Endothelial Dysfunction, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in COVID-19—Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic represents an ongoing healthcare emergency responsible for more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide. COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a virus that targets not only the lungs but also the cardiovascular system. COVID-19 can manifest with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from mild symptoms to severe forms of the disease, characterized by respiratory failure due to severe alveolar damage. Several studies investigated the underlying mechanisms of the severe lung damage associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and revealed that the respiratory failure associated with COVID-19 is the consequence not only of acute respiratory distress syndrome but also of macro- and microvascular involvement. New observations show that COVID-19 is an endothelial disease, and the consequent endotheliopathy is responsible for inflammation, cytokine storm, oxidative stress, and coagulopathy. In this review, we show the central role of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the COVID-19 pathogenesis and present the therapeutic targets deriving from this endotheliopathy.

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Metformin Corrects Glucose Metabolism Reprogramming and NLRP3 Inflammasome-Induced Pyroptosis via Inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB/PFKFB3 Signaling in Trophoblasts: Implication for a Potential Therapy of Preeclampsia

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/1806344 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Yang Zhang ◽

Weifang Liu ◽

Yanqi Zhong ◽

Qi Li ◽

Mengying Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Nlrp3 Inflammasome ◽

Low Dose ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Metabolic Phenotypes ◽

Pyrin Domain ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

And Oxidative Stress ◽

Receptor Family

NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis is a crucial event in the preeclamptic pathogenesis, tightly linked with the uteroplacental TLR4/NF-κB signaling. Trophoblastic glycometabolism reprogramming has now been noticed in the preeclampsia pathogenesis, plausibly modulated by the TLR4/NF-κB signaling as well. Intriguingly, cellular pyroptosis and metabolic phenotypes may be inextricably linked and interacted. Metformin (MET), a widely accepted NF-κB signaling inhibitor, may have therapeutic potential in preeclampsia while the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the role of MET on trophoblastic pyroptosis and its relevant metabolism reprogramming. The safety of pharmacologic MET concentration to trophoblasts was verified at first, which had no adverse effects on trophoblastic viability. Pharmacological MET concentration suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis partly through inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling in preeclamptic trophoblast models induced via low-dose lipopolysaccharide. Besides, MET corrected the glycometabolic reprogramming and oxidative stress partly via suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB signaling and blocking transcription factor NF-κB1 binding on the promoter PFKFB3, a potent glycolytic accelerator. Furthermore, PFKFB3 can also enhance the NF-κB signaling, reduce NLRP3 ubiquitination, and aggravate pyroptosis. However, MET suppressed pyroptosis partly via inhibiting PFKFB3 as well. These results provided that the TLR4/NF-κB/PFKFB3 pathway may be a novel link between metabolism reprogramming and NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis in trophoblasts. Further, MET alleviates the NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis, which partly relies on the regulation of TLR4/NF-κB/PFKFB3-dependent glycometabolism reprogramming and redox disorders. Hence, our results provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and propose MET as a potential therapy.

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Abstract 357: Hepatic ERK2 Suppresses Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Leading to Protection from Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Dysfunction

Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology ◽

10.1161/atvb.33.suppl_1.a357 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Takehiko Kujiraoka ◽

Yasushi Satoh ◽

Makoto Ayaori ◽

Yasunaga Shiraishi ◽

Yuko Arai-Nakaya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Insulin Resistance ◽

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Er Stress ◽

Vascular Complications ◽

Metabolic Remodeling ◽

And Oxidative Stress

Background Insulin signaling comprises 2 major cascades, the IRS/PI3K/Akt and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathways. Many studies on the tissue-specific effects of the former pathway had been conducted, however, the role of the latter cascade in tissue-specific insulin resistance had not been investigated. High glucose/fatty acid toxicity, inflammation and oxidative stress, all of which are associated with insulin resistance, can activate ERK. Liver plays a central role of metabolism and hepatosteatosis (HST) is associated with vascular diseases. The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of hepatic ERK2 in HST, metabolic remodeling and endothelial dysfunction. Methods Serum biomarkers of vascular complications in human were compared between subjects with and without HST diagnosed by echography for regular medical checkup. Next, we created liver-specific ERK2 knockout mice (LE2KO) and fed them with a high-fat/high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) for 20 weeks. The histological analysis, the expression of hepatic sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca 2+ -ATPase 2 (SERCA2) and glucose-tolerance/insulin-sensitivity (GT/IS) were tested. Vascular superoxide production and endothelial function were evaluated with dihydroethidium staining and isometric tension measurement of aorta. Results The presence of HST significantly increased HOMA-IR, an indicator of insulin resistance or atherosclerotic index in human. HFHSD-fed LE2KO revealed a marked exacerbation in HST and metabolic remodeling represented by the impairment of GT/IS, elevated serum free fatty acid and hyperhomocysteinemia without changes in body weight, blood pressure and serum cholesterol/triglyceride levels. In the HFHSD-fed LE2KO, mRNA and protein expressions of hepatic SERCA2 were significantly decreased, which resulted in hepatic ER stress. Induction of vascular superoxide production and remarkable endothelial dysfunction were also observed in them. Conclusions Hepatic ERK2 revealed the suppression of hepatic ER stress and HST in vivo , which resulted in protection from vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. HST with hepatic ER stress can be a prominent risk of vascular complications by metabolic remodeling and oxidative stress in obese-related diseases.

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Role of EGFR/ErbB2 and PI3K/AKT/e-NOS in Lycium barbarum polysaccharides Ameliorating Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by Oxidative Stress

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine ◽

10.1142/s0192415x19500782 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (07) ◽

pp. 1523-1539 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Wenjuan Zhang ◽

Huifang Yang ◽

Lingqin Zhu ◽

Yan Luo ◽

Lihong Nie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Cell Viability ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Critical Role ◽

Ang Ii ◽

Lycium Barbarum ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) are the major ingredients of wolfberry. In this study, we investigated the role of LBP in endothelial dysfunction induced by oxidative stress and the underlying mechanisms using thoracic aortic endothelial cells of rat (RAECs) as a model. We found that Ang II inhibits cell viability of RAECs with 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L of Ang II treatment for 24[Formula: see text]h most potential ([Formula: see text]), the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is increased by Ang II treatment ([Formula: see text]), and the expression of Occludin and Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) is decreased by Ang II treatment ([Formula: see text]). However, preincubation of cells with LBP could inhibit the changes caused by Ang II, LBP increased cell viability ([Formula: see text]), decreased the level of ROS ([Formula: see text]), and up-regulated the expression of Occludin ([Formula: see text]) and ZO-1. In addition, Ang II treatment increased the expression of EGFR and p-EGFR (Try1172) and which can be inhibited by LBP. On the contrary, expression of ErbB2, p-ErbB2 (Try1248), PI3K, p-e-NOS (Ser1177) ([Formula: see text]), and p-AKT (Ser473) ([Formula: see text]) was inhibited by Ang II treatment and which can be increased by LBP. Treatment of the cells with inhibitors showed that the regulation of p-e-NOS and p-AKT expression by Ang II and LBP can be blocked by PI3K inhibitor wortmannin but not EGFR and ErbB2 inhibitor AC480. Taken together, our results suggested that LBP plays a critical role in maintaining the integrality of blood vessel endothelium through reduced production of ROS via regulating the activity of EGFR, ErbB2, PI3K/AKT/e-NOS, and which may offer a novel therapeutic option in the management of endothelial dysfunction.

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Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress: The Role of Statins

Antioxidants and Redox Signaling ◽

10.1089/ars.2013.5537 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (8) ◽

pp. 1216-1237 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Nerea Hermida ◽

Jean-Luc Balligand

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Endothelial Dysfunction ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

Low Density ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

And Oxidative Stress

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The role of oxidative stress, inflammation and acetaminophen exposure from birth to early childhood in the induction of autism

Journal of International Medical Research ◽

10.1177/0300060517693423 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 407-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

William Parker ◽

Chi Dang Hornik ◽

Staci Bilbo ◽

Zoie E. Holzknecht ◽

Lauren Gentry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Early Childhood ◽

Early Development ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Small Children ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Wide Range ◽

And Oxidative Stress

The wide range of factors associated with the induction of autism is invariably linked with either inflammation or oxidative stress, and sometimes both. The use of acetaminophen in babies and young children may be much more strongly associated with autism than its use during pregnancy, perhaps because of well-known deficiencies in the metabolic breakdown of pharmaceuticals during early development. Thus, one explanation for the increased prevalence of autism is that increased exposure to acetaminophen, exacerbated by inflammation and oxidative stress, is neurotoxic in babies and small children. This view mandates extreme urgency in probing the long-term effects of acetaminophen use in babies and the possibility that many cases of infantile autism may actually be induced by acetaminophen exposure shortly after birth.

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The Golgi apparatus in neurorestoration

Journal of Neurorestoratology ◽

10.26599/jnr.2019.9040017 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 116-128

Author(s):

Jianyang Liu ◽

Jialin He ◽

Yan Huang ◽

Han Xiao ◽

Zheng Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Golgi Apparatus ◽

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Disease Progression ◽

Neurological Recovery ◽

Cellular Processes ◽

Wide Range ◽

And Oxidative Stress

The central role of the Golgi apparatus in critical cellular processes such as the transport, processing, and sorting of proteins and lipids has placed it at the forefront of cell science. Golgi apparatus dysfunction caused by primary defects within the Golgi or pharmacological and oxidative stress has been implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to participating in disease progression, the Golgi apparatus plays pivotal roles in angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and synaptogenesis, thereby promoting neurological recovery. In this review, we focus on the functions of the Golgi apparatus and its mediated events during neurorestoration.

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The Role and Mechanism of Oxidative Stress and Nuclear Receptors in the Development of NAFLD

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/6889533 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Ting Hong ◽

Yiyan Chen ◽

Xiaoying Li ◽

Yan Lu

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Nuclear Receptors ◽

Metabolic Stress ◽

Hepatic Metabolism ◽

Ros Generation ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Oxidation Damage ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

And Oxidative Stress

The overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequent oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of acute and chronic liver diseases. It is now acknowledged that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized as a redox-centered disease due to the role of ROS in hepatic metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms accounting for these alternations are not completely understood. Several nuclear receptors (NRs) are dysregulated in NAFLD, and have a direct influence on the expression of a set of genes relating to the progress of hepatic lipid homeostasis and ROS generation. Meanwhile, the NRs act as redox sensors in response to metabolic stress. Therefore, targeting NRs may represent a promising strategy for improving oxidation damage and treating NAFLD. This review summarizes the link between impaired lipid metabolism and oxidative stress and highlights some NRs involved in regulating oxidant/antioxidant turnover in the context of NAFLD, shedding light on potential therapies based on NR-mediated modulation of ROS generation and lipid accumulation.

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