Single Intraperitoneal Injection Of Doxorubicin Research Articles

Idebenone alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by stabilizing FSP1 to inhibit ferroptosis

Doxorubicin (DOX)-mediated cardiotoxicity can exacerbate mortality in oncology patients, but related pharmacotherapeutic measures are relatively limited. Ferroptosis was recently identified as a major mechanism of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Idebenone, a novel ferroptosis inhibitor, is a well-described clinical drug widely used. However, its role and pathological mechanism in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of idebenone on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and elucidated its underlying mechanism. A single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) was administrated to establish DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. The results showed that idebenone significantly attenuated DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction due to its ability to regulate acute DOX-induced Fe2+ and ROS overload, which resulted in ferroptosis. CESTA and BLI further revealed that idebenone's anti-ferroptosis effect was mediated by FSP1. Interestingly, idebenone increased FSP1 protein levels but did not affect Fsp1 mRNA levels in the presence of DOX. Idebenone could form stable hydrogen bonds with FSP1 protein at K355, which may influence its association with ubiquitin. The results confirmed that idebenone stabilized FSP1 protein levels by inhibiting its ubiquitination degradation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates idebenone attenuated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting ferroptosis via regulation of FSP1, making it a potential clinical drug for patients receiving DOX treatment.

Vernonia amygdalina protects against doxorubicin-induced hepatic and renal damage in rats: mechanistic insights

The use of the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin is limited due to its potential to cause signifi-cant hepatorenal damage. The present study aimed to investigate the potential hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects of Vernonia amygdalina, a medicinal plant with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, Doxorubicin (DOX), DOX + Vernonia Amyg-dalina (DOX+VA), and Vernonia amygdalina (VA) alone. DOX and DOX+VA groups were treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg body weight). The DOX+VA group received Vernonia amygdalina extract (100, 300, 500 mg/kg body weight) by oral gavage for 14 days following doxorubicin injection. The results demonstrated that Vernonia amygdalina significantly reduced the elevated levels of liver and kidney function biomarkers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and creatinine, induced by doxorubicin. The histological examination of the liver and kidney tis-sues also confirmed the protective effects of Vernonia amygdalina against doxorubicin-induced damage. Furthermore, Vernonia amygdalina treatment was found to mitigate oxidative stress by restoring the levels of glutathione (GPx), Catalase, NO and SOD and decreasing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver and kidney tissues. Additionally, Vernonia amygdalina sig-nificantly suppressed the renal injury markers, NGAL, cystatin-c, KIM-1, and NAG. In conclu-sion, the results of this study suggest that Vernonia amygdalina has potent hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in rats. These protective effects are mediated by its antioxidant, and free radical scavenging properties. Further investigation is needed to determine the potential clinical relevance of Vernonia amygdalina in protecting against the hepatorenal damage induced by doxorubicin in human subjects. Graphical abstract:

Adrenomedullin Mitigates Doxorubicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats: Role of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Apoptosis, and Pyroptosis.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anticancer antibiotic which has various effects in human cancers. It is one of the commonly known causes of drug-induced nephrotoxicity, which results in acute renal injury. Adrenomedullin (ADM), a vasodilator peptide, is widely distributed in many tissues and has potent protective effects. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the protective potential mechanisms of ADM against DOX-induced nephrotoxicity. A total of 28 male Wistar rats were randomized into four groups: control group, doxorubicin group (15 mg/kg single intraperitoneal injection of DOX), adrenomedullin + doxorubicin group (12 μg/kg/day intraperitoneal injection of ADM) 3 days prior to DOX injection and continuing for 14 days after the model was established, and adrenomedullin group. Kidney function biomarkers, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, NLRP3, IL-1β, and IL-18) were assessed. The expressions of gasdermin D and ASC were assessed by real-time PCR. Furthermore, the abundances of caspase-1 (p20), Bcl-2, and Bax immunoreactivity were evaluated. ADM administration improved the biochemical parameters of DOX-induced nephrotoxicity, significantly reduced oxidative damage markers and inflammatory mediators, and suppressed both apoptosis and pyroptosis. These results were confirmed by the histopathological findings and revealed that ADM's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-pyroptotic properties may have prospective applications in the amelioration of DOX-induced nephrotoxicity.

PEX1 is a mediator of α1-adrenergic signaling attenuating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent used for cancer treatment, however, DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is a serious clinical problem because it causes acute and chronic heart dysfunction. Many studies have indicated that the α1-adrenergic receptor protects the heart from pathologic stress through activation survival signaling, however, the mechanism remains largely unknown. Previous studies have detected that the phenylephrine-induced complex-1 (PEX1) transcription factor, also known as zinc-finger protein 260 (Zfp260), is an effector of α1-adrenergic signaling in cardiac hypertrophy. Our present study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of PEX1 in cardiomyocyte survival during DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Mice were exposed to a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) to generate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. We found that PEX1 expression was downregulated in DOX-treated murine hearts. PEX1 deficiency resulted in increased apoptosis, and conversely, PEX1 overexpression alleviated apoptosis induced by DOX in primary cardiomyocytes, as well as upregulated antiapoptotic genes such as BCL-2 and BCL-XL. Mechanistically, we identified that PEX1 might exert its antiapoptosis effect by playing a pivotal role in the action of α1-adrenergic signaling activation, which depends on the presence of GATA-4. Based on these findings, we supposed that PEX1may be a novel transcription factor involved in cardiac cell survival and a promising candidate target for DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

M2-like macrophages transplantation protects against the doxorubicin-induced heart failure via mitochondrial transfer

AimsThe alternatively activated macrophages have shown a cardioprotective effect in heart failure. However, the effect of M2 adoptive transfer in non-ischemic heart failure is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of M-CSF plus IL-4 induced M2-like macrophages transplantation in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.MethodsBone marrow mononuclear cells were polarized as CCR2+CD206+ M2-like macrophages by a combination of M-CSF plus IL-4 treatment. C57BL/6 mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg). The treatment group were treated with M2-like macrophages (1 × 10^6 cells per mouse; i.v.) once a week for 2 weeks. After 3 weeks, we examined the percentage of resident cells and cardiac function. Furthermore, we evaluated cardiac fibrosis, cardiomyocyte apoptosis and circulating inflammatory factors. Finally, we investigated the mitochondria transfer in vitro in a direct and indirect co-culture conditions.ResultsCardiac function was significantly improved in doxorubicin-induced heart failure by adoptive transfer of M2-like macrophages. Besides, M2-like macrophages treatment attenuated cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, as well as increased the level of circulating IL-4 and Th2 response. In vitro, M2-like macrophages could transfer mitochondria to injured cardiomyocytes in a direct and indirect way.ConclusionsIn our study, adoptive transfer of M2-like macrophages could protect against the doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, which may be partly attributed to mitochondria transfer. And M2-like macrophages transplantation could become a treatment for non-ischemic heart failure in the clinical practice.Graphical

Palmatine attenuates the doxorubicin-induced inflammatory response, oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis

BackgroundAs a natural isoquinoline alkaloid, palmatine (PLT) has been proven to play a protective role against a variety of cardiovascular diseases. However, little research on the effects of PLT on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity has been carried out. Thus, we investigated the potential functions of PLT in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. In the present study, a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) in mice was used to establish an acute cardiotoxicity model. Our study shows that PLT administration could reduce myocardial injury and improve cardiac dysfunction in DOX-treated mice. Further experiments showed that PLT administration suppressed the DOX-induced inflammatory response, oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in mice. Moreover, we found that the protective effect of PLT treatment was counteracted by sirtuin1 (Sirt1) knockdown. In summary, our study shows that PLT treatment can exert a protective effect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Varied effects of doxorubicin (DOX) on the corpus luteum of C57BL/6 mice during early pregnancy†.

Certain chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic to ovarian follicles. The corpus luteum (CL) is normally developed from an ovulated follicle for producing progesterone (P4) to support early pregnancy. To fill in the knowledge gap about effects of chemotherapy on the CL, we tested the hypothesis that chemotherapy may target endothelial cells and/or luteal cells in the CL to impair CL function in P4 steroidogenesis using doxorubicin (DOX) as a representative chemotherapeutic drug in mice. In both mixed background mice and C57BL/6 mice, a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (10mg/kg) on 0.5-day postcoitum (D0.5, postovulation) led to ~58% D3.5 mice with serum P4 levels lower than the serum P4 range in the phosphate buffer saline-treated control mice. Further studies in the C57BL/6 ovaries revealed that CLs from DOX-treated mice with low P4 levels had less defined luteal cords and disrupted collagen IV expression pattern, indicating disrupted capillary, accompanied with less differentiated luteal cells that had smaller cytoplasm and reduced StAR expression. DOX-treated ovaries had increased granulosa cell death in the growing follicles, reduced proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive endothelial cells in the CLs, enlarged lipid droplets, and disrupted F-actin in the luteal cells. These novel data suggest that the proliferating endothelial cells in the developing CL may be the primary target of DOX to impair the vascular support for luteal cell differentiation and subsequently P4 steroidogenesis. This study fills in the knowledge gap about the toxic effects of chemotherapy on the CL and provides critical information for risk assessment of chemotherapy in premenopausal patients.

The possible protective effect of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 agonist (Alda-1) on doxorubicin induced toxicity of the left ventricular cardiomyocytes of adult male mice.

ABSTRACTBackground: Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective antineoplastic drug. However, its cardiotoxicity is a major obstacle that limit its use. Therefore, a novel protective agent is urgently needed. Enzyme activation recently gained much interest as a new therapeutic strategy. In this context, Alda-1 is a newly emerged molecule in the field of cardioprotection through its activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 enzyme.Aim of the study: To evaluate the possible protective effect of aldehyde dehydrogenase agonist Alda-1 on doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity. Material and methods: Twenty-four adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided equally into 4 groups. Group I received intraperitoneal injection of saline. Group II received intraperitoneal injection of Alda-1 (10 mg/kg) daily for 5 days. Group III received a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (20 mg/kg). Group IV received both DOX and Alda-1 in the same regimen as in groups II and III, Alda-1 was administered 1 day before DOX. All mice were euthanized on the 5th day following DOX administration. Blood samples were collected, hearts were excised and further processed for anatomical, histological and biochemical analysis.Results: DOX administration caused extensive cardiotoxicity as evident by the marked decrease in the heart weight and the extensive myocardial lesions shown by the light and electron microscopic examination. Moreover, biochemical serum markers of cardiac injury (CK-MB &LDH) was markedly elevated. Increased oxidative stress was also encountered as shown by the decreased serum TAC and increased tissue MDA. Furthermore, mitochondrial morphometry showed increased mitochondrial size. However, concomitant administration of Alda-1 with DOX have markedly alleviated the heart injury as shown by the restoration of the heart weight and cardiac architecture together with preservation of the mitochondrial structure. Moreover, Alda-1 has ameliorated the biochemical markers of cardiac injury and the oxidative stress.Conclusion: Alda-1 provides a valuable protective effect against doxorubicin triggered cardiotoxicity.

Coumestrol ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity via activating AMPKα

Doxorubicin (DOX) acts as the cornerstone in multiple tumour chemotherapy regimens, however, its clinical application is often impeded due to the induction of a severe cardiotoxicity that eventually provokes left ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure. Coumestrol (CMT) is a common dietary phytoestrogen with pleiotropic pharmacological effects. The present study aims to investigate the role and mechanism of CMT on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Mice were intragastrically administrated with CMT (5 mg/kg/day) for consecutive 2 weeks and then received a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) to mimic the clinical toxic effects after 8-day additional feeding. To verify the role of 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), AMPKα2 global knockout mice were used. H9C2 cells were cultured to further validate the beneficial role of CMT in vitro. CMT administration notably ameliorated oxidative damage, cell apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction in DOX-treated mice. Besides, we observed that DOX-induced reactive oxygen species overproduction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were also reduced by CMT incubation in H9C2 cells. Mechanistically, CMT activated AMPKα and Ampkα deficiency abolished the beneficial effects of CMT in vivo and in vitro. Finally, we proved that protein kinase A (PKA) was required for CMT-mediated AMPKα activation and cardioprotective effects. CMT activated PKA/AMPKα pathway to alleviate DOX-induced oxidative damage, cell apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. Our findings provide a promising therapeutic agent for cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy.

Heat Shock Protein 22 Attenuates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity via Regulating Inflammation and Apoptosis.

BackgroundThe antitumor effect of doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by its acute and chronic toxicity to the heart, which causes heart injury. Heat shock protein 22 (Hsp22) is a protein proved to exert anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammatory effects in other diseases and physical conditions. In this study, we aim to explore whether Hsp22 could exert a protective role during cardiac injury in response to DOX.MethodsThe overexpression of Hsp22 was mediated via adenovirus vector to clarify the role of Hsp22 in the cardiac injury caused by DOX. DOX-induced acute heart injury mouse model was established by single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg). Subsequently, cardiac staining and molecular biological analysis were performed to analyze the morphological and biochemical effects of Hsp22 on cardiac injury. H9c2 cells were used for validation in vitro.ResultsAn increase in the expression level of Hsp22 was observed in DOX-treated heart tissue. Furthermore, cardiac-specific overexpression of Hsp22 showed reduced cardiac dysfunction, decrease in inflammatory response, and reduction in cell apoptosis in injury heart and cardiomyocytes induced by DOX in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, the suppression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)4/NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) was associated with the protective effect of Hsp22. Finally, the protective effect of Hsp22 cardiac function was almost abolished by overexpression of NLRP3 in DOX-treated mice.ConclusionIn summary, Hsp22 overexpression in the heart could suppress cardiac injury in response to DOX treatment through blocking TLR4/NLRP3 activation. Hsp22 may become a new therapeutic method for treating cardiac injury induced by DOX in cancer patients.

Toll-like receptor 5 deficiency diminishes doxorubicin-induced acute cardiotoxicity in mice.

Rationale: Clinical application of doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by its toxic cardiovascular side effects. Our previous study found that toll-like receptor (TLR) 5 deficiency attenuated cardiac fibrosis in mice. However, the role of TLR5 in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains unclear.Methods: To further investigate this, TLR5-deficient mice were subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX to mimic an acute model.Results: Here, we reported that TLR5 expression was markedly increased in response to DOX injection. Moreover, TLR5 deficiency exerted potent protective effects against DOX-related cardiac injury, whereas activation of TLR5 by flagellin exacerbated DOX injection-induced cardiotoxicity. Mechanistically, the effects of TLR5 were largely attributed to direct interaction with spleen tyrosine kinase to activate NADPH oxidase (NOX) 2, increasing the production of superoxide and subsequent activation of p38. The toxic effects of TLR5 activation in DOX-related acute cardiac injury were abolished by NOX2 deficiency in mice. Our further study showed that neutralizing antibody-mediated TLR5 depletion also attenuated DOX-induced acute cardiotoxicity.Conclusion: These findings suggest that TLR5 deficiency attenuates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in mice, and targeting TLR5 may provide feasible therapies for DOX-induced acute cardiotoxicity.

MD-1 Deficiency Accelerates Myocardial Inflammation and Apoptosis in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Activating the TLR4/MAPKs/Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) Signaling Pathway.

BackgroundMyocardial apoptosis and inflammation play important roles in doxorubicin (DOX)-caused cardiotoxicity. Our prior studies have characterized the effects of myeloid differentiation protein 1(MD-1) in pathological cardiac remodeling and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but its participations and potential molecular mechanisms in DOX-caused cardiotoxicity remain unknown.Material/MethodsIn the present study, MD-1 knockout mice were generated, and a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) was performed to elicit DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Cardiac function, histological change, mitochondrial structure, myocardial death, apoptosis, inflammation, and molecular alterations were measured systemically.ResultsThe results showed that the protein and mRNA levels of MD-1 were dramatically downregulated in DOX-treated cardiomyocytes. DOX insult markedly accelerated cardiac dysfunction and injury, followed by enhancements of apoptosis and inflammation, all of which were further aggravated in MD-1 knockout mice. Mechanistically, the TLR4/MAPKs/NF-κB pathways, which were over-activated in MD-1-deficient mice, were significantly increased in DOX-damaged cardiomyocytes. Moreover, the abolishment of TLR4 or NF-κB via a specific inhibitor exerted protective effects against the adverse effects of MD-1 loss on DOX-caused cardiotoxicity.ConclusionsCollectively, these findings suggest that MD-1 is a novel target for the treatment of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Loss of Rubicon ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through enhancement of mitochondrial quality

BackgroundThe therapeutic potential of doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by cardiotoxicity. Rubicon is an inhibitory interacting partner of autophagy protein UVRAG. Currently, the role of Rubicon in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is unknown. In this study, we test the hypothesis that loss of Rubicon attenuates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. MethodsA mouse model of acute DOX-induced cardiotoxicity was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX at a dose of 20 mg/kg. Rubicon expression was detected by Western blot. Cardiac damage was determined by measuring activities of lactate dehydrogenase and myocardial muscle creatine kinase in the serum, cytoplasmic vacuolization, collagen deposition, ROS levels, ATP content and mitochondrial damage in the heart. Cardiac morphometry and function were assessed by echocardiography. Markers for autophagy, mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics were evaluated by Western blot and real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. ResultsRubicon expression was reduced in the heart 16 h after DOX treatment. DOX induced accumulation of cytoplasmic vacuolization and collagen, increased serum activities of lactate dehydrogenase and myocardial muscle creatine kinase, enhanced ROS levels, reduced ATP content, pronounced mitochondrial damage and greater left ventricular wall thickness in wild type mice, which were mitigated by Rubicon deficiency. Mechanistically, loss of Rubicon improved DOX-induced impairment of autophagic flux, Parkin-mediated mitophagy and mitochondrial fission and fusion in the heart. ConclusionsLoss of Rubicon ameliorates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity through enhancement of mitochondrial quality by improving autophagic flux, mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics. Rubicon is a potential molecular target for prevention and therapy of DOX cardiotoxicity.

FNDC5 alleviates oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity via activating AKT

Oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis play critical roles in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Previous studies indicated that fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) and its cleaved form, irisin, could preserve mitochondrial function and attenuate oxidative damage as well as cell apoptosis, however, its role in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains unknown. Our present study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of FNDC5 on oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Cardiomyocyte-specific FNDC5 overexpression was achieved using an adeno-associated virus system, and then the mice were exposed to a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg) to generate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Herein, we found that FNDC5 expression was downregulated in DOX-treated murine hearts and cardiomyocytes. Fndc5 deficiency resulted in increased oxidative damage and apoptosis in H9C2 cells under basal conditions, imitating the phenotype of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy in vitro, conversely, FNDC5 overexpression or irisin treatment alleviated DOX-induced oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we identified that FNDC5/Irisin activated AKT/mTOR signaling and decreased DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and moreover, we provided direct evidence that the anti-oxidant effect of FNDC5/Irisin was mediated by the AKT/GSK3β/FYN/Nrf2 axis in an mTOR-independent manner. And we also demonstrated that heat shock protein 20 was responsible for the activation of AKT caused by FNDC5/Irisin. In line with the data in acute model, we also found that FNDC5/Irisin exerted beneficial effects in chronic model of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (5 mg/kg, i.p., once a week for three times, the total cumulative dose is 15 mg/kg) in mice. Based on these findings, we supposed that FNDC5/Irisin was a potential therapeutic agent against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Rosmarinic acid alleviates cardiomyocyte apoptosis via cardiac fibroblast in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Cardiomyocyte apoptosis is a key event in the process of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Our previous study found that rosmarinic acid (RA) could attenuate pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction via cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), however its effect in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains unknown. In the present study, mice were subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15mg/kg) to generate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Histological examination, echocardiography, and molecular markers were used to evaluate the effects of RA. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (CMs) and CFs were used to verify the protective effect of RA in vitro. Conditioned medium derived from RA-treated CFs were prepared to illustrate the effect of RA on paracrine interplay between CFs and CMs. We found that RA significantly alleviated DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction in vivo, which, however, had almost negligible beneficial effect on DOX directly induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistically, CFs-derived Fas L was responsible for DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and RA treatment could decrease Fas L expression in CFs and its release to the conditioned medium by suppressing nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activation and metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) expression, and exerted the anti-apoptotic effect on CMs via CFs. Ionomycin, and activator of NFAT, abrogated RA-mediated protective effect on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. In summary, RA alleviated cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the expression and release of Fas L in CFs via a paracrine manner, moreover, NFAT as well as MMP7 inhibition were responsible for the suppression of Fas L. RA could be a powerful new therapeutic agent to mitigate cardiomyocyte apoptosis, thereby improving DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Cardioprotective Activity of Flavonoid Fraction of Gymnema Sylvestre Leaves on Doxorubicin Induced Cardiac Damage

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective:</strong> The objective of this study is to evaluate the Cardioprotective activity of flavonoid fraction of <em>Gymnema Sylvestre</em> leaves on doxorubicin induced cardiac damage in rats. <strong>Method:</strong> The rats were divided into four groups as normal control, doxorubicin control, standard and test with six rats in each group. Cardiotoxicity was induced in all groups of animals except in normal control by single intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg, i.p.). 24 h after the last treatment, the effects were evaluated by using serum biomarkers, lipid profile, tissue antioxidants, and histopathological examination. Serum and tissue homogenate parameters were measured by semi-auto analyzer and spectrophotometer, respectively. The results obtained were assessed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni test. <strong>Results:</strong> The flavonoid fraction pretreatment significantly attenuated the levels of pathological biochemical markers like creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), total cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, calcium, nitric oxide and melanoldehyde, and significantly raises the levels of endogenous protective antioxidant proteins in the doxorubicin-intoxicated rats. In the test group, pre-treatment with flavonoid fraction isolated from the leaves of <em>Gymnema Sylvestre</em> normalized the activity of cell membrane bound ATPases. A histopathological finding in the flavonoid fraction pretreated rats reveals that it has prevented the pathological changes observed with doxorubicin intoxication. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Pre-treatment of rats with the flavonoid fraction of <em>Gymnema Sylvestre</em> significantly ameliorated the toxic insult perpetrated by doxorubicin. <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Key words:</strong> Cardiotoxicity, Doxorubicin, Flavonoid fraction, <em>Gymnema Sylvestre</em>.

Curcumin ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by abrogation of inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative DNA damage, and protein oxidation in rats.

Doxorubicin (DXR) is a highly effective drug for chemotherapy. However, cardiotoxicity reduces its clinical utility in humans. The present study aimed to assess the ameliorative effect of curcumin against DXR-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Rats were subjected to oral treatment of curcumin (100 and 200mg/kg body weight) for 7 days. Cardiotoxicity was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of DXR (40mg/kg body weight) on the 5th day and the rats sacrificed on 8th day. Curcumin ameliorated DXR-induced lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion, decrease in antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) enzyme activities, and cardiac toxicity markers (CK-MB, LDH, and cTn-I). Curcumin also attenuated activities of Caspase-3, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and levels of nuclear factor kappa-B, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β, and cardiac tissue damages that were induced by DXR. Moreover, curcumin decreased the expression of 8-OHdG and 3,3'-dityrosine. This study demonstrated that curcumin has a multi-cardioprotective effect due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties.

Low dose radiation prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

This study aimed to develop a novel and non-invasive approach, low-dose radiation (LDR, 75 mGy X-rays), to prevent doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups, Control, LDR (a single exposure), Sham (treated same as LDR group except for irradiation), DOX (a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX at 7.5 mg/kg), and LDR/DOX (received LDR and 72 h later received DOX). Electrocardiogram analysis displayed several kinds of abnormal ECG profiles in DOX-treated mice, but less in LDR/DOX group. Cardiotoxicity indices included histopathological changes, oxidative stress markers, and measurements of mitochondrial membrane permeability. Pretreatment of DOX group with LDR reduced oxidative damages (reactive oxygen species formation, protein nitration, and lipid peroxidation) and increased the activities of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) in the heart of LDR/DOX mice compared to DOX mice. Pretreatment of DOX-treated mice with LDR also decreased DOX-induced cardiac cell apoptosis (TUNEL staining and cleaved caspase-3) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway (increased p53, Bax, and caspase-9 expression and decreased Bcl2 expression and ΔΨm dissipation). These results suggest that LDR could induce adaptation of the heart to DOX-induced toxicity. Cardiac protection by LDR may attribute to attenuate DOX-induced cell death via suppressing mitochondrial-dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling.

CTRP3 protected against doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction, inflammation and cell death via activation of Sirt1

BackgroundInflammation and myocytes apoptosis play critical roles in the development of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Our previous study found that C1q/tumour necrosis factor-related protein-3 (CTRP3) could inhibit cardiac inflammation and apoptosis of myocytes but its role in DOX-induced heart injury remains largely unknown. Our study aimed to investigate whether CTRP3 protected against DOX-induced heart injury and the underlying mechanism. MethodsWe overexpressed CTRP3 in the hearts using an adeno-associated virus system. The mice were subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15mg/kg) to induce short-term model for cardiomyopathy. The morphological examination and biochemical analysis were used to evaluate the effects of CTRP3. H9C2 cells were used to verify the protective role of CTRP3 in vitro. ResultsMyocardial CTRP3 protein levels were reduced in DOX-treated mice. Cardiac specific-overexpression of CTRP3 preserved heart dysfunction, and attenuated cardiac inflammation and cell loss induced by DOX in vivo and in vitro. CTRP3 could activate silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, specific inhibitor of Sirt1 and the silence of Sirt1 could abolish the protective effects of CTRP3 against DOX-induced inflammation and apoptosis. ConclusionCTRP3 protected against DOX-induced heart injury via activation of Sirt1. CTRP3 has therapeutic potential for the treatment of DOX cardiotoxicity.

Intramyocardial injection of SERCA2a-expressing lentivirus improves myocardial function in doxorubicin-induced heart failure.

Doxorubicin is an effective anticancer drug. The major limitation to its use is the induction of dose-dependent cardiomyopathy. No specific treatment exists for doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy and treatments used for other forms of heart failure have only limited beneficial effects. The contraction-relaxation cycle of the heart is controlled by cytosolic calcium concentrations, which, in turn, are critically regulated by the activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2) (+) ATPase (SERCA2a) pump. We hypothesized that SERCA2a gene transfer would ameliorate doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy. Lentiviral vectors LV-SERCA2a-GFP and LV-GFP were constructed and in vitro gene transfer of LV-SERCA2a-GFP confirmed SERCA2a expression by western blot analysis. Heart failure was induced by giving a single intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin. LV-SERCA2a-GFP, LV-GFP vectors and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were injected under echocardiographic control to the anterior wall of the left ventricle. Echocardiography analyses were performed on the injection day and 28 days postinjection. On the injection day, there were no significant differences in the average ejection fractions (EFs) among SERCA2a (40.0%), GFP (41.1%) and PBS (39.4%) injected animals. On day 28, EF in the SERCA2a group had increased by 16.6 ± 6.7% to 46.4 ± 2.1%. By contrast, EFs in the GFP (40.2 ± 1.3%) and PBS (40.6 ± 1.4%) groups remained at pre-injection levels. In addition, end systolic and end diastolic left ventricle volumes were significantly smaller in the SERCA2a group compared to controls. SERCA2a gene transfer significantly improves left ventricle function and dimensions in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy, thus making LV-SERCA2a gene transfer an attractive treatment modality for doxorubicin-induced heart failure. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.