Glucosamine and Silibinin Alter Cartilage Homeostasis through Glycosylation and Cellular Stresses in Human Chondrocyte Cells.

Osteoarthritis is more prevalent than any other form of arthritis and is characterized by the progressive mechanical deterioration of joints. Glucosamine, an amino monosaccharide, has been used for over fifty years as a dietary supplement to alleviate osteoarthritis-related discomfort. Silibinin, extracted from milk thistle, modifies the degree of glycosylation of target proteins, making it an essential component in the treatment of various diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the functional roles of glucosamine and silibinin in cartilage homeostasis using the TC28a2 cell line. Western blots showed that glucosamine suppressed the N-glycosylation of the gp130, EGFR, and N-cadherin proteins. Furthermore, both glucosamine and silibinin differentially decreased and increased target proteins such as gp130, Snail, and KLF4 in TC28a2 cells. We observed that both compounds dose-dependently induced the proliferation of TC28a2 cells. Our MitoSOX and DCFH-DA dye data showed that 1 µM glucosamine suppressed mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and induced cytosol ROS generation, whereas silibinin induced both mitochondrial and cytosol ROS generation in TC28a2 cells. Our JC-1 data showed that glucosamine increased red aggregates, resulting in an increase in the red/green fluorescence intensity ratio, while all the tested silibinin concentrations increased the green monomers, resulting in decreases in the red/green ratio. We observed increasing subG1 and S populations and decreasing G1 and G2/M populations with increasing amounts of glucosamine, while increasing amounts of silibinin led to increases in subG1, S, and G2/M populations and decreases in G1 populations in TC28a2 cells. MTT data showed that both glucosamine and silibinin induced cytotoxicity in TC28a2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Regarding endoplasmic reticulum stress, both compounds induced the expression of CHOP and increased the level of p-eIF2α/eIF2α. With respect to O-GlcNAcylation status, glucosamine and silibinin both reduced the levels of O-GlcNAc transferase and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha. Furthermore, we examined proteins and mRNAs related to these processes. In summary, our findings demonstrated that these compounds differentially modulated cellular proliferation, mitochondrial and cytosol ROS generation, the mitochondrial membrane potential, the cell cycle profile, and autophagy. Therefore, we conclude that glucosamine and silibinin not only mediate glycosylation modifications but also regulate cellular processes in human chondrocytes.

Protective effect of increased O-GlcNAc cycling against 6-OHDA induced Parkinson's disease pathology.

This study aimed to elucidate the role of O-GlcNAc cycling in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD)-like neurodegeneration and the underlying mechanisms. We observed dose-dependent downregulation of O-GlcNAcylation, accompanied by an increase in O-GlcNAcase following 6-OHDA treatment in both mouse brain and Neuro2a cells. Interestingly, elevating O-GlcNAcylation through glucosamine (GlcN) injection provided protection against PD pathogenesis induced by 6-OHDA. At the behavioral level, GlcN mitigated motor deficits induced by 6-OHDA, as determined using the pole, cylinder, and apomorphine rotation tests. Furthermore, GlcN attenuated 6-OHDA-induced neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, augmented O-GlcNAcylation, achieved through O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) overexpression in mouse brain, conferred protection against 6-OHDA-induced PD pathology, encompassing neuronal cell death, motor deficits, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These collective findings suggest that O-GlcNAcylation plays a crucial role in the normal functioning of dopamine neurons. Moreover, enhancing O-GlcNAcylation through genetic and pharmacological means could effectively ameliorate neurodegeneration and motor impairment in an animal model of PD. These results propose a potential strategy for safeguarding against the deterioration of dopamine neurons implicated in PD pathogenesis.

Glucosamine Enhancement of Learning and Memory Functions by Promoting Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Production.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays a crucial role in metabolism and brain function. Glucosamine (GLN) has been recognized for its diverse beneficial effects. This study aimed to elucidate the modulation of FGF21 production by GLN and its impact on learning and memory functions. Using both in vivo and in vitro models, we investigated the effects of GLN on mice fed with a normal diet or high-fat diet and on mouse HT22 hippocampal cells, STHdhQ7/Q7 striatal cells, and rat primary cortical neurons challenged with GLN. Our results indicated that GLN promotes learning and memory functions in mice and upregulates FGF21 expression in the hippocampus, cortex, and striatum, as well as in HT22 cells, STHdhQ7/Q7 cells, and cortical neurons. In animals receiving GLN together with an FGF21 receptor FGFR1 inhibitor (PD173074), the GLN-enhanced learning and memory functions and induction of FGF21 production in the hippocampus were significantly attenuated. While exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms, the potential involvement of NF-κB, Akt, p38, JNK, PKA, and PPARα in HT22 and NF-κB, Akt, p38, and PPARα in STHdhQ7/Q7 were noted; GLN was able to mediate the activation of p65, Akt, p38, and CREB in HT22 and p65, Akt, and p38 in STHdhQ7/Q7 cells. Our accumulated findings suggest that GLN may increase learning and memory functions by inducing FGF21 production in the brain. This induction appears to be mediated, at least in part, through GLN's activation of the NF-κB, Akt, p38, and PKA/CREB pathways.

Evaluation of efficacy and safety of glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and their combination regimen in the management of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: This study was aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of two oral Symptomatic Slow Acting Drugs for Osteoarthritis (SYSADOAs)-Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate, and their combination regimen in the management of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A detailed literature search was performed from 03/1994 to 31/12/2022 using various electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, using the search terms-Glucosamine sulfate (GS), Chondroitin sulfate (CS), Knee osteoarthritis, Joint pain, Joint disease, and Joint structure, for literature concerning glucosamine, chondroitin, and their combination in knee osteoarthritis treatment. Cochrane Collaboration's Risk assessment tool (version 5.4.1) was used for assessing the risk of bias and the quality of the literature. The data was extracted from the included studies and subjected to statistical analysis to determine the beneficial effect of Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate, and their combination. RESULTS: Twenty-five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this systematic review. In short, exclusively 9 RCTs for GS, 13 RCTs for CS, and 3 RCTs for the combination of GS and CS. All these studies had their treatment groups compared with placebo. In the meta-analysis, CS showed a significant reduction in pain intensity, and improved physical function compared to the placebo; GS showed a significant reduction in tibiofemoral joint space narrowing. While the combination of GS and CS showed neither a reduction in pain intensity, nor any improvement in the physical function. However, the combination exhibited a non-significant reduction in joint space narrowing. In the safety evaluation, both CS and GS have shown good safety profile and were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis revealed that the CS (with decreased pain intensity and improvement in the physical function), and GS (with significant reduction in the joint space narrowing) have significant therapeutic benefits. However, their combination did not significantly improve the symptoms or modify the disease. This may be due to the limited trials that are available on the combination of the sulfate forms of the intervention. Hence, there is a scope for conducting multicentric randomised controlled trials to evaluate and conclude the therapeutic role of CS and GS combination in the management of KOA.

Diosgenyl glucosamine conjugates increase pro-apoptotic and selective activities in cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Antiproliferative and apoptotic activities have been attributed to the phytosteroid diosgenin ((25R)-spirost-5-en-3ß-ol; 1). It is known that combining glucose with two rhamnoses (the chacotrioside framework) linked to diosgenin increases its apoptotic activity. However, the effects of diosgenin glucosamine glycosides on different cancer cell types and cell death have not been entirely explored. RESULTS: This study reports the antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activities of diosgenin and its glycosylated derivative ((25R)-spirost-5-en-3ß-yl ß-D-glucopyranoside; 2). It also explores the effects of two diosgenin glucosamine derivates, diosgenin 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3), and diosgenin 2-amino-2-deoxy-ß-D-glucopyranoside hydrochloride (4), on different cancer cell lines. We found that all the compounds affected proliferative activity with minimal toxicity. In addition, all cancer cell lines showed morphological and biochemical characteristics corresponding to an apoptotic process. Apoptotic cell death was higher in all cell lines treated with compounds 2, 3 and 4 than in those treated with diosgenin. Moreover, compounds 3 and 4 induced apoptosis better than compounds 1 and 2. These results suggest that combining glucosamine with modified glucosamine attached to diosgenin has a greater apoptotic effect than diosgenin or its glycosylated derivative (compound 2). Furthermore, diosgenin and the abovementioned glycosides had a selective effect on tumour cells since the proliferative capacity of human lymphocytes, keratinocytes (HaCaT) and epithelial cells (CCD841) was not significantly affected. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, these results demonstrate that diosgenin glucosamine compounds exert an antiproliferative effect on cancer cell lines and induce apoptotic effects more efficiently than diosgenin alone without affecting non-tumour cells. SIGNIFICANCE: This study evidences the pro-apoptotic and selective activities of diosgenyl glucosamine compounds in cancer cell lines.

Glucosamine increases macrophage lipid accumulation by regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway.

Elevated blood glucose is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Data from the current study showed that glucosamine (GlcN), a normal glucose metabolite of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), promoted lipid accumulation in RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Oleic acid- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lipid accumulation was further enhanced by GlcN in RAW264.7 cells, although there was no a significant change in the rate of fatty acid uptake. GlcN increased acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), scavenger receptor class A, liver X receptor, and sterol regulatory elementbinding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA expression, and; conversely, suppressed ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA-1) and ABCG-1 expression. Additionally, GlcN promoted O-GlcNAcylation of nuclear SREBP-1 but did not affect its DNA binding activity. GlcN stimulated phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and S6 kinase. Rapamycin, a mTOR-specific inhibitor, suppressed GlcN-induced lipid accumulation in RAW264.7 cells. The GlcN-mediated increase in ACC and FAS mRNA was suppressed, while the decrease in ABCA-1 and ABCG-1 by GlcN was not significantly altered by rapamycin. Together, our results highlight the importance of the mTOR signaling pathway in GlcN-induced macrophage lipid accumulation and further support a potential link between mTOR and HBP signaling in lipogenesis. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(2): 92-97].

Investigation of Drug-Interaction Potential for Arthritis Dietary Supplements: Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, and Methylsulfonylmethane.

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading conditions that promote the consumption of these dietary supplements. Chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and methylsulfonylmethane are among the prominent alternative treatments for osteoarthritis. In this study, these dietary supplements were incubated with cytochrome P450 isozyme-specific substrates in human liver microsomes, and the formation of marker metabolites was measured to investigate their inhibitory potential on cytochrome P450 enzyme activities. The results revealed no significant inhibitory effects on seven CYPs, consistent with established related research data. Therefore, these substances are anticipated to have a low potential for cytochrome P450-mediated drug interactions with osteoarthritis medications that are likely to be co-administered. However, given the previous reports of interaction cases involving glucosamine, caution is advised regarding dietary supplement-drug interactions.

Glucosamine Improves Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Induced by High-Fat and High-Sugar Diet through Regulating Intestinal Barrier Function, Liver Inflammation, and Lipid Metabolism.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver disease syndrome. The prevalence of NAFLD has continued to increase globally, and NAFLD has become a worldwide public health problem. Glucosamine (GLC) is an amino monosaccharide derivative of glucose. GLC has been proven to not only be effective in anti-inflammation applications, but also to modulate the gut microbiota effectively. Therefore, in this study, the therapeutic effect of GLC in the NAFLD context and the mechanisms underlying these effects were explored. Specifically, an NAFLD model was established by feeding mice a high-fat and high-sugar diet (HFHSD), and the HFHSD-fed NAFLD mice were treated with GLC. First, we investigated the effect of treating NAFLD mice with GLC by analyzing serum- and liver-related indicator levels. We found that GLC attenuated insulin resistance and inflammation, increased antioxidant function, and attenuated serum and liver lipid metabolism in the mice. Then, we investigated the mechanism underlying liver lipid metabolism, inflammation, and intestinal barrier function in these mice. We found that GLC can improve liver lipid metabolism and relieve insulin resistance and oxidative stress levels. In addition, GLC treatment increased intestinal barrier function, reduced LPS translocation, and reduced liver inflammation by inhibiting the activation of the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway, thereby effectively ameliorating liver lesions in NAFLD mice.

MicroRNA as Possible Mediators of the Synergistic Effect of Celecoxib and Glucosamine Sulfate in Human Osteoarthritic Chondrocyte Exposed to IL-1ß.

This study investigated the role of a pattern of microRNA (miRNA) as possible mediators of celecoxib and prescription-grade glucosamine sulfate (GS) effects in human osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were treated with celecoxib (1.85 µM) and GS (9 µM), alone or in combination, for 24 h, with or without interleukin (IL)-1ß (10 ng/mL). Cell viability was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by cytometry, nitric oxide (NO) by Griess method. Gene levels of miRNA, antioxidant enzymes, nuclear factor erythroid (NRF)2, and B-cell lymphoma (BCL)2 expressions were analyzed by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (real time PCR). Protein expression of NRF2 and BCL2 was also detected at immunofluorescence and western blot. Celecoxib and GS, alone or in combination, significantly increased viability, reduced apoptosis, ROS and NO production and the gene expression of miR-34a, -146a, -181a, -210, in comparison to baseline and to IL-1ß. The transfection with miRNA specific inhibitors significantly counteracted the IL-1ß activity and potentiated the properties of celecoxib and GS on viability, apoptosis and oxidant system, through nuclear factor (NF)-κB regulation. The observed effects were enhanced when the drugs were tested in combination. Our data confirmed the synergistic anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective properties of celecoxib and GS, suggesting microRNA as possible mediators.

Effect of glycosaminoglycans on the structure and composition of articular cartilage and bone of broilers.

This study aimed to assess the influence of glycosaminoglycan (chondroitin and glucosamine sulfates) supplementation in the diet of broilers on the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and metallopeptidase inhibitor 2 (TIMP-2) genes, the synthesis of proteoglycans, collagen type II and chondrocytes, bone and cartilage macroscopy, bone mineral densitometry, bone breaking strength and mineral profile. A completely randomized design was carried out in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme (3 levels of chondroitin sulfate: 0.00, 0.05, and 0.10%; and 3 levels of glucosamine sulfate: 0.00, 0.15, and 0.30%), totaling 9 treatments. At 21 and 42 d of age, broilers were slaughtered, and tibias and femurs were collected for evaluation. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) of sulfates for the expression of MMP-9 and its inhibitor TIMP-2 in femur articular cartilage, as well as for the number of chondrocytes, collagen type II and proteoglycans in tibia articular cartilage, bone and cartilage macroscopy and mineral profile (P < 0.05), with better results obtained with the inclusion of chondroitin and/or glucosamine sulfates in the feed. In conclusion, chondroitin and glucosamine sulfates can be used in broiler diets in order to favor the development of the structure of the locomotor system (bones and joints), thus preventing locomotion problems.

Glucosamine effects on platelet aggregation of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: in vitro assays.

Hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and endothelium dysfunction are related to platelet hyperactivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) patients. Glucosamine (GlcN) has inhibitory effects on platelets of animals and healthy donors, but this role in platelets from T2D patients is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the GlcN in vitro effects on platelet aggregation in T2D patients and healthy donors. Donors´ and T2D patients' samples were analyzed through flow cytometry, Western blot, and platelet aggregometry. Platelet aggregation was induced using ADP and thrombin, with or without GlcN, N-Acetyl-glucosamine, galactose, or fucose. GlcN inhibited ADP and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, while the other carbohydrates did not. GlcN suppressed the second wave of ADP-induced platelet aggregation. No differences in the percent of inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by GlcN were found between donors and T2D patients, but this effect was significantly higher in healthy donors using thrombin as an agonist. In addition, GlcN increased protein O-GlcNAcylation (O-GlcNAc) in the platelets from T2D patients but not in healthy donors. In conclusion, GlcN inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by ADP and thrombin for both study groups and increased O-GlcNAc in platelets from T2D patients. Further studies are required to evaluate the possible use of GlcN as an antiplatelet agent.

Effects of Modified Glucosamine on the Chondrogenic Potential of Circulating Stem Cells under Experimental Inflammation.

Glucosamine (GlcN) is a glycosaminoglycan (GAGs) constituent in connective tissues. It is naturally produced by our body or consumed from diets. In the last decade, in vitro and in vivo trials have demonstrated that the administration of GlcN or its derivates has a protective effect on cartilage when the balance between catabolic and anabolic processes is disrupted and cells are no longer able to fully compensate for the loss of collagen and proteoglycans. To date, these benefits are still controversial because the mechanism of action of GlcN is not yet well clarified. In this study, we have characterized the biological activities of an amino acid (AA) derivate of GlcN, called DCF001, in the growth and chondrogenic induction of circulating multipotent stem cells (CMCs) after priming with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), a pleiotropic cytokine commonly expressed in chronic inflammatory joint diseases. In the present work, stem cells were isolated from the human peripheral blood of healthy donors. After priming with TNFα (10 ng/mL) for 3 h, cultures were treated for 24 h with DCF001 (1 µg/mL) dissolved in a proliferative (PM) or chondrogenic (CM) medium. Cell proliferation was analyzed using a Corning® Cell Counter and trypan blue exclusion technique. To evaluate the potentialities of DCF001 in counteracting the inflammatory response to TNFα, we measured the amount of extracellular ATP (eATP) and the expression of adenosine-generating enzymes CD39/CD73, TNFα receptors, and NF-κB inhibitor IκBα using flow cytometry. Finally, total RNA was extracted to perform a gene expression study of some chondrogenic differentiation markers (COL2A1, RUNX2, and MMP13). Our analysis has shed light on the ability of DCF001 to (a) regulate the expression of CD39, CD73, and TNF receptors; (b) modulate eATP under differentiative induction; (c) enhance the inhibitory activity of IκBα, reducing its phosphorylation after TNFα stimulation; and (d) preserve the chondrogenic potentialities of stem cells. Although preliminary, these results suggest that DCF001 could be a valuable supplement for ameliorating the outcome of cartilage repair interventions, enhancing the efficacy of endogenous stem cells under inflammatory stimuli.

In Vitro Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of N-Acetylglucosamine: Development of an Alternative and Safe Approach to Fight Viral Respiratory Infections.

Viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. A prominent feature of severe respiratory infections, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is the cytokine release syndrome. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop different approaches both against viral replication and against the consequent inflammation. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a glucosamine (GlcN) derivative, has been developed as an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory inexpensive and non-toxic drug for non-communicable disease treatment and/or prevention. Recent studies have suggested that GlcN, due to its anti-inflammatory activity, could be potentially useful for the control of respiratory virus infections. Our present study aimed to evaluate in two different immortalized cell lines whether GlcNAc could inhibit or reduce both viral infectivity and the inflammatory response to viral infection. Two different viruses, frequent cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, were used: the H1N1 Influenza A virus (IAV) (as model of enveloped RNA virus) and the Human adenovirus type 2 (Adv) (as model of naked DNA virus). Two forms of GlcNAc have been considered, bulk GlcNAc and GlcNAc in nanoform to overcome the possible pharmacokinetic limitations of GlcNAc. Our study suggests that GlcNAc restricts IAV replication but not Adv infection, whereas nano-GlcNAc inhibits both viruses. Moreover, GlcNAc and mainly its nanoformulation were able to reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion stimulated by viral infection. The correlation between inflammatory and infection inhibition is discussed.

Secondary metabolic profiling of Serratia marcescens NP10 reveals new stephensiolides and glucosamine derivatives with bacterial membrane activity.

Secondary metabolic profiling, using UPLC-MSE and molecular networking, revealed the secondary metabolites produced by Serratia marcescens NP10. The NP10 strain co-produced cyclic and open-ring stephensiolides (i.e., fatty acyl chain linked to Thr-Ser-Ser-Ile/Leu-Ile/Leu/Val) and glucosamine derivatives (i.e., fatty acyl chain linked to Val-glucose-butyric/oxo-hexanoic acid), with the structures of sixteen new stephensiolides (L-Y) and three new glucosamine derivatives (L-N) proposed. Genome mining identified sphA (stephensiolides) and gcd (glucosamine derivatives) gene clusters within Serratia genomes available on NBCI using antiSMASH, revealing specificity scores of the adenylation-domains within each module that corroborates MSE data. Of the nine RP-HPLC fractions, two stephensiolides and two glucosamine derivatives exhibited activity against Staphylococcus aureus (IC50 of 25-79 µg/mL). 1H NMR analysis confirmed the structure of the four active compounds as stephensiolide K, a novel analogue stephensiolide U, and glucosamine derivatives A and C. Stephensiolides K and U were found to cause membrane depolarisation and affect the membrane permeability of S. aureus, while glucosamine derivatives A and C primarily caused membrane depolarisation. New members of the stephensiolide and glucosamine derivative families were thus identified, and results obtained shed light on their antibacterial properties and mode of membrane activity.

Regulation of Tau protein phosphorylation by glucosamine-induced O-GlcNAcylation as a neuroprotective mechanism in a brain ischemia-reperfusion model.

Purpose:Tau hyperphosphorylation is a modification frequently observed after brain ischemia which has been related to the aggregation of this protein, with subsequent cytoskeletal damage, and cellular toxicity. The present study tests the hypothesis of using glucosamine, an agent that increases protein O-GlcNAcylation, to decrease the levels of phosphorylation in Tau during ischemia-reperfusion.Material and methods: Transient focal ischemia was artificially induced in male Wistar rats by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) with an intraluminal monofilament. A single dose of intraperitoneal glucosamine of 200 mg/kg diluted in normal saline (SSN) was administered 60 min before ischemia. Histological brain sections were processed using indirect immunofluorescence with primary antibodies (anti-O-GlcNAc and anti pTau-ser 396). The Image J software was used to calculate the immunofluorescence signal intensity.Results: The phosphorylation of Tau at the serine residue 396 had a significant decrease with the administration of glucosamine during ischemia-reperfusion compared with the administration of placebo.Conclusions: These results show that glucosamine can reduce the phosphorylation levels of Tau in rodents subjected to ischemia and cerebral reperfusion, which implies a neuroprotective role of glucosamine.

Protective effect of glucosamine on zearalenone-induced reproductive toxicity and placental dysfunction in mice.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of glucosamine (GlcN) on zearalenone (ZEA)-induced reproductive toxicity and placental dysfunction in mice. The pregnant mice were randomly divided into one of the four groups, such as the control group, the ZEA group, the GlcN group, and the GlcN plus ZEA group. Reproductive toxicity was induced by consecutive gavages of ZEA at 5 mg/kg body weight during gestational days (GDs 0-14) and in the presence or absence of oral administration of GlcN (0.5 mM). The results showed that GlcN significantly alleviated the decrease of growth performance induced by ZEA exposure of pregnant mice. Meanwhile, ZEA ingestion significantly reduced the number and weight of fetuses, and reduction of placenta weight. Moreover, results of blood biochemical markers indicated that ZEA exposure led to increased oxidative stress levels in pregnant mice. Further analyses demonstrated that ZEA inhibited placental development, resulted in placental inflammation, increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, and decreased the expression of placental tight junction proteins, which were reversed by the administration of GlcN. Results of western blot revealed that GlcN reversed ZEA-mediated phenotype by activating PI3K, while inhibiting MAPK signaling pathway. All these findings showed that GlcN was effective in the protection against ZEA-induced placental dysfunction and reproductive toxicity in pregnant mice. Supplementation of GlcN might be potential nutritional intervention with an ability to alleviate ZEA-induced toxicity in pregnant mice.

[Comparative efficacy of a combination of undenatured type II collagen, Boswellic acids, methylsulfonylmethane, vitamins C and D3 and a combination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride in the treatment of primary osteoarthritis of the knee joint].

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of Artneo (AN) in comparison with a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate (GC) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint (KJ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 70 patients with stages I-III of primary knee OA were randomized into 2 groups. Participants in the 1st (n=35) took AN 1 caps/day, in the 2nd (n=35) GC according to the standard regimen. After 7, 30, 90, 180 days, the Lequesne index (severity of OA), pain when moving according to VAS, WOMAC score were assessed, after 1, 3, 6 months - quality of life SF-36 and morning stiffness, after 6 months - MRI with T2 mapping, laboratory safety indicators. RESULTS: Over the course of 6 months of use, an improvement in the WOMAC index and a decrease in pain were observed without intergroup differences, and a greater decrease in stiffness in the AN group. After 3 months, the severity of OA decreased from moderate to mild in the AN group and was significantly lower compared to the GC group; quality of life (physical component of SF-36) was higher in the AN group. After 6 months, there was an improvement in cartilage ultrastructure (T2 relaxation time) in both groups and a more pronounced reduction of the synovitis area (MRI) in the AN group (2.95 and 1.37 times in the AN and GC group, respectively). There were no clinically significant adverse reactions observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: The use of AN in patients with stage I-III primary knee OA was not inferior in efficacy to the combination of GC. Further studies with greater statistical power (sample size) and follow-up period are warranted including in real clinical practice.

The effects of medical linear accelerator X-rays on human peripheral blood lymphocytes in the presence of glucosamine.

Glucosamine is widely prescribed as a dietary supplement used to treat arthritis. In this study, the radioprotective ability of glucosamine was evaluated against radiation-induced genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Blood samples were collected from five healthy male donors and were divided into four groups. Isolated lymphocytes and blood samples were treated with 10 µM of glucosamine for 2 h before exposure to 2 Gy radiation. The radioprotective potential of glucosamine was assessed by micronucleus assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level analysis, and flow cytometry. Irradiation significantly increased the micronuclei frequency as compared to the control group. Contrary to that pretreatment with glucosamine before irradiation significantly reduced the frequency of micronuclei. Furthermore, pretreatment with glucosamine significantly prevented the percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes. Also, glucosamine pretreatment significantly reduced the production of ROS in irradiated lymphocytes. This study shows glucosamine to be a potent radioprotector against radiation that induces DNA damage and apoptosis in human lymphocytes. Several additional in vivo and in vitro studies are needed before glucosamine can be considered as a radioprotective candidate in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Preparation, Anticoagulant and Antioxidant Properties of Glucosamine-Heparin Salt.

Excessive inorganic ions in vivo may lead to electrolyte disorders and induce damage to the human body. Therefore, preparation of enhanced bioactivity compounds, composed of activated organic cations and organic anions, is of great interest among researchers. In this work, glucosamine-heparin salt (GHS) was primarily synthesized with positively charged glucosamine hydrochloride (GAH) and negatively charged heparin sodium (Heps) by ion exchange method. Then, the detailed structural information of the GHS was characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR spectroscopy and ICP-MS. In addition, its anticoagulant potency and antioxidant properties were evaluated, respectively. The results demonstrated that GHS salt achieved enhanced antioxidant activities, including 98.78% of O2•- radical scavenging activity, 91.23% of •OH radical scavenging rate and 66.49% of DPPH radical scavenging capacity at 1.6 mg/mL, severally. Meanwhile, anticoagulant potency (ATTP) of GHS strengthened from 153.10 ± 17.14 to 180.03 ± 6.02 at 0.75 µmol/L. Thus, introducing cationic glucosamine residues into GHS could improve its anticoagulant activity. The findings suggest that GHS product with a small amount of inorganic ions can greatly abate the prime cost of antioxidants and anticoagulants, and has significant economic benefits and practical significance.

CRX-527 induced differentiation of HSCs protecting the intestinal epithelium from radiation damage.

Recently, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been extensively studied in radiation damage, but the inherent defects of high toxicity and low efficacy of most TLR ligands limit their further clinical transformation. CRX-527, as a TLR4 ligand, has rarely been reported to protect against radiation. We demonstrated that CRX-527 was safer than LPS at the same dose in vivo and had almost no toxic effect in vitro. Administration of CRX-527 improved the survival rate of total body irradiation (TBI) to 100% in wild-type mice but not in TLR4-/- mice. After TBI, hematopoietic system damage was significantly alleviated, and the recovery period was accelerated in CRX-527-treated mice. Moreover, CRX-527 induced differentiation of HSCs and the stimulation of CRX-527 significantly increased the proportion and number of LSK cells and promoted their differentiation into macrophages, activating immune defense. Furthermore, we proposed an immune defense role for hematopoietic differentiation in the protection against intestinal radiation damage, and confirmed that macrophages invaded the intestines through peripheral blood to protect them from radiation damage. Meanwhile, CRX-527 maintained intestinal function and homeostasis, promoted the regeneration of intestinal stem cells, and protected intestinal injury from lethal dose irradiation. Furthermore, After the use of mice, we found that CRX-527 had no significant protective effect on the hematopoietic and intestinal systems of irradiated TLR4-/- mice. in conclusion, CRX-527 induced differentiation of HSCs protecting the intestinal epithelium from radiation damage.