Ulinastatin affects focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via SOCS1-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway.

Cerebral ischemia results in loss of cerebral blood flow, which contributes to neuronal damage, neurocognitive impairment, as well as learning and memory difficulties. Although reperfusion is necessary to restore the blood supply to the brain, it also leads to several detrimental effects on the brain. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of ulinastatin (UTI) on preventing focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced injury (FCIRI). First, a rat model of FCIRI was established and treated with UTI. The effects of UTI on FCIRI in rats were evaluated using Morris water maze assay, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, TUNEL, western blot assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. UTI was found to improve the learning memory ability, reduce infarction area, inhibit apoptosis and decrease inflammation in FCIRI rats. Messenger RNA microarray analysis of hippocampal tissues revealed that suppressor of cytokine signalling-1 (SOCS1) was the downstream target of UTI in FCIRI. SOCS1 depletion impaired the protective effect of UTI on FCIRI in rats. SOCS1 blocked the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. JAK2 inhibitor caused the JAK2/STAT3 pathway deficit, hence reversing the effect of sh-SOCS1 on FCIRI in rats. Taken together, our results demonstrate that UTI alleviated FCIRI in rats, which was, to some extent, related to SOCS1-mediated JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Sevoflurane up-regulates microRNA-204 to ameliorate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice by suppressing Cotl1.

OBJECTIVE: The inhaled sevoflurane (sevo) is known to protect against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (MIRI), in which the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been uncovered. However, the effect of sevo regulating miR-204 on this disease remains unknown. This research aims to explore the roles of sevo and miR-204 in the progression of MIRI. METHODS: The MIRI mice models induced by coronary artery ligation were treated by sevo, miR-204 mimics or silenced coactosin-like protein-1 (Cotl1). The pathology of mice myocardial tissues, apoptosis and ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes were observed. The expression of miR-204, Cotl1, Bax and Bcl-2 was determined. The contents of oxidative stress-related factors and inflammatory factors in mouse myocardial tissues were assessed, and the serum levels of indicators that correlated with myocardial infarction were determined as well. The target relation between miR-204 and Cotl1 was confirmed. RESULTS: MiR-204 was down-regulated, and Cotl1 was up-regulated in myocardial tissues of MIRI mice, and Cotl1 was targeted by miR-204. Sevo, elevated miR-204 and inhibited Cotl1 could promote cardiac function of MIRI mice, and protect myocardial tissue against MIRI by repressing the cardiomyocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation reaction in MIRI mice. CONCLUSION: We found that sevo could up-regulate miR-204 to ameliorate MIRI in mice by inhibiting Cotl1 expression, which may provide candidates for the MIRI treatment.

Sophocarpine exert protective effect against ox-LDL-induced endothelial damage via regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was known to induce endothelial cell injury to the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). Sophocarpine (SPC), a compound of sophora alkaloids isolated from the plant Sophora alopecuroides, has been shown to exhibit various pharmacological activities. This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of SPC on ox-LDL-induced endothelial cells and explored its underlying mechanism. Our results show that SPC pre-incubation ameliorated ox-LDL-mediated HAECs cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, SPC significantly downregulated the mRNA or protein expression level of pro-inflammatory mediators (TGF-ß, IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α) and pro-inflammatory vascular adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin). Mechanistically, SPC pre-treatment downregulated IκBα expression and inhibited translocation of NF-κB in ox-LDL-mediated HAECs, overexpression of NF-κB p65 counteracted the cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic effect of SPC, suggesting that its action is dependent on NF-κB signaling pathway. Collectively, SPC suppresses ox-LDL-induced HAECs injury by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway.