Stimulation of chemokines in human endometrial stromal cells by tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ is similar under apoptotic and non-apoptotic conditions

The common regulatory pathway of COVID-19 and multiple inflammatory diseases and the molecular mechanism of cepharanthine in the treatment of COVID-19

Background: Similar pathogenesis makes Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and gouty arthritis (GA), and it is possible to introduce common drugs for the treatment of RA, AS and GA into the treatment of COVID-19. That is, “homotherapy for heteropathy”, especially cytokine inhibitors. But little is known about the specific link between the diseases. In addition, “new use of old drugs” is an important short-term strategy for the treatment of COVID-19. Cepharanthine (CEP), a monomer component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is mainly used in the treatment of leukopenia and has recently been proved to have a good therapeutic effect on COVID-19, but its specific molecular mechanism has not been clearly explained. The purpose of this work is to explore the common targets and signaling pathways among COVID-19, RA, AS, and GA by means of network pharmacology (NP), and to infer the potential mechanism of CEP in the treatment of COVID-19.

Methods: Firstly, SwissTargetPrediction was used to predict the targets of CEP, and the pathogenic targets of COVID-19, RA, AS and GA were searched in GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, PharmGKB database and literature, respectively. Then, the protein interaction network of CEP and COVID-19 cross targets and the common targets of COVID-19, RA, AS and GA was constructed. Cytosscape 3.7.2 software was used to construct CEP-common targets-signaling pathways-COVID-19 network, module function analysis, gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). Finally, the molecular docking of hub targets and CEP was carried out by AutoDock software.

Results: The results showed that the common targets of the four diseases were tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β, and involved Coronavirus disease, IL-17 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway. CEP has a good binding force with AKT Serine/Threonine Kinase 1 (AKT1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIK3) CA, PIK3CD and Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and plays a role in the treatment of COVID-19 by regulating PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Relaxin signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway and HIF-1 signaling pathway.

Conclusion: Therefore, this study not only confirmed the potential mechanism of CEP in the treatment of COVID-19 at the molecular level, but also found that TNF and IL-17 inhibitors, which are commonly used in the treatment of RA, AS and GA, may also affect the treatment of COVID-19, which provides new clues and theoretical basis for the rapid discovery of effective therapeutic drugs for COVID-19.

Systems pharmacology-based drug discovery and active mechanism of natural products for coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19): An example using flavonoids

BACKGROUND

Recently, the value of natural products has been extensively considered because these resources can potentially be applied to prevent and treat coronavirus pneumonia 2019 (COVID-19). However, the discovery of nature drugs is problematic because of their complex composition and active mechanisms.

METHODS

This comprehensive study was performed on flavonoids, which are compounds with anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects, to show drug discovery and active mechanism from natural products in the treatment of COVID-19 via a systems pharmacological model. First, a chemical library of 255 potential flavonoids was constructed. Second, the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanism of action between flavonoids and COVID-19 were explored by constructing a compound-target and target-disease network, targets protein-protein interaction (PPI), MCODE analysis, gene ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment.

RESULTS

In total, 105 active flavonoid components were identified, of which 6 were major candidate compounds (quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), luteolin, fisetin, wogonin, and licochalcone A). 152 associated targets were yielded based on network construction, and 7 family proteins (PTGS, GSK3β, ABC, NOS, EGFR, and IL) were included as central hub targets. Moreover, 528 GO items and 178 KEGG pathways were selected through enrichment of target functions. Lastly, molecular docking demonstrated good stability of the combination of selected flavonoids with 3CL Pro and ACEⅡ.

CONCLUSION

Natural flavonoids could enable resistance against COVID-19 by regulating inflammatory, antiviral, and immune responses, and repairing tissue injury. This study has scientific significance for the selective utilization of natural products, medicinal value enhancement of flavonoids, and drug screening for the treatment of COVID-19 induced by SARS-COV-2.

The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediates reproductive toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyl congener 126 in rats

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are endocrine disrupting chemicals with documented, though mechanistically ill-defined, reproductive toxicity. The toxicity of dioxin-like PCBs, such as PCB126, is mediated via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in non-ovarian tissues. The goal of this study was to examine the uterine and ovarian effects of PCB126 and test the hypothesis that the AHR is required for PCB126-induced reproductive toxicity. Female Holzman-Sprague Dawley wild type (n = 14; WT) and Ahr knock out (n = 11; AHR-/-) rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of either corn oil vehicle (5 ml/kg: WT_O and AHR-/-_O) or PCB126 (1.63 mg/kg in corn oil: WT_PCB and AHR-/-_PCB) at four weeks of age. The estrous cycle was synchronized and ovary and uterus were collected 28 days after exposure. In WT rats, PCB126 exposure reduced (P < 0.05) body and ovary weight, uterine gland number, uterine area, progesterone, 17β-estradiol and anti-Müllerian hormone level, secondary and antral follicle and corpora lutea number but follicle stimulating hormone level increased (P < 0.05). In AHR-/- rats, PCB126 exposure increased (P ≤ 0.05) circulating luteinizing hormone level. Ovarian or uterine mRNA abundance of biotransformation, and inflammation genes were altered (P < 0.05) in WT rats due to PCB126 exposure. In AHR-/- rats, the transcriptional effects of PCB126 were restricted to reductions (P < 0.05) in three inflammatory genes. These findings support a functional role for AHR in the female reproductive tract, illustrate AHR's requirement in PCB126-induced reprotoxicity, and highlight the potential risk of dioxin-like compounds on female reproduction.

Expression of Caspases in the Pig Endometrium Throughout the Estrous Cycle and at the Maternal-Conceptus Interface During Pregnancy and Regulation by Steroid Hormones and Cytokines

Caspases, a family of cysteine protease enzymes, are a critical component of apoptotic cell death, but they are also involved in cellular differentiation. The expression of caspases during apoptotic processes in reproductive tissues has been shown in some species; however, the expression and regulation of caspases in the endometrium and placental tissues of pigs has not been fully understood. Therefore, we determined the expression of caspases CASP3, CASP6, CASP7, CASP8, CASP9, and CASP10 in the endometrium throughout the estrous cycle and pregnancy. During the estrous cycle, the expression of all caspases and during pregnancy, the expression of CASP3, CASP6, and CASP7 in the endometrium changed in a stage-specific manner. Conceptus and chorioallantoic tissues also expressed caspases during pregnancy. CASP3, cleaved-CASP3, and CASP7 proteins were localized to endometrial cells, with increased levels in luminal and glandular epithelial cells during early pregnancy, whereas apoptotic cells in the endometrium were limited to some scattered stromal cells with increased numbers on Day 15 of pregnancy. In endometrial explant cultures, the expression of some caspases was affected by steroid hormones (estradiol-17β and/or progesterone), and the cytokines interleukin-1β and interferon-γ induced the expression of CASP3 and CASP7, respectively. These results indicate that caspases are dynamically expressed in the endometrium throughout the estrous cycle and at the maternal-conceptus interface during pregnancy in response to steroid hormones and conceptus signals. Thus, caspase action could be important in regulating endometrial and placental function and epithelial cell function during the implantation period in pigs.

Increased expression of neurogenic factors in uterine fibroids

STUDY QUESTION

Are selective markers for the neuronal differentiation such as microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) and synaptophysin (SYP) as well as the nerve growth factor (NGF) expressed by fibroids, myometrium and eutopic endometrium?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Neuronal markers NGF, MAP-2 and SYP are highly expressed in fibroids compared with matched myometrium, and this neurogenic pathway is upregulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha in cultured smooth muscle cells (SMCs).

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Uterine fibroids or leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors, accounting for approximately one-third of hysterectomies. The present trend is to improve the medical treatment avoiding surgery, also for fertility sparing; hence, the pathogenic mechanisms are investigated, aiming to develop new therapeutic strategy.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This laboratory-based case-control study is focused on fibroids and myometrial specimens obtained between 2015 and 2017 from 15 women of reproductive age at the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Leiomyomas, matched myometrium and endometrium from each woman were analyzed. Control endometrium was obtained from women undergoing surgery for ovarian cyst (n = 15).

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunostaining were applied to evaluate the expression of neurogenic markers; the effects of TNF on NGF, MAP-2 and SYP expression in cultured SMCs from leiomyomas and matched myometrium were analyzed.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

qRT-PCR analyses using tissues from clinical patients showed that the levels of NGF, MAP-2 and SYP mRNA were significantly higher in uterine leiomyomas compared with their matched myometrium (P < 0.05), whereas only NGF was significantly increased in eutopic endometrium compared with healthy endometrium. In primary SMCs, isolated from fibroids or from the adjacent myometrium, NGF, MAP-2 and SYP mRNA expression were significantly increased by TNF treatment (P < 0.05). Finally, human endometrial stromal cells prepared from the endometrium of patients affected by uterine fibroids display higher TNF expression (P < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

qRT-PCR analysis and immunofluorescence validation are robust methods demonstrating a clear upregulation of neurogenic factors in leiomyomas, even though additional studies are needed to establish a correlation between increased neuronal gene expression and degree of pain, as well as the involvement of inflammation mediators in the development of the neurogenic unhinge. Therefore, more in vivo studies are needed to confirm the results achieved from primary cultured SMCs.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

The increased expression of neurogenic factors in uterine fibroids and endometrium may contribute to explain the painful stimuli. Accordingly, these neurogenic pathways may represent potential therapeutic avenues to treat the fibroid-related disorders.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was supported by research grants from the University of Siena. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.