Rhynchophyllin attenuates neuroinflammation in Tourette syndrome rats via JAK2/STAT3 and NF-κB pathways

Mechanistic insights and therapeutic approaches in tic disorders: The distinctive role of ethnomedicine and modern medical interventions

Tic disorders (TDs) are a class of neurodevelopmental disorders that have received considerable scientific attention. The genesis of TDs is increasingly understood as a complex interplay of neurobiological, genetic, and immunological factors. Animal model studies have elucidated the pathophysiology of TDs, paving the way for innovative therapeutic approaches. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the etiologic basis, experimental framework, and treatment strategies for TDs, highlighting the contributions of ethnomedicine and modern medicine. Our synthesis aims to deepen the understanding of the disease and spur the development of superior treatments. In addition, we present new insights and hypotheses for the future management of TDs, emphasizing the need for continued research into their etiology and progression, as well as the pursuit of more effective therapies. We advocate personalized, holistic care strategies that focus on symptom relief and improving patients' quality of life. Overall, this review provides a critical compendium for TD researchers and practitioners to help navigate the complexities of these disorders.

Neuroinflammation and pathways that contribute to tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome (TS), a neurological and psychological disease, typically exhibit motor and phonic tics. The pathophysiology of TS remains controversial. Currently, the recognized pathogenesis of TS is the imbalance of neurotransmitters, involving abnormality of the cortex-striatum-thalamus-cortex circuit. Recently, clinical researches demonstrate that triggers such as infection and allergic reaction could lead to the onset or exacerbation of tic symptoms. Current studies have also suggested that neural-immune crosstalk caused by inflammation is also associated with TS, potentially leading to the occurrence of tics by inducing neurotransmitter abnormalities. Herein, we review inflammation-related factors contributing to the occurrence of TS as well as the mechanisms by which immune-inflammatory pathways mediate the onset of TS. This aims to clarify the pathogenesis of TS and provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of TS.

The effects of Shaoma Zhijing granules and its main components on Tourette syndrome

BACKGROUND

Tourette syndrome (TS) represents a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an uncertain etiology and influencing factors. Frequently, it co-occurs with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sleep disturbances, which have garnered substantial attention from the research community in recent years. Clinical trials have demonstrated that Shaoma Zhijing Granules (SMZJG, 5-ling granule, also known as TSupport or T92 under U.S. development), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, is an effective treatment for TS.

PURPOSE

To conduct scientometric analysis on developing trends, research countries and institutions, current status, hot spots of TS and discuss the underlying mechanisms of SMZJG and its main components on TS. The aim is to provide valuable reference for ongoing clinical and basic research on TS and SMZJG.

STUDY DESIGN & METHODS

Using Tourette syndrome, SMZJG and its main components along with their synonyms as keywords, we conducted a comprehensive search across major scientific databases including the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. A total of 5952 references and 99 patents were obtained. Among these, 5039 articles and reviews, as well as 54 patents were analyzed by Citespace and VOSviewer software.

RESULTS

The available evidence indicates that the SMZJG's components likely exert their mechanisms in treating TS by regulating the dopaminergic pathway system, neurotransmitter imbalances, reducing neuroinflammation, promoting the repair of nerve damage and improving sleep disorders.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive analysis lays the foundation for an extensive exploration of the feasibility and clinical applications of SMZJG in TS treatment.

Potential Plasma Metabolic Biomarkers of Tourette Syndrome Discovery Based on Integrated Nontargeted and Targeted Metabolomics Screening Plasma Metabolic Biomarkers of TS

Objective

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by abnormal movements, phonations, and tics, but an accurate TS diagnosis remains challenging and indeed depends on its description of clinical symptoms. Our study was conducted to discover and verify some metabolite biomarkers based on nontargeted and targeted metabolomics.

Methods

We conducted untargeted ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) for preliminary screening of potential biomarkers on 30 TS patients and 10 healthy controls and then performed validation experiments based on targeted ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole-MS (UHPLC/MS/MS) on 35 TS patients and 14 healthy controls.

Results

1775 differentially expressed metabolites were identified by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), fold-change analysis, T-test, and hierarchical clustering analysis (adjusted p value <0.05 and |logFC| > 1). TS plasma samples were found to be differentiated from healthy samples in our approach. Furthermore, aspartate and asparagine metabolism pathways were considered to be a significant enrichment pathway in TS progression based on metabolite pathway enrichment analysis. For the 8 metabolites involved in this pathway that we detected, we then performed validation experiments based on targeted UHPLC/MS/MS. The t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to determine potential biomarkers. Ultimately, L-arginine and L-pipecolic acid were validated as significantly differentiated metabolites (p < 0.05), with an AUC of 70.0% and 80.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

L-pipecolic acid was defined as a potential biomarker for TS diagnosis by the combined application of nontargeted and targeted metabolomic analysis.

Bergaptol Alleviates LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation, Neurological Damage and Cognitive Impairment via Regulating the JAK2/STAT3/p65 Pathway

Purpose

Neuroinflammation is considered a critical pathological process in various central nervous system (CNS) diseases and is closely related to neuronal death and dysfunction. Bergaptol is a natural 5-hydroxyfurocoumarin found in lemon, bergamot and other plants. Some studies have confirmed its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic functions, indicating that it may have significant medicinal value. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of Bergaptol in vitro and in vivo neuroinflammatory models.

Methods

Mice were injected with LPS (40 μg/kg) into the hippocampal CA1 region and then injected intraperitoneally with Bergaptol (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) once a day for two weeks. In addition, to verify the effect of Bergaptol on BV2 cells, Bergaptol with different concentrations (5, 10 and 20 μg/mL) was firstly incubated for 1 hour, then LPS with a concentration of 1 μg/mL was added and incubated for 23 hours.

Results

Bergaptol treatment significantly improved the cognitive impairment induced by LPS. In addition, Bergaptol significantly inhibited the reduction of dendritic spines and the mRNA level of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) in hippocampal induced by LPS. In vitro, Bergaptol inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β from LPS-treated BV-2 cells. In addition, Bergaptol treatment significantly reduced the phosphorylation levels of JAK2, STAT3 and p65 in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our results suggest that Bergaptol alleviates LPS-induced neuroinflammation, neurological damage and cognitive impairment by regulating the JAK2/STAT3/P65 pathway, suggesting that Bergaptol is a promising neuroprotective agent.

Effects of manganese on microglia M1/M2 polarization and SIRT1-mediated transcription of STAT3-dependent genes in mouse

Overexposure to manganese (Mn) can lead to neurological diseases, characterized by behavioral and motor impairments. Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Microglial M1 and M2 phenotypes play pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory roles, respectively, in response to microenvironmental disturbances. Silent information regulator (SIRT1) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the neuroinflammatory response by deacetylating various transcription factors, such as proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). In addition, PGC-1α and STAT3 have been implicated in microglial polarization and inflammatory response. In this study, Mn exposure (50, 100, 200 μmol/kg) induced neuroinflammatory injury and interfered with microglial M1/M2 polarization in mice, as indicated by the upregulated expression of M1 polarization marker mRNA (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS), whereas changes in M2 polarization markers (IL-4, TGF-β, and Arg1) varied, with some increasing and some decreasing, in response to increasing Mn doses, which was consistent with the flow cytometry results used to detect the percentages of each microglial type. We found that Mn could downregulate SIRT1 expression and activate NF-κB signaling. Following mice in the 200 μmol/kg Mn treatment, STAT3 and PGC-1α levels in the nuclear fraction both significantly decreased, and the interaction between the proteins decreased, affecting the transcription of STAT3-mediated genes. These findings provide new insights regarding the role played by Mn neurotoxicity in the suppression of neuroinflammation through the regulation of microglial polarization.

Everolimus inhibits PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-kB/IL-6 signaling and protects seizure-induced brain injury in rats

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disease caused by the over-synchronization of neurons leading to brain dysfunction. Recurrent seizures can lead to cognitive and behavioral deficits, and irreversible brain damage. While the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulates various physiological processes of neurons and glia, it may also lead to abnormal neuronal signal transduction under pathological conditions, including that of epilepsy. Everolimus (Eve), an mTOR inhibitor, may modulate neuronal excitability and therefore exert protection against epilepsy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of Everolimus on seizure-induced brain injury and its regulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-kB/IL-6 signaling pathway. Kainic acid (KA) 15 mg/kg was used to induce seizures and Everolimus (1, 2, 5 mg/kg) was administered as a pretreatment. Hippocampal tissue was extracted 24 h post-seizure.

RESULTS

The protein and mRNA expression levels of PI3K、p-AKt、p-mTOR、NF-kB and IL-6 as well as neuronal apoptosis and microglia activation, significantly increased after KA-induced seizures, however, these effects were inhibited by Everolimus treatment. Furthermore, pretreatment with Everolimus decreased seizure scores and increased seizure latency.

CONCLUSIONS

Everolimus can decrease the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and NF-kB/IL-6 signaling pathway, reduce neuronal apoptosis and microglia activation, and attenuate seizure susceptibility and intensity, thus having a protective effect on seizure-induced brain damage.

Suppression of autophagy through JAK2/STAT3 contributes to the therapeutic action of rhynchophylline on asthma

Background

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway remodeling and inflammation. Rhynchophylline is a kind of indole alkaloid isolated from Uncaria rhynchophylla. Here we investigated the effect of rhynchophylline on autophagy in asthma.

Methods

A mice model of asthma was established by ovalbumin challenge. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, periodic acid-schiff staining and Masson staining. The levels of IgE in serum, interleukin-6 and interleukin-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in lung tissues were detected. The expression of autophagy-related genes and Janus kinase (JAK) 2/ signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 signal was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) were isolated, and the effect rhynchophylline on autophagy in ASMCs was explored.

Results

Our data showed that rhynchophylline treatment alleviated inflammation, airway remodeling, and oxidative stress in asthma. In addition, autophagy, which was implicated in asthma, was suppressed by rhynchophylline with decreased level of autophagy-related proteins. Furthermore, rhynchophylline suppressed the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, which was activated in asthma. In vitro study showed that rhynchophylline suppressed ASMC autophagy through suppressing the activation of JAK2/STAT3 signal.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that rhynchophylline can alleviate asthma through suppressing autophagy in asthma, and that JAK2/STAT3 signal was involved in this effect of rhynchophylline. This study indicates that rhynchophylline may become a promising drug for the treatment of asthma.

Recent research progress of Uncaria spp. based on alkaloids: phytochemistry, pharmacology and structural chemistry

Medicinal plants are well-known in affording clinically useful agents, with rich medicinal values by combining with disease targets through various mechanisms. Plant secondary metabolites as lead compounds lay the foundation for the discovery and development of new drugs in disease treatment. Genus Uncaria from Rubiaceae family is a significant plant source of active alkaloids, with anti-hypertensive, sedative, anti-Alzheimer's disease, anti-drug addiction and anti-inflammatory effects. This review summarizes and discuss the research progress of Uncaria based on alkaloids in the past 15 years, mainly in the past 5 years, including biosynthesis, phytochemistry, pharmacology and structural chemistry. Among, focusing on representative compounds rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline, the pharmacological activities surrounding the central nervous system and cardiovascular system are described in detail. On the basis of case studies, this article provides a brief overview of the synthesis and analogues of representative compounds types. In summary, this review provides an early basis for further searching for new targets and activities, discussing the mechanisms of pharmacological activity and studying the structure-activity relationships of active molecules.