Protective Effect of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) on Acute Lung Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Mice.

Vitamin K2 (MK-7) has been shown to cause significant changes in different physiological processes and diseases, but its role in acute lung injury (ALI) is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the protective effects of VK2 against LPS-induced ALI in mice. The male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 7): the control group, LPS group, negative control group (LPS + Oil), positive control group (LPS + DEX), LPS + VK2 (L) group (VK2, 1.

Vitamin K: Infection, Inflammation, and Auto-Immunity.

Vitamin K (VK) comprises a group of substances with chlorophyll quinone bioactivity and exists in nature in the form of VK1 and VK2. As its initial recognition originated from the ability to promote blood coagulation, it is known as the coagulation vitamin. However, based on extensive research, VK has shown potential for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.

Vitamin K2 protects mice against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by high-fat diet.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide and there is a huge unmet need to find safer and more effective drugs. Vitamin K has been found to regulate lipid metabolism in the liver. However, the effects of vitamin K2 on NAFLD is unclear.

Vitamin K2 (MK-7) attenuates LPS-induced acute lung injury via inhibiting inflammation, apoptosis, and ferroptosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening disease that has received considerable critical attention in the field of intensive care. This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of vitamin K2 (VK2) in ALI. Intraperitoneal injection of 7 mg/kg LPS was used to induce ALI in mice, and VK2 injection was intragastrically administered with the dose of 0.

Effects of Non-directional Mechanical Trauma on Gastrointestinal Tract Injury in Rats.

Mechanical trauma can (MT) cause secondary injury, such as cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction has been reported. However, the effects of mechanical trauma on gastrointestinal tract is unclear. This study aims to observe the main location and time of gastrointestinal tract injury caused by non-directional trauma and explain the reason of the increase of LPS in blood caused by mechanical injury.

Role of emerging vitamin K‑dependent proteins: Growth arrest‑specific protein 6, Gla‑rich protein and periostin (Review).

Vitamin K‑dependent proteins (VKDPs) are a group of proteins that need vitamin K to conduct carboxylation. Thus far, scholars have identified a total of 17 VKDPs in the human body. In this review, we summarize three important emerging VKDPs: Growth arrest‑specific protein 6 (Gas 6), Gla‑rich protein (GRP) and periostin in terms of their functions in physiological and pathological conditions.

Research progress on the anticancer effects of vitamin K2.

Despite the availability of multiple therapeutic methods for patients with cancer, the long-term prognosis is not satisfactory in a number of different cancer types. Vitamin K2 (VK2), which exerts anticancer effects on a number of cancer cell lines, is considered to be a prospective novel agent for the treatment of cancer. The present review aims to summarize the results of studies in which VK2 was administered either to patients with cancer or animals inoculated with cancerous cells, particularly investigating the inhibitory effects of VK2 on cancerous cells, primarily involving cell-cycle arrest, cell differentiation, apoptosis, autophagy and invasion.

Vitamin K‑dependent proteins involved in bone and cardiovascular health (Review).

In postmenopausal women and elderly men, bone density decreases with age and vascular calcification is aggravated. This condition is closely associated with vitamin K2 deficiency. A total of 17 different vitamin K‑dependent proteins have been identified to date.

Effect of vitamin K2 on type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continue to be a major public health problem around the world that frequently presents with microvascular and macrovascular complications. Individuals with T2DM are not only suffering from significant emotional and physical misery, but also at increased risk of dying from severe complications. In recent years, evidence from prospective observational studies and clinical trials has shown T2DM risk reduction with vitamin K2 supplementation.

Curcumin ameliorates cardiac dysfunction induced by mechanical trauma.

Curcumin, a phytochemical component derived from turmeric (Carcuma longa), has been extensively investigated because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Inflammation and oxidative stress play critical roles in posttraumatic cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which contributes to secondary cardiac dysfunction. This research was designed to identify the protective effect of curcumin on posttraumatic cardiac dysfunction and investigate its underlying mechanism.

Role of Transient Receptor Potential Channels in Heart Transplantation: A Potential Novel Therapeutic Target for Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

Heart transplantation has evolved as the criterion standard therapy for end-stage heart failure, but its efficacy is limited by the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), a unique and rapidly progressive form of atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients. Here, we briefly review the key processes in the development of CAV during heart transplantation and highlight the roles of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in these processes during heart transplantation. Understanding the roles of TRP channels in contributing to the key procedures for the development of CAV during heart transplantation could provide basic scientific knowledge for the development of new preventive and therapeutic approaches to manage patients with CAV after heart transplantation.

Mitigation Effect of Proanthocyanidin on Secondary Heart Injury in Rats Caused by Mechanical Trauma.

Multiple organ dysfunctional syndrome secondary to mechanical trauma (MT) has attracted considerable research attention. The heart is one of the most important organs of the body, and secondary cardiac insufficiency caused by MT seriously affects the quality of life. This study aims to investigate whether proanthocyanidin can alleviate myocardial injury and improve heart function in the process of MT leading to secondary cardiac insufficiency.

Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) Channel and Neurogenic Inflammation in Pathogenesis of Asthma.

Asthma is characterized by airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and it affects 300 million people worldwide. However, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie asthma remains limited. Recent studies have suggested that transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), one of the transient receptor potential cation channels, may be involved in airway inflammation in asthma.

Protective Effect of Quercetin on Posttraumatic Cardiac Injury.

Quercetin is an important dietary flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables and has attracted attention because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Inflammation and oxidative stress play important roles in posttraumatic cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which contributes to secondary cardiac dysfunction. This study investigates the protective effect of quercetin on trauma-induced secondary cardiac injury and the mechanisms involved.

The Na+/Ca²+ exchanger in cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX) is an important electrogenic transporter in maintaining Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ homeostasis in a variety of mammalian organs, and is involved in the physiological and pathophysiological regulation of Ca²⁺ concentration in the myocardium. It can affect cardial structure, electrophysiology and contractile properties. The role of the NCX in heart cells following ischemia/reperfusion (IR) has been investigated using a number of in vitro and in vivo models.

Excessive nicotinic acid increases methyl consumption and hydrogen peroxide generation in rats.

Context: Recent ecological evidence has showed a lag-correlation between the prevalence of diabetes and consumption of niacin (nicotinamide and nicotinic acid) in the US. Nicotinamide has been demonstrated to induce insulin resistance due to excess reactive oxygen species and methyl depletion, whereas the effect of nicotinic acid is poorly understood.

Objective: To examine the mechanism of the effect of nicotinic acid on glucose metabolism.

TNFalpha-initiated oxidative/nitrative stress mediates cardiomyocyte apoptosis in traumatic animals.

Whole body non-penetrating trauma causes myocardial infarction in humans and mechanical trauma (MT) results in cardiac dysfunction in animals. Our recent study demonstrated that incubation of cardiomyocytes with plasma isolated from MT animals causes significant cardiomyocyte apoptosis that can be blocked by neutralization of TNFalpha. The present study attempted to obtain direct in vivo evidence to support that overproduction of TNFalpha plays a causative role in trauma-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha in mechanic trauma plasma mediates cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Mechanical traumatic injury causes cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. However, the signaling mechanisms leading to posttraumatic cardiomyocyte apoptosis remains unclear. The present study attempted to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by trauma.

Adiponectin cardioprotection after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion involves the reduction of oxidative/nitrative stress.

Background: Several clinical studies have demonstrated that levels of adiponectin are significantly reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes and that adiponectin levels are inversely related to the risk of myocardial ischemia. The present study was designed to determine the mechanism by which adiponectin exerts its protective effects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion.

Methods And Results: Adiponectin-/- or wild-type mice were subjected to 30 minutes of myocardial ischemia followed by 3 hours or 24 hours (infarct size and cardiac function) of reperfusion.

Role of reverse mode Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in the cardioprotection of metabolic inhibition preconditioning in rat ventricular myocytes.

This study determined the role of the reverse mode Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) in cardioprotection of metabolic inhibition preconditioning in isolated ventricular myocyctes. Activity of the reverse mode NCX was assessed by changes of [Ca(2+)](i) upon withdrawal of extracellular Na(+). [Ca(2+)](i) was measured by spectrofluorometry, using Fura-2 as Ca(2+) indicator.