Bioinformatics-based and molecular docking study on the mechanism of action of Galla chinensis in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Based on transcriptome sequencing and molecular biology, the active ingredient of Galla chinensis in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers was identified, and its mechanism of action was analyzed.

(1) Searching for the main components of the compounds contained in G. chinensis in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and literature research. (2) Prediction of their targets using the PubChem, SwissTargetPrediction, and BATMAN databases. (3) The CTD, Genecards. and NCBI databases were used to mine the transcriptome sequencing data for target genes related to diabetic foot ulcers. (4) Cytoscape 3.7.0 software was used to construct protein/gene interaction network maps for G. chinensis. (5) GO and KEGG analysis was carried out using the DAVID database. (6) Heatmap and volcano map analysis was carried out with R software. (7) The preliminary validation and visualization of molecular docking were performed using AutoDockVina and PyMOL software. After the screening of TCMSP and literature research, we obtained nine active ingredients of G. chinensis, 53 targets for diabetic foot ulcers; 40 biological processes, 30 cell compositions, and 30 molecular functions by GO analysis; and 24 signaling pathways, including the HIF-1 signaling pathway and VEGF signaling pathway. were obtained by KEGG analysis. The molecular docking results showed that the main active ingredients of Galla chinensis had good binding activities with their corresponding target proteins. In this study, G. chinensis was analyzed for its potential value in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers due to its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.

Protective Mechanism of Ethyl Gallate against Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice by in Vivo and in Vitro Studies Based on Transcriptomics.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) is a common clinical disease that can be life-threatening in severe cases. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ethyl gallate (EG) on IIRI and its underlying mechanisms. A mouse model was established to mimic human IIRI by clamping the superior mesenteric artery. Transcriptomics techniques were used in conjunction with experiments to explore the potential mechanisms of EG action. Intestinal histomorphological damage, including intestinal villi damage and mucosal hemorrhage, was significantly reversed by EG. EG also alleviated the oxidative stress, inflammation, and intestinal epithelial apoptosis caused by IIRI. 2592 up-regulated genes and 2754 down-regulated genes were identified after EG treatment, and these differential genes were enriched in signaling pathways, including fat digestion and absorption, and extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor interactions. In IIRI mouse intestinal tissue, expression of the differential protein matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), as well as its co-protein NF-κB-p65, was significantly increased, while EG inhibited the expression of MMP9 and NF-κB-p65. In Caco-2 cells in an established oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion model (OGD/R), EG significantly reversed the decrease in intestinal barrier trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER). However, in the presence of MMP9 inhibitors, EG did not reverse the decreasing trend in TEER. This study illustrates the protective effect and mechanism of action of EG on IIRI and, combined with in vivo and in vitro experiments, it reveals that MMP9 may be the main target of EG action. This study provides new scientific information on the therapeutic effects of EG on IIRI.

Ellagic Acid Alleviates Mice Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: A Study Based on Transcriptomics Combined with Functional Experiments.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) is closely related to inflammatory response, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Ellagic acid (EA) has been proved to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can inhibit tumor angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of EA on IIRI in mice. METHODS: A mouse model of IIRI was established by clamping the mesenteric artery. Effects and mechanisms of EA on IIRI were investigate by transcriptomics combined with functional experiments. RESULTS: The symptoms of IIRI were reflected in significant increases in inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1ß; significant increases in oxidative stress indicators such as MDA and GSH and decreases in SOD and promotion of the apoptotic protein Bax/Bcl-2. These indicators were significantly alleviated by EA. And after EA treatment, transcriptomics results identified AKT1 differentially expressed mRNAs mainly enriched in PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the protective effects against IIRI, the possible mechanisms were also studied. This study provides new scientific information for the application of EA in IIRI therapy.

Phenolic Acids from Fructus Chebulae Immaturus Alleviate Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice through the PPARα/NF-κB Pathway

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (II/R) injury is a common life-threatening complication with high morbidity and mortality. Chebulae Fructus Immaturus, the unripe fruit of Terminalia chebula Retz., also known as "Xiqingguo" or "Tibet Olive" in China, has been widely used in traditional Tibetan medicine throughout history. The phenolic acids' extract of Chebulae Fructus Immaturus (XQG for short) has exhibited strong antioxidative, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and antibacterial activities. However, whether XQG can effectively ameliorate II/R injuries remains to be clarified. Our results showed that XQG could effectively alleviate II/R-induced intestinal morphological damage and intestinal barrier injury by decreasing the oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and cell death. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed that the main action mechanism of XQG protecting against II/R injury was involved in activating PPARα and inhibiting the NF-κB-signaling pathway. Our study suggests the potential usage of XQG as a new candidate to alleviate II/R injury.

Evaluation of the key active ingredients of 'Radix Astragali and Rehmanniae Radix Mixture' and related signaling pathways involved in ameliorating diabetic foot ulcers from the perspective of TCM-related theories.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Traditional Chinese Medicine is more inclined to holistic thinking than most modern pharmacological research. The multiple components and targets of traditional Chinese medicine have become a stumbling block in the study of drug action mechanisms in the life sciences. The current study aimed to reveal the active ingredients of "Radix Astragali and Rehmanniae Radix Mixture (RA-RRM)" involved in ameliorating diabetic foot ulcers and to analyze the related signaling pathways. METHOD: The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Data base and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) was used to screen the active ingredients in RA-RRM based on the evaluation of the molecular weight (MW), bioavailability (OB), and transport of these active ingredients across intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) and the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The PubChem database was used to illustrate the structural formula and SMILES of these active ingredients in RA-RRM. The Swiss Target Prediction Database, DrugBank, Genecards, and CTD were used to predict the targets that were correlated with RA-RRM-based treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Cytoscape 3.7.0 software was used to construct the protein/gene interaction network diagram, compound target interaction network diagram, and target pathway network diagram for these active ingredients in the amelioration of diabetic foot ulcers in RA-RRM. Topological parameter calculations of target information using Cytoscape 3.7.0 software yielded drug-disease targets were used to reveal the relationship between key active ingredients in RA-RMM and targets of interest for the treatment of diabetic foot. The disease targets of drug action were imported into the David database (GO and KEGG analysis) to analyze the enriched pathways and biological processes. RESULTS: The following results were obtained using the abovementioned screening and analysis. Fourteen key active ingredients in RA-RRM and 309 targets were found; among them, 85 targets were found to be related to diabetic foot ulcers using TCMSP. Twenty-three biological processes, 7 cell components and 14 molecular functions were found to ameliorate diabetic foot ulcers using GO analysis. In addition, 29 signaling pathways were found to be involved in RA-RRM-induced amelioration, including the NF-κB, TNF, TGF-ß, VEGF, and HIF-1 signaling pathways, using KEGG analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current available evidence obtained from the abovementioned data/information databases and based on the perspective of TCM-related theories, the present study revealed the key active ingredients in RA-RRM and related signaling pathways in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, promoting further studies on and clinical applications of RA-RRM.

Paeoniflorin protects against intestinal ischemia/reperfusion by activating LKB1/AMPK and promoting autophagy.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathological process with high clinical morbidity and mortality. Paeoniflorin, a monoterpene glucoside, is found to have diverse health beneficial effects including autophagy modulation, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidative effects. Based on our pre-experiments, we proposed that paeoniflorin could ameliorate intestinal I/R injury and restore autophagy through activating LKB1/AMPK signal pathway. Our proposal was verified using rat intestinal I/R model in vivo and intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6 cells) hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model in vitro. Our results showed that paeoniflorin pretreatment exerted protective effects in rat intestinal I/R injury by reducing intestinal morphological damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Paeoniflorin restored H/R-impaired autophagy flux by up-regulating autophagy-related protein p62/SQSTM1 degradation, LC3II and beclin-1 expression, and autophagosomes synthesis without significantly affecting control IEC-6 cells. Paeoniflorin pretreatment significantly activated LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway by reversing the decreased LKB1 and AMPK phosphorylation without affecting total LKB1 both in vivo and in vitro. LKB1 knockdown reduced AMPK phosphorylation, suppressed LC3II and Beclin-1 level, and decreased the degradation of SQSTM/p62, and the knockdown weakened the effects of paeoniflorin in restoring the impaired autophagy flux in H/R injured IEC-6 cells, suggesting that paeoniflorin mitigated the intestinal I/R-impaired autophagy flux by activating LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway. Our study may provide valuable information for further studies.

PP2A as the Main Node of Therapeutic Strategies and Resistance Reversal in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), is defined as a type of tumor lacking the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The ER, PR and HER2 are usually the molecular therapeutic targets for breast cancers, but they are ineffective for TNBC because of their negative expressions, so chemotherapy is currently the main treatment strategy in TNBC. However, drug resistance remains a major impediment to TNBC chemotherapeutic treatment. Recently, the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) has been found to regulate the phosphorylation of some substrates involved in the relevant target of TNBC, such as cell cycle control, DNA damage responses, epidermal growth factor receptor, immune modulation and cell death resistance, which may be the effective therapeutic strategies or influence drug sensitivity to TNBCs. Furthermore, PP2A has also been found that could induce ER re-expression in ER-negative breast cancer cells, and which suggests PP2A could promote the sensitivity of tamoxifen to TNBCs as a resistance reversal agent. In this review, we will summarize the potential therapeutic value of PP2A as the main node in developing targeting agents, disrupting resistance or restoring drug sensitivity in TNBC.

Antibacterial constituents of Fructus Chebulae Immaturus and their mechanisms of action.

BACKGROUND: To extract, purify, and identify the effective constituents of aqueous extract of Fructus Chebulae Immaturus, and analyze the bactericidal effects of total tannins. METHODS: Preparative thin layer chromatography and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography were used to isolate and purify the total tannin fraction. (1)H- and (13)C- NMR spectroscopy were used to elucidate compound structures. The antibacterial activities of total tannins and ethyl gallate on Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) were determined through minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration assays. Their antibacterial mechanisms of action were explored by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: Five compounds were isolated: ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, arjugenin, ß-sitosterol, and tri-n-butyl chebulate. Tri-n-butyl chebulate is a newly-reported compound. Total tannins and ethyl gallate both had favorable bactericidal effects against KP and SA. CONCLUSION: In vivo and in vitro pharmacodynamic experiment demonstrated that the effective components of Fructus Chebulae Immaturus possessed significant antibacterial effects, and were nontoxic and safe. TRIAL REGISTRATION: No results of a health care intervention on human participants.

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity the role and mechanism of NCOA4 in ferroptosis induced by intestinal ischemia reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent and cystathione-non-dependent non-apoptotic cell death characterized by elevated intracellular free iron levels and reduced antioxidant capacity, leading to the accumulation of lipid peroxides. Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediates ferritinophagy, increasing labile iron levels, which can result in oxidative damage. However, the specific mechanism of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion and the underlying mechanisms have not been reported in detail. OBJECT: 1. To investigate the role of NCOA4 in ferroptosis of intestinal epithelial cells induced by II/R injury in mouse. 2. To investigate the mechanism of action of NCOA4-induced ferroptosis. METHODS: 1. Construct a mouse II/R injury model and detect ferroptosis related markers such as HE staining, immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and WB methods. 2. Detect expression of NCOA4 in the intestine of mouse with II/R injury model and analyze its correlation with intestinal ferroptosis in mouse with II/R injury model. 3. Construct an ischemia-reperfusion model at the cellular level through hypoxia and reoxygenation, and overexpress/knockdown NCOA4 to detect markers related to ferroptosis. Based on animal experimental results, analyze the correlation and mechanism of action between NCOA4 and intestinal epithelial ferroptosis induced by II/R injury in mouse. RESULTS: 1. Ferroptosis occurred in the intestinal epithelial cells of II/R-injured mouse, and the expression of critical factors of ferroptosis, ACSL4, MDA and 15-LOX, was significantly increased, while the levels of GPX4 and GSH were significantly decreased. 2. The expression of NCOA4 in the intestinal epithelium of mouse with II/R injure was significantly increased, the expression of ferritin was significantly decreased, and the level of free ferrous ions was significantly increased; the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3 and Beclin-1 protein was increased, and the expression of P62 was decreased, and these changes were reversed by autophagy inhibitors. 3. Knockdown of NCOA4 at the cellular level resulted in increased ferritin expression and decreased ferroptosis, and CO-IP experiments suggested that NCOA4 can bind to ferritin, which suggests that NCOA4 most likely mediates ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis. CONCLUSION: This thesis explored the role of NCOA4 in II/R injury in mice and the mechanism of action. The research results suggest that NCOA4 can mediate ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis during II/R injury. This experiment reveals the pathological mechanism of II/R injury and provides some scientific basis for the development of drugs for the treatment of II/R injury based on the purpose of alleviating ferroptosis.

Metabolomics research on treatment of primary liver cancer with Cortex Juglandis Mandshuricae on LC-MS/MS technology.

Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was applied to create the primary liver cancer (PLC) animal model. In the study, the normal group, model group, cyclophosphamide (CTX) group, Cortex Juglandis Mandshuricae (CJM) extract group, myricetin group and myricitrin group were divided. LC-MS/MS technology was applied to determine the metabolites of liver tissue samples from different locations (nodular and non-nodular parts of liver tissue) in each group of rats. Through metabolomics research, the connection and difference of anti-PLC induced by the CJM extract, myricetin and myricitrin was analyzed. The surface of the liver tissues of rats in the model group was rough, dimly colored, inelastic, on which there were scattered gray white cancer nodules and blood stasis points. The number of cancer nodules was significantly reduced, and the degree of cell malignancy was low, but there were some inflammatory cell infiltrations, necrosis area and karyokinesis in the CJM extract group, myricetin group, myricitrin group and CTX group. The result of metabolic research indicated that 45 potential biomarkers of the PLC were found, as gamma-aminoisobutyrate, taurochenodeoxycholate, xanthurenic acid, etc. There were 22 differential metabolites in the CTX group, 16 differential metabolites in the CJM extract group, 14 differential metabolites in the myricetin group, 14 differential metabolites in the myricitrin group.

The mechanism of Chebulae Fructus Immaturus promote diabetic wound healing based on network pharmacology and experimental verification.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Diabetic ulcers (DUs) are commonly seen in the lower limbs, especially the feet. Long-term hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients may cause peripheral microvascular damage, which affects local blood flow reconstruction when the skin is ruptured. This results in delayed or even non-healing of skin wounds. Chebulae Fructus Immaturus (CFI) is a traditional Chinese medicine. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, CFI belongs to the lung channel and large intestine channel. Clinical data confirm a significant clinical effect of CFI in the treatment of skin diseases. CFI can be safely used to treat wounds due to its natural active ingredients. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study utilised HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS combined with network pharmacology to investigate the mechanism of Chebulae Fructus Immaturus extract (CFIE) in the treatment of DU. Moreover, the efficacy of CFIE on DU was verified in vitro and in vivo by constructing cell models and mouse models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The main ingredients of CFIE were identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. The targets of these ingredients were predicted by database analysis and intersected with the DU targets. Gene ontology (GO) was used for functional enrichment of differential genes, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) was used for enrichment of signalling pathways related to the differential genes. The network pharmacology findings were validated in vivo and in vitro, and the affinity of key targets and active components was assessed using molecular docking. RESULTS: Twenty-nine compounds of CFIE were identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS, and their potential targets were predicted. Among these, 41 targets were associated with DU. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the PI3K/AKT and HIF-1α signalling pathways were significantly enriched, which may be related to the promotion of wound angiogenesis. In vitro cell experiments showed that CFIE promoted the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of HUVECs, and also affected the expression of pathway-related proteins. In vivo experiments showed that CFIE increased the expression of pathway-related proteins in wound tissue and promoted the formation of blood vessels. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study systematically demonstrated the possible therapeutic effects and mechanisms of CFIE on DU through network pharmacology analysis and experimental verification. The results revealed that CFIE can accelerate the angiogenesis of diabetic wounds through the PI3K/AKT and HIF-1α signalling pathways, ultimately promoting the healing of diabetic wounds.

Pyrimidine compounds BY4003 and BY4008 inhibit glioblastoma cells growth via modulating JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a brain tumor characterized by its aggressive and invasive properties. It is found that STAT3 is abnormally activated in GBM, and inhibiting STAT3 signaling can effectively suppress tumor progression. In this study, novel pyrimidine compounds, BY4003 and BY4008, were synthesized to target the JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway, and their therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of action were evaluated and compared with Tofacitinib in U251, A172, LN428 and patient-derived glioblastoma cells. The ADP-Glo™ kinase assay was utilized to assessed the inhibitory effects of BY4003 and BY4008 on JAK3, a crucial member of the JAK family. The results showed that both compounds significantly inhibited JAK3 enzyme activity, with IC50 values in the nanomolar range. The antiproliferative effects of BY4003, BY4008, and Tofacitinib on GBM and patient-derived glioblastoma cells were evaluated by MTT and H&E assays. The impact of BY4003 and BY4008 on GBM cell migration and apoptosis induction was assessed through wound healing, transwell, and TUNEL assays. STAT3-regulated protein expression and relative mRNA levels were analyzed by western blotting, immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR. It was found that BY4003, BY4008 and Tofacitinib could inhibit U251, A172, LN428 and patient-derived glioblastoma cells growth and proliferation. Results showed decreased expression of STAT3-associated proteins, including p-STAT3, CyclinD1, and Bcl-2, and increased expression of Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein, as well as significant down-regulation of STAT3 and STAT3-related genes. These findings suggested that BY4003 and BY4008 could inhibit GBM growth by suppressing the JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway, providing valuable insights into the therapeutic development of GBM.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory effect by dammarane-type triterpenes from hydrolyzate of total Gynostemma pentaphyllum saponins.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is an important factor in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type-2 diabetes), and a promising target for treatment of diabetes and obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory activities of constituents (three new together with twelve known triterpenes compounds) isolated from the hydrolyzate of total saponins from Gynostemma pentaphyllum. Their structures were accomplished mainly base on the spectroscopic methods, and then were further confirmed by X-ray crystal diffraction. All the compounds were evaluated for inhibitory activity against PTP1B. Current data suggested that the compounds 1, 3, 12, 13 and 14 were considered to be potential as antidiabetic agents, in which they could significantly inhibit the PTP1B enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner.

Corrigendum: 6-Shogaol inhibits oxidative stress-induced rat vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis by regulating OXR1-p53 axis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.808162.].

Corilagin attenuates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice by inhibiting ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis through disrupting NCOA4-ferritin interaction.

AIMS: Intestinal ischemia reperfusion (II/R) is a common clinical emergency. Ferroptosis is reported to play a role in II/R injury. Our previous studies revealed that corilagin significantly attenuates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injuries. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear and requires further study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DAO, GSSG/T-GSH, MDA, and Fe2+ were measured by assay kits, 4-HNE was assessed by IHC, and 15-LOX was measured by ELISA. Mitochondrial damage was observed by TEM and cellular oxidation levels were detected by C11-BODIPY 581/591 and DHE probes. LC3, p62, Beclin1, ACSL4, GPX4, NCOA4, and ferritin expression were examined by WB in vivo and in vitro. IF, co-IF, q-PCR, and constructed NCOA4-knock-down IEC-6 cells were used to evaluate the role of NCOA4 in the effect of corilagin against II/R injury. Temporal and nucleoplasmic variations with or without corilagin were observed by WB. Co-IP and molecular docking were used to investigate the NCOA4-ferritin interaction. KEY FINDINGS: Corilagin attenuated II/R-induced ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Further study revealed that the anti-ferroptosis bioactivity of corilagin might be due to the modulation of iron homeostasis via inhibition of ferritinophagy in an NCOA4-dependent manner. SIGNIFICANCE: Corilagin might be a potential therapeutic agent for II/R-induced tissue injury.

6-Shogaol from Dried Ginger Protects against Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion by Inhibiting Cell Apoptosis via the BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/AKT Pathway.

SCOPE: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (II/R) injury is a common pathological process with high morbidity and mortality. Effective prevention and treatment therapies for II/R are clinically necessary. 6-Shogaol (6-SG), the main active ingredient in dried ginger, behaviors multiple biological activities, including anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and anti-apoptosis. This study aims to elucidate the protective effects and mechanism of 6-SG against II/R-induced injury. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague-Dawley rats are pre-treated orally with 6-SG and subjected to II/R injury by clamping superior mesenteric artery for 1 h and reperfusion for 2 h. Caco-2 cells are challenged by hypoxia/reoxygenation to mimic II/R in vitro. 6-SG pre-treatment protects against II/R injury by reducing intestinal morphological damage and intestinal barrier injury via inhibiting cell apoptosis. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses reveal that 6-SG has a high affinity with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) formed homodimer or heterodimer with NT4 instead of the monomer, and thus the dimer configuration is stabilized, activating BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and inhibiting II/R-induced cell apoptosis. The outcome is further validated both in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: 6-Shogaol protects against II/R injury by inhibiting cell apoptosis through the BDNF/TrkB/PI3K/AKT pathway. This study offers a new understanding of the protection mechanism of 6-SG against II/R-induced injury.

Corilagin alleviates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury by relieving oxidative stress and apoptosis via AMPK/Sirt1-autophagy pathway.

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (II/R) injury is a common pathological process with high clinical morbidity and mortality. Autophagy plays an important role in the pathological development of II/R. Corilagin (CA) is a natural ellagitannin with various pharmacological effects such as autophagy regulation, antioxidant, and antiapoptosis. However, whether CA alleviates II/R injury is still unclear. In this study, we had found that CA significantly attenuated II/R induced intestinal tissue pathological damage, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis in rats. Further studies showed that CA significantly promoted AMPK phosphorylation and sirt1 expression, and thus activated autophagy by upregulating protein expression of autophagy-related proteins Beclin1 and LC3II and promoting SQSTM1/P62 degradation both in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation by its inhibitor compound C(CC) significantly abolished CA-mediated autophagy activation and the relievable effects on oxidative stress and apoptosis in vitro, suggesting the excellent protective activity of CA against II/R injury via AMPK/Sirt1-autophagy pathway. These findings confirmed the potent effects of CA against II/R injury, and provided novel insights into the mechanisms of the compound as a potential candidate for the treatment of II/R.

Corilagin alleviates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion-induced intestinal and lung injury in mice via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis.

Intestinal ischemia reperfusion (II/R) is a clinical emergency that frequently occurs in a variety of clinical conditions. Severe intestinal injury results in the release of cytotoxic substances and inflammatory mediators which can activate local inflammatory response and bacterial translocation. This triggers multi-organ failure, including lung injury, which is a common complication of II/R injury and contributes to the high mortality rate. Corilagin (Cor) is a natural ellagitannin found in a variety of plants. It has many biological and pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis activities. However, no studies have evaluated the effects and molecular mechanisms of Cor in alleviating II/R-induced intestinal and lung damage. In this study, Cor was found to significantly alleviate II/R-induced pathological damage, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and pyroptosis in intestinal and lung tissues both in vivo and in vitro. Further, Cor inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in RAW264.7 and MLE-12 cells induced by LPS/nigericin and that in IEC-6 cells induced by nigericin, indicating an amelioration of Cor in II/R-induced intestinal and lung injury via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis. Thus, Cor might be a potential therapeutic agent for II/R-induced inflammation and tissue injury.

6-Shogaol Inhibits Oxidative Stress-Induced Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis by Regulating OXR1-p53 Axis.

Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is closely related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, and oxidative stress is an important cause of VSMCs' death. Inhibiting VSMCs apoptosis is an effective preventive strategy in slowing down the development of cardiovascular disease, especially for atherosclerosis. In this study, we found that oxidation resistance protein 1 (OXR1), a crucial participator for responding to oxidative stress, could modulate the expression of p53, the key regulator of cell apoptosis. Our results revealed that oxidative stress promoted VSMCs apoptosis by overexpression of the OXR1-p53 axis, and 6-shogaol (6S), a major biologically active compound in ginger, could effectively attenuate cell death by preventing the upregulated expression of the OXR1-p53 axis. Quantitative proteomics analysis revealed that the degradation of p53 mediated by OXR1 might be related to the enhanced assembly of SCF ubiquitin ligase complexes, which is reported to closely relate to the modification of ubiquitination or neddylation and subsequent degradation of p53.

Tannin extracts from immature fruits of Terminalia chebula Fructus Retz. promote cutaneous wound healing in rats.

BACKGROUND: Tannins extracted from immature fruits of Terminalia chebula Fructus Retz. are considered as effective components promoting the process of wound healing. The objective of this study is to explore the optimal extraction and purification technology (OEPT) of tannins, while studying the use of this drug in the treatment of a cutaneous wound of rat as well as its antibacterial effects. METHODS: The content of tannin extracts was measured by the casein method, and antibacterial ability was studied by the micro-dilution method in vitro. In wound healing experiment, animals in group Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were treated with vaseline ointment, tannin extracts (tannin content: 81%) and erythromycin ointment, respectively (5 mg of ointment were applied on each wound). To evaluate the process of wound healing, selected pharmacological and biochemical parameters were applied. RESULTS: After optimal extraction and purification, content of tannin extracts was increased to 81%. Tannin extracts showed the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella Pneumonia in vitro. After excision of wounds, on days 7 and 10, the percent of wound contraction of group Ⅱ was higher than that of group Ⅰ. After being hurt with wounds, on days 3, 7, and 10, the wound healing quality of group Ⅱ was found to be better than that of group Ⅰ in terms of granulation formation and collagen organization. After wound creation, on day 3, the vascular endothelial growth factor expression of group Ⅱ was higher than that of group Ⅰ. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that tannin extracts from dried immature fruits of Terminalia chebula Fructus Retz. can promote cutaneous wound healing in rats, probably resulting from a powerful anti-bacterial and angiogenic activity of the extracts.