Promoting cardioprotection with fenugreek: Insights from CoCl2-induced hypoxia in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of fenugreek on CoCl2-induced hypoxia in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Materials and Methods: Primary cardiomyocytes were isolated from Sprague Dawley rats aged 0-2 days and incubated with various concentrations of fenugreek (10-320 µg/ml) and CoCl2-induced hypoxia for different durations (24, 48, and 72 hr). Cell viability, calcium signaling, beating rate, and gene expression were evaluated. Results: Fenugreek treatments did not cause any toxicity in cardiomyocytes. At a concentration of 160 µg/ml for 24 hr, fenugreek protected the heart against CoCl2-induced hypoxia, as evidenced by reduced expression of caspases (-3, -6, -8, and -9) and other functional genes markers, such as HIF-1α, Bcl-2, IP3R, ERK5, and GLP-1r. Calcium signaling and beating rate were also improved in fenugreek-treated cardiomyocytes. In contrast, CoCl2 treatment resulted in up-regulation of the hypoxia gene HIF-1α and apoptotic caspases gene (-3, -9, -8, -12), and down-regulation of Bcl-2 activity. Conclusion: Fenugreek treatment at a concentration of 160 µg/ml was not toxic to neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and protected against CoCl2-induced hypoxia. Furthermore, fenugreek improved calcium signaling and beating rate and altered gene expression. Fenugreek may be a potential therapeutic agent for promoting cardioprotection against hypoxia-induced injuries.

Overview of Bile Acids Signaling and Perspective on the Signal of Ursodeoxycholic Acid, the Most Hydrophilic Bile Acid, in the Heart.

Bile acids (BA) are classically known as an important agent in lipid absorption and cholesterol metabolism. Nowadays, their role in glucose regulation and energy homeostasis are widely reported. BAs are involved in various cellular signaling pathways, such as protein kinase cascades, cyclic AMP (cAMP) synthesis, and calcium mobilization. They are ligands for several nuclear hormone receptors, including farnesoid X-receptor (FXR). Recently, BAs have been shown to bind to muscarinic receptor and Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), both G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), independent of the nuclear hormone receptors. Moreover, BA signals have also been elucidated in other nonclassical BA pathways, such as sphingosine-1-posphate and BK (large conductance calcium- and voltage activated potassium) channels. Hydrophobic BAs have been proven to affect heart rate and its contraction. Elevated BAs are associated with arrhythmias in adults and fetal heart, and altered ratios of primary and secondary bile acid are reported in chronic heart failure patients. Meanwhile, in patients with liver cirrhosis, cardiac dysfunction has been strongly linked to the increase in serum bile acid concentrations. In contrast, the most hydrophilic BA, known as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), has been found to be beneficial in improving peripheral blood flow in chronic heart failure patients and in protecting the heart against reperfusion injury. This review provides an overview of BA signaling, with the main emphasis on past and present perspectives on UDCA signals in the heart.

Ursodeoxycholic acid protects cardiomyocytes against cobalt chloride induced hypoxia by regulating transcriptional mediator of cells stress hypoxia inducible factor 1α and p53 protein.

In hepatocytes, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) activates cell signalling pathways such as p53, intracellular calcium ([Ca2+ ]i ), and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)-receptor via Gαi -coupled-receptor. Recently, UDCA has been shown to protect the heart against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. However, it is not clear whether UDCA cardioprotection against hypoxia acts through a transcriptional mediator of cells stress, HIF-1α and p53. Therefore, in here, we aimed to investigate whether UDCA could protect cardiomyocytes (CMs) against hypoxia by regulating expression of HIF-1α, p53, [Ca2+ ]i , and S1P-Gαi -coupled-receptor. Cardiomyocytes were isolated from newborn rats (0-2 days), and hypoxia was induced by using cobalt chloride (CoCl2 ). Cardiomyocytes were treated with UDCA and cotreated with either FTY720 (S1P-receptor agonist) or pertussis toxin (PTX; Gαi inhibitor). Cells were subjected for proliferation assay, beating frequency, QuantiGene Plex assay, western blot, immunofluorescence, and calcium imaging. Our findings showed that UDCA counteracted the effects of CoCl2 on cell viability, beating frequency, HIF-1α, and p53 protein expression. We found that these cardioprotection effects of UDCA were similar to FTY720, S1P agonist. Furthermore, we observed that UDCA protects CMs against CoCl2 -induced [Ca2+ ]i dynamic alteration. Pharmacological inhibition of the Gαi -sensitive receptor did not abolish the cardioprotection of UDCA against CoCl2 detrimental effects, except for cell viability and [Ca2+ ]i . Pertussis toxin is partially effective in inhibiting UDCA protection against CoCl2 effects on CM cell viability. Interestingly, PTX fully inhibits UDCA cardioprotection on CoCl2 -induced [Ca2+ ]i dynamic changes. We conclude that UDCA cardioprotection against CoCl2 -induced hypoxia is similar to FTY720, and its actions are not fully mediated by the Gαi -coupled protein sensitive pathways. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the most hydrophilic bile acid and is currently used to treat liver diseases. Recently, UDCA is shown to have a cardioprotection effects; however, the mechanism of UDCA cardioprotection is still poorly understood. The current data generated were the first to show that UDCA is able to inhibit the activation of HIF-1α and p53 protein during CoCl2 -induced hypoxia in cardiomyocytes. This study provides an insight of UDCA mechanism in protecting cardiomyocytes against hypoxia.