Oridonin restores hepatic lipid homeostasis in an LXRa-ATGL/EPT1 axis-dependent manner

Hepatosteatosis is characterized by abnormal accumulation of triglycerides(TG),leading to prolonged and chronic inflammatory infiltration.To date,there is still a lack of effective and economical therapies for hepatosteatosis.Oridonin(ORI)is a major bioactive component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Rabdosia rubescens.In this paper,we showed that ORI exerted significant protective effects against hepatic steatosis,inflammation and fibrosis,which was dependent on LXRa signaling.It is reported that LXRa regulated lipid homeostasis between triglyceride(TG)and phosphatidylethanolamine(PE)by promoting ATGL and EPT1 expression.Therefore,we implemented the lipidomic strategy and luciferase reporter assay to verify that ORI contributed to the homeostasis of lipids via the regulation of the ATGL gene associated with TG hydrolysis and the EPT1 gene related to PE synthesis in a LXRadependent manner,and the results showed the TG reduction and PE elevation.In detail,hepatic TG overload and lipotoxicity were reversed after ORI treatment by modulating the ATGL and EPT1 genes,respectively.Taken together,the data provide mechanistic insights to explain the bioactivity of ORI in attenuating TG accumulation and cytotoxicity and introduce exciting opportunities for developing novel natural activators of the LXRa-ATGL/EPT1 axis for pharmacologically treating hepatosteatosis and metabolic disorders.

A novel marine-derived anti-acute kidney injury agent targeting peroxiredoxin 1 and its nanodelivery strategy based on ADME optimization

Insufficient therapeutic strategies for acute kidney injury(AKI)necessitate precision therapy targeting its pathogenesis.This study reveals the new mechanism of the marine-derived anti-AKI agent,piericidin glycoside S14,targeting peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1).By binding to Cys83 of PRDX1 and augmenting its peroxidase activity,S14 alleviates kidney injury efficiently in Prdx1-overexpression(Prdx1-OE)mice.Besides,S14 also increases PRDX1 nuclear translocation and directly activates the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 pathway to inhibit ROS production.Due to the limited druggability of S14 with low bioavailability(2.6%)and poor renal distribution,a pH-sensitive kidney-targeting dodecanaminechitosan nanoparticle system is constructed to load S14 for precise treatment of AKI.L-Serine conjugation to chitosan imparts specificity to kidney injury molecule-1(Kim-1)-overexpressed cells.The developed S14-nanodrug exhibits higher therapeutic efficiency by improving the in vivo behavior of S14 significantly.By encapsulation with micelles,the AUC_(0-t),half-life time,and renal distribution of S14 increase 2.5-,1.8-,and 3.1-fold,respectively.The main factors contributing to the improved druggability of S14 nanodrugs include the lower metabolic elimination rate and UDPglycosyltransferase(UGT)-mediated biotransformation.In summary,this study identifies a new therapeutic target for the marine-derived anti-AKI agent while enhancing its ADME properties and druggability through nanotechnology,thereby driving advancements in marine drug development for AKI.