scholarly journals Tetrandrine alleviates podocyte injury via calcium-dependent calpain-1 signaling blockade

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Ding ◽  
Xuanli Tang ◽  
Yuhui Wang ◽  
Dongrong Yu ◽  
Caifeng Zhu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Podocytes have become a crucial target for interventions in proteinuric kidney diseases. Many studies have reported that overexpression of transient receptor potential cation channel protein 6 (TRPC6) in podocyte injury upregulates intracellular Ca2+ influx and stimulates Ca2+-dependent protease calpain-1 signaling. The traditional Chinese drug, tetrandrine, a nonselective Ca2+ channel blocker, has long been used to treat chronic kidney disease. This research aimed to explore the possible mechanisms underlying the anti-proteinuric properties of tetrandrine. Methods We investigated the involvement of tetrandrine in Ca2+ dependent calpain-1 signaling in mouse podocytes and adriamycin-induced nephropathy rats. Cyclosporine A (CsA) and U73122 were used as positive controls. Cell viability, cytotoxicity, Ca2+ concentration, calpain activity, and mRNA and protein expression levels of calpain-1 signaling pathways were examined. The clinical and pathological changes were measured. Results Tetrandrine decreased intracellular Ca2+ influx in cultured TRPC6-overexpressing podocytes. In both in vitro and in vivo studies, the administration of tetrandrine downregulated calpain activity and the expression of calpain-1 and restored the expression of downstream Talin-1 and nephrin. Compared to CsA, tetrandrine treatment exhibited superior inhibitory effects on calpain activity and calpain-1 expression. Conclusions Tetrandrine has therapeutic potential in podocyte damage by blocking Ca2+-dependent activation of the calpain-1 signaling pathway. Tetrandrine reduced proteinuria, improved renal function, and alleviate renal pathological damage.

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kondeti Ramudu Shanmugam ◽  
Bhasha Shanmugam ◽  
Gangigunta Venkatasubbaiah ◽  
Sahukari Ravi ◽  
Kesireddy Sathyavelu Reddy

Background : Diabetes is a major public health problem in the world. It affects each and every part of the human body and also leads to organ failure. Hence, great progress made in the field of herbal medicine and diabetic research. Objectives: Our review will focus on the effect of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants which are used to treat diabetes in India and other countries. Methods: Information regarding diabetes, oxidative stress, medicinal plants and bioactive compounds were collected from different search engines like Science direct, Springer, Wiley online library, Taylor and francis, Bentham Science, Pubmed and Google scholar. Data was analyzed and summarized in the review. Results and Conclusion: Anti-diabetic drugs that are in use have many side effects on vital organs like heart, liver, kidney and brain. There is an urgent need for alternative medicine to treat diabetes and their disorders. In India and other countries herbal medicine was used to treat diabetes. Many herbal plants have antidiabetic effects. The plants like ginger, phyllanthus, curcumin, aswagandha, aloe, hibiscus and curcuma showed significant anti-hyperglycemic activities in experimental models and humans. The bioactive compounds like Allicin, azadirachtin, cajanin, curcumin, querceitin, gingerol possesses anti-diabetic, antioxidant and other pharmacological properties. This review focuses on the role of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants in prevention and management of diabetes. Conclusion: Moreover, our review suggests that bioactive compounds have the potential therapeutic potential against diabetes. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to validate these findings.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3088
Author(s):  
Mariana Matias ◽  
Jacinta O. Pinho ◽  
Maria João Penetra ◽  
Gonçalo Campos ◽  
Catarina Pinto Reis ◽  
...  

Melanoma is recognized as the most dangerous type of skin cancer, with high mortality and resistance to currently used treatments. To overcome the limitations of the available therapeutic options, the discovery and development of new, more effective, and safer therapies is required. In this review, the different research steps involved in the process of antimelanoma drug evaluation and selection are explored, including information regarding in silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments, as well as clinical trial phases. Details are given about the most used cell lines and assays to perform both two- and three-dimensional in vitro screening of drug candidates towards melanoma. For in vivo studies, murine models are, undoubtedly, the most widely used for assessing the therapeutic potential of new compounds and to study the underlying mechanisms of action. Here, the main melanoma murine models are described as well as other animal species. A section is dedicated to ongoing clinical studies, demonstrating the wide interest and successful efforts devoted to melanoma therapy, in particular at advanced stages of the disease, and a final section includes some considerations regarding approval for marketing by regulatory agencies. Overall, considerable commitment is being directed to the continuous development of optimized experimental models, important for the understanding of melanoma biology and for the evaluation and validation of novel therapeutic strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1248
Author(s):  
Muhammad Waleed Baig ◽  
Humaira Fatima ◽  
Nosheen Akhtar ◽  
Hidayat Hussain ◽  
Mohammad K. Okla ◽  
...  

Exploration of leads with therapeutic potential in inflammatory disorders is worth pursuing. In line with this, the isolated natural compound daturaolone from Datura innoxia Mill. was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory potential using in silico, in vitro and in vivo models. Daturaolone follows Lipinski’s drug-likeliness rule with a score of 0.33. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity prediction show strong plasma protein binding; gastrointestinal absorption (Caco-2 cells permeability = 34.6 nm/s); no blood–brain barrier penetration; CYP1A2, CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 metabolism; a major metabolic reaction, being aliphatic hydroxylation; no hERG inhibition; and non-carcinogenicity. Predicted molecular targets were mainly inflammatory mediators. Molecular docking depicted H-bonding interaction with nuclear factor kappa beta subunit (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, phospholipase A2, serotonin transporter, dopamine receptor D1 and 5-hydroxy tryptamine. Its cytotoxicity (IC50) value in normal lymphocytes was >20 µg/mL as compared to cancer cells (Huh7.5; 17.32 ± 1.43 µg/mL). Daturaolone significantly inhibited NF-κB and nitric oxide production with IC50 values of 1.2 ± 0.8 and 4.51 ± 0.92 µg/mL, respectively. It significantly reduced inflammatory paw edema (81.73 ± 3.16%), heat-induced pain (89.47 ± 9.01% antinociception) and stress-induced depression (68 ± 9.22 s immobility time in tail suspension test). This work suggests a possible anti-inflammatory role of daturaolone; however, detailed mechanistic studies are still necessary to corroborate and extrapolate the findings.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kui Wu ◽  
Nathan Yee ◽  
Sangeetha Srinivasan ◽  
Amir Mahmoodi ◽  
Michael Zakharian ◽  
...  

<div> <div> <div> <p>A desired goal of targeted cancer treatments is to achieve high tumor specificity with minimal side effects. Despite recent advances, this remains difficult to achieve in practice as most approaches rely on biomarkers or physiological differences between malignant and healthy tissue, and thus benefit only a subset of patients in need of treatment. To address this unmet need, we introduced a Click Activated Protodrugs Against Cancer (CAPAC) platform that enables targeted activation of drugs at a specific site in the body, i.e., a tumor. In contrast to antibodies (mAbs, ADCs) and other targeted approaches, the mechanism of action is based on in vivo click chemistry, and is thus independent of tumor biomarker expression or factors such as enzymatic activity, pH, or oxygen levels. The platform consists of a tetrazine-modified sodium hyaluronate-based biopolymer injected at a tumor site, followed by one or more doses of a trans-cyclooctene (TCO)- modified cytotoxic protodrug with attenuated activity administered systemically. The protodrug is captured locally by the biopolymer through an inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction between tetrazine and TCO, followed by conversion to the active drug directly at the tumor site, thereby overcoming the systemic limitations of conventional chemotherapy or the need for specific biomarkers of traditional targeted therapy. Here, TCO-modified protodrugs of four prominent cytotoxics (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, etoposide and gemcitabine) are used, highlighting the modularity of the CAPAC platform. In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity, solubility, stability and activation rendered the protodrug of doxorubicin, SQP33, as the most promising candidate for in vivo studies. Studies in rodents show that a single injection of the tetrazine-modified biopolymer, SQL70, efficiently captures SQP33 protodrug doses given at 10.8-times the maximum tolerated dose of conventional doxorubicin with greatly reduced systemic toxicity. </p> </div> </div> </div>


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3390
Author(s):  
Barbara Wróblewska ◽  
Anna Kaliszewska-Suchodoła ◽  
Ewa Fuc ◽  
Lidia Hanna Markiewicz ◽  
Anna Maria Ogrodowczyk ◽  
...  

There is no effective therapy for milk allergy. The role of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and probiotics in protection against allergy-related outcomes is still under investigation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the immunomodulative and therapeutic potential of yogurt drinks in cow’s milk allergy (CMA) management. We compared immunoreactivity of α-casein (α-CN), β-casein (β-CN), κ-casein (κ-CN), α-lactalbumin (α-LA), and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) in 27 yogurt drinks fermented with different basic yogurt cultures, or yogurt cultures enriched with Lactobacillus plantarum and/or Bifidobacterium lactis strains, by competitive ELISA assay. Drinks with the lowest antigenic potential were used as allergoids for CMA therapy. BALB/c mice were sensitized via intraperitoneal injection of α-CN + β-LG mixture with aluminum adjuvant, and gavaged with increasing doses of selected low-immunogenic drinks (YM—basic, or YM-LB—enriched with L. plantarum and B. lactis) to induce tolerance. Milk- or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-dosed mice served as controls. Compared to milk, the immunoreactivity of proteins in drinks increased or decreased, depending on the bacterial sets applied for fermentation. Only a few sets acted synergistically in reducing immunoreactivity. The selected low-immunogenic drinks stimulated allergic mice for profiling Th2 to Th1 response and acquire tolerance, and the effect was greater with YM-LB drink, which during long-lasting interventional feeding strongly increased the secretion of regulatory cytokines, i.e., IL-10 and TGF-β, and IgA and decreased IL-4, IgE, and anti-(α-CN + β-LG) IgG1. The studies revealed variations in the potency of yogurt bacteria to change allergenicity of milk proteins and the need for their strict selection to obtain a safe product for allergy sufferers. The YM-LB drink with reduced antigenic potential may be a source of allergoids used in the immunotherapy of IgE mediated CMA, but further clinical or volunteer studies are required.


Author(s):  
Eric Prommer

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a significant healthcare challenge for the world. Many drugs have therapeutic potential. The aminoquinolones, hydroxychloroquine, and chloroquine are undergoing evaluation as a potential therapy against COVID -19. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that these drugs affect viral adherence and modify inflammatory responses, which may provide some impact on the symptoms associated with COVID. As palliative care specialists encounter more COVID positive patients, palliative care specialists need to know how these drugs work, and importantly how they interact with palliative care drugs used for symptom control. At the same time, there is a need to reduce polypharmacy in any seriously ill patient population. The goals of this paper are to identify whether or not hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine improves symptoms in palliative care patients and whether or not these drugs are safe to use in the advanced illness population who have COVID.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahare Salehi ◽  
Patrick Fokou ◽  
Mehdi Sharifi-Rad ◽  
Paolo Zucca ◽  
Raffaele Pezzani ◽  
...  

Naringenin is a flavonoid belonging to flavanones subclass. It is widely distributed in several Citrus fruits, bergamot, tomatoes and other fruits, being also found in its glycosides form (mainly naringin). Several biological activities have been ascribed to this phytochemical, among them antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiadipogenic and cardioprotective effects. Nonetheless, most of the data reported have been obtained from in vitro or in vivo studies. Although some clinical studies have also been performed, the main focus is on naringenin bioavailability and cardioprotective action. In addition, these studies were done in compromised patients (i.e., hypercholesterolemic and overweight), with a dosage ranging between 600 and 800 μM/day, whereas the effect on healthy volunteers is still debatable. In fact, naringenin ability to improve endothelial function has been well-established. Indeed, the currently available data are very promising, but further research on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects is encouraged to improve both available production and delivery methods and to achieve feasible naringenin-based clinical formulations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 815 ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanta Skarbaliene ◽  
Kristoffer T. Rigbolt ◽  
Keld Fosgerau ◽  
Nils Billestrup

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihui Lu ◽  
Hong Liu ◽  
Nana Song ◽  
Yiran Liang ◽  
Jiaming Zhu ◽  
...  

AbstractPodocytes are known to play a determining role in the progression of proteinuric kidney disease. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), as the most abundant chemical modification in eukaryotic mRNA, has been reported to participate in various pathological processes. However, its role in podocyte injury remains unclear. In this study, we observed the elevated m6A RNA levels and the most upregulated METTL14 expression in kidneys of mice with adriamycin (ADR) and diabetic nephropathy. METTL14 was also evidently increased in renal biopsy samples from patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and diabetic nephropathy and in cultured human podocytes with ADR or advanced glycation end product (AGE) treatment in vitro. Functionally, we generated mice with podocyte-specific METTL14 deletion, and identified METTL14 knockout in podocytes improved glomerular function and alleviated podocyte injury, characterized by activation of autophagy and inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation, in mice with ADR nephropathy. Similar to the results in vivo, knockdown of METTL14 facilitated autophagy and alleviated apoptosis and inflammation in podocytes under ADR or AGE condition in vitro. Mechanically, we identified METTL14 knockdown upregulated the level of Sirt1, a well-known protective deacetylase in proteinuric kidney diseases, in podocytes with ADR or AGE treatment. The results of MeRIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated METTL14 promoted Sirt1 mRNA m6A modification and degradation in injured podocytes. Our findings suggest METTL14-dependent RNA m6A modification contributes to podocyte injury through posttranscriptional regulation of Sirt1 mRNA, which provide a potential approach for the diagnosis and treatment of podocytopathies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (21) ◽  
pp. 12018
Author(s):  
Julia K. Bar ◽  
Anna Lis-Nawara ◽  
Piotr Grzegorz Grelewski

The therapeutic potential of the dental pulp stem (DSC) cell-derived secretome, consisting of various biomolecules, is undergoing intense research. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo studies, most DSC secretome-based therapies have not been implemented in human medicine because the paracrine effect of the bioactive factors secreted by human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) is not completely understood. In this review, we outline the current data on the hDPSC- and SHED-derived secretome as a potential candidate in the regeneration of bone, cartilage, and nerve tissue. Published reports demonstrate that the dental MSC-derived secretome/conditional medium may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases, neural injuries, cartilage defects, and repairing bone by regulating neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and angiogenic processes through secretome paracrine mechanisms. Dental MSC-secretomes, similarly to the bone marrow MSC-secretome activate molecular and cellular mechanisms, which determine the effectiveness of cell-free therapy. Many reports emphasize that dental MSC-derived secretomes have potential application in tissue-regenerating therapy due to their multidirectional paracrine effect observed in the therapy of many different injured tissues.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document