Polydatin Alleviates Septic Myocardial Injury by Promoting SIRT6-Mediated Autophagy

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition. Polydatin (PD), a small natural compound from Polygonum cuspidatum, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the protective mechanism of PD on sepsis-induced acute myocardial damage is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of PD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced H9c2 cells and in a rat model of sepsis, and explored the role of PD-upregulated sirtuin (SIRT)6. LPS-induced H9c2 cells were used to simulate sepsis. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in rats were used to verify the protective effect of PD. ELISA, western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry were used to study the protective mechanism of PD against septic myocardial injury. PD pretreatment suppressed LPS-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis by promotion of SIRT6-mediated autophagy. Downregulation of SIRT6 or inhibition of autophagy reversed the protective effect of PD on LPS-induced apoptosis. PD pretreatment also suppressed LPS-induced inflammatory factor expression. CLP-induced sepsis in rats showed that PD pretreatment decreased CLP-induced myocardial apoptosis and serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 expression. 3-Methyladenine (autophagy inhibitor) pretreatment prevented the protective effect of PD on septic cardiomyopathy. SIRT6 expression was increased with PD treatment, which confirmed that PD attenuates septic cardiomyopathy by promotion of SIRT6-mediated autophagy. All these results indicate that PD has potential therapeutic effects that alleviate septic myocardial injury by promotion of SIRT6-mediated autophagy.