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ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Jun 2024Dry eye disease (DED) is a chronic multifactorial ocular surface disease mainly caused by the instability of tear film, characterized by a series of ocular discomforts...
Dry eye disease (DED) is a chronic multifactorial ocular surface disease mainly caused by the instability of tear film, characterized by a series of ocular discomforts and even visual disorders. Oxidative stress has been recognized as an upstream factor in DED development. Diquafosol sodium (DQS) is an agonist of the P2Y receptor to restore the integrity/stability of the tear film. With the ability to alternate between Ce and Ce, cerium oxide nanozymes could scavenge overexpressed reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hence, a DQS-loaded cerium oxide nanozyme was designed to boost the synergistic treatment of DED. Cerium oxide with branched polyethylenimine--poly(ethylene glycol) as nucleating agent and dispersant was fabricated followed with DQS immobilization via a dynamic phenylborate ester bond, obtaining the DQS-loaded cerium oxide nanozyme (defined as Ce@PBD). Because of the ability to mimic the cascade processes of superoxide dismutase and catalase, Ce@PBD could scavenge excessive accumulated ROS, showing strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, the P2Y receptors in the conjunctival cells could be stimulated by DQS in Ce@PBD, which can relieve the incompleteness and instability of the tear film. The animal experiments demonstrated that Ce@PBD significantly restored the defect of the corneal epithelium and increased the number of goblet cells, with the promotion of tear secretion, which was the best among commercial DQS ophthalmic solutions.
PubMed: 38946068
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c07390 -
Journal of the Chinese Medical... Jul 2024Hirsutella sinensis (HS) is a mycelium isolated from the fruiting body of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis. This study explored whether HS treatment affects...
BACKGROUND
Hirsutella sinensis (HS) is a mycelium isolated from the fruiting body of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps sinensis. This study explored whether HS treatment affects reproductive dysfunction in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model and regulates various mechanisms, focusing on oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and autophagy.
METHODS
Twenty-four C57BL/6J (B6) mice were randomly divided into a standard chow diet (NCD)- or HFD-fed group for 24 weeks. During the final 8 weeks, half of the HFD-fed mice were orally administered HS (HFD+HS). Biochemical markers, including glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and total cholesterol, were assessed, and hormones, including testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), were analyzed. Liver and testicular histology, as well as sperm quality markers such as sperm motility, sperm count, and percentage of sperm with normal morphology, were observed. The activities of the testicular antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the products of lipid peroxidation, such as MDA, were measured. The protein expression levels of apoptosis-, autophagy- and inflammation-related markers were measured.
RESULTS
The HFD-fed mice had abnormal sex hormone levels, poor sperm quality, and a destroyed testicular structure, with increased oxidative stress and apoptosis in the testis. HS supplementation in HFD-fed mice attenuated testicular apoptosis by suppressing the Bax/Bcl-xl ratio and cleaved caspase 3 protein expression. The HS-treated mice exhibited improved reproductive function, possibly due to reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis, suggesting that HS has a protective effect against HFD-induced testicular damage.
CONCLUSION
Male mice supplemented with HS exhibited attenuated poor semen quality and reduced testosterone levels brought about by high-fat diet-induced obesity by reducing oxidative stress.
PubMed: 38946025
DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001128 -
Physiologia Plantarum 2024Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop with a wide range of uses in both industry and agriculture. Drought stress during its growth cycle can greatly reduce maize...
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop with a wide range of uses in both industry and agriculture. Drought stress during its growth cycle can greatly reduce maize crop yield and quality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying maize responses to drought stress remain unclear. In this work, a WRKY transcription factor-encoding gene, ZmWRKY30, from drought-treated maize leaves was screened out and characterized. ZmWRKY30 gene expression was induced by dehydration treatments. The ZmWRKY30 protein localized to the nucleus and displayed transactivation activity in yeast. Compared with wild-type (WT) plants, Arabidopsis lines overexpressing ZmWRKY30 exhibited a significantly enhanced drought stress tolerance, as evidenced by the improved survival rate, increased antioxidant enzyme activity by superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), elevated proline content, and reduced lipid peroxidation recorded after drought stress treatment. In contrast, the mutator (Mu)-interrupted ZmWRKY30 homozygous mutant (zmwrky30) was more sensitive to drought stress than its null segregant (NS), characterized by the decreased survival rate, reduced antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, and CAT) and proline content, as well as increased malondialdehyde accumulation. RNA-Seq analysis further revealed that, under drought conditions, the knockout of the ZmWRKY30 gene in maize affected the expression of genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS), proline, and myo-inositol metabolism. Meanwhile, the zmwrky30 mutant exhibited significant downregulation of myo-inositol content in leaves under drought stress. Combined, our results suggest that ZmWRKY30 positively regulates maize responses to water scarcity. This work provides potential target genes for the breeding of drought-tolerant maize.
Topics: Zea mays; Reactive Oxygen Species; Droughts; Plant Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Homeostasis; Inositol; Transcription Factors; Arabidopsis; Plants, Genetically Modified; Stress, Physiological; Antioxidants; Plant Leaves; Drought Resistance
PubMed: 38945803
DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14423 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Jun 2024Zuogui Pill (ZGP) is a traditional herbal formula of Chinese Medicine with a long history of use in alleviating ovarian aging.
Zuogui Pills alleviate cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian aging by reducing oxidative stress and restoring the stemness of oogonial stem cells through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
Zuogui Pill (ZGP) is a traditional herbal formula of Chinese Medicine with a long history of use in alleviating ovarian aging.
AIM OF THE STUDY
To examine the impact of ZGP on oxidative stress and the stemness of oogonial stem cells (OSCs) in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced ovarian aging, as well as its molecular mechanisms involving the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2, NFE2L2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, Hmox1) pathway.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control, model (CTX), estradiol valerate (EV, 0.103 mg/kg), ZGP-L (low dose Zuogui Pill, 1.851 g/kg), ZGP-H (high dose Zuogui Pill, 3.702 g/kg), ML385 (30 mg/kg), and ML385+ZGP-L. After CTX modeling, the EV, ZGP-L, ZGP-H, and ML385+ZGP-L groups were treated by gavage for 8 weeks, while the ML385 and ML385+ZGP-L groups were administered the Nrf2 antagonist ML385 twice a week. OSCs were isolated after modeling and then treated with drug serum containing 10% ZGP or 10 μM ML385. The general conditions of the rats, including body weight, ovarian weight/body weight ratio, and estrous cycle, were observed. Ovarian ultrastructure, follicle and corpus luteum counts were assessed via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Serum hormone levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, stem cell, germ cell, and cell cycle biomarkers were analyzed by qPCR and Western blot. Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated using flow cytometry and assay kits. Immunofluorescence was employed to detect and locate OSCs in the ovary, quantify the average fluorescence intensity, and identify OSCs.
RESULTS
After ZGP treatment, rats with CTX-induced ovarian aging exhibited improved general condition, increased body weight, higher total ovarian weight to body weight ratio, and a restoration of the estrous cycle similar to the control group. Serum levels of estradiol (E) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), two sex hormones, were also improved. Ovarian ultrastructure and follicle count at all stages showed improvement. Moreover, the viability and proliferation capacity of OSCs were enhanced following ZGP intervention. The Nrf2/HO-1 pathway was found to be down-regulated in CTX-induced aging ovarian OSCs. However, ZGP reversed this effect by activating the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NAD(P)H oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and reducing the accumulation of malonaldehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus restoring resistance to oxidative stress. Additionally, ZGP improved the cell cycle of OSCs, up-regulated the expression of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1, restored cell stemness, promoted proliferation, enhanced the expression of cell stemness markers octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) and mouse VASA homolog (MVH), and down-regulated the expression of P21, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. The therapeutic effects of ZGP against oxidative stress and restoration of cell stemness were attenuated following inhibition of the Nrf2 signaling pathway using ML385.
CONCLUSIONS
ZGP protected against CTX-induced ovarian aging by restoring normal ovarian function, alleviating oxidative stress in aging OSCs, promoting OSCs proliferation, and restoring their stemness in rats, possibly through regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
PubMed: 38945466
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118505 -
Comparative Biochemistry and... Jun 2024High ocean temperatures caused by global warming induce oxidative stress in aquatic organisms. Melatonin treatment and irradiation using red light-emitting diodes (LEDs)...
Effects of red-light irradiation and melatonin injection on the antioxidant capacity and occurrence of apoptosis in abalones (Haliotis discus hannai) subjected to thermal stress.
High ocean temperatures caused by global warming induce oxidative stress in aquatic organisms. Melatonin treatment and irradiation using red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been reported to reduce oxidative stress in a few aquatic organisms. However, the effects of red LED irradiation and melatonin injection on the antioxidant capacity and degree of apoptosis in abalones, which are nocturnal organisms, have not yet been reported. In this study, we compared the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes, total antioxidant capacity, and the degree of apoptosis in abalones subjected to red LED irradiation and melatonin treatment. The results revealed that at high water temperatures (25 °C), the mRNA expression levels of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) genes and the antioxidant activity of SOD decreased in abalones in the red-LED-irradiated and melatonin-treated groups compared with those in abalones in the control group. Although high water temperatures induced DNA damage in the abalone samples, the degree of apoptosis was lower in the red-LED-irradiated and melatonin-treated groups than in the control group. Overall, the abalones in the melatonin-treated and red-LED-irradiated groups showed reduced oxidative stress and increased antioxidant enzyme levels under thermal stress compared with those in the control group. Therefore, red LED irradiation is a promising alternative to melatonin treatment, which is difficult to administer continuously for a long time, for protecting abalones from oxidative stress.
PubMed: 38945429
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111689 -
Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators Jun 2024Numerous interventional studies have revealed the beneficial impact of curcumin supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function biomarkers,... (Review)
Review
Numerous interventional studies have revealed the beneficial impact of curcumin supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function biomarkers, but the findings are still inconsistent. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function biomarkers. A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials was performed by searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to March 31, 2024. Pooled estimates of 21 meta-analyses revealed that curcumin significantly reduced CRP (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -0.87; 95% CI: - 1.14, - 0.59, P< 0.001), tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (WMD = -2.72; 95% CI: -4.05, -1.38; P< 0.001), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD = -0.97, 95% CI: -1.40, -0.54; P< 0.001), malondialdehyde (MDA) (Effect size (ES) = -0.81; 95% CI: -1.39, -0.23, P = 0.006) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) (WMD = -45.60; 95% CI: -88.16, -3.04, P = 0.036), and increased flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (WMD = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.22, P < 0.001), catalase (CAT) (WMD = 10.26; 95% CI: 0.92, 19.61, P= 0.03), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (WMD = 8.90; 95% CI: 6.62, 11.19, P <0.001), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels (WMD = 20.51; 95% CI: 7.35, 33.67, P= 0.002 and SMD = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.27, 1.38, P= 0.004). However, curcumin did not significantly change total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (ES = 0.29; 95% CI: -0.09, 0.66, P= 0.059). These results suggest that curcumin has a beneficial effect on CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, SOD, GPx, CAT, MDA, PWV, and FMD levels and may be an effective adjunctive therapy for improving inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial function. Registration number: PROSPERO, CRD42024539018.
PubMed: 38945354
DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2024.106867 -
International Journal of Biological... Jun 2024A superabsorbent hydrogel was prepared by the free-radical copolymerization of natural rubber (NR) latex with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) at NR loadings up to 50 wt%. An...
A superabsorbent hydrogel was prepared by the free-radical copolymerization of natural rubber (NR) latex with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) at NR loadings up to 50 wt%. An NR/PAA hydrogel containing 40 wt% of NR (NR-40) had a water absorption capacity of 214 g/g (21,400 %) of its dry weight. The compressive modulus increased 512 % and sample integrity was improved due to the physical entanglement of NR chains. NR-40 hydrogel removed 97 % of methylene blue (MB) from the aqueous solution in 1 h (at initial concentrations of 10-1000 mg/L) and produced a maximum removal of 1191 mg MB/g of hydrogel at an initial MB concentration of 4500 mg/L. The adsorption of MB was an endothermic process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction drove the process. After the in-situ incorporation of ZnO into NR-40, absorbed energy from sunlight generated active species that could photocatalytically degrade adsorbed MB in the hydrogel matrix. The scavenger tests indicated that superoxide radical anions and hydroxyl radicals were the main species for this process. The hydrogel composite material showed good stability and could be regenerated and reused over 10 cycles, degrading >80 % of the adsorbed dye. This novel natural-based hydrogel provides double functions of adsorption and photodegradation of toxic dyes without the requirement of chemicals and a separation process.
PubMed: 38945320
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133421 -
Journal of Plant Physiology Jun 2024High temperature stress during flowering adversely affects plant fertility, decreasing plant productivity. Daily cycles of heat stress (HS), imposed on Brassica napus L....
High temperature stress during flowering adversely affects plant fertility, decreasing plant productivity. Daily cycles of heat stress (HS), imposed on Brassica napus L. plants by slowly ramping the temperature from 23 °C to 35 °C before lowering back to pre-stress conditions, inhibited flower and silique formation, with fewer seeds per silique during the stress period, as well as decreased pollen viability. Heat stress also elevated the transcripts and protein levels of class 1 phytoglobin BnPgb1, with the protein accumulating preferentially within the anther walls. Over-expression of BnPgb1 was sufficient to attenuate the reduction in plant fertility at high temperatures while its down-regulation exacerbated the effects of HS. Relative to WT anthers, the rise in ROS and ROS-induced damage caused by HS was limited when BnPgb1 was over-expressed, and this was linked to changes in antioxidant responses. High temperatures reduced the level of ascorbic acid (AsA) in anthers by favoring its oxidation via ascorbate oxidase (AOA) and limiting its regeneration through suppression of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR). Anthers of heat-stressed plants over-expressing BnPgb1 retained a higher AsA content with concomitant increased activities of DHAR, MDHAR, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These changes suggest that BnPgb1 potentiates antioxidant responses during HS which mitigate the depression of fertility.
PubMed: 38945072
DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2024.154302 -
Mitochondrion Jun 2024In diabetic retinopathy, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is damaged and mtDNA-encoded genes and long noncoding RNA cytochrome B (LncCytB) are downregulated. LncRNAs lack an...
In diabetic retinopathy, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is damaged and mtDNA-encoded genes and long noncoding RNA cytochrome B (LncCytB) are downregulated. LncRNAs lack an open reading frame, but they can regulate gene expression by associating with DNA/RNA/protein. Double stranded mtDNA has promoters on both heavy (HSP) and light (LSP) strands with binding sites for mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) between them. The aim was to investigate the role of LncCytB in mtDNA transcription in diabetic retinopathy. Using human retinal endothelial cells incubated in high glucose, the effect of regulation of LncCytB on TFAM binding at mtDNA promoters was investigated by Chromatin immunoprecipitation, and binding of LncCytB at TFAM by RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization. High glucose decreased TFAM binding at both HSP and LSP, and binding of LncCytB at TFAM. While LncCytB overexpression ameliorated decrease in TFAM binding and transcription of genes encoded by both H- and L- strands, LncCytB-siRNA further downregulated them. Maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis by overexpressing mitochondrial superoxide dismutase or Sirtuin-1 protected diabetes-induced decrease in TFAM binding at mtDNA and LncCytB binding at TFAM, and mtDNA transcription. Similar results were obtained from mouse retinal microvessels from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Thus, LncCytB facilitates recruitment of TFAM at HSP and LSP, and its downregulation in diabetes compromises the binding, resulting in the downregulation of polypeptides encoded by mtDNA. Regulation of LncCytB, in addition to protecting mitochondrial genomic stability, should also help in maintaining the transcription of mtDNA encoded genes and electron transport chain integrity in diabetic retinopathy.
PubMed: 38944370
DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2024.101925 -
Food and Chemical Toxicology : An... Jun 2024Nanosilver (AgNPs) is popular nanomaterials used in food industry that makes gastrointestinal tract an essential route of its uptake. The aim of the presented study was...
Nanosilver (AgNPs) is popular nanomaterials used in food industry that makes gastrointestinal tract an essential route of its uptake. The aim of the presented study was to assess the effects of intragastric exposure to AgNPs on redox balance and steroid receptors in the testes of adult Fisher 344 rats. The animals were exposed to 20 nm AgNPs (30 mg/kg bw/day, by gavage) for 7 and 28 days compared to saline (control groups). It was demonstrated that 7-day AgNPs administration resulted in increased level of total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione reductase (GR) activity, lower superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), decreased glutathione (GSH) level and GSH/GSSG ratio, as well as higher estrogen receptor (ESR2) and aromatase (Aro) protein expression in Leydig cells compared to the 28-day AgNPs esposure. The longer-time effects of AgNPs exposition were associated with increased lipid hydroperoxidation (LOOHs) and decreased SOD activity and androgen receptor protein level. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the adverse gastrointestinally-mediated AgNPs effects in male gonads. In particular, the short-term AgNPs exposure impaired antioxidant defence with concurrent effects on the stimulation of estrogen signaling, while the sub-chronic AgNPs exposition revealed the increased testicle oxidative stress that attenuated androgens signaling.
PubMed: 38944145
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114841