Enhancement of porcine in vitro embryonic development through luteolin‑mediated activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway

Background Oxidative stress,caused by an imbalance in the production and elimination of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS),has been recognized for its detrimental effects on mammalian embryonic development.Luteolin(Lut)has been documented for its protective effects against oxidative stress in various studies.However,its specific role in embryonic development remains unexplored.This study aims to investigate the influence of Lut on porcine embryonic development and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.Results After undergoing parthenogenetic activation(PA)or in vitro fertilization,embryos supplemented with 0.5μmol/L Lut displayed a significant enhancement in cleavage and blastocyst formation rates,with an increase in total cell numbers and a decrease in the apoptosis rate compared to the control.Measurements on D2 and D6 revealed that embryos with Lut supplementation had lower ROS levels and higher glutathione levels compared to the control.Moreover,Lut supplementation significantly augmented mitochondrial content and membrane potential.Intriguingly,activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway was observed in embryos supplemented with Lut,leading to the upregulation of antioxidant-related gene transcription levels.To further validate the relationship between the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and effects of Lut in porcine embryonic development,we cultured PA embryos in a medium supplemented with brusatol,with or without the inclusion of Lut.The positive effects of Lut on developmental competence were negated by brusatol treatment.Conclusions Our findings indicate that Lut-mediated activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway contributes to the enhanced production of porcine embryos with high developmental competence,and offers insight into the mechanisms regulating early embryonic development.

Oleuropein alleviates sepsis-induced acute lung injury via the AMPK/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling

Objective:To explore the effect of oleuropein on sepsis-induced acute lung injury(ALI)in vitro and in vivo and investigate the underlying mechanism.Methods:In an lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-mediated cell model of sepsis-induced ALI and a cecal ligation and puncture-induced mouse model of septic ALI,CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis were used to detect cell activity and apoptosis.ELISA and relevant assay kits were used to measure the levels of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress,respectively.Western blot was applied to determine the expression of apoptosis-and AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2(Nrf-2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)signaling-associated proteins.JC-1 staining,adenosine triphosphate(ATP)assay kit,and MitoSOX Red assays were performed to detect mitochondrial membrane potential,ATP content,and mitochondrial ROS formation,respectively.Moreover,lung injury was evaluated by measuring lung morphological alternations,lung wet-to-dry ratio,myeloperoxidase content,and total protein concentration.Results:Oleuropein reduced inflammatory reaction,oxidative damage,and apoptosis,and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction in LPS-exposed BEAS-2B cells and mice with septic ALI.Besides,oleuropein activated the AMPK/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway.However,these effects of oleuropein were abrogated by an AMPK inhibitor compound C.Conclusions:Oleuropein can protect against sepsis-induced ALI in vitro and in vivo by activating the AMPK/Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling,which might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of sepsis-induced ALI.

X-Paste improves wound healing in diabetes via NF-E2-related factor/HO-1 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND Diabetic foot ulcers(DFU),as severe complications of diabetes mellitus(DM),significantly compromise patient health and carry risks of amputation and mortality.AIM To offer new insights into the occurrence and development of DFU,focusing on the therapeutic mechanisms of X-Paste(XP)of wound healing in diabetic mice.METHODS Employing traditional Chinese medicine ointment preparation methods,XP combines various medicinal ingredients.High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)identified XP’s main components.Using streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic,we aimed to investigate whether XP participated in the process of diabetic wound healing.RNA-sequencing analyzed gene expression differences between XP-treated and control groups.Molecular docking clarified XP’s treatment mechanisms for diabetic wound healing.Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)were used to investigate the effects of Andrographolide(Andro)on cell viability,reactive oxygen species generation,apoptosis,proliferation,and metastasis in vitro following exposure to high glucose(HG),while NF-E2-related factor-2(Nrf2)knockdown elucidated Andro’s molecular mechanisms.RESULTS XP notably enhanced wound healing in mice,expediting the healing process.RNA-sequencing revealed Nrf2 upregulation in DM tissues following XP treatment.HPLC identified 21 primary XP components,with Andro exhibiting strong Nrf2 binding.Andro mitigated HG-induced HUVECs proliferation,metastasis,angiogenic injury,and inflammation inhibition.Andro alleviates HG-induced HUVECs damage through Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation,with Nrf2 knockdown reducing Andro’s proliferative and endothelial protective effects.CONCLUSION XP significantly promotes wound healing in STZ-induced diabetic models.As XP’s key component,Andro activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,enhancing cell proliferation,tubule formation,and inflammation reduction.

Scutellarin alleviates complete freund’s adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis in mice by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

Scutellarin(SCU)is a herbal flavonoid glucuronide with multiple pharmacological activities,including antioxidant,anti-inflammation,vascular relaxation,anti-platelet,and myocardial protection.However,the effect of SCU on complete Freund’s adjuvant(CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis(RA)had not been studied.In this study,we investigated the beneficial effects of SCU in the CFA-induced RA mice model and the anti-arthritic activity was evaluated by paw edema.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was carried out to evaluate the plasma levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G,IgE,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL),and osteoprotegerin(OPG).Histological slides were prepared from the harvested paws of mice to determine the pathological changes in the joints.The proportions of T helper type 1(Th1)and T helper type 2(Th2)cells of CD4+T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.The expression of Kelch-like ECHassociated protein 1(Keap1),nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)was analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and western blotting assays.The present study demonstrated that SCU prevented CFA-induced RA,and inhibited the expression of inflammation factors,IgG,IgE,TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6.While SCU also reduced the RANKL level,it increased OPG expression in RA mice.The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly lower in mice treated with SCU.Additionally,HO-1 expression was reduced while the expression of Keap1 and Nrf2 was elevated following SCU treatment.Results provide preliminary evidence to employ SCU in arthritis treatment which might be related to the regulation of Th1/Th2 balance and the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Mechanism of hesperidin improving myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in type 2 diabetic rats through SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Objective:To observe the protective effect of hesperidin on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its effect on SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.Methods:50 Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly assigned to the normal control group(NC),model group,ischemia-reperfusion group(IR),hesperidin group,SIRT1 inhibitor group and hesperidin plus SIRT1 inhibitor group.In addition to NC,the rats in the remaining groups were replicated by intraperitoneal of high-fat diet combined with injection of streptozotocin for type 2 diabetic rats.After then,the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury(MIRI)rat model was established by LAd for 30 minutes with 2 hours reperfusion.He staining was used to observe the pathological changes of myocardial tissue,and the levels of serum LDH,CK-MB and SOD,GSH and MDA in myocardial tissue were detected by kit methods,and the expression abundance of related proteins in 4-HNE and SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot;Results:Hesperidin could significantly inhibit cardiomyocyte necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration,reduce LDH activity,CK-MB and MDA level,and increase SOD activity,GSH and 4-HNE level,the differences were statistically significant when compared with IR group(P<0.01).In addition,compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group,the expressions of SIRT1,Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins in hesperidin group were significantly up-regulated,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.01);Conclusion:Hesperidin inhibits oxidative stress by activating SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway,and play a protective effect of myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in diabetic rats.

Effects of nuciferine on Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in adipose tissue of obesity model rats

Objective:This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of nuciferine on high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats and the influence of nuciferine on nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)signaling pathway in the adipose tissue.Methods:A total of 40 male Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were evenly divided into the normal,model,positive control,and nuciferine groups,using the random number table method.Except for the normal group,rats in the other groups were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish the obesity model.During the model establishment,rats in the positive control group received atorvastatin calcium 2 mg/kg,rats in the nuciferine group received nuciferine 20 mg/kg,and rats in the normal and model groups received normal saline 2 mL,daily through intragastric administration for 12 consecutive weeks.After model establishment and administration,the body weight,Lee’s index,and blood lipids of rats in each group were measured,and hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining was performed on the liver and adipose tissues to evaluate the therapeutic effect of nuciferine on obesity rat model.Additionally,the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)in the serum of rats in each group were determined,and the gene expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the adipose tissue of rats in each group were detected through quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)to investigate the mechanism of action of nuciferine in the treatment of obesity.Results:After 12 weeks of model establishment and administration,we observed that compared with the model group,nuciferine could significantly reduce the body weight,Lee’s index,and serum triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)levels and increase the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)level in obesity rat model(P<0.05 or P<0.01).HE staining revealed that nuciferine could significantly alleviate liver steatosis in obesity rat model and improve the cell morphology in epididymal adipose tissue.Moreover,nuciferine could elevate serum SOD and GSH-Px activities in obesity rat model and lower the serum MDA level(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The qPCR indicated that nuciferine could upregulate the gene expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the adipose tissue of obesity rat model(P<0.05 or P<0.01).

Effect of pestle intervention in type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy on Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway and the relationship with oxidative stress

Objective:To investigate the effect of pestle needle treatment on Nrf2 pathway and the relationship with oxidative stress in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Methods:Patients with DPN who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into control and test groups with 30 patients in each group in a 1:1 allocation ratio.Both groups were given basic treatment,and the pestle group was treated with needle pestle therapy 5 times a week for a total of 4 weeks of intervention.Serum SOD and GSH PX levels were examined by colorimetry before and after intervention;Serum Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway related factors expression levels were measured by ELISA;Keap1 and Nrf2 mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR.Results:Compared with the control group,SOD and GSH-Px in the test group were significantly increased,Keap1 expression was decreased,Nrf2 expression was increased,Keap1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased,and Nrf2 mRNA expression was significantly increased.Conclusions:the pestle needle may enhance the body's antioxidant capacity by modulating the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway to enhance the production of its downstream antioxidant enzymes SOD and GSH Px,thereby protecting and repairing the damaged peripheral nerves in DPN patients.

Dandelion polyphenols protect against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice via activation of the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway and inhibition of the JNK signaling pathway

We investigated the liver protective activity of dandelion polyphenols(DP)against acetaminophen(APAP;Paracetamol)-induced hepatotoxicity.Mice were acclimated for 1 week and randomly divided into the following groups(n=9 per group):Control,APAP,APAP+DP(100 mg·kg^–1),APAP+DP(200 mg·kg^–1),and APAP+DP(400 mg·kg^–1)groups.Mice were pretreated with DP(100,200,and 400 mg·kg^–1)by oral gavage for 7 d before being treated with 350 mg·kg^–1 APAP for 24 h to induced hepatotoxicity.Severe liver injury was observed,and hepatotoxicity was analyzed after 24 h by evaluation of biochemical markers,protein expressions levels,and liver histopathology.Pretreatment with DP was able to restore serum liver characteristics(aspartate transaminase,AST;alanine aminotransferase,ALT;alkaline phosphatase,AKP),improve redox imbalance(superoxide dismutase,SOD;glutathione,GSH;malondialdehyde,MDA),and decrease inflammatory factors(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α;interleukin-1β,IL-1β).Pretreatment with DP also significantly inhibited the expression levels of nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2).Furthermore,DP pretreatment could inhibit the apoptosis of liver cells caused by APAP through up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of Bax and caspase-9 protein.DP also down-regulated p-JNK protein expression levels to inhibit APAP-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress and up-regulated the expression of Nrf-2 and its target gene HO-1.The histopathological staining demonstrated that DP pretreatment could inhibit APAP-induced hepatocyte infiltration,congestion,and necrosis.Our results demonstrate that DP pretreatment could protect against APAP-induced hepatic injury by activating the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway and inhibition of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway.

Protective effects of peptide KSPLY derived from Hericium erinaceus on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells

Reactive oxygen species(ROS)-induced oxidative damage is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of chronic diseases,and natural antioxidant peptides have good abilities of scavenging ROS.The antioxidant activity of peptide Lys-Ser-Pro-Leu-Tyr(KSPLY)derived from Hericium erinaceus remains unclear.In the present study,the antioxidant effect and mechanism of KSPLY on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells were investigated.The results indicated that KSPLY exhibited the antioxidant capacity in H_(2)O_(2)-induced HepG2 cells by enhancing superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT)activities.In comparison with the H_(2)O_(2)-treated damage group,the apoptosis rate,ROS level,and malondialdehyde(MDA)content of HepG2 cells treated with KSPLY were significantly decreased.The H.erinaceus-derived peptide KSPLY pretreatment promoted the expression of detoxification and antioxidant enzymes via the Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway,thereby inhibiting the generation of ROS and MDA.In conclusion,the H.erinaceus-derived peptide KSPLY effectively protected HepG2 cells against H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage,and it provided a theoretical basis for the further development of new natural antioxidants.

Garcinia xanthochymus extract protects PC12 cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis through modulation of PI3K/AKT and NRF2/HO-1 pathways

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of Garcinia xanthochymus, a perennial medicinal plant native to Yunnan, China, against H2 O2-induced oxidative damage in rat pheochromacytoma PC12 cells. Preincubation of PC12 cells with fruit Et OAc fraction(fruit-EFr., 12.5–50 μmol·L^(-1)) of G. xanthochymus for 24 h prior to H_2O_2 exposure markedly improved cell viability and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes(superoxide dismutase, catalase, and heme oxygenase-1 [HO-1]), prevented lactate dehydrogenase release and lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde production, attenuated the decrease of matrix metalloproteinases(MMP), and scavenged reactive oxygen species(ROS). Fruit-EFr. also reduced BAX and cytochrome C expression and improved BCL-2 expression, thereby decreasing the ratio of BAX to BCL-2. Fruit-EFr. activated the nuclear translocation of NRF2 to increase HO-1 and induced the phosphorylation of AKT. Its cytoprotective effect was abolished by LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3 K. Taken together, the above findings suggested that fruit-EFr.of G. xanthochymus could enhance cellular antioxidant defense capacity, at least in part, through upregulating HO-1 expression and activating the PI3 K/AKT pathway and that it could suppress H_2O_2-induced oxidative damage via PI3 K/AKT and NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathways.