and NRCMs. AES also enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3ß, while suppressing the phosphorylation of NF-κB. Moreover, the allosteric Akt inhibitor, MK-2206, abolished the AES-mediated cardioprotection and the NLRP3 inflammasome suppression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that AES effectively protected cardiomyocytes against MIRI by suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis, which may relate to the upregulated Akt activation and disruption of the GSK3ß/NF-κB pathway.

Inhibitory effects of Brazilin on the vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration induced by PDGF-BB.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration contribute to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases including atherosclerosis and restenosis. Brazilin isolated from the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L. has been reported to exhibit various biological activities, such as anti-platelet aggregation, anti-inflammation, vasorelaxation and pro-apoptosis. However, the functional effects of Brazilin on VSMCs remain unexplored. The present study investigated the potential effects of Brazilin on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induced VSMC proliferation and migration as well as the underlying mechanism of action. VSMC proliferation and migration were measured by Crystal Violet Staining, wound-healing and Boyden chamber assays, respectively. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Enzymatic action of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was carried out by gelatin zymography. Expression of adhesion molecules, cell cycle regulatory proteins, the phosphorylated levels of PDGF receptor ß (PDGF-Rß), Src, extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt were tested by immunoblotting. The present study demonstrated that pretreatment with Brazilin dose-dependently inhibited PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC proliferation and migration, which were associated with a cell-cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, a reduction in the adhesion molecule expression and MMP-9 activation in VSMCs. Furthermore, the increase in PDGF-Rß, Src, ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation induced by PDGF-BB were suppressed by Brazilin. These findings indicate that Brazilin inhibits PDGF-BB induced VSMC proliferation and migration, and the inhibitory effects of Brazilin may be associated with the blockade of PDGF-Rß - ERK1/2 and Akt signaling pathways. In conclusion, the present study implicates that Brazilin may be useful as an anti-proliferative agent for the treatment of vascular diseases.

[Flavonoids from Humulus lupulus].

Nine compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatographic techniques including macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative reversed-phase HPLC. Their structures were elucidated as taxifolin (1), naringenin (2), chalconaringenin (3), acacetin (4), quercetin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (5), 6-prenylnaringenin (6) xanthohumol (7), desmethylxanthohumol (8), xanthohumol B (9) on the basis of MS and NMR spectroscopic data analysis. Compounds 1-5 were isolated from Humulus lupulus for the first time.

Pinocembrin protects rats against cerebral ischemic damage through soluble epoxide hydrolase and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between cerebroprotection of pinocembrin and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and their regulating enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). METHODS: Rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to mimic permanent focal ischemia, and pinocembrin was administrated via tail vein injection at 10 min, 4 h, 8 h and 23 h after MCAO. After 24 MCAO, rats were re-anesthetized, and the blood and brain were harvested and analyzed. RESULTS: Pinocembrin displayed significant protective effects on MCAO rats indicated by reduced neurological deficits and infarct volume. Importantly, co-administration of 0.2 mg·kg(-1) 14, 15-EEZE, a putative selective EET antagonist, weakened the beneficial effects of pinocembrin. 14, 15-EET levels in the blood and brain of rats after 24 h MCAO were elevated in the presence of pinocembrin. In an assay for hydrolase activity, pinocembrin significantly lowered brain sEH activity of MCAO rats and inhibited recombinant human sEH activity in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50, 2.58 µmol·L(-1)). In addition, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis showed that pinocembrin at doses of 10 mg·kg(-1) and 30 mg·kg(-1) significantly down-regulated sEH protein in rat brain, especially the hippocampus CA1 region of MCAO rats. CONCLUSION: Inhibiting sEH and then increasing the potency of EETs may be one of the mechanisms through which pinocembrin provides cerebral protection.

Coptisine exert cardioprotective effect through anti-oxidative and inhibition of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway on isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Because myocardial infarction is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, protecting the heart from the ischemia is the focus of intense research. Coptisine is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted form Coptidis Rhizoma. This study aims to elucidate if coptisine is responsible for cardioprotection using myocardial infarction (MI) rat models and investigate its potential mechanism of action. METHODS: Myocardial infarction was produced in rats with 85 mgkg(-1) isoproterenol administered subcutaneously twice at an interval of 24 h. The rats were randomized into 7 groups: (I) Normal; (II) ISO; (III) ISO+fasudil; (IV) ISO+isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) and (V-VII) ISO+coptisine (25, 50 and 100 mgkg(-1)). Cardiac function and markers of cardiac ischemic were assessed after MI. RESULTS: Rats pretreated with coptisine (25, 50 and 100 mgkg(-1)) for 21 days and received subcutaneously injected with ISO (85 mgkg(-1)) on the 20th and 21st day at an interval of 24 h. The results suggested that coptisine has strong antioxidant activity, and it can maintain cell membrane integrity, ameliorate mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction, reduce myocardial cells apoptosis, inhibit RhoA/ROCK expression induced by high-dose isoproterenol administration. CONCLUSIONS: Coptisine provided cardioprotection in a model of myocardial infarction, and therefore should be considered as a novel adjunctive therapy for attenuating myocardial damage.

[High-throughput screening of human soluble protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors].

To screen potential human soluble protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors, a high-throughput screening (HTS) model in 384-well microplate with total volume of 50 microL was established. Recombinant PTP1B was cloned and expressed in E. coli. with its specific substrate 4-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium salt hexahydrate (PNPP). The HTS model was based on enzyme reaction rate with enhanced sensitivity and specificity (Z' = 0.78). A total of 24,240 samples were screened, among them 80 samples with inhibition greater than 70% were selected for further rescreening. Finally, six compounds with high inhibitory activity were identified, whose IC50 values were 21.58, 18.39, 15.37, 11.92, 37.27, and 36.61 microg x mL(-1), separately. The results indicated that the method was stable, sensitive, reproducible and also suitable for high-throughput screening.

[High-throughput screening of human soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors].

To screen potential human soluble epoxide hydrolase (hsEH) inhibitors, a high-throughput screening model in 384-well microplate with total volume of 50 microL was established. Recombinant hsEH was cloned and expressed in E. coli. and its specific substrate PHOME was synthesized. The HTS model was based on fluorescence analysis with enhanced sensitivity and specificity (Z' = 0.65). A total of 47 360 samples (including 25 040 compounds and 22 320 natural products) were screened, of which 950 samples with inhibition greater than 80% were selected for further rescreening. Finally, two compounds with high inhibitory activity were identified, whose IC50 value were 8.56 and 4.31 micromol x L(-1), separately. The results indicated that the method was stable, sensitive, reproducible and also suitable for high-throughput screening.

Cardioprotective effect of salvianolic acid A on isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats.

The present study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective potential of salvianolic acid A on isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. Hemodynamic parameters and lead II electrocardiograph were monitored and recorded continuously. Cardiac marker enzymes and antioxidative parameters in serum and heart tissues were measured. Assay for mitochondrial respiratory function and histopathological examination of heart tissues were performed. Isoproterenol-treated rats showed significant increases in the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase and malondialdehyde and significant decreases in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in serum and heart. These rats also showed declines in left ventricular systolic pressure, maximum and minimum rate of developed left ventricular pressure, and elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and ST-segment. In addition, mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction characterized by decreased respiratory control ratio and ADP/O was observed in isoproterenol-treated rats. Administration of salvianolic acid A for a period of 8 days significantly attenuated isoproterenol-induced cardiac dysfunction and myocardial injury and improved mitochondrial respiratory function. The protective role of salvianolic acid A against isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage was further confirmed by histopathological examination. The results of our study suggest that salvianolic acid A possessing antioxidant activity has a significant protective effect against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction.