OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism through which N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) exacerbates hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury in rat cardiomyocytes (H9C2 cells). METHODS: H9C2 cells were cultured in hypoxia and glucose deprivation for 8 h followed by reoxygenation for different durations to determine the optimal reoxygenation time. Under the optimal H/R protocol, the cells were treated with 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mmol/L Neu5Ac during reoxygenation to explore the optimal drug concentration. The cells were then subjected to H/R injury followed by treatment with Neu5Ac, Fer-1 (a ferroptosis inhibitor), or both. The changes in SOD activity, intracellular Fe²⁺ and lipid ROS levels in the cells were evaluated, and the cellular expressions of Nrf2, GPX4, HO-1, FSP1, and xCT proteins were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: Following hypoxia and glucose deprivation for 8 h, the cells with reoxygenation for 6 h, as compared with other time lengths of reoxygenation except for 9 h, showed the lowest expression levels of Nrf2, GPX4, HO-1, and FSP1 proteins (P<0.001). Neu5Ac treatment of dose-dependently decreased the viability of the cells with H/R injury with an IC₅₀ of 30.07 mmol/L. Reoxygenation for 3 h with normal glucose supplementation and a Neu5Ac concentration of 30 mmol/L were selected as the optimal conditions in the subsequent experiments. The results showed that Neu5Ac could significantly increase SOD activity, Fe²⁺ and lipid ROS levels and reduce Nrf2, GPX4, HO-1, and FSP1 protein expressions in H9C2 cells with H/R injury, but its effects were significantly attenuated by treatment with Fer-1. CONCLUSIONS Neu5Ac exacerbates ferroptosis of myocardial cells with H/R injury by inhibiting the Nrf2 axis to promote the production of ROS and lipid ROS.
Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology* ; Animals ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Rats ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid/pharmacology* ; Cell Hypoxia ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/metabolism*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of icariin on the streptozocin (STZ)-induced epididymis impair in rats.

METHODSThe epididymis impair was induced by injection of streptozocin at dosage of 60 mg/kg ip in SD rats. Animals were randomly divided into six groups (n = 14): normal control, model group, three icariin treated group with different dosages (P.O, 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, 80 mg/kg especially) and rosiglitazone group (P.O, 3 mg/kg), 12 weeks later, animals were sacrificed. The level of serum glucose, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), acid phosphatase (ACP), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT), alpha-glucosidase activity as well as sialic acid (SA), fructose level in the epididymis were determined. The pathological examination was performed under microscope after the epididymis was fixed by 4% poly-formalin and stained by HE.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control, the activity of LDH, ACP, gamma-GT and alpha-glucosidase in the epididymis revealed a decline, with lower level of SA and fructose. Histological examination showed that mature spermatocytes in the epididymis markedly decreased. These alterations were ameliorated in the groups with the treatment of icariin at 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg, but not at 20 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONIcariin ameliorated the signs of epididymis in diabetic rats induced by streptozocin, this effect might carry out by promoting the elevation of special enzyme and energy metabolism in the epididymis.

Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Fructose ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; alpha-Glucosidases ; metabolism ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of two kinds of cactus polysaccharide on erythrocyte immune function in S180 mice.

METHODClassical pharmaceutical method and test kit.

RESULTThe cactus polysaccharide increased the content of RBC-CaR, RFER, decreased the content of RFIR, raised the content of sialic acid. And the effect of median dose group of medical cactus polysaccharide and high dose group of edible cactus polysaccharide is very remarkable (P < 0.01) compared with model group.

CONCLUSIONThe cactus polysaccharide improved the erythrocyte function of tumor-mice, which may be one of anti-tumor mechanisms.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cactaceae ; chemistry ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Erythrocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; blood ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Opuntia ; chemistry ; Plants, Edible ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; metabolism ; Rosette Formation ; Sarcoma 180 ; metabolism ; pathology