scholarly journals Betulinic Acid Protects from Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Mouse Retina

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2440
Author(s):  
Aytan Musayeva ◽  
Johanna C. Unkrig ◽  
Mayagozel B. Zhutdieva ◽  
Caroline Manicam ◽  
Yue Ruan ◽  
...  

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) events are involved in the pathophysiology of numerous ocular diseases. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that betulinic acid protects from I/R injury in the mouse retina. Ocular ischemia was induced in mice by increasing intraocular pressure (IOP) to 110 mm Hg for 45 min, while the fellow eye served as a control. One group of mice received betulinic acid (50 mg/kg/day p.o. once daily) and the other group received the vehicle solution only. Eight days after the I/R event, the animals were killed and the retinal wholemounts and optic nerve cross-sections were prepared and stained with cresyl blue or toluidine blue, respectively, to count cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the retina and axons in the optic nerve. Retinal arteriole responses were measured in isolated retinas by video microscopy. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed in retinal cryosections and redox gene expression was determined in isolated retinas by quantitative PCR. I/R markedly reduced cell number in the GCL and axon number in the optic nerve of the vehicle-treated mice. In contrast, only a negligible reduction in cell and axon number was observed following I/R in the betulinic acid-treated mice. Endothelial function was markedly reduced and ROS levels were increased in retinal arterioles of vehicle-exposed eyes following I/R, whereas betulinic acid partially prevented vascular endothelial dysfunction and ROS formation. Moreover, betulinic acid boosted mRNA expression for the antioxidant enzymes SOD3 and HO-1 following I/R. Our data provide evidence that betulinic acid protects from I/R injury in the mouse retina. Improvement of vascular endothelial function and the reduction in ROS levels appear to contribute to the neuroprotective effect.

Perfusion ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026765912110070
Author(s):  
Yan Liu ◽  
Xuyao Zhu ◽  
Xiuxia Tong ◽  
Ziqiang Tan

Introduction: Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/R) is associated with high mortality and remains a large challenge in the clinic. Syringin is a bioactive compound with anti-inflammation, antioxidant, as well as neuroprotective effects. Nevertheless, whether syringin could protect against CI/R injury and its potential mechanism was still unclear. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham group, syringin group, CI/R group, CI/R + syringin group, and CI/R + syringin + LPS (TLR4 agonist) group. The CI/R injury rat model was established by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The learning and memory ability of rats was estimated by the Morris water maze test. Modified neurological severity score test (mNSS) and infarct volume were detected to assess the neuroprotective effect of syringin. ELISA and RT-qPCR were used to analyze the concentration of proinflammation cytokines and the expression of TLR4. Results: CI/R injury induced increased mNSS scores and decreased learning and memory ability of rats. Syringin could significantly protect against CI/R injury as it decreased the cerebral damage and improved the cognitive ability of CI/R rats. Moreover, syringin also reduced neuroinflammation of CI/R injury rats. Additionally, TLR4 was significantly upregulated in CI/R injury rats, which was suppressed by syringin. The activation of TLR4 reversed the neuroprotective effect of syringin in CI/R rats. Conclusion: Syringin decreased the inflammation reaction and cerebral damage in CI/R injury rats. The neuroprotective effect of syringin may be correlated with the inhibition of TLR4.


2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (1) ◽  
pp. H150-H158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hauerslev ◽  
Sivagowry Rasalingam Mørk ◽  
Kasper Pryds ◽  
Hussain Contractor ◽  
Jan Hansen ◽  
...  

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) protects against sustained myocardial ischemia. Because of overlapping mechanisms, this protection may be altered by glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), which is commonly used in the treatment of patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. We investigated whether long-term GTN treatment modifies the protection by RIC in the rat myocardium and human endothelium. We studied infarct size (IS) in rat hearts subjected to global ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in vitro and endothelial function in healthy volunteers subjected to I/R of the upper arm. In addition to allocated treatment, rats were coadministered with reactive oxygen species (ROS) or nitric oxide (NO) scavengers. Rats and humans were randomized to 1) control, 2) RIC, 3) GTN, and 4) GTN + RIC. In protocols 3 and 4, rats and humans underwent long-term GTN treatment for 7 consecutive days, applied subcutaneously or 2 h daily transdermally. In rats, RIC and long-term GTN treatment reduced mean IS (18 ± 12%, P = 0.007 and 15 ± 5%, P = 0.002) compared with control (35 ± 13%). RIC and long-term GTN treatment in combination did not reduce IS (29 ± 12%, P = 0.55 vs. control). ROS and NO scavengers both attenuated IS reduction by RIC and long-term GTN treatment. In humans, I/R reduced endothelial function ( P = 0.01 vs. baseline). Separately, RIC and long-term GTN prevented the reduction in endothelial function caused by I/R; given in combination, prevention was lost. RIC and long-term GTN treatment both protect against rat myocardial and human endothelial I/R injury through ROS and NO-dependent mechanisms. However, when given in combination, RIC and long-term GTN treatment fail to confer protection. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) and long-term glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) treatment protect against ischemia-reperfusion injury in both human endothelium and rat myocardium. However, combined application of RIC and long-term GTN treatment abolishes the individual protective effects of RIC and GTN treatment on ischemia-reperfusion injury, suggesting an interaction of clinical importance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (5) ◽  
pp. E481-E495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rinrada Kietadisorn ◽  
Rio P. Juni ◽  
An L. Moens

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) serves as a critical enzyme in maintaining vascular pressure by producing nitric oxide (NO); hence, it has a crucial role in the regulation of endothelial function. The bioavailability of eNOS-derived NO is crucial for this function and might be affected at multiple levels. Uncoupling of eNOS, with subsequently less NO and more superoxide generation, is one of the major underlying causes of endothelial dysfunction found in atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, cigarette smoking, hyperhomocysteinemia, and ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, modulating eNOS uncoupling by stabilizing eNOS activity, enhancing its substrate, cofactors, and transcription, and reversing uncoupled eNOS are attractive therapeutic approaches to improve endothelial function. This review provides an extensive overview of the important role of eNOS uncoupling in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and the potential therapeutic interventions to modulate eNOS for tackling endothelial dysfunction.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taotao Lu ◽  
Huihong Li ◽  
Yangjie Zhou ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Linlin Ding ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundNeuroinflammation and apoptosis are involved in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Alisol A 24-acetate (24A) has a strong inhibitory effect on inflammation and cell apoptosis. The neuroprotective effect of 24A in the global cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion (GCI/R) is still unclear. Methods GCI/R mice was used to investigated the neuroprotective effect of 24A. Modified neurological deficit scores, Morris Water Maze and object recognition test were used to evaluate behaviors. The metabolism in brain regions was detected by MRS. The changes of microglia, astrocytes and neurons was detected. The inflammation and apoptosis were measured.Results The results showed that 24A improved behavioral dysfunction and brain metabolism, alleviate neuroinflammation and apoptosis, inhibited microglia and astrocytes activation, which is associated with the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway. ConclusionsTaken together, our study demonstrated that 24A could alleviate GCI/R injury through anti-neuroinflammation and anti-apoptosis via regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway.


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