Role of Inflammation and Redox Status on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Infant and Adult CD-1 Male Mice
Ana Reis-Mendes,
Ana Isabel Padrão,
José Alberto Duarte,
Salomé Gonçalves-Monteiro,
Margarida Duarte-Araújo,
Fernando Remião,
Félix Carvalho,
Emília Sousa,
Maria Lourdes Bastos,
Vera Marisa Costa
Affiliations
Ana Reis-Mendes
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Ana Isabel Padrão
Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
José Alberto Duarte
Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Salomé Gonçalves-Monteiro
Outcomes Research Laboratory, MOREHealth, Outcomes Research Laboratory, Portuguese Institute of Oncology at Porto Francisco Gentil (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Margarida Duarte-Araújo
Department of Immuno-Physiology and Pharmacology, ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Fernando Remião
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Félix Carvalho
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Emília Sousa
Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Maria Lourdes Bastos
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Vera Marisa Costa
Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Doxorubicin (DOX) is a topoisomerase II inhibitor commonly used in the treatment of several types of cancer. Despite its efficacy, DOX can potentially cause fatal adverse effects, like cardiotoxicity. This work aimed to assess the role of inflammation in DOX-treated infant and adult mice and its possible link to underlying cardiotoxicity. Two groups of CD-1 male mice of different ages (infants or adults) were subjected to biweekly DOX administrations, to reach a cumulative dose of 18.0 mg/kg, which corresponds approximately in humans to 100.6 mg/m2 for infants and 108.9 mg/m2 for adults a clinically relevant dose in humans. The classic plasmatic markers of cardiotoxicity increased, and that damage was confirmed by histopathological findings in both groups, although it was higher in adults. Moreover, in DOX-treated adults, an increase of cardiac fibrosis was observed, which was accompanied by an increase in specific inflammatory parameters, namely, macrophage M1 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit, with a trend toward increased levels of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2). On the other hand, the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and interleukin (IL)-6 significantly decreased in DOX-treated adult animals. In infants, a significant increase in cardiac protein carbonylation and in the levels of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) was observed. In both groups, no differences were found in the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), IL-1β, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) or NF-κB p52 subunit. In conclusion, using a clinically relevant dose of DOX, our study demonstrated that cardiac effects are associated not only with the intensity of the inflammatory response but also with redox response. Adult mice seemed to be more prone to DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by mechanisms related to inflammation, while infant mice seem to be protected from the damage caused by DOX, possibly by activating such antioxidant defenses as Nrf2.
