Quercetin activates mitochondrial autophagy via PINK1/parkin pathway to alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

AIM To analyze the regulatory effect of quercetin （QUE） on PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/parkin mitochondrial autophagy pathway, and to explore the mechanism of quercetin in relieving cerebral ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） injury. METHODS Sixty SD male rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group （I/R group）, QUE group,3-methyladenine （3-MA） group and QUE+3-MA group. Administration started in each group 3 days before modeling, once a day, at 30 min after the last administration,except sham group, the other groups used 4-vessel blockage method to establish the whole brain I/R model. On the day after modeling, the neural function was evaluated by neuropathy disability score （NDS）. The volume of cerebral infarction was measured by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. The morphological changes of mitochondria in hippocampus were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The contents of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in hippocampus were measured by ELISA. The activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and contents of malondialdehyde （MDA） in hippocampus were detected by xanthine oxidase method, thiobarbituric acid condensation method. Western blot was used to detect the proteinex pression of PINK1, parkin and LC3-II in brain tissue. RESULTS Compared with sham group, the hippocampus of the rats in I/R group and QUE+3-MA group showed swelling of mitochondria, destruction or disappearance of internal crista and other pathological damage,also the volume of cerebral infarction, the contents of IL-6, TNF-α and MDA, the protein expression levels of PINK1, parkin and LC3-II were increased （P<0.05）, while NDS score and activity of SOD were decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with I/R group and QUE+3-MA group, the pathological damage degree of hippocampus in QUE group was reduced, the volume of cerebral infarction, the contents of IL-6, TNF-α and MDA were decreased （P<0.05）, the proteinexpression levels of PINK1, parkin and LC3-II, and NDS score and activity of SOD were increased （P<0.05）.The above indexes in 3-MA group were opposite to QUE group. No significant difference in the above indexes between I/R group and QUE+3-MA group was observed （P>0.05）. CONCLUSION Quercetin activates mitochondrial autophagy and reduces cerebral I/R by regulating the expression of PINK1/parkin pathway proteins.     

Effects of different active constituents of Gynostemma pentaphyllum on mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins in endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL

AIM To investigate the effects of different components of Gynostemma pentaphyllum ［gypenosides (Gps), gypenoside XLIX (GpXLIX) and ginsenoside Rb3 (GRb3)］ on mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins in endothelial cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). METHODS EA.hy926 cells were divided into control group, model group, Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group. The cells in control group were cultured only in DMEM complete medium. The cells in model group were treated with 100 mg/L ox-LDL for 48 h. The cells in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group were treated with 100 mg/L ox-LDL for 24 h, and then treated with Gps, GpXLIX and GRb3 at 100 mg/L for another 24 h, respectively. The ATP content in each group was detected by ELISA. The expression levels of mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins, cytochrome C oxidase subunit 5a （Cox5a）, NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S1 （Ndufs1）, ATP synthase F1 subunit alpha (ATP5a) and cytochrome C (Cyt C）, were determined by Wes automatic Western blot quantitative analysis system and Western blot. RESULTS Compared with control group, the ATP content in model group was decreased (P<0.01). After drug intervention, the ATP content increased to different degrees in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group (P<0.01). The results of Wes automatic Western blot quantitative analysis system were consistent with those of Western blot. These results showed that compared with control group, the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and ATP5a in model group was decreased, and the protein expression of Cyt C was increased (P<0.01). After intervention, the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and ATP5a was increased and the protein expression of Cyt C was decreased in Gps group, GpXLIX group and GRb3 group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Among them, the effect of Gps on the protein expression of Cox5a, Ndufs1 and Cyt C was significantly stronger than those of the 2 monomer components, and the effect of GRb3 was found to be superior in the 2 monomer components. The effect of GpXLIX on ATP5a protein was superior to the other 2 components. CONCLUSION Gynostemma total saponins and related active ingredients protect ox-LDL-induced endothelial cells by affecting mitochondrial energy metabolism-related proteins, thereby preventing and treating atherosclerosis.     

Importance of mitochondrial calcium uniporter in high glucose-induced cardiac myocyte apoptosis

AIM: To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in high glucose(HG)-induced apoptosis of cardiac myocytes. METHODS: Cardiac myocytes were exposed to normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L glucose+ 19.5 mmol/L mannitol), HG (25 mmol/L glucose), or HG combined with 5 μmol/L spermine for 72 h. Mitochondrial free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_m), MCU at mRNA and protein levels, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ_m), the levels of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis were determined. RESULTS: The [Ca²⁺]_m, the mRNA and protein levels of MCU, PDH activity, ATP levels, and Δψ_m were reduced (P<0.05), while ROS content and the protein levels of caspase-9 and caspase-3 were increased in HG group (P<0.05). Adding 5 μmol/L spermine returned these parameters toward control levels (P<0.05). Moreover, apoptosis was reduced by adding spermine and HG treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: HG-induced cardiac myocyte apoptosis may be associated with the decreased MCU expression and activity, abnormal mitochondrial Ca²⁺ handling, deviant mitochon-drial respiratory chain, and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

脊尾白虾不同发育期mtDNA拷贝数变化特征分析

为了解脊尾白虾(Exopalaemon carinicauda)在不同发育期线粒体基因组(mtDNA)拷贝数的变化特征,本研究共采集其8个时期(受精卵期、溞状幼体Ⅰ期、溞状幼体Ⅱ期、溞状幼体Ⅲ期、溞状幼体Ⅳ期、溞状幼体Ⅴ期、仔虾期和成虾期)的DNA样品,利用TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR技术,对上述各发育期单个细胞中的mtDNA拷贝数进行了测定。检测结果显示,脊尾白虾受精卵期、溞状幼体Ⅰ期、溞状幼体Ⅱ期、溞状幼体Ⅲ期、溞状幼体Ⅳ期、溞状幼体Ⅴ期、仔虾期和成虾期的mtDNA拷贝数的均值分别为2366、2648、2644、2873、3559、9948、6452和8872。进一步统计分析结果显示,mtDNA拷贝数与发育时间存在正相关性,相关系数为0.83。研究表明,随着脊尾白虾不断生长,其单个细胞中mtDNA拷贝数总体呈上升趋势。     

暗纹东方鲀mtDNA的分离纯化及其细胞素b基因的分子克隆

利用改进的差速离心法和碱裂解法制备并分离纯化了暗纹东方纯mtDNA,测得分子大小为19．4Kb。用线粒体特异染色法跟踪和监测线粒体提取,结果表明,25000-35000g能获得90％以上的高得率。利用制备纯化的mtDNA,已首次克隆了暗纹东方纯细胞色素b基因(cytb)。     

尼罗非鲫和奥利亚非鲫线粒体DNA遗传差异的研究

以酶切MitochondrialDNA（mtDNA）技术检测了尼罗非鲫和奥利亚非鲫的mtDNA。测得两种鱼线粒体基因组的大小都约为16．83kb。在使用的6种酶中，只有PvuⅡ在所检测的15尾尼罗非鲫mtDNA上产生了多态片段，3尾鱼的mtDNA产生了4个片段，12尾鱼的mtDNA产生3个片段。而6种酶在所有15尾奥利亚非鲫中均未检到多态片段。比较两种鱼的mtDNA酶切片段，仅PvuⅡ的酶切结果有所不同，尼罗非鲫mtDNA上有3个或4个PvuⅡ位点，但奥利亚非鲫mtDNA上有5个位点，因此，PvuⅡ的酶切位点可作为鉴别它们的分子遗传标记。     

浅色黄姑鱼线粒体16S rRNA基因片段序列特征分析

PCR扩增100个浅色黄姑鱼个体的线粒体16SrRNA基因片段序列,得到大约620bp的扩增产物。将其中5个个体的扩增产物进行测序和同源比对,得到468bp可供比对分析的片段。比对结果表明,5条序列包括两个单倍型,两个单倍型之间有1个碱基突变。PCR-RFLP分析结果显示,两个种群的100个样品中98%的个体为其中一种单倍型,只有2%的个体呈另一种单倍型,表明这两个种群的遗传多样性较低。两个单倍型平均碱基组成为:T22.0%,C26.3%,A29.8%,G21.9%,GC含量平均为48.2%。与GenBank中石首鱼科7属9种的11条同源序列比对,得到429个比对位点,其中包括69个简约信息位点、55个单突变子和16个插入/缺失位点。聚类分析显示,浅色黄姑鱼与黄姑鱼亲缘关系较近,与形态分类相符。     

Hesperetin attenuates hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells via inhibition of calcium overload

AIM: To investigate the effect of hesperetin on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced apoptosis in the H9c2 cells and to clarify the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The H/R model was established and the H9c2 cells were pretreated with hesperetin for 4 h. The cell viability and cell damage were measured by CCK-8 assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) detection. The apoptosis was analyzed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. The intracellular calcium fluorescence intensity was measured by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The calcium-ATPase activity and the level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were measured by ELISA. The mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by JC-1 staining. The protein expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and cytochrome C (Cyt-C) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Hesperetin reduced the apoptosis of the H9c2 cells induced by H/R, decreased intracellular Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity, elevated Ca²⁺-ATPase activity, inhibited the mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization and increased the level of ATP (P<0.05). In addition, hesperetin significantly reduced the release of Cyt-C protein from mitochondria to cytoplasma and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio (P<0.05). After using the calcium ion inhibitor nimodipine, the percentage of the cells with mitochondrial membrane depolarization was decreased, the ATP level was increased and the protein expression of mitochondrion-related apoptosis molecules were decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Hesperetin reduces the apoptosis of the H9c2 cells induced by H/R, which may be related to inhibition of calcium overload and improvement of mitochondrial function.     

Effects of noninvasive delayed limb ischemic preconditioning on prognosis of myocardial infarction

AIM: To study the effects of noninvasive delayed limb ischemia preconditioning (NDLIP) on animal cardiac function, myocardial morphology and myocardial apoptosis after myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Healthy SD male rats[n=45, weighing (250±10) g] were randomly divided into 3 groups:MI group:the animal model of MI was established by surgical ligation of left anterior descending artery (LAD) after 2 weeks; NDLIP group:after the success of the MI animal model, NDLIP was carried out every other day until the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks; sham group:as the negative control group, the animals were taken heart LAD threading but no ligation. All rats were fed conventionally. At the end of the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks, all rats were made ventricular intubation, and then the hemodynamic parameters were recorded. The blood samples were withdrawn from the abdominal aorta and the serum was separated via centrifugation. The serum contents of Bcl-2 and Bax were measured by ELISA. Left ventricular anterior wall was homogenized. The mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ in the myocardial tissues were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: At the end of the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks, compared with MI group, left ventricular systolic pressure in NDLIP group was significantly increased, while left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in NDLIP group was significantly decreased (both P<0.05). Mitochondrial respiratory chain complexesⅠ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ in NDLIP group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The serum level of Bcl-2 in NDLIP group was significantly increased and Bax level was reduced remarkably (both P<0.01). CONCLUSION: NDLIP improves the hemodynamic indexes, promotes the mitochondrial respiratory function and inhibits cell apoptosis, thus improving the prognosis of MI.