CoQ10 Improves Myocardial Damage in Doxorubicin-Induced Heart Failure in C57BL/6 Mice

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective adjunct to cancer chemotherapy but leads to cardiovascular-related side effects. Because coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been shown to protect against cardiac damage, this study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of CoQ10 against cardiac damage in mice. Methods: We randomly divided six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice into four groups: control (n = 7), CoQ10 (n = 7), heart failure (HF) (n = 7), and HF+CoQ10 (n = 6) groups. HF group was induced via intraperitoneal injections with DOX (5 mg/kg) once weekly for 4 weeks. CoQ10 was solube in corn oil. The mice of CoQ10 and HF+CoQ10 group were given CoQ10 (100 mg/kg) once a day for 8 weeks. All mice were subjected to different treatment regimens for eight weeks. Metabolic characteristics, cardiac damage, oxidative stress markers (SIRT1, SIRT3, eNOS, TE, P53, SIRT5, CAT, HO-1, and SOD), energy metabolism markers (PARP-1 and PPAR-γ), myocardial fibrosis markers (Smad3 and TGF-β), and apoptosis markers (BAK, BCL-XL, and caspase-8) were analyzed at eight weeks after the different treatments. Results: CoQ10 reduced the levels of molecules related to cardiac damage, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and myocardial fibrosis in mice with doxorubicin-induced HF. CoQ10 also exerted anti-apoptotic effects in HF mice. Conclusions: CoQ10 may be useful for preventing cardiac damage in DOX-induced HF.

The Distant Molecular Effects on the Brain by Cancer Treatment

“…The gene Sirt5 encodes for sirtuin 5, which resides in the mitochondria and promotes glycolysis but also has antioxidant capacity [73]. This finding corroborates a prior murine study in which doxorubicin decreased expression of Sirt5, which may promote doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress [74]. Doxorubicin has been shown to cause indirect oxidative stress in the nervous system, and oxidative stress can cause neuronal degeneration and cognitive impairment [72,75].…”

Protective effect of coenzyme Q10 against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: Scoping review article

“…Different doses and duration of coenzyme Q10 have been used to assess cardio-protection against doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. The included trials out of 11,303 were 14 articles, out of the 14 trials 10 of the articles (71.4 %) concluded that coenzyme Q10 protects against doxorubicin cardiotoxicity ( Pei et al, 2022 , Shabaan and Mostafa, 2021 , Sacks et al, 2021 , Botelho et al, 2020 , Mustafa et al, 2017 , Pei-Yu Chen et al, n.d. , Shimamoto et al, 1983 , Usui et al, 1982 , Ohhara et al, 1981 , Choe et al, 1979 ). Two of the 14 (14.2 %) articles focus on survival and oxygen uptake and their conclusion was not clear and needs further investigation ( Aldridge, 1960 , Tábora et al, 1986 ).…”

A mixed antioxidant supplement improves cognitive function, and coordination in aged mice

“…Maintenance of coenzyme Q10 plasma levels reduces the risk of sarcopenia and frailty in the elderly, ( 29 ) and treatment with coenzyme Q10 prevents cardiovascular events by affecting the heart muscle. ( 30 ) Coenzyme Q10 plays an important role in mitochondrial function and could be a mechanism contributing to muscle weakness and enhanced training effects. ( 31 ) In addition, it has been reported that levels of vitamins B1, B2, and B6 decrease with exercise.…”