RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of vascular dementia (VD) is complex, and currently, no effective treatments have been recommended. Floralozone is a colorless liquid first discovered in Lagotis Gaertn. Recently, its medicinal value has been increasingly recognized. Our previous study has demonstrated that Floralozone can improve cognitive dysfunction in rats with VD by regulating the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) signaling pathways. However, the mechanism by which Floralozone regulates TRPM2 and NMDAR to improve VD remains unclear. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy regulator in vivo; however, its role of AMPK activation in stroke remains controversial. MiR-7a-5p has been identified to be closely related to neuronal function. PURPOSE: To explore whether Floralozone can regulate the miR-7a-5p level in vivo through AMPKα2 activation, affect the TRPM2 and NR2B expression levels, and improve VD symptoms. METHODS: The VD model was established by a modified bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2-VO) of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and AMPKα2 KO transgenic (AMPKα2-/-) mice. Primary hippocampal neurons were modeled using oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Morris water maze (MWM) test, hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining), and TUNEL staining were used to investigate the effects of Floralozone on behavior and hippocampal morphology in rats. Minichromosome maintenance complex component 2(MCM2) positive cells were used to investigate the effect of Floralozone on neurogenesis. Immunofluorescence staining, qRT-PCR, and western blot analysis were used to investigate the effect of Floralozone on the expression levels of AMPKα2, miR-7a-5p, TRPM2, and NR2B. RESULTS: The SD rat experiment revealed that Floralozone improved spatial learning and memory, improved the morphology and structure of hippocampal neurons, reduced apoptosis of hippocampal neurons and promoted neurogenesis in VD rats. Floralozone could increase the miR-7a-5p expression level, activate AMPKα2 and NR2B expressions, and inhibit TRPM2 expression in hippocampal neurons of VD rats. The AMPKα2 KO transgenic (AMPKα2-/-) mice experiment demonstrated that Floralozone could regulate miR-7a-5p, TRPM2, and NR2B expression levels through AMPKα2 activation. The cell experiment revealed that the TRPM2 and NR2B expression levels were regulated by miR-7a-5p, whereas the AMPKα2 expression level was not. CONCLUSION: Floralozone could regulate miR-7a-5p expression level by activating the protein expression of AMPKα2, control the protein expression of TRPM2 and NR2B, improve the morphology and structure of hippocampus neurons, reduce the apoptosis of hippocampus neurons, promote neurogenesis and improve the cognitive dysfunction.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por AMP , Disfunción Cognitiva , Demencia Vascular , MicroARNs , Animales , Masculino , Ratones , Ratas , Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por AMP/metabolismo , Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por AMP/genética , Disfunción Cognitiva/tratamiento farmacológico , Disfunción Cognitiva/etiología , Disfunción Cognitiva/metabolismo , Disfunción Cognitiva/genética , Demencia Vascular/genética , Demencia Vascular/tratamiento farmacológico , Demencia Vascular/metabolismo , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Hipocampo/efectos de los fármacos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , MicroARNs/metabolismo , MicroARNs/genética , Neuronas/metabolismo , Neuronas/efectos de los fármacos , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Canales Catiónicos TRPM/genética , Canales Catiónicos TRPM/metabolismoRESUMEN
Vascular dementia (VD) is the second largest type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. At present, the pathogenesis is complex and there is no effective treatment. Floralozone has been shown to reduce atherosclerosis in rats caused by a high-fat diet. However, whether it plays a role in VD remains elusive. In the present study, the protective activities and relevant mechanisms of Floralozone were evaluated in rats with cognitive impairment, which were induced by bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCCAO) in rats. Cognitive function, pathological changes and oxidative stress condition in the brains of VD rats were assessed using Neurobehavioral tests, Morris water maze tests, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Neu N staining, TUNEL staining, Golgi staining, Western blot assay and antioxidant assays (MDA, SOD, GSH), respectively. The results indicated that VD model was established successfully and BCCAO caused a decline in spatial learning and memory and hippocampal histopathological abnormalities of rats. Floralozone (50, 100, 150 mg/kg) dose-dependently alleviated the pathological changes, decreased oxidative stress injury, which eventually reduced cognitive impairment in BCCAO rats. The same results were shown in further experiments with neurobehavioral tests. At the molecular biological level, Floralozone decreased the protein level of transient receptor potential melastatin-related 2 (TRPM2) in VD and normal rats, and increased the protein level of NR2B in hippocampus of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Notably, Floralozone could markedly improved learning and memory function of BCCAO rats in Morris water maze (MWM) and improved neuronal cell loss, synaptic structural plasticity. In conclusion, Floralozone has therapeutic potential for VD, increased synaptic structural plasticity and alleviating neuronal cell apoptosis, which may be related to the TRPM2/NMDAR pathway.
Asunto(s)
Disfunción Cognitiva , Demencia Vascular , Canales Catiónicos TRPM , Animales , Disfunción Cognitiva/tratamiento farmacológico , Disfunción Cognitiva/etiología , Demencia Vascular/complicaciones , Demencia Vascular/tratamiento farmacológico , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Aprendizaje por Laberinto , Ratas , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Receptores de N-Metil-D-Aspartato/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , Canales Catiónicos TRPM/metabolismoRESUMEN
Endothelial dysfunction is the pathological basis of atherosclerosis. Incomplete understanding of endothelial dysfunction etiology has impeded drug development for this devastating disease despite the currently available therapies. Floralozone, an aroma flavor, specifically exists in rabbit ear grass. Recently, floralozone has been demonstrated to inhibit atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanisms are undefined. The present study was undertaken to explore whether floralozone pharmacologically targets endothelial dysfunction and therefore exerts therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis. The Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1), a channel protein, plays a vital role in atherosclerosis. Whether NHE1 is involved in the therapeutic effects of floralozone on endothelial dysfunction has yet to be further answered. By performing oil red staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining, vascular functional study, and oxidative stress monitoring, we found that floralozone not only reduced the size of carotid atherosclerotic plaque but also prevented endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerotic rats. NHE1 expression was upregulated in the inner membrane of carotid arteries and H2O2-induced primary rat aortic endothelial cells. Inspiringly, floralozone prevented the upregulation of NHE1 in vivo and in vitro. Notably, the administration of NHE1 activator LiCl significantly weakened the protective effect of floralozone on endothelial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. Our study demonstrated that floralozone exerted its protective effect on endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis by ameliorating NHE1. NHE1 maybe a drug target for the treatment of atherosclerosis, and floralozone may be an effective drug to meet the urgent needs of atherosclerosis patients by dampening NHE1.
Asunto(s)
Aterosclerosis , Endotelio Vascular , Extractos Vegetales , Sustancias Protectoras , Intercambiador 1 de Sodio-Hidrógeno , Animales , Masculino , Aorta/citología , Aorta/metabolismo , Aterosclerosis/metabolismo , Aterosclerosis/patología , Aterosclerosis/prevención & control , Arterias Carótidas/efectos de los fármacos , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Células Cultivadas , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Endotelio Vascular/efectos de los fármacos , Oxidación-Reducción/efectos de los fármacos , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Placa Aterosclerótica/metabolismo , Placa Aterosclerótica/patología , Placa Aterosclerótica/prevención & control , Sustancias Protectoras/farmacología , Sustancias Protectoras/uso terapéutico , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Intercambiador 1 de Sodio-Hidrógeno/antagonistas & inhibidores , Intercambiador 1 de Sodio-Hidrógeno/metabolismoRESUMEN
Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronical pathological process of the arterial narrows due to the AS plaque formation. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effect and the underlying mechanism of Floralozone on experimental atherosclerotic model rats. Experimental atherosclerotic model rats were induced by the right carotid artery balloon injury and intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D3 in rats after 4 weeks high-fat diet. The results exhibited that Floralozone could ameliorate vascular injury and vasorelaxation of descending aortas and increase the superoxide dismutase activity and the expression of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) 1 and reduce the intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 level, and the malondialdehyde activity in experimental atherosclerotic rats. However, Fingolimod, an S1P1 inhibitor, could reverse these Floralozone effects in experimental atherosclerotic rats. Our results indicated that Floralozone could inhibit the atherosclerotic plaque formation and improves arterial stenosis and reduces endothelial dysfunction in experimental atherosclerotic rats, which might be involved with S1P1 enhancement.