scholarly journals Phospholipase D1 Ameliorates Apoptosis in Chronic Renal Toxicity Caused by Low-Dose Cadmium Exposure

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ke Huang ◽  
Yaotang Deng ◽  
Wenya Yuan ◽  
Jian Geng ◽  
Guanghai Wang ◽  
...  

Exposure to cadmium (Cd), a common heavy metal used in industry, can result in long-term chronic toxicity. It has been well characterized that kidneys are the main organs that are targeted by toxicity, which can cause apoptosis, necrosis, and atrophy of renal tubular epithelial cells. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with Cd toxicity remain unclear. In this study, the expression of renal proteins in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to chronic Cd was analyzed with iTRAQ proteomics. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that phospholipase D1 (PLD1) was significantly underexpressed and may correlate strongly with Cd-induced chronic kidney impairment. Previous studies have shown that PLD1 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, indicating that PLD1 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney injury induced by Cd. Studies in vivo and in vitro all demonstrate that the mRNA and protein levels of PLD1 decrease significantly both in kidney tissue and in proximal tubular cell lines exposed to Cd. Overexpression of PLD1 and its downstream product PA could ameliorate Cd-induced apoptosis. Moreover, we identified that miR-122-5p was a regulatory miRNA of PLD1. miR-122-5p was overexpressed after Cd exposure and promoted cell apoptosis by downregulating PLD1 through binding the 3′UTR of the locus at 1761–1784 nt. In conclusion, our results indicated that PLD1 and its downstream PA were strongly implicated in Cd-induced chronic kidney impairment and could be a novel player in the defense against Cd-induced nephrotoxicity.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weifeng Liu ◽  
Dongjing Yang ◽  
Jihua Shi ◽  
Peihao Wen ◽  
Jiakai Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Brain death (BD) induces an organ-level inflammatory response, and BD donor kidneys show inferior survival and recovery rates. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the role of caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis in BD-induced kidney injury in rats. A BD model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were intravenously injected with a caspase-1 inhibitor (Z-YVAD-FMK) 1 h before BD, and sham-operated rats served as controls. After 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h of BD, renal function, renal injury, and renal expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, caspase-11, gasdermin D (GSDMD), IL-1β, and IL-18 were assessed using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels were measured. Additionally, renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E) were subjected to 3 h of hypoxia followed by 6 h of reoxygenation and incubated with Z-YVAD-FMK before hypoxia and reoxygenation. Caspase-11 was knocked-down using small interfering RNA technology. Cell viability and levels of pyroptosis-associated proteins were assessed thereafter. NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 expression levels were upregulated in BD rats. Treatment with Z-YVAD-FMK reduced mRNA and protein levels, improved renal function, and alleviated renal injury. Z-YVAD-FMK effectively reduced pyroptosis in BD rats; however, it did not affect caspase-11 expression in vivo or in vitro. Thus, it could be considered as a therapeutic target for BD-induced kidney injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenguang Ding ◽  
Xiaoming Ding ◽  
Jin Zheng ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Renal tubular cell death is the key factor of the pathogenesis of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) kidney injury. Ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death (RCD) found in various diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms related to ferroptosis in renal I/R injury remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the regulatory role of microRNAs on ferroptosis in I/R-induced renal injury. We established the I/R-induced renal injury model in rats, and H/R induced HK-2 cells injury in vitro. CCK-8 was used to measure cell viability. Fe2+ and ROS levels were assayed to evaluate the activation of ferroptosis. We performed RNA sequencing to profile the miRNAs expression in H/R-induced injury and ferroptosis. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression. qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA and miRNA levels in cells and tissues. We further used luciferase reporter assay to verify the direct targeting effect of miRNA. We found that ischemia/reperfusion-induced ferroptosis in rat’s kidney. We identified that miR-182-5p and miR-378a-3p were upregulated in the ferroptosis and H/R-induced injury, and correlates reversely with glutathione peroxidases 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) expression in renal I/R injury tissues, respectively. In vitro studies showed that miR-182-5p and miR-378a-3p induced ferroptosis in cells. We further found that miR-182-5p and miR-378a-3p regulated the expression of GPX4 and SLC7A11 negatively by directly binding to the 3′UTR of GPX4 and SLC7A11 mRNA. In vivo study showed that silencing miR-182-5p and miR-378a-3p alleviated the I/R-induced renal injury in rats. In conclusion, we demonstrated that I/R induced upregulation of miR-182-5p and miR-378a-3p, leading to activation of ferroptosis in renal injury through downregulation of GPX4 and SLC7A11.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Lj. Joksimovic ◽  
J. Grayson Evans ◽  
William E. McIntire ◽  
Peihan Orestes ◽  
Paula Q. Barrett ◽  
...  

Our previous studies implicated glycosylation of the CaV3.2 isoform of T-type Ca2+ channels (T-channels) in the development of Type 2 painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN). Here we investigated biophysical mechanisms underlying the modulation of recombinant CaV3.2 channel by de-glycosylation enzymes such as neuraminidase (NEU) and PNGase-F (PNG), as well as their behavioral and biochemical effects in painful PDN Type 1. In our in vitro study we used whole-cell recordings of current-voltage relationships to confirm that CaV3.2 current densities were decreased ~2-fold after de-glycosylation. Furthermore, de-glycosylation induced a significant depolarizing shift in the steady-state relationships for activation and inactivation while producing little effects on the kinetics of current deactivation and recovery from inactivation. PDN was induced in vivo by injections of streptozotocin (STZ) in adult female C57Bl/6j wild type (WT) mice, adult female Sprague Dawley rats and CaV3.2 knock-out (KO mice). Either NEU or vehicle (saline) were locally injected into the right hind paws or intrathecally. We found that injections of NEU, but not vehicle, completely reversed thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in diabetic WT rats and mice. In contrast, NEU did not alter baseline thermal and mechanical sensitivity in the CaV3.2 KO mice which also failed to develop painful PDN. Finally, we used biochemical methods with gel-shift analysis to directly demonstrate that N-terminal fragments of native CaV3.2 channels in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are glycosylated in both healthy and diabetic animals. Our results demonstrate that in sensory neurons glycosylation-induced alterations in CaV3.2 channels in vivo directly enhance diabetic hyperalgesia, and that glycosylation inhibitors can be used to ameliorate painful symptoms in Type 1 diabetes. We expect that our studies may lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying painful PDN in an effort to facilitate the discovery of novel treatments for this intractable disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 030006052110550
Author(s):  
Xing Wang ◽  
Shuchun Chen ◽  
Dan Lv ◽  
Zelin Li ◽  
Luping Ren ◽  
...  

Objective To investigate the effect of liraglutide on the browning of white fat and the suppression of obesity via regulating microRNA (miR)-27b in vivo and in vitro. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat (HF) diet and 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were differentiated into mature white adipocytes. Rats and mature adipocytes were then treated with different doses of liraglutide. The mRNA and protein levels of browning-associated proteins, including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), CCAAT enhancer binding protein β (CEBPβ), cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector A (CIDEA) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ-coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results Liraglutide decreased body weight and reduced the levels of blood glucose, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in HF diet-fed rats. Liraglutide increased the levels of UCP1, PRDM16, CEBPβ, CIDEA and PGC-1α in vivo and vitro. The levels of miR-27b were upregulated in HF diet-fed rats, whereas liraglutide reduced the levels of miR-27b. In vitro, overexpression of miR-27b decreased the mRNA and protein levels of UCP1, PRDM16, CEBPβ, CIDEA and PGC-1α. Transfection with the miR-27b mimics attenuated the effect of liraglutide on the browning of white adipocytes. Conclusion Liraglutide induced browning of white adipose through regulation of miR-27b.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Qiu ◽  
Yufa Miao ◽  
Xingchao Geng ◽  
Xiaobing Zhou ◽  
Bo Li

Abstract There have been intensive efforts to identify in vivo biomarkers that can be used to monitor drug-induced kidney damage before significant impairment occurs. Kidney injury molecule-1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, clusterin, β2-microglobulin and cystatin C (CysC) have been validated as clinical or preclinical biomarkers in urinary and plasma predictive of acute and chronic kidney injuries and diseases. A high-throughput in vitro assay predictive of nephrotoxicity could potentially be implemented in early drug discovery stage to reduce attrition at later stages of drug development. To assess the potential of these known in vivo biomarkers for in vitro evaluation of drug-induced nephrotoxicity, we selected four nephrotoxic agents (cisplatin, cyclosporin, aristolochic acid I and gentamicin) and detected their effects on the protein levels of nephrotoxic biomarkers in RPTEC/TERT1 cells. The protein levels of clusterin, CysC, GSTπ and TIMP-1 significantly increased in the conditioned media of RPTEC/TERT1 cells treated with cisplatin, cyclosporin, aristolochic acid I and gentamicin. The messenger RNA levels of clusterin, CysC, GSTπ and TIMP-1 also increased in RPTEC/TERT1 cells treated with cisplatin, cyclosporin, aristolochic acid I and gentamicin, indicating that drug-induced upregulation involves transcriptional activation. Taken together, the results clearly demonstrate that among the known in vivo nephrotoxic biomarkers, clusterin, CysC, GSTπ and TIMP-1 can be effectively used as in vitro biomarkers for drug-induced nephrotoxicity in RPTEC/TERT1 cells.


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenxuan Wu ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Yanbin Tang ◽  
Yanxiao Li ◽  
Qiaojuan Yan ◽  
...  

Natural polysaccharides, particularly galactomannans, are potential candidates for treatment of alcoholic liver diseases (ALD). However, applications are restricted due to the physicochemical properties associated with the high molecular weight. In this work, guar gum galactomannans were partially hydrolyzed by β-mannanase, and the molecular mechanisms of hepatoprotective effects were elucidated both in vitro and in vivo. Release of lactate dehydrogenase and cytochrome C were attenuated by partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) in HepG2 cells, due to protected cell and mitochondrial membrane integrity. PHGG co-administration decreased serum amino transaminases and cholinesterase levels of acute alcohol intoxicated mice, while hepatic pathologic morphology was depleted. Activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase was recovered to 198.2, 34.5, 236.0 U/mg protein, respectively, while malondialdehyde level was decreased by 76.3% (PHGG, 1000 mg/kg∙day). Co-administration of PHGG induced a 4.4-fold increment of p-AMPK expression, and lipid metabolism was mediated. PHGG alleviated toll-like-receptor-4-mediated inflammation via the signaling cascade of MyD88 and IκBα, decreasing cytokine production. Moreover, mediated expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was responsible for inhibited acute alcohol-induced apoptosis with suppressed cleavage of caspase 3 and PARP. Findings gained suggest that PHGG can be used as functional food supplement for the treatment of acute alcohol-induced liver injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (01) ◽  
pp. 161-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihan Huang ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Fan Cheung ◽  
Hor-Yue Tan ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
...  

Unlike Western medicines with single-target, the traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) always exhibit diverse curative effects against multiple diseases through its “multi-components” and “multi-targets” manifestations. However, discovery and identification of the major therapeutic diseases and the underlying molecular mechanisms of TCM remain to be challenged. In the current study, we, for the first time, applied an integrated strategy by combining network pharmacology with experimental evaluation, for exploration and demonstration of the therapeutic potentials and the underlying possible mechanisms of a classic TCM formula, Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDD). First, the herb–compound, compound–protein, protein–pathway, and gene–disease networks were constructed to predict the major therapeutic diseases of HLJDD and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Network pharmacology analysis showed the top one predicted disease of HLJDD treatment was cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and inflammation-related genes played an important role in the treatment of HLJDD on cancer. Next, based on the prediction by network pharmacology analysis, both in vitro HCC cell and in vivo orthotopic HCC implantation mouse models were established to validate the curative role of HLJDD. HLJDD exerted its antitumor activity on HCC in vitro, as demonstrated by impaired cell proliferation and colony formation abilities, induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, as well as inhibited migratory and invasive properties of HCC cells. The orthotopic HCC implantation mouse model further demonstrated the remarkable antitumour effects of HLJDD on HCC in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating network pharmacology with experimental study for discovery and identification of the major therapeutic diseases and the underlying molecular mechanisms of TCM.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minyoung Lee ◽  
Eugene Shin ◽  
Jaehyun Bae ◽  
Yongin Cho ◽  
Ji-Yeon Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) are antidiabetic medications that prevent cleavage of incretin hormones by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4). DPP4 is ubiquitously expressed, and its hepatic DPP4 expression is upregulated under non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) conditions. We investigated the effect of DPP4i treatment on NASH pathogenesis, as well as its potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Mice were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1, chow-fed mice treated with vehicle for 20 weeks; Group 2, high-fat, high-fructose, and high-cholesterol Amylin liver NASH (AMLN) diet-fed mice treated with vehicle for 20 weeks; Group 3, AMLN diet-fed mice treated with vehicle for the first 10 weeks, followed by the DPP4i teneligliptin (20 mg/kg/day) for additional 10 weeks. DPP4i administration reduced serum liver enzyme and hepatic triglyceride levels and markedly improved hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in the AMLN diet-induced NASH model. In vivo, NASH alleviation significantly correlated with the suppression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor-mediated apoptosis and downregulated hepatic DPP4 expression. In vitro, DPP4i treatment significantly decreased the markers of TRAIL receptor-mediated lipoapoptosis and suppressed DPP4 expression in palmitate-treated hepatocytes. In conclusion, DPP4i may efficiently attenuate the pathogenesis of AMLN diet-induced NASH in mice by suppressing lipotoxicity-induced apoptosis, possibly by modulating hepatic DPP4 expression.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (03) ◽  
pp. 637-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin-Wen Shiue ◽  
Chi-Cheng Lu ◽  
Yu-Ping Hsiao ◽  
Ching-Lung Liao ◽  
Jing-Pin Lin ◽  
...  

Casticin, a polymethoxyflavone occurring in natural plants, has been shown to have anticancer activities. In the present study, we aims to investigate the anti-skin cancer activity of casticin on melanoma cells in vitro and the antitumor effect of casticin on human melanoma xenografts in nu/nu mice in vivo. A flow cytometric assay was performed to detect expression of viable cells, cell cycles, reactive oxygen species production, levels of [Formula: see text] and caspase activity. A Western blotting assay and confocal laser microscope examination were performed to detect expression of protein levels. In the in vitro studies, we found that casticin induced morphological cell changes and DNA condensation and damage, decreased the total viable cells, and induced G2/M phase arrest. Casticin promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased the level of [Formula: see text], and promoted caspase-3 activities in A375.S2 cells. The induced G2/M phase arrest indicated by the Western blotting assay showed that casticin promoted the expression of p53, p21 and CHK-1 proteins and inhibited the protein levels of Cdc25c, CDK-1, Cyclin A and B. The casticin-induced apoptosis indicated that casticin promoted pro-apoptotic proteins but inhibited anti-apoptotic proteins. These findings also were confirmed by the fact that casticin promoted the release of AIF and Endo G from mitochondria to cytosol. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) assay showed that casticin inhibited the NF-[Formula: see text]B binding DNA and that these effects were time-dependent. In the in vivo studies, results from immuno-deficient nu/nu mice bearing the A375.S2 tumor xenograft indicated that casticin significantly suppressed tumor growth based on tumor size and weight decreases. Early G2/M arrest and mitochondria-dependent signaling contributed to the apoptotic A375.S2 cell demise induced by casticin. In in vivo experiments, A375.S2 also efficaciously suppressed tumor volume in a xenotransplantation model. Therefore, casticin might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of skin cancer in the future.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (9) ◽  
pp. 1987-1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tong-Young Lee ◽  
Stefan Muschal ◽  
Elke A. Pravda ◽  
Judah Folkman ◽  
Amir Abdollahi ◽  
...  

Angiostatin, a proteolytic fragment of plasminogen, is a potent endogenous antiangiogenic agent. The molecular mechanisms governing angiostatin's antiangiogenic and antitumor effects are not well understood. Here, we report the identification of mitochondrial compartment as the ultimate target of angiostatin. After internalization of angiostatin into the cell, at least 2 proteins within the mitochondria bind this molecule: malate dehydrogenase, a member of Krebs cycle, and adenosine triphosphate synthase. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed differential regulation of key prosurvival and angiogenesis-related proteins in angiostatin-treated tumors and tumor-endothelium. Angiostatin induced apoptosis via down-regulation of mitochondrial BCL-2. Angiostatin treatment led to down-regulation of c-Myc and elevated levels of another key antiangiogenic protein, thrombospondin-1, reinforcing its antitumor and antiangiogenic effects. Further evidence is provided for reduced recruitment and infiltration of bone marrow–derived macrophages in angiostatin-treated tumors. The observed effects of angiostatin were restricted to the tumor site and were not observed in other major organs of the mice, indicating unique tumor specific bioavailability. Together, our data suggest mitochondria as a novel target for antiangiogenic therapy and provide mechanistic insights to the antiangiogenic and antitumor effects of angiostatin.


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