Jirapas Sripetchwandee

Combined Therapy of Iron Chelator and Antioxidant Completely Restores Brain Dysfunction Induced by Iron Toxicity

Background Excessive iron accumulation leads to iron toxicity in the brain; however the underlying mechanism is unclear. We investigated the effects of iron overload induced by high iron-diet consumption on brain mitochondrial function, brain synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. Iron chelator (deferiprone) and antioxidant (n-acetyl cysteine) effects on iron-overload brains were also studied. Methodology Male Wistar rats were fed either normal diet or high iron-diet consumption for 12 weeks, after which rats in each diet group were treated with vehicle or deferiprone (50 mg/kg) or n-acetyl cysteine (100 mg/kg) or both for another 4 weeks. High iron-diet consumption caused brain iron accumulation, brain mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired brain synaptic plasticity and cognition, blood-brain-barrier breakdown, and brain apoptosis. Although both iron chelator and antioxidant attenuated these deleterious effects, combined therapy provided more robust results. Conclusion In conclusion, this is the first study demonstrating that combined iron chelator and anti-oxidant therapy completely restored brain function impaired by iron overload.

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter blocker effectively prevents brain mitochondrial dysfunction caused by iron overload

AIMS Although iron overload induces oxidative stress and brain mitochondrial dysfunction, and is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, brain mitochondrial iron uptake has not been investigated. We determined the role of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in brain mitochondria as a major route for iron entry. We hypothesized that iron overload causes brain mitochondrial dysfunction, and that the MCU blocker prevents iron entry into mitochondria, thus attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction. MAIN METHODS Isolated brain mitochondria from male Wistar rats were used. Iron (Fe(2+) and Fe(3+)) at 0-286 μM were applied onto mitochondria at various incubation times (5-30 min), and the mitochondrial function was determined. Effects of MCU blocker (Ru-360) and iron chelator were studied. KEY FINDINGS Both Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) entered brain mitochondria and caused mitochondrial swelling in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and caused mitochondrial depolarization and increased ROS production. However, Fe(2+) caused more severe mitochondrial dysfunction than Fe(3+). Although all drugs attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction caused by iron overload, only an MCU blocker could completely prevent ROS production and mitochondrial depolarization. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings indicated that iron overload caused brain mitochondrial dysfunction, and that an MCU blocker effectively prevented this impairment, suggesting that MCU could be the major portal for brain mitochondrial iron uptake.

Calcium-induced Cardiac Mitochondrial Dysfunction Is Predominantly Mediated by Cyclosporine A-dependent Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cardiac mitochondrial Ca(2+) overload plays a critical role in mechanical and electrical dysfunction leading to cardiac cell death and fatal arrhythmia. Because Ca(2+) overload is related to mitochondrial permeability transition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and membrane potential (ΔΨm) dissipation, we probed the mechanistic association between Ca(2+) overload, oxidative stress, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in isolated cardiac mitochondria. METHODS Various concentrations of Ca(2+) (5-200 μM) were used to induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Cyclosporin A (CsA, an mPTP blocker) and Ru360 (an MCU blocker) were used to test its protective effects on Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. RESULTS High concentrations of Ca(2+) (≥100 μM) caused overt mitochondrial swelling and ΔΨm collapse. However, only slight increases in ROS production were detected. Blocking the MCU by Ru360 is less effective in protecting mitochondrial dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS A dominant cause of Ca(2+)-induced cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction was mediated through the mPTP rather than MCU. Therefore, CsA could be more effective than Ru360 in preventing Ca(2+)-induced cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction.

Obesity accelerates cognitive decline by aggravating mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance and synaptic dysfunction under estrogen-deprived conditions.

Chronic consumption of a high-fat diet (HF) causes peripheral insulin resistance, brain insulin resistance, brain mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Estrogen deprivation has also been found to impair cognition. However, the combined effect of both conditions on the brain is unclear. We hypothesized that estrogen deprivation causes brain insulin resistance, brain mitochondrial dysfunction, hippocampal synaptic dysfunction and cognitive impairment, and that consumption of a HF accelerates these impairments in an estrogen-deprived condition. Seventy-two female rats were divided into sham (S) and ovariectomized (O) groups. Rats in each group were further divided into two subgroups to be fed with either a normal diet (ND) or HF for 4, 8 and 12 weeks. At the end of each period, the Morris water maze test was carried out, after which the blood and brain were collected for metabolic and brain function analysis. Obesity, peripheral insulin resistance, increased brain oxidative stress and hippocampal synaptic dysfunction were observed at the eighth week in the NDO, HFS and HFO rats. However, these impairments were worse in the HFO rats. Interestingly, brain insulin resistance, brain mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment developed earlier (week eight) in the HFO rats, whereas these conditions were observed later at week 12 in the NDO and HFS rats. Either estrogen deprivation or HF appears to cause peripheral insulin resistance, increased brain oxidative stress, hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, brain mitochondrial dysfunction and brain insulin resistance, which together can lead to cognitive impairment. A HF accelerates and aggravates these deleterious effects under estrogen-deprived conditions.

A combination of an iron chelator with an antioxidant effectively diminishes the dendritic loss, tau-hyperphosphorylation, amyloids-β accumulation and brain mitochondrial dynamic disruption in rats with chronic iron-overload.

Iron-overload can cause cognitive impairment due to blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and brain mitochondrial dysfunction. Although deferiprone (DFP) has been shown to exert neuroprotection, the head-to-head comparison among iron chelators used clinically on brain iron-overload has not been investigated. Moreover, since antioxidant has been shown to be beneficial in iron-overload condition, its combined effect with iron chelator has not been tested. Therefore, the hypothesis is that all chelators provide neuroprotection under iron-overload condition, and that a combination of an iron chelator with an antioxidant has greater efficacy than monotherapy. Male Wistar rats (n=42) were assigned to receive a normal diet (ND) or a high-iron diet (HFe) for 4months. At the 2nd month, HFe-fed rats were treated with a vehicle, deferoxamine (DFO), DFP, deferasirox (DFX), n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or a combination of DFP with NAC, while ND-fed rats received vehicle. At the end of the experiment, rats were decapitated and brains were removed to determine brain iron level and deposition, brain mitochondrial function, BBB protein expression, brain mitochondrial dynamic, brain apoptosis, tau-hyperphosphorylation, amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and dendritic spine density. The results showed that iron-overload induced BBB breakdown, brain iron accumulation, brain mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired brain mitochondrial dynamics, tau-hyperphosphorylation, Aβ accumulation and dendritic spine reduction. All treatments, except DFX, attenuated these impairments. Moreover, combined therapy provided a greater efficacy than monotherapy. These findings suggested that iron-overload induced brain iron toxicity and a combination of an iron chelator with an antioxidant provided a greatest efficacy for neuroprotection than monotherapy.

Blockade of mitochondrial calcium uniporter prevents cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction caused by iron overload

Iron overload in the heart can lead to iron‐overload cardiomyopathy and cardiac arrhythmia. In the past decades, growing evidence has suggested that cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the development of cardiac dysfunction and lethal arrhythmias. Despite these facts, the effect of iron overload on cardiac mitochondrial function is still unclear. In this study, we determined the effects of iron overload on the cardiac mitochondrial function and the routes of cardiac mitochondrial iron uptake. We tested the hypothesis that iron overload can lead to cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction and that mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) plays a major role for cardiac mitochondrial iron uptake under iron‐overload condition. Cardiac mitochondrial function was assessed via the determination of mitochondrial swelling, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential changes.

DPP-4 Inhibitor and PPARγ Agonist Restore the Loss of CA1 Dendritic Spines in Obese Insulin-resistant Rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD) impaired brain insulin receptor function, caused cognitive decline as well as reduced dendritic spine density. Previous studies suggested that dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) agonist exerted the neuroprotective effects in obese insulin-resistant rats. However, the effects of these drugs on dendritic spines in obese insulin-resistant rats have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we determined the effects of DPP-4 inhibitor and PPARγ agonist on dendritic spines density of obese insulin-resistant rats caused by HFD. METHODS Male Wistar Rats were divided into two groups. Animals in each group were fed with normal diet (ND) or HFD for 12 weeks. After then, rats in each group were subdivided into three subgroups to receive either vehicle or vildagliptin (3 mg/kg/day) or pioglitazone (10 mg/kg/day) for 3-4 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the metabolic parameters and density of dendritic spines in CA1 hippocampus were determined. RESULTS We found that HFD-fed rats caused peripheral insulin resistance as well as the reduction of the density of dendritic spines in CA1 hippocampus. Treatment with both DPP-4 inhibitor and PPARγ agonist in HFD-fed rats improved insulin sensitivity as well as increased the number of dendritic spines in CA1 hippocampus. Moreover, both drugs have equally improved this deterioration. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that DPP-4 inhibitor and PPARγ agonist restored the reduction of dendritic spines caused by HFD, suggesting the beneficial roles of DPP-4 inhibitors and PPARγ agonists in neurodegenerative disorders.

Garlic extract attenuates brain mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive deficit in obese-insulin resistant rats

Oxidative stress in the obese-insulin resistant condition has been shown to affect cognitive as well as brain mitochondrial functions. Garlic extract has exerted a potent antioxidant effect. However, the effects of garlic extract on the brain of obese-insulin resistant rats have never been investigated. We hypothesized that garlic extract improves cognitive function and brain mitochondrial function in obese-insulin resistant rats induced by long-term high-fat diet (HFD) consumption. Male Wistar rats were fed either normal diet or HFD for 16 weeks (n = 24/group). At week 12, rats in each dietary group received either vehicle or garlic extract (250 and 500 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)) for 28 days. Learning and memory behaviors, metabolic parameters, and brain mitochondrial function were determined at the end of treatment. HFD led to increased body weight, visceral fat, plasma insulin, cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating the development of insulin resistance. Furthermore, HFD rats had cognitive deficit and brain mitochondrial dysfunction. HFD rats treated with both doses of garlic extract had decreased body weight, visceral fat, plasma cholesterol, and MDA levels. Garlic extract also improved cognitive function and brain mitochondrial function, which were impaired in obese-insulin resistant rats caused by HFD consumption.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Exerts the Neuroprotective Effects in Obese-Insulin Resistant Rats, Leading to the Improvement of Cognitive Function

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy was shown to improve peripheral insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of chronic VNS therapy on brain insulin sensitivity, dendritic spine density, brain mitochondrial function, apoptosis and cognition in obese-insulin resistant subjects have never been investigated. Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were fed with either a normal diet (n = 8) or a HFD (n = 16) for 12 weeks. At week 13, HFD-fed rats were divided into 2 groups (n = 8/group). Each group was received either sham therapy or VNS therapy for an additional 12 weeks. At the end of treatment, cognitive function, metabolic parameters, brain insulin sensitivity, brain mitochondrial function, brain apoptosis, and dendritic spines were determined in each rat. The HFD-fed with Sham therapy developed brain insulin resistance, brain oxidative stress, brain inflammation, and brain apoptosis, resulting in the cognitive decline. The VNS group showed an improvement in peripheral and brain insulin sensitivity. VNS treatment attenuated brain mitochondrial dysfunction and cell apoptosis. In addition, VNS therapy increased dendritic spine density and improved cognitive function. These findings suggest that VNS attenuates cognitive decline in obese-insulin resistant rats by attenuating brain mitochondrial dysfunction, improving brain insulin sensitivity, decreasing cell apoptosis, and increasing dendritic spine density.

Combined Iron Chelator and Antioxidant Exerted Greater Efficacy on Cardioprotection Than Monotherapy in Iron-Overloaded Rats

Background Iron chelators are used to treat iron overload cardiomyopathy patients. However, a direct comparison of the benefits of three common iron chelators (deferoxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP) and deferasirox (DFX)) or an antioxidant (N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)) with a combined DFP and NAC treatments on left ventricular (LV) function with iron overload has not been investigated. Methods and Findings Male Wistar rats were fed with either a normal diet or a high iron diet (HFe group) for 4 months. After 2 months, the HFe-fed rats were divided into 6 groups to receive either: a vehicle, DFO (25 mg/kg/day), DFP (75 mg/kg/day), DFX (20 mg/kg/day), NAC (100 mg/kg/day) or the combined DFP and NAC for 2 months. Our results demonstrated that HFe rats had increased plasma non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI), malondialdehyde (MDA), cardiac iron and MDA levels and cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to LV dysfunction. Although DFO, DFP, DFX or NAC improved these parameters, leading to improved LV function, the combined DFP and NAC therapy caused greater improvement, leading to more extensively improved LV function. Conclusions The combined DFP and NAC treatment had greater efficacy than monotherapy in cardioprotection through the reduction of cardiac iron deposition and improved cardiac mitochondrial function in iron-overloaded rats.