Ingramon, a Peptide Inhibitor of MCP-1 Chemokine, Reduces Migration of Blood Monocytes Stimulated by Glioma-Conditioned Medium

Role of CCL2/CCR2 axis in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and possible Treatments: All options on the Table

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is cause of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the last two years, SARS-CoV-2 has infected millions of people worldwide with different waves, resulting in the death of many individuals. The evidence disclosed that the host immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 play a pivotal role in COVID-19 pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. In addition to inducing antiviral immune responses, SARS-CoV-2 can also cause dysregulated inflammatory responses characterized by the noticeable release of proinflammatory mediators in COVID-19 patients. Among these proinflammatory mediators, chemokines are considered a subset of cytokines that participate in the chemotaxis process to recruit immune and non-immune cells to the site of inflammation and infection. Researchers have demonstrated that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) and its receptor (CCR2) are involved in the recruitment of monocytes and infiltration of these cells into the lungs of patients suffering from COVID-19. Moreover, elevated levels of CCL2 have been reported in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from patients with severe COVID-19, initiating cytokine storm and promoting CD163+ myeloid cells infiltration in the airways and further alveolar damage. Therefore, CCL2/CCR axis plays a key role in the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 and targeted therapy of involved molecules in this axis can be a potential therapeutic approach for these patients. This review discusses the biology of the CCL2/CCR2 axis as well as the role of this axis in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis, along with therapeutic options aimed at inhibiting CCL2/CCR2 and modulating dysregulated inflammatory responses in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Relationship between the Monocyte Chemo-attractant Protein-1 gene rs1024611 A>G Polymorphism and Cancer Susceptibility: A Meta-analysis Involving 14,617 Subjects

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory and inducible chemokines are the hallmarks of malignancy. Monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a crucial chemokine implicated in infection and inflammation. Methods: We performed an updated meta-analysis of thirty independent case-control studies with 6,777 cancer cases and 7,840 controls to determine if the MCP-1 gene rs1024611 A > G variant is associated with the risk of cancer. Results: The G allele carriers of rs1024611 in the MCP-1 gene might have a null association with cancer risk in overall comparison. In a subgroup analysis by ethnicity, we identified a marked association between the MCP-1 G allele rs1024611 polymorphism and cancer risk in the Caucasian populations (GG vs. AA: OR = 1.72, 95% CI, 1.12-2.64, P = .013, and GG vs. AG/AA: OR = 1.82, 95% CI, 1.19-2.78, P = .006). The potential bias in literature selection was witnessed in this meta-analysis (G vs. A: P _Begg's =  0.187, P_Egger's =  0.049; and GG/GA vs. AA: P _Begg's =  0.069, P_Egger's =  0.024). The adjusted ORs and CIs of the nonparametric "trim-and-fill" method demonstrated the reliability of these findings. The outcome of heterogeneity analysis indicated that heterogeneity might be due to small sample sizes (<1000 subjects), cancer types (bladder cancer, other cancers), ethnicity (Asians), and population-based studies. However, the sensitivity analysis validated the reliability of the findings. Conclusion: In conclusion, this updated meta-analysis showed that the G carrier of the MCP-1 gene rs1024611 is associated with susceptibility to cancer in Caucasian.

The regulation and importance of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, a chemokine regulating monocyte chemotaxis and T-lymphocyte differentiation by binding to the CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, atherosclerosis and cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the regulation and importance of the MCP-1/CCR2 axis, focusing on the therapeutic potential of its inhibition.

RECENT FINDINGS

Differential modulation of MCP-1 and CCR2 lead to downstream activation pathways, pathogenetic to differing disease conditions characterized by dysregulated monocyte/macrophage tissue recruitment. Pharmacological targeting of the MCP-1/CCR2 axis has led to selective MCP-1/CCR2 antagonists that have now entered phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, atherosclerosis and cancer. The pleiotropic nonselective MCP-1/CCR2 inhibition by current pharmacological agents is thought to contribute to their anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerotic effects that is also seen for nutraceutical compounds such as curcumin.

SUMMARY

MCP-1 has a critical role in regulating chemotaxis both in health and disease, with increasing interest in its pharmacological inhibition. However, the therapeutic efficacy and safety of targeting the MCP-1/CCR2 axis is still in evolution.

New extracellular factors in glioblastoma multiforme development: neurotensin, growth differentiation factor-15, sphingosine-1-phosphate and cytomegalovirus infection

Recent years have seen considerable progress in understanding the biochemistry of cancer. For example, more significance is now assigned to the tumor microenvironment, especially with regard to intercellular signaling in the tumor niche which depends on many factors secreted by tumor cells. In addition, great progress has been made in understanding the influence of factors such as neurotensin, growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) on the 'hallmarks of cancer' in glioblastoma multiforme. Therefore, in the present work we describe the influence of these factors on the proliferation and apoptosis of neoplastic cells, cancer stem cells, angiogenesis, migration and invasion, and cancer immune evasion in a glioblastoma multiforme tumor. In particular, we discuss the effect of neurotensin, GDF-15, S1P (including the drug FTY720), and infection with CMV on tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), microglial cells, neutrophil and regulatory T cells (T_reg), on the tumor microenvironment. In order to better understand the role of the aforementioned factors in tumoral processes, we outline the latest models of intratumoral heterogeneity in glioblastoma multiforme. Based on the most recent reports, we discuss the problems of multi-drug therapy in treating glioblastoma multiforme.