Background:Natural astaxanthin(ASTA)has strong antioxidant properties and has been widely used as a health product to improve human health.However,the effects of ASTA on the reproductive performance of aging roosters ...Background:Natural astaxanthin(ASTA)has strong antioxidant properties and has been widely used as a health product to improve human health.However,the effects of ASTA on the reproductive performance of aging roosters have been poorly studied.We aimed to investigate the effects of dietary ASTA on semen quality and antioxidant capacity in aging roosters and to explore the potential mechanism of semen quality change via antioxidation defense system.Methods:In the present study,9653-week-old Jinghong No.1 layer breeder roosters were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet containing 0,25,50,or 100 mg/kg ASTA for 6 weeks.Results:Semen quality in the ASTA groups remarkably improved than that in the control group,and antioxidant activities,the abilities to scavenge hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions,increased gradually with ASTA addition(P<0.05).In addition,the mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes as well as the mRNA and protein levels of the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)were markedly increased in the 50-100 mg/kg ASTA group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Collectively,these results demonstrate that dietary ASTA may improve semen quality by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and the ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals,which may be related to upregulation of the MAPK/Nrf2 pathway.展开更多
OBJECTIVE Oxidative sress is one of the key factor responsible for occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis,a common consequence of chronic liver injury of multiple etiology.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related fa...OBJECTIVE Oxidative sress is one of the key factor responsible for occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis,a common consequence of chronic liver injury of multiple etiology.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)serves as a major regulator of a celular defense system against oxidative stress.Xiaochaihutang(XCHT),a compound of seven botanical extracts used for liver diseases traditionally in East Asia.However,few studies have investigated its anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and pathophysiological mechanism of action.The present study was designed to confirm the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and explore its potential mechanism of action by investigating the intervention of Nrf2 pathway.METHODS Liver fibrosis was induced by repeated injection of Carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) over a period of 9 weeks.Starting from the 6 th week,the animals in treatment groups were given the appropriate dose of XCHT granules and silybin.Biochemical parameters,histological changes of the liver and alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) were determined.The expressions of Nrf2,Keap1,Nqo1,HO-1,Gclc and Gclm were assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot.RESULTS CCl4 caused a significant fibrosis damage in the rat liver and the liver functions and fibrosis degree were significantly improved by XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1)).XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1)) treatment significantly decreased the number of cells labeled with α-SMA antibodies.Moreover,XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1))significantly increase Nqo1,HO-1,Gclc and Gclm expressions in the liver.CONCLUSION T hese studies establish XCHT is a potentially useful therapeutic agent for treatment of hepatic fibrosis and it might be via regulation of Nrf2 pathway in rats against oxidative stress,making further efforts to inhibiting the activated HSCs.Activation or up-regulation of Nrf2 pathway may be an alternative treatment strategy for liver fibrosis.展开更多
Objectives: Exposing skin to moderate ionic osmotic stress (MIOS) triggers several biochemical responses. The objective of this work is to reveal the mechanism triggered by MIOS on the skin surface. Furthermore, this ...Objectives: Exposing skin to moderate ionic osmotic stress (MIOS) triggers several biochemical responses. The objective of this work is to reveal the mechanism triggered by MIOS on the skin surface. Furthermore, this work aims to study the involvement of the Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2) pathway, activated by MIOS, and its beneficial effect in protecting skin against stress via the stimulation of phase II enzymes. Methods: HaCaT cells and human skin organ culture were exposed to Dead Sea Water (DSW) as MIOS inducers and the induction of internal ROS elevation, Nrf2 translocation, mRNA gene expressions of the phase II enzymes, heme-oxygenase 1 (HO1), and Catalase (CAT) were determined. Results: Skin exposure to MIOS increases Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus, leading to increased levels of ROS, HO1, and CAT. Furthermore, exposing skin to MIOS promotes protection against UVB-related risks. This is demonstrated by attenuation of the expression of biomarkers, related to UVB-induced damage, Caspase-3, IL-8, and IL-1β. Conclusions: Skin exposure to MIOS leads to the activation of Nrf2 skin defense pathway and, therefore, could present beneficial advantages to human skin health, as demonstrated on human skin models. The beneficial effects of MIOS, induced by DSW are significantly superior to eq. NaCl brine, suggests that MIOS protection of skin against stress is partially related to specific mineral combinations.展开更多
Aging is an inevitable biological phenomenon that involves a multitude of physiological alterations.Dietary interventions are being considered as potential strategies for delaying age-related dysfunction.Unsaponifiabl...Aging is an inevitable biological phenomenon that involves a multitude of physiological alterations.Dietary interventions are being considered as potential strategies for delaying age-related dysfunction.Unsaponifiable matter(USM),a composition of highly active ingredients found in walnut oil,has demonstrated antioxidant effects.This study aims to explore the neuroprotective effects of USM on d-galactose-treated C57BL/6 mice and elucidate its underlying mechanism,which was validated in PC12 cells treated with d-galactose.The results of behavioral tests demonstrated that USM significantly improved cognitive deficits associated with aging.The morphological analysis demonstrated that USM effectively alleviated hippocampal neuronal damage,synaptic impairment,and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by d-galactose.Furthermore,USM significantly increases the antioxidant enzymes activity while reducing the malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels.The results suggest that USM can mitigate age-related symptoms caused by d-galactose by activating the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 signaling pathway,which enhances the expression of antioxidant enzymes,restore redox balance,and improves synaptic and mitochondrial functions.This has a positive on improving cognition and memory disorders in elderly mice.展开更多
Background:Epidemiological studies have confirmed that longer exposure to insecticides like cypermethrin(CYP)significantly increases the risk of male reproductive toxicity.Crocus sativus L.has been recognized due to i...Background:Epidemiological studies have confirmed that longer exposure to insecticides like cypermethrin(CYP)significantly increases the risk of male reproductive toxicity.Crocus sativus L.has been recognized due to its therapeutic properties,but its exact role and molecular mechanisms in treatment of reproductive dysfunction remain unclear.Methods:During this study,36 rats were randomly divided into six groups(n=6):control,CYP-induced(60 mg/kg),standard(leuprolide 3 mg/kg)and three treatment groups receiving aqueous,ethanolic,and oil extracts(50 mg/kg or 20 mL/kg)for post-toxicity induction.Results:The finding represented that exposure of CYP significantly increased oxidative stress,disrupted testicular architecture,and markedly reduced testosterone levels(P<0.05).Importantly,Crocus sativus L.treatment alleviated these changes by increasing the expression of Nrf2(nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2),restoring the activity of antioxidant enzymes,and enhancing testicular histomorphology.Surprisingly,molecular docking established a high binding affinity of Crocus sativus L.phytoconstituents such as gallic acid,cinnamic acid and quercetin to the Nrf2-Keap1 complex.It is worth noting that,Crocus sativus L.exhibited a high level of protection against reproductive toxicity caused by CYP in male rats,which was mediated by the activation of Nrf2 pathway,reduction of oxidative damage,and favorable ADMET characteristics.Conclusion:Notably,this research provides a more valid,safe,and effective method of developing new drugs for reproductive disorders,however,further investigation is needed to support the research findings and implement it in clinical practice.展开更多
Hyperoside and quercetin are similar in molecular structures.In this study,the antioxidant regulatory targets of hyperoside and quercetin are mainly in the nuclear factor(erythroid-2-derived)-related factor 2(Nrf2)pat...Hyperoside and quercetin are similar in molecular structures.In this study,the antioxidant regulatory targets of hyperoside and quercetin are mainly in the nuclear factor(erythroid-2-derived)-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathway predicted by network pharmacology.And the antioxidant effect and mechanism of hyperoside and quercetin were measured and compared in H_(2)O_(2)-induced Hep G2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans.The findings indicated that quercetin was more effective than hyperoside in reducing oxidative damage,which was proved by improved cell viability,decreased reactive oxygen species(ROS)production,decreased cellular apoptosis,and alleviated mitochondrial damage.In addition,quercetin was more efficient than hyperoside in enhancing the expression of Nrf2-associated m RNAs,increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT),and reducing the cellular malondialdehyde(MDA)content.Quercetin was superior to hyperoside in prolonging the lifespan of worms,decreasing the accumulation of lipofuscin,inhibiting ROS production,and increasing the proportion of skn-1 in the nucleus.With the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385,we verified that quercetin and hyperoside primarily protected the cells against oxidative damage via the Nrf2 signalling pathway.Furthermore,molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated that the quercetin-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)complex was more stable than the hyperoside-Keap1 complex.The stable structure of the complex might hinder the binding of Nrf2 and Keap1 to release Nrf2 and facilitate its entry into the nucleus to play an antioxidant role.Overall,quercetin had a better antioxidant than hyperoside.展开更多
Background Hesperidin is a citrus flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. However, its protective effects on bovine mammary epithelial cells(b MECs) exposed to oxidative stress have not been elucid...Background Hesperidin is a citrus flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. However, its protective effects on bovine mammary epithelial cells(b MECs) exposed to oxidative stress have not been elucidated.Results In this study, we investigated the effects of hesperidin on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative stress in b MECs and the underlying molecular mechanism. We found that hesperidin attenuated H_(2)O_(2)-induced cell damage by reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS) and malondialdehyde(MDA) levels, increasing catalase(CAT) activity, and improving cell proliferation and mitochondrial membrane potential. Moreover, hesperidin activated the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway by inducing the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and the expression of its downstream genes NQO1 and HO-1, which are antioxidant enzymes involved in ROS scavenging and cellular redox balance. The protective effects of hesperidin were blocked by the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385, indicating that they were Nrf2 dependent.Conclusions Our results suggest that hesperidin could protect b MECs from oxidative stress injury by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that hesperidin as a natural antioxidant has positive potential as a feed additive or plant drug to promote the health benefits of bovine mammary.展开更多
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.Lut...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.展开更多
Background:Radiotherapy,a primary approach in cancer treatment,damages normal cells while targeting cancer cells.Therefore,it is crucial to identify drugs with minimal side effects,high reliability,and radioprotective...Background:Radiotherapy,a primary approach in cancer treatment,damages normal cells while targeting cancer cells.Therefore,it is crucial to identify drugs with minimal side effects,high reliability,and radioprotective effects to develop novel radiotherapy strategies.Hemerocallis citrina extracts(HCE),which are derived from plants with medicinal and culinary applications,possess antioxidative and anticancer properties.Methods:In this study,we investigated the radioprotective effects of HCE on LO2 cells exposed to radiation to determine whether these effects were mediated through the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2-cystine–glutamate antiporter/glutathione peroxidase 4 pathway.Results:Cell proliferation experiments demonstrated the radioprotective effect of HCE on LO2 cells.Western blot analysis revealed that HCE regulated B-cell lymphoma protein 2-associated X,Cleaved-caspase 3,and B-cell lymphoma protein 2,thereby inhibiting radiation-induced apoptosis,which was consistent with the flow cytometry results.Conclusions:Moreover,the detection of ferroptosis-related markers indicated that HCE alleviated radiation-induced ferroptosis in LO2 cells through the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2-cystine–glutamate antiporter/glutathione peroxidase 4 pathway.These findings provide a theoretical basis for the radioprotective effects of HCE on LO2 cells and offer new insights into the development of radioprotective drugs.展开更多
Objective This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of cholecalciferol cholesterol emulsion(CCE),a vitamin D(VD)precursor,in a murine model of acute cerebral infarction(ACI)and to elucidate the role ...Objective This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of cholecalciferol cholesterol emulsion(CCE),a vitamin D(VD)precursor,in a murine model of acute cerebral infarction(ACI)and to elucidate the role of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in mediating these effects.Methods Forty C57BL/6J mice(male and female)were divided into five groups(n=10 per group):control,control+CCE,ACI,ACI+CCE,and ACI+CCE+ML385(an Nrf2 inhibitor).ACI was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).CCE was administered for three weeks prior to ACI induction,and ML385 was administered intravenously to inhibit Nrf2.Neurological function,brain edema,and infarct size,as well as inflammatory and apoptotic marker levels,were assessed post-ACI.Statistical analyses were conducted via one-way ANOVA and Student's t test,with P<0.05 considered significant.Results Compared to ACI group,CCE significantly reduced neurological deficits,brain edema,and infarct size(P<0.01).The ACI+CCE group presented improved short-term memory retention,as evidenced by shorter avoidance latency in shuttle avoidance tests(P<0.01).CCE administration attenuated the expression of inflammatory markers(IL-6,MIF,Lp-PLA2)while increasing IL-10 levels(P<0.001).Furthermore,CCE increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression and reduced apoptosis by decreasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in brain tissue(P<0.001).ML385 abolished these neuroprotective effects,confirming the role of the Nrf2 pathway in mediating the benefits of VD.Conclusion VD,via VD receptor-mediated activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway,reduces inflammation,apoptosis,and neurological damage following ACI.These findings support the therapeutic potential of VD in the treatment of ischemic stroke and highlight the importance of Nrf2 in mediating these effects.展开更多
Objective:This study aimed to assess the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)at the contralateral,ipsilateral,or bilateral"Zusanli(ST36)"and"Yanglingquan(GB34)"on neuropathic pain caused by chronic co...Objective:This study aimed to assess the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)at the contralateral,ipsilateral,or bilateral"Zusanli(ST36)"and"Yanglingquan(GB34)"on neuropathic pain caused by chronic contractile injury(CCI)and to explore the role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathway in the effects of EA.Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the CCI model to induce neuropathic pain.A total of 45 rats were randomly divided into five groups(n=9):sham,CCI,EA-Co(CCI+EA at contralateral acupoints),EA-Ip(CCI+EA at ipsilateral acupoints),and EA-Bi(CCI+EA at bilateral acupoints).The rats received EA treatment on day 8 after CCI,once every alternate day,for a total of eight times.The time courses of mechanical pain threshold(MWT),hind paw withdrawal latency(HWL),and sciatic functional index(SFI)were determined.The expression levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine(8-OHdG),glutathione(GSH),superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity,interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β),and tumor necrosis factor factor-alpha(TNF-α)in the spinal cord were measured.The distribution of Nrf2,its expression of Nrf2 in both the cytosol and nucleus,and the protein levels of its downstream target genes,NQO1 and HO-1,were detected via double immunofluorescence staining and western blotting,respectively.Results:Following CCI,both MWT and HWL in the CCI group significantly decreased from day 14 after surgery(P<0.001).EA treatment exhibited significant antinociceptive effects induced by CCI by increasing the MWT and HWL values,especially bilateral EA(P<0.05).The SFI of the CCI group was significantly lower than that of the sham group(P<0.001).Only bilateral EA improved the SFI scores compared to the CCI group(P<0.05).8-OHdG levels in the spinal cord of the CCI group were significantly higher than those in the sham group(P<0.05),whereas GSH levels and SOD activity in the spinal cord of the CCI group were significantly lower than those in the sham group(P<0.001 and P<0.01,respectively).Bilateral EA administration significantly downregulated 8-OHdG levels(P<0.01)and upregulated GSH levels and SOD activity in the spinal cord(P<0.01).CCI significantly enhanced the production of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-αin the spinal cord compared with that in the sham group(all P<0.001).Meanwhile,the effects of EA were also accompanied by markedly decreased expression of IL-1βand IL-6 in the spinal cord(P<0.05).TNF-αlevels were only decreased in the EA-Ip and EA-Bi groups compared with those in the CCI group(P<0.001).Confocal microscopy revealed that Nrf2 was mainly localized in the neurons of the spinal cord.Notably,EA treatment enhanced nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in neurons.CCI significantly decreased the production of Nrf2,HO-1,and NQO1 in the spinal cord compared to the sham group(P<0.001),and bilateral EA up-regulated the protein levels of Nrf2 and its target genes HO-1 and NQO1(all P<0.001).Conclusion:Our results suggest that bilateral EA is an optimal therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain.The effects of EA on neuropathic pain may be mediated by the restoration of the Nrf2 pathway in the spinal cord.展开更多
Gastrodia elata Bl.is traditional Chinese medicine used to alleviate fatigue,but its underlying mechanism is still unclear.This study explored the anti-fatigue mechanism of gastrodin by exercise-induced fatigue model ...Gastrodia elata Bl.is traditional Chinese medicine used to alleviate fatigue,but its underlying mechanism is still unclear.This study explored the anti-fatigue mechanism of gastrodin by exercise-induced fatigue model and network pharmacology.This study found that gastrodin(200 mg/kg/day)had significant anti-fatigue effects in C57BL/6J mice based on mouse energy and endurance measurements.Gastrodin could effectively ameliorate biochemical indexes in the fatigue mice.The putative targets of“Gastrodin”and“Fatigue”were obtained by integrating multiple databases,and a virtual network containing 220 interactive targets was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape.Functional annotation analysis of these targets by g:Profiler showed that they mainly contribute to the cellular processes,protein binding,and other functions and participate in metabolic pathways,cancer pathways,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,etc.We found that oxidation and inflammatory factors played an important role in the virtual network of gastrodin anti-fatigue,which was supported by microarray dataset analysis and a molecular docking prediction.Additionally,real time-quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis indicated that gastrodin could promote the activation of the Nrf2 signal pathway,which could activate HO-1 and NQO1;gastrodin also could down-regulate the expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,and IL-6.In summary,gastrodin can ameliorate exercise-induced fatigue by modulating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting expressions of inflammatory factors,this provides a new clue for the development of gastrodin-functional foods or anti-fatigue drugs.展开更多
Antioxidant peptides have been widely reported.However,only a few reports have been published examining the antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu.In this study,6 novel peptides derived from Chinese baijiu w...Antioxidant peptides have been widely reported.However,only a few reports have been published examining the antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu.In this study,6 novel peptides derived from Chinese baijiu were identified successfully using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupoletime-of-flight mass spectrometry(HPLC-QTOF-MS)with a concentration of 0.835–24.540μg/L.The underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated,and their cytoprotective effects were examined against 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropanimidamidine)dihydrochloride(AAPH)-induced oxidative stress in Hep G2 cells.The results showed that these peptides exerted protective effects by suppressing reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation,preventing malondialdehyde(MDA)formation,and upregulating cellular antioxidant enzyme activities(SOD,CAT,and GSH-Px)in a dose-dependent manner.Further experiments proved that these peptides exerted antioxidant effects via Nrf2/ARE-mediated signaling pathway by promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation,inhibiting ubiquitination,and enhancing transcription capacity of Nrf2 in Hep G2 cells.These findings provide the molecular basis for the effects of antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu,which is important for a deeper understanding of the relationship between human health and moderate drinking.展开更多
Ustiloxins are vital cyclopeptide mycotoxins originally isolated from rice false smut balls that form in rice spikelets infected by the fungal pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens.The toxicity of the water extract of rice f...Ustiloxins are vital cyclopeptide mycotoxins originally isolated from rice false smut balls that form in rice spikelets infected by the fungal pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens.The toxicity of the water extract of rice false smut balls(RBWE) remains to be investigated.Studies have shown that RBWE may be toxic to animals,but toxicological evidence is still lacking.In this study,we found that the IC50 values of RBWE to BNL CL.2 cells at 24 and 48 h were 40.02 and 30.11 μg/m L,respectively,with positive correlations with dose toxicity and time toxicity.After treatment with RBWE,the number of BNL CL.2 cells decreased significantly,and the morphology of BNL CL.2 cells showed atrophy and wall detachment.RBWE induced DNA presynthesis phase arrest of BNL CL.2 cells,increased the proportion of apoptotic cells and inhibited cell proliferation.RBWE up-regulated reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels and lowered mitochondrial membrane potentials.Additionally,Western blot and q RT-PCR results suggested that RBWE exerted the above effects by promoting the Nrf2/HO-1 and caspase-induced apoptosis pathways in vitro and in vivo.The contents of alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase,and total bile acids in the serum of mice from Institute of Cancer were significantly up-regulated by RBWE.At the same time,RBWE can lead to increases in ROS and malondialdehyde contents,decreases in contents of oxidized glutathione,glutathione and reduced glutathione,as well as decrease in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in mouse liver tissues,demonstrating that oxidative stress occurred in mice.Moreover,liver damage was further detected by haematoxylin-eosin staining and electron microscopy to verify the damage to the mice caused by RBWE.In general,RBWE may cause hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro via the apoptosis pathway,which provides a reference for hepatotoxicity and its mechanism of action.展开更多
Engineered probiotics can serve as therapeutics based on their ability of produce recombinant immune-stimulating properties.In this study,we built the recombinant Bacillus subtilis WB800 expressing antimicrobial pepti...Engineered probiotics can serve as therapeutics based on their ability of produce recombinant immune-stimulating properties.In this study,we built the recombinant Bacillus subtilis WB800 expressing antimicrobial peptide KR32(WB800-KR32)using genetic engineering methods and investigated its protective effects of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)pathway activation in intestinal oxidative disturbance induced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)K88 in weaned piglets.Twenty-eight weaned piglets were randomly distributed into four treatment groups with seven replicates fed with a basal diet.The feed of the control group(CON)was infused with normal sterilized saline;meanwhile,the ETEC,ETEC+WB800,and ETEC+WB800-KR32 groups were orally administered normal sterilized saline,5×10^(10)CFU(CFU:colony forming units)WB800,and 5×10^(10)CFU WB800-KR32,respectively,on Days 1-14 and all infused with ETEC K881×10^(10)CFU on Days 15-17.The results showed that pretreatment with WB800-KR32 attenuated ETEC-induced intestinal disturbance,improved the mucosal activity of antioxidant enzyme(catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and glutathione peroxidase(GPx))and decreased the content of malondialdehyde(MDA).More importantly,WB800-KR32 downregulated genes involved in antioxidant defense(GPx and SOD1).Interestingly,WB800-KR32 upregulated the protein expression of Nrf2 and downregulated the protein expression of Keap1 in the ileum.WB800-KR32 markedly changed the richness estimators(Ace and Chao)of gut microbiota and increased the abundance of Eubacterium_rectale_ATCC_33656 in the feces.The results suggested that WB800-KR32 may alleviate ETEC-induced intestinal oxidative injury through the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway,providing a new perspective for WB800-KR32 as potential therapeutics to regulate intestinal oxidative disturbance in ETEC K88 infection.展开更多
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 ...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.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
Xiaoyankangjun tablet(XYKJP)is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation used to treat intestinal disorders in clinical practice.However,the specific therapeutic mechanism of action of XYKJP in colitis has not yet be...Xiaoyankangjun tablet(XYKJP)is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation used to treat intestinal disorders in clinical practice.However,the specific therapeutic mechanism of action of XYKJP in colitis has not yet been elucidated.This study aimed to reveal the multifaceted mechanisms of action of XYKJP in treating colitis.The model established based on DSS-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice was employed to estimate the effect of XYKJP on colitis,which was then followed by histological assessment,16S rRNA sequencing,RT-qPCR,ELISA,and Western blot.XYKJP alleviated the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis mainly by reducing oxidative stress,inflammatory responses,and intestinal mucosal repair in colitis tissues.In addition,XYKJP regulated the intestinal flora by increasing the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium and reducing the relative abundance of Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002.Mechanistically,XYKJP increased the content of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in the feces,particularly propanoic acid and butyric acid,activated their specific receptor GPR43/41,furthermore activated the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway,and suppressed the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.XYKJP significantly alleviated the symptoms of experimental colitis and functioned synergistically by regulating the intestinal flora,increasing the production of SCFAs,and activating their specific receptors,thereby repressing oxidative stress and inflammation.展开更多
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...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.展开更多
基金This study was supported by Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System-Peking Poultry Innovation Team(BAIC04–2021)the National Key R&D Program of China(2016YFD0700201).
文摘Background:Natural astaxanthin(ASTA)has strong antioxidant properties and has been widely used as a health product to improve human health.However,the effects of ASTA on the reproductive performance of aging roosters have been poorly studied.We aimed to investigate the effects of dietary ASTA on semen quality and antioxidant capacity in aging roosters and to explore the potential mechanism of semen quality change via antioxidation defense system.Methods:In the present study,9653-week-old Jinghong No.1 layer breeder roosters were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet containing 0,25,50,or 100 mg/kg ASTA for 6 weeks.Results:Semen quality in the ASTA groups remarkably improved than that in the control group,and antioxidant activities,the abilities to scavenge hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions,increased gradually with ASTA addition(P<0.05).In addition,the mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes as well as the mRNA and protein levels of the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)were markedly increased in the 50-100 mg/kg ASTA group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Collectively,these results demonstrate that dietary ASTA may improve semen quality by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and the ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals,which may be related to upregulation of the MAPK/Nrf2 pathway.
文摘OBJECTIVE Oxidative sress is one of the key factor responsible for occurrence and development of hepatic fibrosis,a common consequence of chronic liver injury of multiple etiology.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)serves as a major regulator of a celular defense system against oxidative stress.Xiaochaihutang(XCHT),a compound of seven botanical extracts used for liver diseases traditionally in East Asia.However,few studies have investigated its anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and pathophysiological mechanism of action.The present study was designed to confirm the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and explore its potential mechanism of action by investigating the intervention of Nrf2 pathway.METHODS Liver fibrosis was induced by repeated injection of Carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) over a period of 9 weeks.Starting from the 6 th week,the animals in treatment groups were given the appropriate dose of XCHT granules and silybin.Biochemical parameters,histological changes of the liver and alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) were determined.The expressions of Nrf2,Keap1,Nqo1,HO-1,Gclc and Gclm were assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot.RESULTS CCl4 caused a significant fibrosis damage in the rat liver and the liver functions and fibrosis degree were significantly improved by XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1)).XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1)) treatment significantly decreased the number of cells labeled with α-SMA antibodies.Moreover,XCHT(5 g·kg^(-1) and 10 g·kg^(-1))significantly increase Nqo1,HO-1,Gclc and Gclm expressions in the liver.CONCLUSION T hese studies establish XCHT is a potentially useful therapeutic agent for treatment of hepatic fibrosis and it might be via regulation of Nrf2 pathway in rats against oxidative stress,making further efforts to inhibiting the activated HSCs.Activation or up-regulation of Nrf2 pathway may be an alternative treatment strategy for liver fibrosis.
文摘Objectives: Exposing skin to moderate ionic osmotic stress (MIOS) triggers several biochemical responses. The objective of this work is to reveal the mechanism triggered by MIOS on the skin surface. Furthermore, this work aims to study the involvement of the Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2) pathway, activated by MIOS, and its beneficial effect in protecting skin against stress via the stimulation of phase II enzymes. Methods: HaCaT cells and human skin organ culture were exposed to Dead Sea Water (DSW) as MIOS inducers and the induction of internal ROS elevation, Nrf2 translocation, mRNA gene expressions of the phase II enzymes, heme-oxygenase 1 (HO1), and Catalase (CAT) were determined. Results: Skin exposure to MIOS increases Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus, leading to increased levels of ROS, HO1, and CAT. Furthermore, exposing skin to MIOS promotes protection against UVB-related risks. This is demonstrated by attenuation of the expression of biomarkers, related to UVB-induced damage, Caspase-3, IL-8, and IL-1β. Conclusions: Skin exposure to MIOS leads to the activation of Nrf2 skin defense pathway and, therefore, could present beneficial advantages to human skin health, as demonstrated on human skin models. The beneficial effects of MIOS, induced by DSW are significantly superior to eq. NaCl brine, suggests that MIOS protection of skin against stress is partially related to specific mineral combinations.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(2022YFD1600402)Hebei Provincial Major Science and Technology Achievement Transformation Project(21287101Z)Hebei Provincial Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team Project(215A7102D)。
文摘Aging is an inevitable biological phenomenon that involves a multitude of physiological alterations.Dietary interventions are being considered as potential strategies for delaying age-related dysfunction.Unsaponifiable matter(USM),a composition of highly active ingredients found in walnut oil,has demonstrated antioxidant effects.This study aims to explore the neuroprotective effects of USM on d-galactose-treated C57BL/6 mice and elucidate its underlying mechanism,which was validated in PC12 cells treated with d-galactose.The results of behavioral tests demonstrated that USM significantly improved cognitive deficits associated with aging.The morphological analysis demonstrated that USM effectively alleviated hippocampal neuronal damage,synaptic impairment,and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by d-galactose.Furthermore,USM significantly increases the antioxidant enzymes activity while reducing the malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels.The results suggest that USM can mitigate age-related symptoms caused by d-galactose by activating the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 signaling pathway,which enhances the expression of antioxidant enzymes,restore redox balance,and improves synaptic and mitochondrial functions.This has a positive on improving cognition and memory disorders in elderly mice.
文摘Background:Epidemiological studies have confirmed that longer exposure to insecticides like cypermethrin(CYP)significantly increases the risk of male reproductive toxicity.Crocus sativus L.has been recognized due to its therapeutic properties,but its exact role and molecular mechanisms in treatment of reproductive dysfunction remain unclear.Methods:During this study,36 rats were randomly divided into six groups(n=6):control,CYP-induced(60 mg/kg),standard(leuprolide 3 mg/kg)and three treatment groups receiving aqueous,ethanolic,and oil extracts(50 mg/kg or 20 mL/kg)for post-toxicity induction.Results:The finding represented that exposure of CYP significantly increased oxidative stress,disrupted testicular architecture,and markedly reduced testosterone levels(P<0.05).Importantly,Crocus sativus L.treatment alleviated these changes by increasing the expression of Nrf2(nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2),restoring the activity of antioxidant enzymes,and enhancing testicular histomorphology.Surprisingly,molecular docking established a high binding affinity of Crocus sativus L.phytoconstituents such as gallic acid,cinnamic acid and quercetin to the Nrf2-Keap1 complex.It is worth noting that,Crocus sativus L.exhibited a high level of protection against reproductive toxicity caused by CYP in male rats,which was mediated by the activation of Nrf2 pathway,reduction of oxidative damage,and favorable ADMET characteristics.Conclusion:Notably,this research provides a more valid,safe,and effective method of developing new drugs for reproductive disorders,however,further investigation is needed to support the research findings and implement it in clinical practice.
基金supported by the Open Project Program of the State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety,Tianjin University of Science and Technology(No.SKLFNS-KF-202201)the Open Project of the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control,Ministry of Education,Guizhou Medical University,China(No.GMU-2022-HJZ-06)。
文摘Hyperoside and quercetin are similar in molecular structures.In this study,the antioxidant regulatory targets of hyperoside and quercetin are mainly in the nuclear factor(erythroid-2-derived)-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathway predicted by network pharmacology.And the antioxidant effect and mechanism of hyperoside and quercetin were measured and compared in H_(2)O_(2)-induced Hep G2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans.The findings indicated that quercetin was more effective than hyperoside in reducing oxidative damage,which was proved by improved cell viability,decreased reactive oxygen species(ROS)production,decreased cellular apoptosis,and alleviated mitochondrial damage.In addition,quercetin was more efficient than hyperoside in enhancing the expression of Nrf2-associated m RNAs,increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT),and reducing the cellular malondialdehyde(MDA)content.Quercetin was superior to hyperoside in prolonging the lifespan of worms,decreasing the accumulation of lipofuscin,inhibiting ROS production,and increasing the proportion of skn-1 in the nucleus.With the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385,we verified that quercetin and hyperoside primarily protected the cells against oxidative damage via the Nrf2 signalling pathway.Furthermore,molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated that the quercetin-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)complex was more stable than the hyperoside-Keap1 complex.The stable structure of the complex might hinder the binding of Nrf2 and Keap1 to release Nrf2 and facilitate its entry into the nucleus to play an antioxidant role.Overall,quercetin had a better antioxidant than hyperoside.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA26040304)。
文摘Background Hesperidin is a citrus flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. However, its protective effects on bovine mammary epithelial cells(b MECs) exposed to oxidative stress have not been elucidated.Results In this study, we investigated the effects of hesperidin on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative stress in b MECs and the underlying molecular mechanism. We found that hesperidin attenuated H_(2)O_(2)-induced cell damage by reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS) and malondialdehyde(MDA) levels, increasing catalase(CAT) activity, and improving cell proliferation and mitochondrial membrane potential. Moreover, hesperidin activated the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway by inducing the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and the expression of its downstream genes NQO1 and HO-1, which are antioxidant enzymes involved in ROS scavenging and cellular redox balance. The protective effects of hesperidin were blocked by the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385, indicating that they were Nrf2 dependent.Conclusions Our results suggest that hesperidin could protect b MECs from oxidative stress injury by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that hesperidin as a natural antioxidant has positive potential as a feed additive or plant drug to promote the health benefits of bovine mammary.
基金supported by the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology(KRIBB)Research Initiative Program(KGM4252331,KGM5382322),Republic of Korea.
文摘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.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(2021JJ30592)Health Commission Scientific Research Project of Hunan Province(D202309037942)+1 种基金Key Research Project of Education Department of Hunan Province(19A429)National Natural Science Foundation of China(81272994).
文摘Background:Radiotherapy,a primary approach in cancer treatment,damages normal cells while targeting cancer cells.Therefore,it is crucial to identify drugs with minimal side effects,high reliability,and radioprotective effects to develop novel radiotherapy strategies.Hemerocallis citrina extracts(HCE),which are derived from plants with medicinal and culinary applications,possess antioxidative and anticancer properties.Methods:In this study,we investigated the radioprotective effects of HCE on LO2 cells exposed to radiation to determine whether these effects were mediated through the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2-cystine–glutamate antiporter/glutathione peroxidase 4 pathway.Results:Cell proliferation experiments demonstrated the radioprotective effect of HCE on LO2 cells.Western blot analysis revealed that HCE regulated B-cell lymphoma protein 2-associated X,Cleaved-caspase 3,and B-cell lymphoma protein 2,thereby inhibiting radiation-induced apoptosis,which was consistent with the flow cytometry results.Conclusions:Moreover,the detection of ferroptosis-related markers indicated that HCE alleviated radiation-induced ferroptosis in LO2 cells through the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2-cystine–glutamate antiporter/glutathione peroxidase 4 pathway.These findings provide a theoretical basis for the radioprotective effects of HCE on LO2 cells and offer new insights into the development of radioprotective drugs.
基金supported by the Medical Science Research Project Program of Hebei Province(20211722).
文摘Objective This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of cholecalciferol cholesterol emulsion(CCE),a vitamin D(VD)precursor,in a murine model of acute cerebral infarction(ACI)and to elucidate the role of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in mediating these effects.Methods Forty C57BL/6J mice(male and female)were divided into five groups(n=10 per group):control,control+CCE,ACI,ACI+CCE,and ACI+CCE+ML385(an Nrf2 inhibitor).ACI was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).CCE was administered for three weeks prior to ACI induction,and ML385 was administered intravenously to inhibit Nrf2.Neurological function,brain edema,and infarct size,as well as inflammatory and apoptotic marker levels,were assessed post-ACI.Statistical analyses were conducted via one-way ANOVA and Student's t test,with P<0.05 considered significant.Results Compared to ACI group,CCE significantly reduced neurological deficits,brain edema,and infarct size(P<0.01).The ACI+CCE group presented improved short-term memory retention,as evidenced by shorter avoidance latency in shuttle avoidance tests(P<0.01).CCE administration attenuated the expression of inflammatory markers(IL-6,MIF,Lp-PLA2)while increasing IL-10 levels(P<0.001).Furthermore,CCE increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression and reduced apoptosis by decreasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in brain tissue(P<0.001).ML385 abolished these neuroprotective effects,confirming the role of the Nrf2 pathway in mediating the benefits of VD.Conclusion VD,via VD receptor-mediated activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway,reduces inflammation,apoptosis,and neurological damage following ACI.These findings support the therapeutic potential of VD in the treatment of ischemic stroke and highlight the importance of Nrf2 in mediating these effects.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China:81973940Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion:20MC1920500Clinical Key Specialty Construction Foundation of Shanghai:shslczdzk04701。
文摘Objective:This study aimed to assess the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)at the contralateral,ipsilateral,or bilateral"Zusanli(ST36)"and"Yanglingquan(GB34)"on neuropathic pain caused by chronic contractile injury(CCI)and to explore the role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathway in the effects of EA.Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the CCI model to induce neuropathic pain.A total of 45 rats were randomly divided into five groups(n=9):sham,CCI,EA-Co(CCI+EA at contralateral acupoints),EA-Ip(CCI+EA at ipsilateral acupoints),and EA-Bi(CCI+EA at bilateral acupoints).The rats received EA treatment on day 8 after CCI,once every alternate day,for a total of eight times.The time courses of mechanical pain threshold(MWT),hind paw withdrawal latency(HWL),and sciatic functional index(SFI)were determined.The expression levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine(8-OHdG),glutathione(GSH),superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity,interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1 beta(IL-1β),and tumor necrosis factor factor-alpha(TNF-α)in the spinal cord were measured.The distribution of Nrf2,its expression of Nrf2 in both the cytosol and nucleus,and the protein levels of its downstream target genes,NQO1 and HO-1,were detected via double immunofluorescence staining and western blotting,respectively.Results:Following CCI,both MWT and HWL in the CCI group significantly decreased from day 14 after surgery(P<0.001).EA treatment exhibited significant antinociceptive effects induced by CCI by increasing the MWT and HWL values,especially bilateral EA(P<0.05).The SFI of the CCI group was significantly lower than that of the sham group(P<0.001).Only bilateral EA improved the SFI scores compared to the CCI group(P<0.05).8-OHdG levels in the spinal cord of the CCI group were significantly higher than those in the sham group(P<0.05),whereas GSH levels and SOD activity in the spinal cord of the CCI group were significantly lower than those in the sham group(P<0.001 and P<0.01,respectively).Bilateral EA administration significantly downregulated 8-OHdG levels(P<0.01)and upregulated GSH levels and SOD activity in the spinal cord(P<0.01).CCI significantly enhanced the production of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-αin the spinal cord compared with that in the sham group(all P<0.001).Meanwhile,the effects of EA were also accompanied by markedly decreased expression of IL-1βand IL-6 in the spinal cord(P<0.05).TNF-αlevels were only decreased in the EA-Ip and EA-Bi groups compared with those in the CCI group(P<0.001).Confocal microscopy revealed that Nrf2 was mainly localized in the neurons of the spinal cord.Notably,EA treatment enhanced nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in neurons.CCI significantly decreased the production of Nrf2,HO-1,and NQO1 in the spinal cord compared to the sham group(P<0.001),and bilateral EA up-regulated the protein levels of Nrf2 and its target genes HO-1 and NQO1(all P<0.001).Conclusion:Our results suggest that bilateral EA is an optimal therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain.The effects of EA on neuropathic pain may be mediated by the restoration of the Nrf2 pathway in the spinal cord.
基金supported by Program for Science&Technology Innovation Platform of Hunan Province(2019TP102)Graduate Innovative Research Project of Hunan province and Central South University of Forestry and Technology(CX20210862,CX202101027)Science and Technology Plan Project of Changsha City(kq2014275).
文摘Gastrodia elata Bl.is traditional Chinese medicine used to alleviate fatigue,but its underlying mechanism is still unclear.This study explored the anti-fatigue mechanism of gastrodin by exercise-induced fatigue model and network pharmacology.This study found that gastrodin(200 mg/kg/day)had significant anti-fatigue effects in C57BL/6J mice based on mouse energy and endurance measurements.Gastrodin could effectively ameliorate biochemical indexes in the fatigue mice.The putative targets of“Gastrodin”and“Fatigue”were obtained by integrating multiple databases,and a virtual network containing 220 interactive targets was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape.Functional annotation analysis of these targets by g:Profiler showed that they mainly contribute to the cellular processes,protein binding,and other functions and participate in metabolic pathways,cancer pathways,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,etc.We found that oxidation and inflammatory factors played an important role in the virtual network of gastrodin anti-fatigue,which was supported by microarray dataset analysis and a molecular docking prediction.Additionally,real time-quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis indicated that gastrodin could promote the activation of the Nrf2 signal pathway,which could activate HO-1 and NQO1;gastrodin also could down-regulate the expressions of IL-1β,TNF-α,and IL-6.In summary,gastrodin can ameliorate exercise-induced fatigue by modulating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting expressions of inflammatory factors,this provides a new clue for the development of gastrodin-functional foods or anti-fatigue drugs.
基金supported by National Key Research&Development Program of China(2017YFC1600401-3)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871749 and 31701567)。
文摘Antioxidant peptides have been widely reported.However,only a few reports have been published examining the antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu.In this study,6 novel peptides derived from Chinese baijiu were identified successfully using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupoletime-of-flight mass spectrometry(HPLC-QTOF-MS)with a concentration of 0.835–24.540μg/L.The underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated,and their cytoprotective effects were examined against 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropanimidamidine)dihydrochloride(AAPH)-induced oxidative stress in Hep G2 cells.The results showed that these peptides exerted protective effects by suppressing reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation,preventing malondialdehyde(MDA)formation,and upregulating cellular antioxidant enzyme activities(SOD,CAT,and GSH-Px)in a dose-dependent manner.Further experiments proved that these peptides exerted antioxidant effects via Nrf2/ARE-mediated signaling pathway by promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation,inhibiting ubiquitination,and enhancing transcription capacity of Nrf2 in Hep G2 cells.These findings provide the molecular basis for the effects of antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu,which is important for a deeper understanding of the relationship between human health and moderate drinking.
基金funded by the Education Department of Zhejiang Province Foundation of China(Grant No.Y202249221)。
文摘Ustiloxins are vital cyclopeptide mycotoxins originally isolated from rice false smut balls that form in rice spikelets infected by the fungal pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens.The toxicity of the water extract of rice false smut balls(RBWE) remains to be investigated.Studies have shown that RBWE may be toxic to animals,but toxicological evidence is still lacking.In this study,we found that the IC50 values of RBWE to BNL CL.2 cells at 24 and 48 h were 40.02 and 30.11 μg/m L,respectively,with positive correlations with dose toxicity and time toxicity.After treatment with RBWE,the number of BNL CL.2 cells decreased significantly,and the morphology of BNL CL.2 cells showed atrophy and wall detachment.RBWE induced DNA presynthesis phase arrest of BNL CL.2 cells,increased the proportion of apoptotic cells and inhibited cell proliferation.RBWE up-regulated reactive oxygen species(ROS) levels and lowered mitochondrial membrane potentials.Additionally,Western blot and q RT-PCR results suggested that RBWE exerted the above effects by promoting the Nrf2/HO-1 and caspase-induced apoptosis pathways in vitro and in vivo.The contents of alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase,and total bile acids in the serum of mice from Institute of Cancer were significantly up-regulated by RBWE.At the same time,RBWE can lead to increases in ROS and malondialdehyde contents,decreases in contents of oxidized glutathione,glutathione and reduced glutathione,as well as decrease in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in mouse liver tissues,demonstrating that oxidative stress occurred in mice.Moreover,liver damage was further detected by haematoxylin-eosin staining and electron microscopy to verify the damage to the mice caused by RBWE.In general,RBWE may cause hepatotoxicity in vivo and in vitro via the apoptosis pathway,which provides a reference for hepatotoxicity and its mechanism of action.
基金supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Key R&D Program of China(No.2021C02008)the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(No.CARS-35)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32022079)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2022QZJH46)the Taishan Industrial Leading Talents Project.
文摘Engineered probiotics can serve as therapeutics based on their ability of produce recombinant immune-stimulating properties.In this study,we built the recombinant Bacillus subtilis WB800 expressing antimicrobial peptide KR32(WB800-KR32)using genetic engineering methods and investigated its protective effects of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2(Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)pathway activation in intestinal oxidative disturbance induced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)K88 in weaned piglets.Twenty-eight weaned piglets were randomly distributed into four treatment groups with seven replicates fed with a basal diet.The feed of the control group(CON)was infused with normal sterilized saline;meanwhile,the ETEC,ETEC+WB800,and ETEC+WB800-KR32 groups were orally administered normal sterilized saline,5×10^(10)CFU(CFU:colony forming units)WB800,and 5×10^(10)CFU WB800-KR32,respectively,on Days 1-14 and all infused with ETEC K881×10^(10)CFU on Days 15-17.The results showed that pretreatment with WB800-KR32 attenuated ETEC-induced intestinal disturbance,improved the mucosal activity of antioxidant enzyme(catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and glutathione peroxidase(GPx))and decreased the content of malondialdehyde(MDA).More importantly,WB800-KR32 downregulated genes involved in antioxidant defense(GPx and SOD1).Interestingly,WB800-KR32 upregulated the protein expression of Nrf2 and downregulated the protein expression of Keap1 in the ileum.WB800-KR32 markedly changed the richness estimators(Ace and Chao)of gut microbiota and increased the abundance of Eubacterium_rectale_ATCC_33656 in the feces.The results suggested that WB800-KR32 may alleviate ETEC-induced intestinal oxidative injury through the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway,providing a new perspective for WB800-KR32 as potential therapeutics to regulate intestinal oxidative disturbance in ETEC K88 infection.
文摘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.
基金Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Research Special Project(No.2021MS544)。
文摘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.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81902141)the Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan-Basic Research(2022020801010402)+2 种基金The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities South-Central MinZu University(Grant Numbers:CZZ24017 and CSZY22002)the Fundamental Research Funds for Health Commission of Hubei Province(ZY2023M022)The Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(2024AFD252,2022CFB127).
文摘Xiaoyankangjun tablet(XYKJP)is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation used to treat intestinal disorders in clinical practice.However,the specific therapeutic mechanism of action of XYKJP in colitis has not yet been elucidated.This study aimed to reveal the multifaceted mechanisms of action of XYKJP in treating colitis.The model established based on DSS-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice was employed to estimate the effect of XYKJP on colitis,which was then followed by histological assessment,16S rRNA sequencing,RT-qPCR,ELISA,and Western blot.XYKJP alleviated the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis mainly by reducing oxidative stress,inflammatory responses,and intestinal mucosal repair in colitis tissues.In addition,XYKJP regulated the intestinal flora by increasing the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium and reducing the relative abundance of Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002.Mechanistically,XYKJP increased the content of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in the feces,particularly propanoic acid and butyric acid,activated their specific receptor GPR43/41,furthermore activated the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway,and suppressed the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.XYKJP significantly alleviated the symptoms of experimental colitis and functioned synergistically by regulating the intestinal flora,increasing the production of SCFAs,and activating their specific receptors,thereby repressing oxidative stress and inflammation.
基金Construction Project of Traditional Chinese Medicine Academic Genre Inheritance Studio of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.LPGZS2012-14)Construction Project of National Famous and old Traditional Chinese Medicine Expert Inheritance Studio of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine。
文摘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.
