Parthenolide inhibits the initiation of experimental autoimmune neuritis

Trends in parthenolide research over the past two decades: A bibliometric analysis

Parthenolide (PTL) is a new compound extracted from traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, it has been proven to play an undeniable role in tumors, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Similarly, an increasing number of experiments have also confirmed the biological mechanism of PTL in these diseases. In order to better understand the development trend and potential hot spots of PTL in cancer and other diseases, we conducted a detailed bibliometric analysis. The purpose of presenting this bibliometric analysis was to highlight and inform researchers of the important research directions, co-occurrence relationships and research status in this field. Publications related to PTL research from 2002 to 2022 were extracted on the web of science core collection (WoSCC) platform. CiteSpace, VOSviewers and R package "bibliometrix" were applied to build relevant network diagrams. The bibliometric analysis was presented in terms of performance analysis (including publication statistics, top publishing countries, top publishing institutions, publishing journals and co-cited journals, authors and co-cited authors, co-cited references statistics, citation bursts statistics, keyword statistics and trend topic statistics) and science mapping (including citations by country, citations by institution, citations by journal, citations by author, co-citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence). The detailed discussion of the results explained the focus and latest trends from the bibliometric analysis. Finally, the current status and shortcomings of the research field on PTLwere clearly pointed out for reference by scholars.

Parthenolide Phytosomes Attenuated Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats via Activation of Sirt-1, Nrf2, OH-1, and NQO1 Axis

Nephrotoxicity is a serious complication that limits the clinical use of gentamicin (GEN). Parthenolide (PTL) is a sesquiterpene lactone derived from feverfew with various therapeutic benefits. However, PTL possesses low oral bioavailability. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic protective effects of PTL-phytosomes against GEN-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. The PTL was prepared as phytosomes to improve the pharmacological properties with a particle size of 407.4 nm, and surface morphology showed oval particles with multiple edges. Rats were divided into six groups: control, nano-formulation plain vehicle, PTL-phytosomes (10 mg/kg), GEN (100 mg/kg), GEN + PTL-phytosomes (5 mg/kg), and GEN + PTL-phytosomes (10 mg/kg). The administration of PTL-phytosomes alleviated GEN-induced impairment in kidney functions and histopathological damage, and decreased kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). The anti-oxidative effect of PTL-phytosomes was demonstrated by the reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Furthermore, PTL-phytosomes treatment significantly enhanced sirtuin 1 (Sirt-1), nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Additionally, PTL-phytosomes treatment exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties in the kidney tissue. These findings suggest that PTL-phytosomes attenuate renal dysfunction and structural damage by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the kidney.

Parthenolide as Cooperating Agent for Anti-Cancer Treatment of Various Malignancies

Primary and acquired resistance of cancer to therapy is often associated with activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Parthenolide (PN) has been shown to inhibit NF-κB signaling and other pro-survival signaling pathways, induce apoptosis and reduce a subpopulation of cancer stem-like cells in several cancers. Multimodal therapies that include PN or its derivatives seem to be promising approaches enhancing sensitivity of cancer cells to therapy and diminishing development of resistance. A number of studies have demonstrated that several drugs with various targets and mechanisms of action can cooperate with PN to eliminate cancer cells or inhibit their proliferation. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on PN activity and its potential utility as complementary therapy against different cancers.

Terpenoids as Potential Geroprotectors

Terpenes and terpenoids are the largest groups of plant secondary metabolites. However, unlike polyphenols, they are rarely associated with geroprotective properties. Here we evaluated the conformity of the biological effects of terpenoids with the criteria of geroprotectors, including primary criteria (lifespan-extending effects in model organisms, improvement of aging biomarkers, low toxicity, minimal adverse effects, improvement of the quality of life) and secondary criteria (evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of action, reproducibility of the effects on different models, prevention of age-associated diseases, increasing of stress-resistance). The number of substances that demonstrate the greatest compliance with both primary and secondary criteria of geroprotectors were found among different classes of terpenoids. Thus, terpenoids are an underestimated source of potential geroprotectors that can effectively influence the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases.

Applications of Sesquiterpene Lactones: A Review of Some Potential Success Cases

Sesquiterpene lactones, a vast range of terpenoids isolated from Asteraceae species, exhibit a broad spectrum of biological effects and several of them are already commercially available, such as artemisinin. Here the most recent and impactful results of in vivo, preclinical and clinical studies involving a selection of ten sesquiterpene lactones (alantolactone, arglabin, costunolide, cynaropicrin, helenalin, inuviscolide, lactucin, parthenolide, thapsigargin and tomentosin) are presented and discussed, along with some of their derivatives. In the authors’ opinion, these compounds have been neglected compared to others, although they could be of great use in developing important new pharmaceutical products. The selected sesquiterpenes show promising anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects, acting on various targets. Moreover, they exhibit antifungal, anxiolytic, analgesic, and antitrypanosomal activities. Several studies discussed here clearly show the potential that some of them have in combination therapy, as sensitizing agents to facilitate and enhance the action of drugs in clinical use. The derivatives show greater pharmacological value since they have better pharmacokinetics, stability, potency, and/or selectivity. All these natural terpenoids and their derivatives exhibit properties that invite further research by the scientific community.

Dissecting the role of the tubulin code in mitosis

Mitosis is an essential process that takes place in all eukaryotes and involves the equal division of genetic material from a parental cell into two identical daughter cells. During mitosis, chromosome movement and segregation are orchestrated by a specialized structure known as the mitotic spindle, composed of a bipolar array of microtubules. The fundamental structure of microtubules comprises of α/β-tubulin heterodimers that associate head-to-tail and laterally to form hollow filaments. In vivo, microtubules are modified by abundant and evolutionarily conserved tubulin posttranslational modifications (PTMs), giving these filaments the potential for a wide chemical diversity. In recent years, the concept of a "tubulin code" has emerged as an extralayer of regulation governing microtubule function. A range of tubulin isoforms, each with a diverse set of PTMs, provides a readable code for microtubule motors and other microtubule-associated proteins. This chapter focuses on the complexity of tubulin PTMs with an emphasis on detyrosination and summarizes the methods currently used in our laboratory to experimentally manipulate these modifications and study their impact in mitosis.

Sulfatides ameliorate experimental autoimmune neuritis by suppressing Th1/Th17 cells

Sulfatides have immunomodulatory functions, and play protective roles in multiple autoimmune diseases. In the present study, we showed that sulfatides ameliorated experimental autoimmune neuritis in Lewis rats induced with bovine peripheral myelin, which was associated with decreased proportions of Th1 and Th17 cells. Furthermore, compared control group, cells from sulfatide-treated rats exhibited lower potential in proliferation and IL-17 secretion in the presence of BPM or ConA in vitro. Moreover, sulfatides also reduced the proportions of NK and NKT cells. In summary, our study indicated that sulfatides might become a new therapeutic agent in Guillain-Barré syndrome in the future.

Enhanced glycolysis contributes to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune neuritis

Background

With the recognition of the key roles of cellular metabolism in immunity, targeting metabolic pathway becomes a new strategy for autoimmune disease treatment. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system, characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration. These inflammatory cells, including activated macrophages, Th1 cells, and Th17 cells, generally undergo metabolic reprogramming and rely mainly on glycolysis to exert functions. This study aimed to explore whether enhanced glycolysis contributed to the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), a classic model of GBS.

Methods

Preventive and therapeutic treatments with glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG), were applied to EAN rats. The effects of treatments were determined by clinical scoring, weighting, and tissue examination. Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to evaluate T cell differentiation, autoantibody level, and macrophage functions in vivo and in vitro.

Results

Glycolysis inhibition with 2-DG not only inhibited the initiation, but also prevented the progression of EAN, evidenced by the improved clinical scores, weight loss, inflammatory cell infiltration, and demyelination of sciatic nerves. 2-DG inhibited the differentiation of Th1, Th17, and Tfh cells but enhanced Treg cell development, accompanied with reduced autoantibody secretion. Further experiments in vitro proved glycolysis inhibition decreased the nitric oxide production and phagocytosis of macrophages and suppressed the maturation of dendritic cells (DC).

Conclusion

The effects of glycolysis inhibition on both innate and adaptive immune responses and the alleviation of animal clinical symptoms indicated that enhanced glycolysis contributed to the pathogenesis of EAN. Glycolysis inhibition may be a new therapy for GBS.

The natural sesquiterpene lactones arglabin, grosheimin, agracin, parthenolide, and estafiatin inhibit T cell receptor (TCR) activation

Inhibition of the T cell receptor (TCR) pathway represents an effective strategy for the treatment of T cell-mediated inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. To identify natural compounds that could inhibit inflammatory T cell responses, we screened 13 sesquiterpene lactones, including achillin, arglabin, argolide, argracin, 3β-hydroxyarhalin, artesin, artemisinin, estafiatin, grosheimin, grossmisin, leucomisine, parthenolide, and taurine, for their ability to modulate activation-induced Ca²⁺ mobilization in Jurkat T cells. Five of the compounds (arglabin, grosheimin, argracin, parthenolide, and estafiatin) inhibited anti-CD3-induced mobilization of intercellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) in Jurkat cells, with the most potent being parthenolide and argacin (IC₅₀ = 5.6 and 6.1 μM, respectively). Likewise, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 in activated Jurkat cells was inhibited by these five compounds, with the most potent being parthenolide and estafiatin (IC₅₀ = 13.8 and 15.4 μM, respectively). These compounds also inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation in primary human T cells and depleted intracellular glutathione. In contrast, none of the sesquiterpene lactones inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation in HL60 cells transfected with N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) and stimulated with the FPR2 peptide agonist WKYMVM, indicating specificity for T cell activation. Estafiatin, a representative sesquiterpene lactone, was also profiled in a cell-based phosphokinase array for 43 kinase phosphorylation sites, as well as in a cell-free competition binding assay for its ability to compete with an active-site directed ligand for 95 different protein kinases. Besides inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, estafiatin also inhibited phosphorylation of p53, AMPKα1, CREB, and p27 elicited by TCR activation in Jurkat cells, but it did not bind to any of 95 kinases evaluated. These results suggest that arglabin, grosheimin, agracin, parthenolide, and estafiatin can selectively inhibit initial phases of TCR activation and may be natural compounds with previously undescribed immunotherapeutic properties.