Effects of NAD+ precursors on blood pressure, C-reactive protein concentration and carotid intima-media thickness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: There are contradictory effects regarding the effect of NAD+ precursor on blood pressure and inflammation. In order to obtain a better viewpoint from them, this study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effects of NAD+ precursor supplementation on blood pressure, C-reactive protein (CRP) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Embase databases were searched using standard keywords to identify all controlled trials investigating the effects of NAD+ precursor on blood pressure, CRP and CIMT. Pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were achieved by random-effects model analysis for the best estimation of outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-nine articles (with 8664 participants) were included in this article. Results from meta-analyses of RCTs from random-effects models indicated a significant reduction in systolic (SBP) (weighted mean difference (WMD): -2.54 mmHg, p < .001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD: -2.15 mmHg, p < .001), as well as in CRP (WMD: -.93 mg/L, 95% CI -1.47 to -.40, p < .001) concentrations and CIMT (WMD: -.01 mm, 95% CI -.02 to -.00, p = .005) with the NAD+ precursors supplementation compared with the control group. In addition, a greater effect of supplementation with NAD+ precursors in reducing blood pressure (BP) were observed with the highest dose (≥2 g) and duration of the intervention (>12 weeks), as well as with NA supplementation when compared to NE. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings suggest that NAD+ precursor supplementation might have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk factors such as BP, CRP concentration and CIMT.

Isoamericanin A improves lipopolysaccharide-induced memory impairment in mice through suppression of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphateoxidase-dependent nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia in the elderly. Isoamericanin A (ISOA) is a natural lignan possessing great potential for AD treatment. This study investigated the efficacy of ISOA on memory impairments in the mice intrahippocampal injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the underlying mechanism. Y-maze and Morris Water Maze data suggested that ISOA (5 and 10 mg/kg) ameliorated short- and long-term memory impairments, and attenuated neuronal loss and lactate dehydrogenase activity. ISOA exerted anti-inflammatory effect demonstrating by the reduction of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 positive cells and suppression of marker protein and pro-inflammation cytokines expressions induced by LPS. ISOA suppressed the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway by inhibiting IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. ISOA inhibited superoxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation by reducing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activation, demonstrating by suppressing NADP+ and NADPH contents, gp91phox expression, and p47phox expression and membrane translocation. These effects were enhanced in combination with NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. The neuroprotective effect of ISOA was further proved in the in vitro models. Overall, our data revealed a novel pharmacological activity of ISOA: ameliorating memory impairment in AD via inhibiting neuroinflammation.

Selenium Supplementation Protects Against Arsenic-Trioxide-Induced Cardiotoxicity Via Reducing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Through Increasing NAD+ Pool.

Arsenic is an environmental contaminant, and accumulating evidence has indicated that exposure to arsenic can cause various diseases, especially cardiotoxicity. Selenium (Se) exerts a vital role in the regulation of multiple physiological activities. Recently, several studies highlighted that Se treatment can effectively antagonize the toxic effects induced by arsenic. However, the exact underlying effect and mechanism of Se on Arsenic-induced cardiotoxicity has not been explored. In the current study, the arsenic trioxide (ATO)-triggered heart damage mice model was used to explore whether Se exerts protective roles in ATO-related cardiotoxicity and its potential mechanism. Our data showed that Se treatment significantly alleviated ATO-mediated cardiotoxicity evidenced by increased weight, decreased myocardial damage markers, and improved heart functions in mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Se remarkably inhibited ATO-mediated oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in heart tissues. Mechanistically, we showed that Se upregulated the levels of NAD+ in cardiomyocytes of the mice challenged by ATO, and this effect involved in the activation of the NAD+ biosynthesis through the salvage pathway. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that Se protected against ATO-mediated cardiotoxicity by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects via increasing the NAD+ pool in mice.

Total terpenoids of Inula japonica activated the Nrf2 receptor to alleviate the inflammation and oxidative stress in LPS-induced acute lung injury.

BACKGROUND: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening lung disease and characterized by pulmonary edema and atelectasis. Inula japonica Thunb. is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of lung diseases. However, the potential effect and mechanism of total terpenoids of I. japonica (TTIJ) on ALI remain obscure. PURPOSE: This study focused on the protective effect of TTIJ on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in mice and its potential mechanism. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A mouse model of ALI was established by intratracheal instillation of LPS to investigate the protective effect of TTIJ. RNA-seq and bioinformatics were then performed to reveal the underlying mechanism. Finally, western blot and real-time qPCR were used to verify the effects of TTIJ on the inflammation and oxidative stress. RESULTS: TTIJ notably attenuated LPS-induced histopathological changes of lung. The RNA-seq result suggested that the protective effect of TTIJ on LPS-induced ALI were associated with the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathways. Pretreatment with TTIJ significantly reduced the inflammation and oxidative stress via regulating levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-oxidative cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH), in LPS-induced ALI mice. TTIJ treatment could suppress the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression level and the phosphorylation of p65, p38, ERK, and JNK through the inactivation of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway in a TLR4-independent manner. Meanwhile, TTIJ treatment upregulated expression levels of proteins involved in the Nrf2 signaling pathway, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H: quinoneoxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), and glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), via activating the Nrf2 receptor, which was confirmed by the luciferase assay. CONCLUSION: TTIJ could activate the Nrf2 receptor to alleviate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in LPS-induced ALI mice, which suggested that TTIJ could serve as the potential agent in the treatment of ALI.

The mechanism of Yinchenhao decoction in treating obstructive-jaundice-induced liver injury based on Nrf2 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive jaundice (OJ) is caused by bile excretion disorder after partial or complete bile duct obstruction. It may cause liver injury through various mechanisms. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a lot of advantages in treating OJ. The recovery of liver function can be accelerated by combining Chinese medicine treatment with existing clinical practice. Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD), a TCM formula, has been used to treat jaundice. Although much progress has been made in recent years in understanding the mechanism of YCHD in treating OJ-induced liver injury, it is still not clear. AIM: To investigate chemical components of YCHD that are effective in the treatment of OJ and predict the mechanism of YCHD. METHODS: The active components and putative targets of YCHD were predicted using a network pharmacology approach. Gene Ontology biological process and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes path enrichment analysis were carried out by cluster profile. We predicted the biological processes, possible targets, and associated signaling pathways that YCHD may involve in the treatment of OJ. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, each consisting of 10 rats: the sham group (Group S), the OJ model group (Group M), and the YCHD-treated group (Group Y). The sham group only received laparotomy. The OJ model was established by ligating the common bile duct twice in Groups M and Y. For 1 wk, rats in Group Y were given a gavage of YCHD (3.6 mL/kg) twice daily, whereas rats in Groups S and M were given the same amount of physiological saline after intragastric administration daily. After 7 d, all rats were killed, and the liver and blood samples were collected for histopathological and biochemical examinations. Total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels in the blood samples were detected. The gene expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and the nucleus positive rate of NF-E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein were measured. Western blot analyses were used to detect the protein and gene expression levels of Nrf2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in the liver tissues. One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the statistical differences using the statistical package for the social sciences 23.0 software. Intergroup comparisons were followed by the least significant difference test and Dunnett's test. RESULTS: The effects of YCHD on OJ involve biological processes such as DNA transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II specific regulation, DNA binding transcriptional activator activity, and nuclear receptor activity. The protective effects of YCHD against OJ were closely related to 20 pathways, including the hepatitis-B, the mitogen-activated protein kinase, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B, and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways. YCHD alleviated the swelling and necrosis of hepatocytes. Following YCHD treatment, the serum levels of TBIL (176.39 ± 17.03 µmol/L vs 132.23 ± 13.88 µmol/L, P < 0.01), DBIL (141.41 ± 14.66 µmol/L vs 106.43 ± 10.88 µmol/L, P < 0.01), ALT (332.07 ± 34.34 U/L vs 269.97 ± 24.78 U/L, P < 0.05), and AST (411.44 ± 47.64 U/L vs 305.47 ± 29.36 U/L, P < 0.01) decreased. YCHD promoted the translocation of Nrf2 into the nucleus (12.78 ± 0.99 % vs 60.77 ± 1.90 %, P < 0.001). After YCHD treatment, we found a decrease in iNOS (0.30 ± 0.02 vs 0.20 ± 0.02, P < 0.001) and an increase in eNOS (0.18 ± 0.02 vs 0.32 ± 0.02, P < 0.001). Meanwhile, in OJ rats, YCHD increased the expressions of Nrf2 (0.57 ± 0.03 vs 1.18 ± 0.10, P < 0.001), NQO1 (0.13 ± 0.09 vs 1.19 ± 0.07, P < 0.001), and GST (0.12 ± 0.02 vs 0.50 ± 0.05, P < 0.001), implying that the potential mechanism of YCHD against OJ-induced liver injury was the upregulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: OJ-induced liver injury is associated with the Nrf2 signaling pathway. YCHD can reduce liver injury and oxidative damage by upregulating the Nrf2 pathway.

Enhanced tolerance of Cupriavidus necator NCIMB 11599 to lignocellulosic derived inhibitors by inserting NAD salvage pathway genes.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a bio-based, biodegradable and biocompatible plastic that has the potential to replace petroleum-based plastics. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising feedstock for industrial fermentation to produce bioproducts such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). However, the pretreatment processes of lignocellulosic biomass lead to the generation of toxic byproducts, such as furfural, 5-HMF, vanillin, and acetate, which affect microbial growth and productivity. In this study, to reduce furfural toxicity during PHB production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates, we genetically engineered Cupriavidus necator NCIMB 11599, by inserting the nicotine amide salvage pathway genes pncB and nadE to increase the NAD(P)H pool. We found that the expression of pncB was the most effective in improving tolerance to inhibitors, cell growth, PHB production and sugar consumption rate. In addition, the engineered strain harboring pncB showed higher PHB production using lignocellulosic hydrolysates than the wild-type strain. Therefore, the application of NAD salvage pathway genes improves the tolerance of Cupriavidus necator to lignocellulosic-derived inhibitors and should be used to optimize PHB production.

Exercise training and NR supplementation to improve muscle mass and fitness in adolescent and young adult hematopoietic cell transplant survivors: a randomized controlled trial {1}.

BACKGROUND: Advances in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have led to marked improvements in survival. However, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who undergo HCT are at high risk of developing sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) due to the impact of HCT-related exposures on the developing musculoskeletal system. HCT survivors who have sarcopenia also have excess lifetime risk of non-relapse mortality. Therefore, interventions that increase skeletal muscle mass, metabolism, strength, and function are needed to improve health in AYA HCT survivors. Skeletal muscle is highly reliant on mitochondrial energy production, as reflected by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity. Exercise is one approach to target skeletal muscle mitochondrial OXPHOS, and in turn improve muscle function and strength. Another approach is to use "exercise enhancers", such as nicotinamide riboside (NR), a safe and well-tolerated precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a cofactor that in turn impacts muscle energy production. Interventions combining exercise with exercise enhancers like NR hold promise, but have not yet been rigorously tested in AYA HCT survivors. METHODS/DESIGN: We will perform a randomized controlled trial testing 16 weeks of in-home aerobic and resistance exercise and NR in AYA HCT survivors, with a primary outcome of muscle strength via dynamometry and a key secondary outcome of cardiovascular fitness via cardiopulmonary exercise testing. We will also test the effects of these interventions on i) muscle mass via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; ii) muscle mitochondrial OXPHOS via an innovative non-invasive MRI-based technique, and iii) circulating correlates of NAD+ metabolism via metabolomics. Eighty AYAs (ages 15-30y) will be recruited 6-24 months post-HCT and randomized to 1 of 4 arms: exercise + NR, exercise alone, NR alone, or control. Outcomes will be collected at baseline and after the 16-week intervention. DISCUSSION: We expect that exercise with NR will produce larger changes than exercise alone in key outcomes, and that changes will be mediated by increases in muscle OXPHOS. We will apply the insights gained from this trial to develop individualized, evidence-supported precision initiatives that will reduce chronic disease burden in high-risk cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05194397. Registered January 18, 2022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05194397 {2a}.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation protects the intestinal function in aging mice and D-galactose induced senescent cells.

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) level shows a temporal decrease during the aging process, which has been deemed as an aging hallmark. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a key NAD+ precursor, shows the potential to retard the age-associated functional decline in organs. In the current study, to explore whether NMN has an impact on the intestine during the aging process, the effects of NMN supplementation on the intestinal morphology, microbiota, and NAD+ content, as well as its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and barrier functions were investigated in aging mice and D-galactose (D-gal) induced senescent IPEC-J2 cells. The results showed that 4 months of NMN administration had little impact on the colonic microbiota and NAD+ content in aging mice, while it significantly increased the jejunal NAD+ content and improved the jejunal structure including increasing the villus length and shortening the crypt. Moreover, NMN supplementation significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of SIRT3, SIRT6, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the catalytic subunit of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCLC), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), occludin, and claudin-1, but down-regulated the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Specifically, in the D-gal induced senescent IPEC-J2 cells, 500 µM NMN restored the increased mRNA expression of interleukin 6 (IL6ST), IL-1A, nuclear factor (NF-κB1), and claudin-1 to normal levels to some extent. Furthermore, NMN treatment significantly affected the mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes including NQO1, GCLC, SOD 2 and 3, and GSH-PX1, 3 and 4. In addition, 200 µM NMN enhanced the cell viability and total antioxidant capacity and lowered the reactive oxygen species level of senescent IPEC-J2 cells. Notably, NMN restored the down-regulated protein expression of occludin and claudin-1 induced by D-gal. The above data demonstrated the potential of NMN in ameliorating the structural and functional decline in the intestine during aging.

Low NAD+ Levels Are Associated With a Decline of Spermatogenesis in Transgenic ANDY and Aging Mice.

Advanced paternal age has increasingly been recognized as a risk factor for male fertility and progeny health. While underlying causes are not well understood, aging is associated with a continuous decline of blood and tissue NAD+ levels, as well as a decline of testicular functions. The important basic question to what extent ageing-related NAD+ decline is functionally linked to decreased male fertility has been difficult to address due to the pleiotropic effects of aging, and the lack of a suitable animal model in which NAD+ levels can be lowered experimentally in chronologically young adult males. We therefore developed a transgenic mouse model of acquired niacin dependency (ANDY), in which NAD+ levels can be experimentally lowered using a niacin-deficient, chemically defined diet. Using ANDY mice, this report demonstrates for the first time that decreasing body-wide NAD+ levels in young adult mice, including in the testes, to levels that match or exceed the natural NAD+ decline observed in old mice, results in the disruption of spermatogenesis with small testis sizes and reduced sperm counts. ANDY mice are dependent on dietary vitamin B3 (niacin) for NAD+ synthesis, similar to humans. NAD+-deficiency the animals develop on a niacin-free diet is reversed by niacin supplementation. Providing niacin to NAD+-depleted ANDY mice fully rescued spermatogenesis and restored normal testis weight in the animals. The results suggest that NAD+ is important for proper spermatogenesis and that its declining levels during aging are functionally linked to declining spermatogenesis and male fertility. Functions of NAD+ in retinoic acid synthesis, which is an essential testicular signaling pathway regulating spermatogonial proliferation and differentiation, may offer a plausible mechanism for the hypospermatogenesis observed in NAD+-deficient mice.

Manganese Modulates Metabolic Activity and Redox Homeostasis in Translationally Blocked Lactococcus cremoris, Impacting Metabolic Persistence, Cell Culturability, and Flavor Formation.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element that is supplemented in microbial media with varying benefits across species and growth conditions. We found that growth of Lactococcus cremoris was unaffected by manganese omission from the growth medium. The main proteome adaptation to manganese omission involved increased manganese transporter production (up to 2,000-fold), while the remaining 10 significant proteome changes were between 1.4- and 4-fold. Further investigation in translationally blocked (TB), nongrowing cells showed that Mn supplementation (20 µM) led to approximately 1.5 X faster acidification compared with Mn-free conditions. However, this faster acidification stagnated within 24 h, likely due to draining of intracellular NADH that coincides with substantial loss of culturability. Conversely, without manganese, nongrowing cells persisted to acidify for weeks, albeit at a reduced rate, but maintaining redox balance and culturability. Strikingly, despite being unculturable, α-keto acid-derived aldehydes continued to accumulate in cells incubated in the presence of manganese, whereas without manganese cells predominantly formed the corresponding alcohols. This is most likely reflecting NADH availability for the alcohol dehydrogenase-catalyzed conversion. Overall, manganese influences the lactococcal acidification rate, and flavor formation capacity in a redox dependent manner. These are important industrial traits especially during cheese ripening, where cells are in a non-growing, often unculturable state. IMPORTANCE In nature as well as in various biotechnology applications, microorganisms are often in a nongrowing state and their metabolic persistence determines cell survival and functionality. Industrial examples are dairy fermentations where bacteria remain active during the ripening phases that can take up to months and even years. Here we investigated environmental factors that can influence lactococcal metabolic persistence throughout such prolonged periods. We found that in the absence of manganese, acidification of nongrowing cells remained active for weeks while in the presence of manganese it stopped within 1 day. The latter coincided with the accumulation of amino acid derived volatile metabolites. Based on metabolic conversions, proteome analysis, and a reporter assay, we demonstrated that the manganese elicited effects were NADH dependent. Overall the results show the effect of environmental modulation on prolonged cell-based catalysis, which is highly relevant to non-growing cells in nature and biotechnological applications.

The effect of pesticides on the NADH-supported mitochondrial respiration of permeabilized potato mitochondria.

Pesticides can seriously affect the respiratory chain of the mitochondria of many crops, reducing the intensity of plant growth and its yield. Studying the effect of pesticides on the bioenergetic parameters of intact plant mitochondria is a promising approach for assessing their toxicity. In this study, we investigated the effect of some pesticides on isolated potato mitochondria, which used exogenous NADH as a substrate for respiration. We showed that succinate is the most preferred substrate for phosphorylating respiration of intact potato tubers mitochondria. Potato mitochondria poorly oxidize exogenous NADH, despite of the presence of external NADH dehydrogenases. Permeabilization of the mitochondrial membrane with alamethicin increased the availability of exogenous NADH to complex I. However, the pathway of electrons through complex I to complex IV makes intact potato mitochondria susceptible to a number of pesticides such as difenoconazole, fenazaquin, pyridaben and tolfenpyrad, which strongly inhibit the rate of mitochondrial respiration. However, these pesticides only slightly inhibited the rate of oxygen consumption during succinate-supported respiration. Dithianon, the inhibitor of Complex II, is the only pesticide which significantly increased the respiratory rate of NADH-supported respiration of permeabilized mitochondria of potato. Thus, it can be assumed that the alternative NADH dehydrogenases for electron flow represent a factor responsible for plant resistance to xenobiotics, such as mitochondria-targeted pesticides.

Osmundacetone modulates mitochondrial metabolism in non-small cell lung cancer cells by hijacking the glutamine/glutamate/α-KG metabolic axis.

BACKGROUND: Osmundacetone (OSC) is a bioactive phenolic compound isolated from Phellinus igniarius and that was shown to exert cytotoxic effects on cancer cells in our previous work. The antiproliferative impact of OSC on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the underlying mechanisms, however, have not been studied. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the antiproliferative effect of OSC on NSCLC cells and the mechanisms involved. METHODS: Cell viability, colony formation and cell cycle distribution were measured following exposure to OSC in vitro. The anticancer activity of OSC was also examined using a xenograft growth assay in vivo. Furthermore, serum metabolomics analysis by GC-MS was done to detect alterations in the metabolic profile. Next, expression of GLS1 and GLUD1, the key enzymes in glutamine metabolism, was evaluated using RT-PCR and western blot. α-KG and NADH metabolites were assessed by ELISA. Mitochondrial functions and morphology were evaluated using the JC-1 probe and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The ATP production rate in mitochondria of cells with OSC treatment was determined using a Seahorse XFe24 Analyzer. RESULTS: OSC selectively reduced the proliferation of A549 and H460 cells. OSC triggered G2/M cell cycle arrest and decreased the cell clone formation. A mouse xenograft model revealed that OSC inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Findings of serum metabolomics analyses indicated that the anticancer function of OSC was related to disorders of glutamine metabolism. Such a speculation was further verified by the expression level of GLUD1, which was downregulated by OSC treatment. Concentrations of the related metabolites α-KG and NADH were reduced in response to OSC treatment. Moreover, OSC led to disorganization of the mitochondrial ultrastructure and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. OSC also decreased ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) but did not affect glycolysis in NSCLC cells. CONCLUSION: The key role of OSC in mitochondrial energy metabolism in NSCLC cells is to suppress tumor development and cell proliferation downregulating GLUD1 to inhibit the glutamine/glutamate/α-KG metabolic axis and OXPHOS. It indicats that OSC might be a potential natural agent for personalized medicine and an anticancer metabolic modulator in NSCLC chemotherapy.

NMNAT2 is downregulated in glaucomatous RGCs, and RGC-specific gene therapy rescues neurodegeneration and visual function.

The lack of neuroprotective treatments for retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and optic nerve (ON) is a central challenge for glaucoma management. Emerging evidence suggests that redox factor NAD+ decline is a hallmark of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Supplementation with NAD+ precursors and overexpression of NMNAT1, the key enzyme in the NAD+ biosynthetic process, have significant neuroprotective effects. We first profile the translatomes of RGCs in naive mice and mice with silicone oil-induced ocular hypertension (SOHU)/glaucoma by RiboTag mRNA sequencing. Intriguingly, only NMNAT2, but not NMNAT1 or NMNAT3, is significantly decreased in SOHU glaucomatous RGCs, which we confirm by in situ hybridization. We next demonstrate that AAV2 intravitreal injection-mediated overexpression of long half-life NMNAT2 mutant driven by RGC-specific mouse γ-synuclein (mSncg) promoter restores decreased NAD+ levels in glaucomatous RGCs and ONs. Moreover, this RGC-specific gene therapy strategy delivers significant neuroprotection of both RGC soma and axon and preservation of visual function in the traumatic ON crush model and the SOHU glaucoma model. Collectively, our studies suggest that the weakening of NMNAT2 expression in glaucomatous RGCs contributes to a deleterious NAD+ decline, and that modulating RGC-intrinsic NMNAT2 levels by AAV2-mSncg vector is a promising gene therapy for glaucomatous neurodegeneration.

Codonopsis pilosula Polysaccharides Alleviate Aß 1-40-Induced PC12 Cells Energy Dysmetabolism via CD38/NAD+ Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and has a complex pathogenesis with no effective treatment. Energy metabolism disorders, as an early pathological event of AD,have attracted attention as a promising area of AD research. Codonopsis pilosula Polysaccharides are the main effective components of Codonopsis pilosula, which have been demonstrated to regulate energy metabolism. METHODS: In order to further study the roles and mechanisms of Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides in AD, this study used an Aß1-40-induced PC12 cells model to study the protective effects of Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides and their potential mechanisms in improving energy metabolism dysfunction. RESULTS: The results showed that Aß1-40 induced a decrease in PC12 cells viability, energy metabolism molecules (ATP, NAD+, and NAD+/NADH) and Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (MMP) and an increase in ROS. Additionally, it was found that Aß1-40 increased CD38 expression related to NAD+ homeostasis, whereas Silent Information Regulation 2 homolog1 (SIRT1, SIRT3), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α) and SIRT3 activity were decreased. Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides increased NAD+, NAD+/NADH, SIRT3, SIRT1, and PGC-1α related to NAD+, thus partially recovering ATP. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal that Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides protected PC12 cells from Aß1-40-induced damage, suggesting that these components of the Codonopsis pilosula herb may represent an early treatment option for AD patients.

Inhibition of CD38 and supplementation of nicotinamide riboside ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial and astrocytic neuroinflammation by increasing NAD.

Neuroinflammation is initiated by activation of the brain's innate immune system in response to an inflammatory challenge. Insufficient control of neuroinflammation leads to enhanced or prolonged pathology in various neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ ) plays critical roles in cellular energy metabolism and calcium homeostasis. Our previous study demonstrated that deletion of CD38, which consumes NAD+ , suppressed cuprizone-induced demyelination, neuroinflammation, and glial activation. However, it is still unknown whether CD38 directly affects neuroinflammation through regulating brain NAD+ level. In this study, we investigated the effect of CD38 deletion and inhibition and supplementation of NAD+ on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation in mice. Intracerebroventricular injection of LPS significantly increased CD38 expression especially in the hippocampus. Deletion of CD38 decreased LPS-induced inflammatory responses and glial activation. Pre-administration of apigenin, a flavonoid with CD38 inhibitory activity, or nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD+ precursor, increased NAD+ level, and significantly suppressed induction of cytokines and chemokines, glial activation and subsequent neurodegeneration after LPS administration. In cell culture, LPS-induced inflammatory responses were suppressed by treatment of primary astrocytes or microglia with apigenin, NAD+ , NR or 78c, the latter a specific CD38 inhibitor. Finally, all these compounds suppressed NF-κB signaling pathway in microglia. These results suggest that CD38-mediated neuroinflammation is linked to NAD+ consumption and that boosting NAD+ by CD38 inhibition and NR supplementation directly suppress neuroinflammation in the brain.

Protective Effects of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies.

Data from preclinical studies propose nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a neuroprotective and bioenergetics stimulant agent to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, there seems to be inconsistency between behavioral and molecular outcomes. We performed this systematic review to provide a better understanding of the effects of NAD+ in rodent AD models and to summarize the literature.Studies were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the reference lists of relevant review articles published through December 2020. The search strategy was restricted to articles about NAD+, its derivatives, and their association with cognitive function in AD rodent models. The initial search yielded 320 articles, of which 11 publications were included in our systematic review.Based on the primary outcomes, it was revealed that NAD+ improves learning and memory. The secondary endpoints also showed neuroprotective effects of NAD+ on different AD models. The proposed neuroprotective mechanisms included, but were not limited to, the attenuation of the oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, while enhancing the mitochondrial function.The current systematic review summarizes the preclinical studies on NAD+ precursors and provides evidence favoring the pro-cognitive effects of such components in rodent models of AD.

NAD+ administration decreases microvascular damage following cardiac ischemia/reperfusion by restoring autophagic flux.

Microvascular damage is a key pathological change in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Using a rat model of myocardial I/R, our current study has provided the first evidence that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) administration can significantly attenuate myocardial I/R-induced microvascular damage, including reduced regional blood perfusion, decreased microvessel density and integrity, and coronary microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) injury. In studies with primary cultured CMECs under hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) and a rat model of I/R, our results suggested that the protective effect of NAD+ on CMECs exposed to HR or I/R is at least partially mediated by the NAD+-induced restoration of autophagic flux, especially lysosomal autophagy: NAD+ treatment markedly induced transcription factor EB (TFEB) activation and attenuated lysosomal dysfunction in the I/R or HR-exposed cells. Collectively, our study has provided the first in vivo and in vitro evidence that NAD+ significantly rescued the impaired autophagic flux and cell apoptosis that was induced by I/R in rat CMECs, which is mediated in part through the action of TFEB-mediated lysosomal autophagy.

Diurnal regulation of the function of the rat brain glutamate dehydrogenase by acetylation and its dependence on thiamine administration.

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is essential for the brain function and highly regulated, according to its role in metabolism of the major excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Here we show a diurnal pattern of the GDH acetylation in rat brain, associated with specific regulation of GDH function. Mornings the acetylation levels of K84 (near the ADP site), K187 (near the active site), and K503 (GTP-binding) are highly correlated. Evenings the acetylation levels of K187 and K503 decrease, and the correlations disappear. These daily variations in the acetylation adjust the GDH responses to the enzyme regulators. The adjustment is changed when the acetylation of K187 and K503 shows no diurnal variations, as in the rats after a high dose of thiamine. The regulation of GDH function by acetylation is confirmed in a model system, where incubation of the rat brain GDH with acetyl-CoA changes the enzyme responses to GTP and ADP, decreasing the activity at subsaturating concentrations of substrates. Thus, the GDH acetylation may support cerebral homeostasis, stabilizing the enzyme function during diurnal oscillations of the brain metabolome. Daytime and thiamine interact upon the (de)acetylation of GDH in vitro. Evenings the acetylation of GDH from control animals increases both IC50GTP and EC50ADP . Mornings the acetylation of GDH from thiamine-treated animals increases the enzyme IC50GTP . Molecular mechanisms of the GDH regulation by acetylation of specific residues are proposed. For the first time, diurnal and thiamine-dependent changes in the allosteric regulation of the brain GDH due to the enzyme acetylation are shown.

Effects of Chronic NAD Supplementation on Energy Metabolism and Diurnal Rhythm in Obese Mice.

OBJECTIVE: Adequate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) content in hypothalamic neurons is critical for the maintenance of normal energy balance and circadian rhythm. In this study, the beneficial metabolic effects of chronic NAD supplementation on diet-induced obesity and obesity-related disruption of diurnal rhythms were examined. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks and received an intraperitoneal injection of either saline or NAD (1 mg/kg/day) for the last 4 weeks. The control mice were fed a chow diet and injected with saline for the same period. Body weights were monitored daily. Daily rhythms of food intake, energy expenditure, and locomotor activity were measured at the end of NAD treatment. The effect of NAD treatment on the clock gene Period 1 (PER1) transcription was also studied. RESULTS: Chronic NAD supplementation significantly attenuated weight gain in HFD-fed obese mice. Furthermore, NAD treatment recovered the suppressed rhythms in the diurnal locomotor activity patterns in obese mice. In addition, exogenous NAD supply rescued cellular NAD depletion-induced suppression of PER1 transcriptional activity in hypothalamic neuron cells as well as blunted daily fluctuations of hypothalamic arcuate nucleus PER1 expression in obese mice. CONCLUSIONS: NAD supplementation showed therapeutic effects in obese mice with altered diurnal behaviors.

Exogenous nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide regulates energy metabolism via hypothalamic connexin 43.

BACKGROUND: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 is an important regulator of hypothalamic neuronal function. Thus, an adequate hypothalamic NAD content is critical for maintaining normal energy homeostasis. METHODS: We investigated whether NAD supplementation increases hypothalamic NAD levels and affects energy metabolism in mice. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of exogenous NAD on central metabolism upon entering the hypothalamus. RESULTS: Central and peripheral NAD administration suppressed fasting-induced hyperphagia and weight gain in mice. Extracellular NAD was imported into N1 hypothalamic neuronal cells in a connexin 43-dependent and CD73-independent manner. Consistent with the in vitro data, inhibition of hypothalamic connexin 43 blocked hypothalamic NAD uptake and NAD-induced anorexia. Exogenous NAD suppressed NPY and AgRP transcriptional activity, which was mediated by SIRT1 and FOXO1. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous NAD is effectively transported to the hypothalamus via a connexin 43-dependent mechanism and increases hypothalamic NAD content. Therefore, NAD supplementation is a potential therapeutic method for metabolic disorders characterized by hypothalamic NAD depletion.