Natural Dietary Compounds in the Treatment of Arsenic Toxicity

Chronic exposure to arsenic (As) compounds leads to its accumulation in the body, with skin lesions and cancer being the most typical outcomes. Treating As-induced diseases continues to be challenging as there is no specific, safe, and efficacious therapeutic management. Therapeutic and preventive measures available to combat As toxicity refer to chelation therapy, antioxidant therapy, and the intake of natural dietary compounds. Although chelation therapy is the most commonly used method for detoxifying As, it has several side effects resulting in various toxicities such as hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and other adverse consequences. Drugs of plant origin and natural dietary compounds show efficient and progressive relief from As-mediated toxicity without any particular side effects. These natural compounds have also been found to aid the elimination of As from the body and, therefore, can be more effective than conventional therapeutic agents in ameliorating As toxicity. This review provides an overview of the recently updated knowledge on treating As poisoning through natural dietary compounds. This updated information may serve as a basis for defining novel prophylactic and therapeutic formulations.     

Paeoniflorin improves cognitive dysfunction,restores glutamate receptors,attenuates gliosis and maintains synaptic plasticity in cadmium-intoxicated mice

Toxic metals exposed to the environment in industrial and agricultural production, such as cadmium (Cd), Plumbum (Pb) and aluminium (Al), are neurotoxic and harmful to brain functions such as learning and memory, and may contribute to neurological disease. In this study, we investigated the neuronal protective effects of Paeoniflorin (PF) in a mouse model of Cd poisoning that showed cognitive dysfunction. PF attenuated Cd-induced multi-organ damage and brain neurotoxicity, consistent with improved behavioral performances in mice. At the molecular level, Cd-induced toxicity attenuated the phosphorylation of glutamate receptors NMDAR2A, NMDAR2B, and GluR2, but increased the phosphorylation of GluR1. In addition, gliosis after Cd toxicity showed an increase in the number of IBA1 or GFAP-positive cells, which contrasted with the loss of neurons and synapses. However, PF treatment alleviated gliosis and maintained glutamate receptor and neuronal activity, as evidenced by the recovery of marker proteins MAP2, PSD95 and synaptophysin. Also, Cd-induced upregulation of CD68, a lysosomal protein that scavenges damaged cellular components in active microglia, was also restored by PF. In conclusion, PF is a potential neuroprotective natural product.     

砷与蛋白相互作用研究进展

本文综述了砷与不同蛋白相互作用的研究,比较了不同形态砷与蛋白结合能力的差异,进而讨论了砷的毒性与形态的关系.砷摄入体内后首先会进入血液,部分与血液中的蛋白结合,结合态和游离态的砷化合物随着血液循环到达各个器官、组织,甚至进入细胞内部与其他功能蛋白、受体、酶等发生直接或间接的相互作用,从而影响各种蛋白等活性分子的正常生理活动.在这过程中,不同形态砷的毒性也会体现在与蛋白相互作用能力的强弱上.同时,砷的解毒过程也在进行着,人们在ars操纵子中发现的两种去毒性蛋白与砷的相互作用被认为是将砷从细胞内排出,从而去除砷毒性的有效机制.     

6,7,4′-Trihydroxyflavanone Mitigates Methamphetamine-Induced Neurotoxicity in SH-SY5y Cells via Nrf2/heme Oxyganase-1 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathways

Methamphetamine (METH) is a synthetic psychostimulant drug that has detrimental effects on the health of its users. Although it has been investigated as a cause of neurodegenerative disease due to its neurotoxicity, whether small molecules derived from natural products attenuate these side effects remains elusive. 6,7,4′-trihydroxyflavanone (THF) is a flavanone family that possesses various pharmacological activities, including anti-rheumatic, anti-ischemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-osteoclastogenic, and protective effects against METH-induced deactivation of T cells. However, little is known about whether THF protects neuronal cells from METH-induced neurotoxicity. Here, we investigated the protective effects of THF on neurotoxicity induced by METH exposure by enhancing the Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in SH-SY5y cells. Treatment with THF did not lead to cytotoxicity, but attenuated METH-induced neurotoxicity by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, METH-induced oxidative stress, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR phosphorylation in METH-exposed SH-SY5y cells. Moreover, we found THF induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation and HO-1 expression. An inhibitor assay confirmed that the induction of HO-1 by THF attenuates METH-induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, we suggest that THF preserves neuronal cells from METH-induced neurotoxicity by upregulating HO-1 expression through the Nrf2 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. Thus, THF has therapeutic potential for use in the treatment of METH-addicts suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.     

Downregulation of the NLRP3/Caspse-1 Pathway Ameliorates Ketamine-Induced Liver Injury and Inflammation in Developing Rats

Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that is widely used in human and veterinary medicine. In the developmental stage, long-term exposure to ketamine may cause serious side effects. MCC950 and VX765 play protective roles in many disease models by regulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway. This study aims to explore the potential protective effect of MCC950 and VX765 on ketamine-induced liver injury in neonatal rats and clarify its underlying mechanism. After administration of MCC950 and VX765 in a ketamine-induced liver injury rat model, liver function and inflammatory factors were determined, and immunohistochemistry and western blotting were performed. We found that ketamine caused liver injury in 7-day-old SD rats, decreased liver function indexes, and increased inflammation. MCC950 and VX765 effectively alleviated liver damage and inflammation, and downregulated the expression of proteins such as NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N. In summary, these results indicated that MCC950 and VX765 could have potential protective effects on ketamine-induced liver injury through inhibiting the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway.     

Total saponins from stems and leaves of Panax quinquefolius L. ameliorate podophyllotoxin-induced myelosuppression and gastrointestinal toxicity

Podophyllotoxin (POD), a natural lignan distributed in podophyllum species, possesses significant antitumor and antiviral activities. But POD often causes serious side effects, such as myelosuppression, gastrointestinal toxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatic and renal dysfunction, and even death, which not only hinder its clinical application but also threaten the patient's health. Therefore, an effective treatment against POD-induced toxicity is important. Our preliminary study found that the total saponins from the stems and leaves of Panax quinquefolius L. (PQS) could significantly reduce the death of mice caused by POD. To reveal how PQS can alleviate POD-induced toxicity, further study was needed. Peripheral blood cell analysis, diarrhea score, and histological examination demonstrated that PQS could relieve myelosuppression and gastrointestinal side effects induced by POD. Then, metabolomics was performed to investigate the possible protective mechanism of PQS on POD-induced myelosuppression and gastrointestinal toxicity. Metabolomics analysis showed that metabolic changes caused by POD could be reversed by PQS to some extent; 23 metabolites altered significantly after POD exposure, and 11 metabolites significantly reversed by PQS pretreatment. Metabolic pathway analysis suggested that PQS might exhibit its protective effects by rebalancing disordered arginine, glutamine, and unsaturated fatty acid metabolism.     

Comparisons of survival time estimates for niigata prefecture (japan) residents exposed to ingested arsenic

Survival analysis was used to analyze follow-up data on an arsenic-poisoned area, identified in 1959, in order to assess the effect of arsenic on survival time. The subjects were 443 residents of Namiki-cho, Nakajo-machi, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, who ingested well water contaminated with arsenic between 1955 and 1959. Their exposure to arsenic was only by ingestion of well water. We observed this historical cohort from October 1959 to February 1992. Survival time was calculated in two ways: from 1959 (the end of exposure) until death or until 1992 (the termination of follow-up); or from birth until death or until 1992. The entire cohort was divided into two groups according to the arsenic concentration measured in the wells in 1959. Different survival curves of the two were drawn using the Kaplan–Meier method. The lifetime survival curves indicate that the lifetimes of arsenic-exposed residents were significantly shorter than that of the low-dose exposure group or of unexposed residents. From the differences in the estimated lifetime survival curves, the effect of arsenic on the mortality of the residents can be inferred.     

Protective Effects of Green Tea Supplementation against Lead-Induced Neurotoxicity in Mice

The use of natural products as therapeutic agents is rapidly growing recently. In the current study, we investigated the protective effects of green tea supplementation on lead-induced toxicity in mice. Forty albino mice were divided into four groups as follows: A: control group; B: green tea receiving group; C: lead-intoxicated group; and D: lead-intoxicated group supplemented with green tea. At the end of the experiment, the animals were tested for neurobehavioral and biochemical alterations. Green tea was analyzed through Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. We found that supplementation with green tea ameliorated the lead-associated increase in body weight and blood glucose. Green tea supplementation also changed the blood picture that was affected due to lead toxicity and ameliorated lead-induced dyslipidemia. The group of mice that were supplemented with green tea has shown positive alterations in locomotory, anxiety, memory, and learning behaviors. The GC/MS analysis revealed many active ingredients among which the two most abundant were caffeine and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester. We concluded that green tea supplementation has several positive effects on the lead-induced neurotoxicity in mice and that these effects may be attributed to its main two active ingredients.     

Analysis of the Composition of Deinagkistrodon acutus Snake Venom Based on Proteomics,and Its Antithrombotic Activity and Toxicity Studies

There is a strong correlation between the composition of Deinagkistrodon acutus venom proteins and their potential pharmacological effects. The proteomic analysis revealed 103 proteins identified through label-free proteomics from 30 different snake venom families. Phospholipase A2 (30.0%), snaclec (21.0%), antithrombin (17.8%), thrombin (8.1%) and metalloproteinases (4.2%) were the most abundant proteins. The main toxicity of Deinagkistrodon acutus venom is hematotoxicity and neurotoxicity, and it acts on the lung. Deinagkistrodon acutus venom may have anticoagulant and antithrombotic effects. In summary, the protein profile and related toxicity and pharmacological activity of Deinagkistrodon acutus venom from southwest China were put forward for the first time. In addition, we revealed the relationship between the main toxicity, pharmacological effects, and the protein components of snake venom.     

AQP4 Attenuated TRAF6/NFκB Activation in Acrylamide-Induced Neurotoxicity

Acrylamide (ACR) is present in high-temperature-processed high-carbohydrate foods, cigarette smoke, and industrial pollution. Chronic exposure to ACR may induce neurotoxicity from reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, the mechanisms underlying ACR-induced neurotoxicity remain unclear. We studied 28-day subacute ACR toxicity by repeatedly feeding ACR (0, 15, or 30 mg/kg) to rats. We conducted RNA sequencing and Western blot analyses to identify differences in mRNA expression in the blood and in protein expression in the brain tissues, respectively, of the rats. AQP4 transient transfection was performed to identify potential associations with protein regulation. The rats treated with 30 mg/kg ACR exhibited hind-limb muscle weakness. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9) expression was higher in the ACR-treated group than in the control group. ACR induced MMP-9 and AQP4 protein expression in the brain tissues of the rats, which subsequently presented with neurotoxicity. In the in vitro study, Neuro-2a cells were transiently transfected with AQP4, which inhibited MMP-9 and TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) expression, and inhibited ACR induced expression of TRAF6, IκBα, and nuclear factor κB (NFκB). Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro experiments, this study revealed that depressive symptoms associated with ACR-induced neurotoxicity are associated with downregulation of AQP4 and induction of the TRAF6 pathway.     

金属锰暴露致神经毒性的多组学研究进展

锰是环境重金属污染物之一,长期暴露于金属锰或其无机化合物主要引发锰中毒或亚临床神经功能缺陷。锰暴露诱导的神经毒性对遗传易感性、基因表达调控、代谢稳态的影响机制复杂,涉及多靶点,然而常规机制研究往往只能局限于单一通路。鉴于工作场所和环境中重金属锰的分布日益广泛,需要更明确地界定锰的神经毒性作用网络,实现多靶点预防和治疗。多组学技术及其相关分析可在不同的功能水平上对疾病发生发展进程中的差异化进行描述。综述了基因组学、表观遗传学、转录组学、代谢组学在金属锰暴露致神经毒性中的研究结果,探讨潜在的代表性生物标志物,支持多组学方法的整合应用,构建锰的神经毒性作用网络,并对未来研究方向提出展望。     

Dictyophora Polysaccharide Attenuates As-Mediated PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Induced Mitophagy in L-02 Cell through Scavenging ROS

Arsenic (As) is common in the human living environment and a certain amount of exposure to As can lead to liver damage; this toxic effect has been proved to be closely related to intracellular PINK1/Parkin pathway-mediated mitophagy. Dictyophora is an edible fungus that extracts polysaccharides with antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. In the present study, we demonstrated that As induced the onset of mitophagy in hepatocytes by stimulating cellular production of ROS to activate PINK1/Parkin, and the extent of damage increased with increased As-induced toxicity. Dictyophora polysaccharide (DIP) has the ability to scavenge intracellular ROS, which can inhibit oxidative stress injury and inhibit the PINK/Parkin pathway through its receptors or efficacious proteins, thus preventing mitochondrial autophagy and alleviating the hepatotoxicity of As. In conclusion, our results indicate that DIP can reduce As-induced PINK1/Parkin pathway-mediated hepatic mitophagy through scavenging ROS and exert hepatoprotective effects, providing experimental data and theoretical basis for the development of medicinal value of Dictyophora as a dual-use food and medicinal fungus.     

低剂量铅对大鼠脑组织一氧化氮合酶表达及活性的影响

为探讨低水平铅损伤记忆功能的作用机理，采用ＮＡＤＰＨ－黄递酶组织化学方法和＾３Ｈ－瓜氨酸生成生物检测技术，观察了新生大鼠在４００ｍｇ／Ｌ醋酸铅染毒４０天后对脑组织内一氧化氮合酶表达及活性的影响。结果显示大脑皮质一氧化氮合酶阳性神经元数量明显减少（Ｐ〈０．０５），在海马区脑组织内一氧化氮合酶活性降低５４．４％。结论：低水平铅暴露后可抑制大鼠脑组织内一氧化氮合酶的表达及活性。     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the antileukaemic organoarsenicals arsthinol and melarsoprol in mice

Melarsoprol and arsthinol have been shown to be effective on various leukaemia cell lines. Nevertheless, the tissue distribution of these compounds remains a key point since the bone marrow is considered as the site of action and the central nervous system as the site of the main toxicity. In this study, we have determined the exposure of each organ (blood, liver, bone marrow and brain) to arsenic, irrespectively of the exact nature of arsenic species contained by the organ.In the bone marrow, arsenic concentrations were very high, especially that of melarsoprol. However, the lower ability of arsthinol to concentrate in the bone marrow could be compensated by its higher antileukaemic activity.The brain concentrations were high, although lower than in the bone marrow; this fact is in very good accordance with the observation that the brain is mainly involved in the acute toxicity of trivalent organoarsenicals.     

Enzymatic digestion and chromatographic analysis of arsenic species released from proteins

A method combining gel filtration chromatography (GFC), protease digestion, and ion pair chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection was developed for the determination of arsenic species bound to proteins. The method was first established by examining the interactions of two model proteins, metallothionein (MT) and hemoglobin, with three reactive trivalent arsenic species. It was then successfully applied to the speciation of arsenic in red blood cells of rats. Inorganic arsenite (iAs^III), monomethylarsonous acid (MMA^III), and dimethylarsinous acid (DMA^III) were efficiently released from the proteins by protease digestion at pH 8.0, with the recovery ranging from 93% to 106%. There was no oxidation of iAs^III or MMA^III during the protease digestion process. Up to 61% DMA^III (the least stable arsenic species) was unchanged, and the rest was oxidized to the pentavalent dimethylarsinic acid (DMA^V). The arsenic species in the red blood cells of control rats was present as DMA^III complex with hemoglobin. The method enabling the determination of the specific arsenic species that bind to cellular proteins is potentially useful for studying arsenic distribution, metabolism, and toxicity.     

Aged Brains Express Less Melanocortin Receptors,Which Correlates with Age-Related Decline of Cognitive Functions

Brain G-protein coupled receptors have been hypothesized to be potential targets for maintaining or restoring cognitive function in normal aged individuals or in patients with neurodegenerative disease. A number of recent reports suggest that activation of melanocortin receptors (MCRs) in the brain can significantly improve cognitive functions of normal rodents and of different rodent models of the Alzheimer’s disease. However, the potential impact of normative aging on the expression of MCRs and their potential roles for modulating cognitive function remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first investigated the expression of these receptors in six different brain regions of young (6 months) and aged (23 months) rats following assessment of their cognitive status. Correlation analysis was further performed to reveal potential contributions of MCR subtypes to spatial learning and memory. Our results revealed statistically significant correlations between the expression of several MCR subtypes in the frontal cortex/hypothalamus and the hippocampus regions and the rats’ performance in spatial learning and memory only in the aged rats. These findings support the hypothesis that aging has a direct impact on the expression and function of MCRs, establishing MCRs as potential drug targets to alleviate aging-induced decline of cognitive function.     

p‐Azidophenylarsenoxide: An Arsenical “Bait” for the In Situ Capture and Identification of Cellular Arsenic‐Binding Proteins

Identification of arsenic‐binding proteins is important for understanding arsenic health effects and for developing arsenic‐based therapeutics. We report here a strategy for the capture and identification of arsenic‐binding proteins in living cells. We designed an azide‐labeled arsenical, p‐azidophenylarsenoxide (PAzPAO), to serve bio‐orthogonal functions: the trivalent arsenical group binds to cellular proteins in situ, and the azide group facilitates click chemistry with dibenzylcyclooctyne. The selective and efficient capture of arsenic‐binding proteins enables subsequent enrichment and identification by shotgun proteomics. Applications of the technique are demonstrated using the A549 human lung carcinoma cells and two in vitro model systems. The technique enables the capture and identification of 48 arsenic‐binding proteins in A549 cells incubated with PAzPAO. Among the identified proteins are a series of antioxidant proteins (e.g., thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin, peroxide reductase, glutathione reductase, and protein disulfide isomerase) and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase. Identification of these functional proteins, along with studies of arsenic binding and enzymatic inhibition, points to these proteins as potential molecular targets that play important roles in arsenic‐induced health effects and in cancer treatment.     

Engineered Green Fluorescence Proteins for Proteomics and Biomolecular Electronic Applications

The discovery of the photochromic characteristics of engineered green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) allows new proteomics and biomolecular electronic applications. In particular, photoreversibility among two distinct optical states can lead to the realization of a bio-optical high density storage memory. Here we review our recent work on an optically bistable GFP and we report the recent developments of self-assembly methods for spatial immobilization of proteins into well-definite 2D patterns.     

基于天然产物的铂类和芳基金属抗癌药物研究进展

临床使用的现代药物超过50%都来自于天然产物,它们不仅能够通过阻止细胞周期进程、抑制癌细胞存活信号通路以及调节免疫细胞等多种生物途径来阻止肿瘤生长及其进程,而且对正常组织表现出较低的毒性。虽然以顺铂为代表的金属抗肿瘤药物广泛用于临床,但是它们存在严重的耐药性和毒副作用,包括肾毒性、神经毒性等。因此,利用天然产物中的优势来改造铂类配合物,有望开发出新型铂类抗癌药物以克服铂药的缺陷。另一方面,芳基金属配合物因其良好的水溶性和对正常组织的低毒性受到了广泛关注,将天然产物与芳基金属配合物相结合,也为开发高效低毒的新型抗癌药物提供了更多可能。结合天然产物和金属各自优势开发基于天然产物的金属配合物作为抗癌剂已成为研究热点,开辟了抗癌的新途径。本文对已经报道的有关天然产物的铂类和芳基金属配合物的研究及作用机理进行了较为全面的综述,并对该领域的未来发展进行了展望。     

Phytoremediation of arsenic by two hyperaccumulators in a hydroponic environment

Phytofiltration involves the use of plants to remove toxic compounds from water. Arsenic is an element of considerable environmental and toxicological interest because of its potential deleterious effects upon human health. In this research, a laboratory-constructed hydroponic system was employed to characterize phytofiltration for the uptake of arsenic and macronutrients by two arsenic hyperaccumulators, Pteris cretica cv Mayii (Moonlight fern) and Pteris vittata (Chinese brake fern). Arsenic was shown to preferentially accumulate in the leaves and stems of P. cretica cv Mayii compared to roots. The amounts of the macronutrients calcium and phosphorous absorbed were compared for control plants (growth solution) and plants exposed to arsenic(III) (growth solution and arsenic(III)). Significant differences in the concentration levels of the macronutrients were observed in roots, stems, and leaves between the control and arsenic-exposed plants. The arsenic contents of entire P. vittata plants exposed to hydroponic solutions containing arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) were compared, and no significant difference was observed.