Yanrong Zhu

Stroke is a complex disease involved oxidative stress-related pathways in its pathogenesis. The nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway has been considered a potential target for neuroprotection in stroke. Acetyl-11-Keto-β-Boswellic Acid (AKBA) is an active triterpenoid compound from the extract of Boswellia serrate. The present study was to determine whether AKBA, a novel Nrf2 activator, can protect against cerebral ischemic injury. The stroke model was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats via middle cerebral artery occlusion. To model ischemia-like conditions in vitro, primary cultured cortical neurons were exposed to transient oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Treatment of AKBA significantly reduced infarct volumes and apoptotic cells, and also increased neurologic scores by elevating the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in brain tissues in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats at 48 hours post reperfusion. In primary cultured neurons, AKBA increased the Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, which provided protection against OGD-induced oxidative insult. Additionally, AKBA treatment increased Nrf2 binding activity to antioxidant-response elements (ARE). The protective effect of AKBA was attenuated by knockdown of Nrf2 or HO-1. In conclusion, these findings provide evidence that AKBA protects neurons against ischemic injury, and this neuroprotective effect involves the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Hyperglycemia-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation contributes to development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). This study was designed to determine the effect of an antioxidant butin (BUT) on ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial injury in diabetic mice. Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) was induced in C57/BL6J diabetes mice. Infarct size and cardiac function were detected. For in vitro study, H9c2 cells were used. To clarify the mechanisms, proteases inhibitors or siRNA were used. Proteins levels were investigated by Western blotting. In diabetes MI/R model, BUT significantly alleviated myocardial infarction and improved heart function, together with prevented diabetes-induced cardiac oxidative damage. The expression of Nrf2, AMPK, AKT and GSK-3β were significantly increased by BUT. Furthermore, in cultured H9c2 cardiac cells silencing Nrf2 gene with its siRNA abolished the BUT's prevention of I/R-induced myocardial injury. Inhibition of AMPK and AKT signaling by relative inhibitor or specific siRNA decreased the level of BUT-induced Nrf2 expression, and diminished the protective effects of BUT. The interplay relationship between GSK-3β and Nrf2 was also verified with relative overexpression and inhibitors. Our findings indicated that BUT protected against I/R-induced ROS-mediated apoptosis by upregulating the AMPK/Akt/GSK-3β pathway, which further activated Nrf2-regulated antioxidant enzymes in diabetic cardiomyocytes exposed to I/R.

L.) berry development and biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, and ultimately affect wine quality. Here, the accumulation and compositional changes of hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) and flavonoids, as well as global gene expression were analyzed in Cabernet Sauvignon grape berries under sunlight exposure treatments at different phenological stages. Sunlight exposure did not consistently affect the accumulation of berry skin flavan-3-ol or anthocyanin among different seasons due to climatic variations, but increased HCA content significantly at véraison and harvest, and enhanced flavonol accumulation dramatically with its timing and severity degree trend. As in sunlight exposed berries, a highly significant correlation was observed between the expression of genes coding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, 4-coumarate: CoA ligase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase and flavonol synthase family members and corresponding metabolite accumulation in the phenolic biosynthesis pathway, which may positively or negatively be regulated by MYB, bHLH, WRKY, AP2/EREBP, C2C2, NAC, and C2H2 transcription factors (TFs). Furthermore, some candidate genes required for auxin, ethylene and abscisic acid signal transductions were also identified which are probably involved in berry development and flavonoid biosynthesis in response to enhanced sunlight irradiation. Taken together, this study provides a valuable overview of the light-induced phenolic metabolism and transcriptome changes, especially the dynamic responses of TFs and signaling components of phytohormones, and contributes to the further understanding of sunlight-responsive phenolic biosynthesis regulation in grape berries.