Cardiac dysfunction caused by sepsis is the predominant reason for death in patients with sepsis. However, the effective drugs for its prevention and the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a natural iminopyranose, exhibits various biological properties, such as hypoglycemic, antitumor, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, whether DNJ can mediate biological activity resistance in sepsis-induced myocardial injury and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling is an important pathway for the signal transduction of several key cytokines in the pathogenesis of sepsis, which can transcribe and modulate the host immune response. This study was conducted to confirm whether DNJ mediates oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in cardiomyocytes, thereby alleviating myocardial injury in sepsis via the JAK2/STAT6 signaling pathway. Septic cardiomyopathy was induced in mice using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and they were then treated with DNJ. The results showed that DNJ markedly improved sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction, attenuated reactive oxygen species generation, reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and mitigated inflammation. Mechanistically, increased JAK2/STAT6 phosphorylation was observed in the mouse sepsis models, which decreased significantly after DNJ oral treatment. To further confirm whether DNJ mediates the JAK2/STAT6 pathway, the selective inhibitor fedratinib was used to block the JAK2 signaling pathway in vitro, which enhanced the protective effects of DNJ against the sepsis-induced cardiac damage. Collectively, these findings suggest that DNJ attenuates sepsis-induced myocardial injury by decreasing myocardial oxidative damage, apoptosis, and inflammation via the regulation of the JAK2/STAT6 signaling pathway.
Keywords: 1-Deoxynojirimycin; Cardiac dysfunction; Inflammation; JAK2/STAT6; Oxidative stress; Sepsis.
Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.