Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis

The potential of herbal drugs to treat heart failure: The roles of Sirt1/AMPK

Tao Zhang, Lei Xu, Xiaowei Guo, Honglin Tao, Yue Liu, Xianfeng Liu, Yi Zhang, Xianli Meng

2024, 14(2): 157-176. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.001

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Abstract:
Heart failure (HF) is a highly morbid syndrome that seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients and generates an enormous socio-economic burden. In addition to cardiac myocyte oxidative stress and apoptosis, which are considered mechanisms for the development of HF, alterations in cardiac energy metabolism and pathological autophagy also contribute to cardiac abnormalities and ultimately HF. Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺)-dependent deacetylases and phosphorylated kinases, respectively. They play similar roles in regulating some pathological processes of the heart through regulating targets such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), protein 38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). We summarized the synergistic effects of Sirt1 and AMPK in the heart, and listed the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that exhibit cardioprotective properties by modulating the Sirt1/AMPK pathway, to provide a basis for the development of Sirt1/AMPK activators or inhibitors for the treatment of HF and other cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

Gut microbiome-based thiamine metabolism contributes to the protective effect of one acidic polysaccharide from Selaginella uncinata (Desv.) Spring against inflammatory bowel disease

Haochen Hui, Zhuoya Wang, Xuerong Zhao, Lina Xu, Lianhong Yin, Feifei Wang, Liping Qu, Jinyong Peng

2024, 14(2): 177-195. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.003

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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a serious disorder, and exploration of active compounds to treat it is necessary. An acidic polysaccharide named SUSP-4 was purified from Selaginella uncinata (Desv.) Spring, which contained galacturonic acid, galactose, xylose, arabinose, and rhamnose with the main chain structure of →4)-α-d-GalAp-(1→ and →6)-β-d-Galp-(1→ and the branched structure of →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→ . Animal experiments showed that compared with Model group, SUSP-4 significantly improved body weight status, disease activity index (DAI), colonic shortening, and histopathological damage, and elevated occludin and zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) expression in mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS). 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing indicated that SUSP-4 markedly downregulated the level of Akkermansia and Alistipes. Metabolomics results confirmed that SUSP-4 obviously elevated thiamine levels compared with Model mice by adjusting thiamine metabolism, which was further confirmed by a targeted metabolism study. Fecal transplantation experiments showed that SUSP-4 exerted an anti-IBD effect by altering the intestinal flora in mice. A mechanistic study showed that SUSP-4 markedly inhibited macrophage activation by decreasing the levels of phospho-nuclear factor kappa-B (p-NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and elevating NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels compared with Model group. In conclusion, SUSP-4 affected thiamine metabolism by regulating Akkermania and inhibited macrophage activation to adjust NF-κB/Nrf2/COX-2-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress against IBD. This is the first time that plant polysaccharides have been shown to affect thiamine metabolism against IBD, showing great potential for in-depth research and development applications.

Mapping the metabolic responses to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy with in vivo spatiotemporal metabolomics

Mariola Olkowicz, Khaled Ramadan, Hernando Rosales-Solano, Miao Yu, Aizhou Wang, Marcelo Cypel, Janusz Pawliszyn

2024, 14(2): 196-210. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.001

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Abstract:
Adjuvant chemotherapy improves the survival outlook for patients undergoing operations for lung metastases caused by colorectal cancer (CRC). However, a multidisciplinary approach that evaluates several factors related to patient and tumor characteristics is necessary for managing chemotherapy treatment in metastatic CRC patients with lung disease, as such factors dictate the timing and drug regimen, which may affect treatment response and prognosis. In this study, we explore the potential of spatial metabolomics for evaluating metabolic phenotypes and therapy outcomes during the local delivery of the anticancer drug, oxaliplatin, to the lung. 12 male Yorkshire pigs underwent a 3 h left lung in vivo lung perfusion (IVLP) with various doses of oxaliplatin (7.5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/L), which were administered to the perfusion circuit reservoir as a bolus. Biocompatible solid-phase microextraction (SPME) microprobes were combined with global metabolite profiling to obtain spatiotemporal information about the activity of the drug, determine toxic doses that exceed therapeutic efficacy, and conduct a mechanistic exploration of associated lung injury. Mild and subclinical lung injury was observed at 40 mg/L of oxaliplatin, and significant compromise of the hemodynamic lung function was found at 80 mg/L. This result was associated with massive alterations in metabolic patterns of lung tissue and perfusate, resulting in a total of 139 discriminant compounds. Uncontrolled inflammatory response, abnormalities in energy metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction next to accelerated kynurenine and aldosterone production were recognized as distinct features of dysregulated metabolipidome. Spatial pharmacometabolomics may be a promising tool for identifying pathological responses to chemotherapy.

Pyrimethamine upregulates BNIP3 to interfere SNARE-mediated autophagosome-lysosomal fusion in hepatocellular carcinoma

Jingjing Wang, Qi Su, Kun Chen, Qing Wu, Jiayan Ren, Wenjuan Tang, Yu Hu, Zeren Zhu, Cheng Cheng, Kaihui Tu, Huaizhen He, Yanmin Zhang

2024, 14(2): 211-224. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.05.014

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumor types and remains a major clinical challenge. Increasing evidence has revealed that mitophagy inhibitors can enhance the effect of chemotherapy on HCC. However, few mitophagy inhibitors have been approved for clinical use in humans. Pyrimethamine (Pyr) is used to treat infections caused by protozoan parasites. Recent studies have reported that Pyr may be beneficial in the treatment of various tumors. However, its mechanism of action is still not clearly defined. Here, we found that blocking mitophagy sensitized cells to Pyr-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, Pyr potently induced the accumulation of autophagosomes by inhibiting autophagosome-lysosome fusion in human HCC cells. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that Pyr blocked autophagosome-lysosome fusion by upregulating BNIP3 to inhibit synaptosomal-associated protein 29 (SNAP29)-vesicle-associated membrane protein 8 (VAMP8) interaction. Moreover, Pyr acted synergistically with sorafenib (Sora) to induce apoptosis and inhibit HCC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Pyr enhances the sensitivity of HCC cells to Sora, a common chemotherapeutic, by inhibiting mitophagy. Thus, these results provide new insights into the mechanism of action of Pyr and imply that Pyr could potentially be further developed as a novel mitophagy inhibitor. Notably, Pyr and Sora combination therapy could be a promising treatment for malignant HCC.

Targeted metabolomics reveals the aberrant energy status in diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the neuroprotective mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine JinMaiTong

Bingjia Zhao, Qian Zhang, Yiqian He, Weifang Cao, Wei Song, Xiaochun Liang

2024, 14(2): 225-243. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.007

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Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common and devastating complication of diabetes, for which effective therapies are currently lacking. Disturbed energy status plays a crucial role in DPN pathogenesis. However, the integrated profile of energy metabolism, especially the central carbohydrate metabolism, remains unclear in DPN. Here, we developed a metabolomics approach by targeting 56 metabolites using high-performance ion chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPIC-MS/MS) to illustrate the integrative characteristics of central carbohydrate metabolism in patients with DPN and streptozotocin-induced DPN rats. Furthermore, JinMaiTong (JMT), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, was found to be effective for DPN, improving the peripheral neurological function and alleviating the neuropathology of DPN rats even after demyelination and axonal degeneration. JMT ameliorated DPN by regulating the aberrant energy balance and mitochondrial functions, including excessive glycolysis restoration, tricarboxylic acid cycle improvement, and increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. Bioenergetic profile was aberrant in cultured rat Schwann cells under high-glucose conditions, which was remarkably corrected by JMT treatment. In-vivo and in-vitro studies revealed that these effects of JMT were mainly attributed to the activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and downstream peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α). Our results expand the therapeutic framework for DPN and suggest the integrative modulation of energy metabolism using TCMs, such as JMT, as an effective strategy for its treatment.

Tanshinone IIA ameliorates energy metabolism dysfunction of pulmonary fibrosis using ¹³C metabolic flux analysis

Baixi Shan, Haoyan Zhou, Congying Guo, Xiaolu Liu, Mingyu Wu, Rao Zhai, Jun Chen

2024, 14(2): 244-258. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.008

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Evidence indicates that metabolic reprogramming characterized by the changes in cellular metabolic patterns contributes to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). It is considered as a promising therapeutic target anti-PF. The well-documented against PF properties of Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) have been primarily attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency. Emerging evidence suggests that Tan IIA may target energy metabolism pathways, including glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. However, the detailed and advanced mechanisms underlying the anti-PF activities remain obscure. In this study, we applied [U-¹³C]-glucose metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to examine metabolism flux disruption and modulation nodes of Tan IIA in PF. We identified that Tan IIA inhibited the glycolysis and TCA flux, thereby suppressing the production of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-dependent extracellular matrix and the differentiation and proliferation of myofibroblasts in vitro. We further revealed that Tan IIA inhibited the expression of key metabolic enzyme hexokinase 2 (HK2) by inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) pathway activities, which decreased the accumulation of abnormal metabolites. Notably, we demonstrated that Tan IIA inhibited ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) activity, which reduced the collagen synthesis pathway caused by cytosol citrate consumption. Further, these results were validated in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced PF. This study was novel in exploring the mechanism of the occurrence and development of Tan IIA in treating PF using ¹³C-MFA technology. It provided a novel understanding of the mechanism of Tan IIA against PF from the perspective of metabolic reprogramming.

Ginsenoside Rk3 modulates gut microbiota and regulates immune response of group 3 innate lymphoid cells to against colorectal tumorigenesis

Xue Bai, Rongzhan Fu, Yannan Liu, Jianjun Deng, Qiang Fei, Zhiguang Duan, Chenhui Zhu, Daidi Fan

2024, 14(2): 259-275. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.010

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Abstract:
The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the immunomodulatory and protumorigenic microenvironment of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the effect of ginsenoside Rk3 (Rk3) on CRC and gut microbiota remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the potential effect of Rk3 on CRC from the perspective of gut microbiota and immune regulation. Our results reveal that treatment with Rk3 significantly suppresses the formation of colon tumors, repairs intestinal barrier damage, and regulates the gut microbiota imbalance caused by CRC, including enrichment of probiotics such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Barnesiella intestinihominis, and clearance of pathogenic Desulfovibrio. Subsequent metabolomics data demonstrate that Rk3 can modulate the metabolism of amino acids and bile acids, particularly by upregulating glutamine, which has the potential to regulate the immune response. Furthermore, we elucidate the regulatory effects of Rk3 on chemokines and inflammatory factors associated with group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) and T helper 17 (Th17) signaling pathways, which inhibits the hyperactivation of the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK-STAT3) signaling pathway. These results indicate that Rk3 modulates gut microbiota, regulates ILC3s immune response, and inhibits the JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway to suppress the development of colon tumors. More importantly, the results of fecal microbiota transplantation suggest that the inhibitory effect of Rk3 on colon tumors and its regulation of ILC3 immune responses are mediated by the gut microbiota. In summary, these findings emphasize that Rk3 can be utilized as a regulator of the gut microbiota for the prevention and treatment of CRC.

On-site rapid detection of multiple pesticide residues in tea leaves by lateral flow immunoassay

Junxia Gao, Tianyi Zhang, Yihua Fang, Ying Zhao, Mei Yang, Li Zhao, Ye Li, Jun Huang, Guonian Zhu, Yirong Guo

2024, 14(2): 276-283. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.011

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The application of pesticides (mostly insecticides and fungicides) during the tea-planting process will undoubtedly increase the dietary risk associated with drinking tea. Thus, it is necessary to ascertain whether pesticide residues in tea products exceed the maximum residue limits. However, the complex matrices present in tea samples comprise a major challenge in the analytical detection of pesticide residues. In this study, nine types of lateral flow immunochromatographic strips (LFICSs) were developed to detect the pesticides of interest (fenpropathrin, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, pyraclostrobin, and iprodione). To reduce the interference of tea substrates on the assay sensitivity, the pretreatment conditions for tea samples, including the extraction solvent, extraction time, and purification agent, were optimized for the simultaneous detection of these pesticides. The entire testing procedure (including pretreatment and detection) could be completed within 30 min. The detected results of authentic tea samples were confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), which suggest that the LFICS coupled with sample rapid pretreatment can be used for on-site rapid screening of the target pesticide in tea products prior to their market release.

Enhanced identification and localization of metabolites in Scutellariae Radix using ion mobility enabled MALDI-Q-TOF/MS imaging

Lixing Nie, Lieyan Huang, Xiaofei Jia, Shuai Kang, Lingwen Yao, Yanpei Wu, Hao Yuan, Yongli Liu, Feng Wei, Hongyu Jin, Xiang Li, Shuangcheng Ma

2024, 14(2): 284-286. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.09.018

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Neuroinflammation attenuation effects by celastrol and PDIA3 in the amygdala, hippocampus and dorsal raphe nucleus of obese mice

Chunyan Zhu, Xuemin Yao, Dandan Liu, Guoxin Zhang, Yongping Zhu, Hongyu Chi, Shuangpan Zhang, Jun Yang, Ying Liu, Jigang Wang, Na Lin

2024, 14(2): 287-290. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.10.002

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N, S, Br co-doped carbon dots: One-step synthesis and fluorescent detection of 6-mercaptopurine in tablet

Qi Wang, Ying Cheng, Lifeng Ding, Shengling Li, Jie Zhang, Yulan Niu, Ziye Jing

2024, 14(2): 291-293. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.11.001

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2024 Vol. 14, No. 2