Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of various tumors. In addition to its antitumor activity, cisplatin affects normal cells and may induce adverse effects such as ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and peripheral neuropathy. Various mechanisms such as DNA adduct formation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses are closely associated with cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity; however, the precise mechanism remains unclear. The cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has emerged as a key regulator of cellular energy metabolism and homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated associations between disturbance in intracellular NAD+ levels and clinical progression of various diseases through the production of reactive oxygen species and inflammation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that reduction of the intracellular NAD+/NADH ratio is critically involved in cisplatin-induced kidney damage through inflammation and oxidative stress and that increase of the cellular NAD+/NADH ratio suppresses cisplatin-induced kidney damage by modulation of potential damage mediators such as oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. In this review, we describe the role of NAD+ metabolism in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and discuss a potential strategy for the prevention or treatment of cisplatin-induced adverse effects with a particular focus on NAD+-dependent cellular pathways.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Adriamycin (ADR) is a powerful chemotherapeutic agent extensively used to treat various human neoplasms. However, its clinical utility is hampered due to severe adverse side effects i.e. cardiotoxicity and heart failure. ADR-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC) has been reported to be caused by myocardial damage and dysfunction through oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammatory responses. Nonetheless, the remedies for AIC are even not established. Therefore, we illustrate the role of NAD + /NADH modulation by NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) enzymatic action on AIC. Methods and results: AIC was established by intraperitoneal injection of ADR in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and NQO1 knockout (NQO1 −/−) mice. All Mice were orally administered dunnione (named NQO1 substrate) before and after exposure to ADR. Cardiac biomarker levels in the plasma, cardiac dysfunction, oxidative biomarkers, and mRNA and protein levels of pro-inflammatory mediators were determined compared the cardiac toxicity of each experimental group. All biomarkers of Cardiac damage and oxidative stress, and mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines including cardiac dysfunction were increased in ADR-treated both WT and NQO1 −/− mice. However, this increase was significantly reduced by dunnione in WT, but not in NQO1 −/− mice. In addition, a decrease in SIRT1 activity due to a reduction in the NAD + /NADH ratio by PARP-1 hyperactivation was associated with AIC through increased nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 and p53 acetylation in both WT and NQO1 −/− mice. While an elevation in NAD + /NADH ratio via NQO1 enzymatic action using dunnione recovered SIRT1 activity and subsequently deacetylated NF-κB p65 and p53, however not in NQO1 −/− mice, thereby attenuating AIC. Conclusion: Thus, modulation of NAD + /NADH by NQO1 may be a novel therapeutic approach to prevent chemotherapy-associated heart failure, including AIC.

No abstract

Summary This study was carried out to investigate physicochemical and antioxidative properties of Korean nano white ginseng powder. The particle size of nanopowdered ginseng (NPG) was in the range from 600 to 1000 nm which was significantly smaller than the regular powdered ginseng (PG) which was in the range from 300 to 500 μm. Carbohydrate content was found to be significantly higher in NPG than PG (P < 0.05). Higher L value of NPG was mostly due to the higher light‐scattering effect of bright ginseng powder. In oil‐holding capacity, NPG was significantly higher than PG (P < 0.05). Total polyphenol content was not significantly different between NPG and PG, and it was in the range of 52.5% (P > 0.05). However, DPPH and ABTS studies showed that NPG has higher antioxidative properties than PG. In overall, NPG showed much higher antioxidative properties compared with PG. Thus, NPG enhances the functional value of Korean white ginseng powder.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulates the activation of inflammatory cascades and tissue damage in acute pancreatitis. NADPH oxidase (NOX) is upregulated in pancreatitis and is one of the major enzymes involved in ROS production using NADPH as a general rate-limiting substrate. Dunnione, a well-known substrate of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), reduces the ratio of cellular NADPH/NADP+ through the enzymatic action of NQO1. This study assessed whether a reduction in cellular NADPH/NADP+ ratio can be used to regulate caerulein-induced pancreatic damage associated with NOX-induced ROS production in animal models. Dunnione treatment significantly reduced the cellular NADPH/NADP+ ratio and NOX activity through the enzymatic action of NQO1 in the pancreas of the caerulein-injection group. Similar to these results, total ROS production and expressions of mRNA and protein for NOX subunits Nox1, p27phox, p47phox, and p67phox also decreased in the dunnione-treated group. In addition, caerulein-induced pancreatic inflammation and acinar cell injury were significantly reduced by dunnione treatment. This study is the first to demonstrate that modulation of the cellular NADPH:NADP+ ratio by enzymatic action of NQO1 protects acute pancreatitis through the regulation of NOX activity. Furthermore, these results suggest that modulation of the NADPH:NADP+ ratio in cells by NQO1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for acute pancreatitis.

No abstract