Fullerenol as a novel therapeutic agent for sepsis-induced cardiomyocytes damage

Sepsis-induced myocardial damage (SIMD) is a serious complication of sepsis that affects cardiac function and prognosis. However, effective methods for the prevention and treatment of SIMD are presently lacking. This study reports the crucial function of fullerenols in protecting cardiomyocytes from septic injury. First, we applied the as-prepared fullerenols as an effective free radical scavenger and broad-spectrum anti-oxidant to protect against LPS-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Next, we verified their ability to downregulate IL-6, TNF-α, and ROS-dependent pyroptosis in AC16 induced by LPS. Finally, we observed that the protective mechanism of fullerenol against SIMD involves the regulation of the NFκB/iNOS/COX-2 pathway. This study presents a timely and essential investigation of the prevention and treatment of SIMD, providing new insights into the applications of fullerenols for therapeutic strategies.