Ruscogenin Alleviates Myocardial Ischemia-Induced Ferroptosis through the Activation of BCAT1/BCAT2
Fei Fu,
Qiong Lai,
Jingui Hu,
Lu Zhang,
Xiaozhou Zhu,
Junping Kou,
Boyang Yu,
Fang Li
Affiliations
Fei Fu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Qiong Lai
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Jingui Hu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Lu Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Xiaozhou Zhu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Junping Kou
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Boyang Yu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Fang Li
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Research Center for Traceability and Standardization of TCMs, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
Ruscogenin (RUS), a natural steroidal sapogenin, exerts various biological activities. However, its effectiveness for preventing myocardial ischemia (MI) and its molecular mechanisms need further clarification. The model of MI mice and oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced cardiomyocytes injury was performed. RUS significantly alleviated MI, as evidenced by decreased infarct size, ameliorated biochemical indicators and cardiac pathological features, and markedly inhibited ferroptosis by means of the up-regulation of GPX4 and down-regulation of ACSL4 and FLC. Simultaneously, RUS notably mitigated cell injury and oxidative stress, and ameliorated ferroptosis in vitro. Subsequently, HPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics identified BCAT1/BCAT2 as possible regulatory enzymes responsible for the cardioprotection of RUS. Importantly, RUS treatment significantly increased the expression of BCAT1 and BCAT2 in MI. Furthermore, we found that BCAT1 or BCAT2 siRNA significantly decreased cell viability, promoted ferroptosis, and increased Keap1 expression, and induced Nrf2 and HO-1 degradation in cardiomyocytes. Conversely, cardiac overexpression of BCAT1 or BCAT2 in MI mice activated the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Moreover, RUS significantly activated the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in MI, whereas BCAT1 or BCAT2 siRNA partially weakened the protective effects of RUS, suggesting that RUS might suppress myocardial injury through BCAT1 and BCAT2. Overall, this study demonstrated that BCAT1/BCAT2 could alleviate MI-induced ferroptosis through the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and RUS exerted cardioprotective effects via BCAT1/BCAT2.
