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Liu H, Li X, Zhang K, Lv X, Zhang Q, Chen P, Wang Y, Zhao J. Integrated multi-omics reveals the beneficial role of chlorogenic acid in improving the growth performance and immune function of immunologically stressed broilers. Anim Nutr 2023; 14:383-402. [PMID: 37635925 PMCID: PMC10448031 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Intensive production can cause immunological stress in commercial broilers. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) regulates the intestinal microbiota, barrier function, and immune function in chickens. As complex interrelations regulate the dynamic interplay between gut microbiota, the host, and diverse health outcomes, the aim of this study was to elucidate the immunoregulatory mechanisms of CGA using multi-omics approaches. A total of 240 one-day-old male broilers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 CGA levels (0 or 500 mg/kg) either with or without dexamethasone (DEX) injection for a 21-day experimental period. Therefore, there were 4 dietary treatments: control, DEX, CGA, and DEX + CGA, with 6 replicates per treatment. CGA supplementation improved (P < 0.05) growth performance, jejunal morphology, jejunal barrier function, and immune function in DEX-treated broilers. Moreover, in DEX + CGA-treated broilers, the increase in gut microbiome diversity (P < 0.05) was consistent with a change in taxonomic composition, especially in the Clostridiales vadin BB60_group. Additionally, the levels of short-chain fatty acids increased remarkably (P < 0.01) after CGA supplementation. This was consistent with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis results that the "pyruvate fermentation to butanoate" pathway was more enriched (P < 0.01) in the DEX + CGA group than in the DEX group. Proteomics revealed that CGA treatment increased the expression of several health-promoting proteins, thymosin beta (TMSB4X) and legumain (LGMN), which were verified by multiple reaction monitoring. Metabolomics revealed that CGA treatment increased the expression of health-promoting metabolites (2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid and homogentisic acid). Proteomic and metabolic analyses showed that CGA treatment regulated the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Western blotting results support these findings. Pearson's correlation analyses showed correlations (P < 0.01) between altered immune function, jejunal barrier function, different microbiota, proteins, and metabolites parameters. Overall, our data indicate that CGA treatment increased growth performance and improved the immunological functions of DEX-treated broilers by regulating gut microbiota and the PPAR and MAPK pathways. The results offer novel insights into a CGA-mediated improvement in immune function and intestinal health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kai Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Xiaoguo Lv
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Quanwei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Peng Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Jinshan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
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Mason WJ, Vasilopoulou E. The Pathophysiological Role of Thymosin β4 in the Kidney Glomerulus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097684. [PMID: 37175390 PMCID: PMC10177875 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases affecting the glomerulus, the filtration unit of the kidney, are a major cause of chronic kidney disease. Glomerular disease is characterised by injury of glomerular cells and is often accompanied by an inflammatory response that drives disease progression. New strategies are needed to slow the progression to end-stage kidney disease, which requires dialysis or transplantation. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4), an endogenous peptide that sequesters G-actin, has shown potent anti-inflammatory function in experimental models of heart, kidney, liver, lung, and eye injury. In this review, we discuss the role of endogenous and exogenous Tβ4 in glomerular disease progression and the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Mason
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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Mason WJ, Jafree DJ, Pomeranz G, Kolatsi-Joannou M, Rottner AK, Pacheco S, Moulding DA, Wolf A, Kupatt C, Peppiatt-Wildman C, Papakrivopoulou E, Riley PR, Long DA, Vasilopoulou E. Systemic gene therapy with thymosin β4 alleviates glomerular injury in mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12172. [PMID: 35842494 PMCID: PMC9288454 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16287-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasma ultrafiltration in the kidney occurs across glomerular capillaries, which are surrounded by epithelial cells called podocytes. Podocytes have a unique shape maintained by a complex cytoskeleton, which becomes disrupted in glomerular disease resulting in defective filtration and albuminuria. Lack of endogenous thymosin β4 (TB4), an actin sequestering peptide, exacerbates glomerular injury and disrupts the organisation of the podocyte actin cytoskeleton, however, the potential of exogenous TB4 therapy to improve podocyte injury is unknown. Here, we have used Adriamycin (ADR), a toxin which injures podocytes and damages the glomerular filtration barrier leading to albuminuria in mice. Through interrogating single-cell RNA-sequencing data of isolated glomeruli we demonstrate that ADR injury results in reduced levels of podocyte TB4. Administration of an adeno-associated viral vector encoding TB4 increased the circulating level of TB4 and prevented ADR-induced podocyte loss and albuminuria. ADR injury was associated with disorganisation of the podocyte actin cytoskeleton in vitro, which was ameliorated by treatment with exogenous TB4. Collectively, we propose that systemic gene therapy with TB4 prevents podocyte injury and maintains glomerular filtration via protection of the podocyte cytoskeleton thus presenting a novel treatment strategy for glomerular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Mason
- Division of Natural Sciences, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham, Kent, UK.,Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Daniyal J Jafree
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,UCL MB/PhD Programme, Faculty of Medical Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gideon Pomeranz
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Maria Kolatsi-Joannou
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Antje K Rottner
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Sabrina Pacheco
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Dale A Moulding
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Anja Wolf
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Clinic Rechts der Isar, TUM Munich, Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Kupatt
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, University Clinic Rechts der Isar, TUM Munich, Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Eugenia Papakrivopoulou
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Clinique Saint Jean, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Paul R Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David A Long
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Elisavet Vasilopoulou
- Division of Natural Sciences, Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham, Kent, UK. .,Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK. .,Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU, UK.
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Wu X, Li S, Feng X, Wen H, Meng X, Sun K, M.a B. Effects of Thymosin β4 on Myocardial Apoptosis in Burned Rats. Journal of Healthcare Engineering 2022; 2022:1-7. [PMID: 35281544 PMCID: PMC8913053 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2129629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of thymosin β4 on myocardial apoptosis following burns. Fifty healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, resuscitation group the low-dose Tβ4 (thymosin β4) group (2g), the medium-dose Tβ4 group (6g), and the high-dose Tβ4 group (18g). The rats were immersed in 95°C hot water for 18 seconds, and then the model of 30% body surface area (TBSA) III° scald was established. The resuscated rats were injected with lactate Ringer's solution for antishock rehydration, while the Tβ4 treatment group was injected with lactate Ringer's solution for antishock rehydration, and the animals were sacrificed 6 h after scald. The degree of histopathological damage was observed by HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining. Western blot was used to detect STAT1 and STAT3 protein expression levels. Real-time PCR was used to detect mRNA expressions of STAT1 and STAT3. The results showed that the apoptosis rate of the resuscitation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the resuscitation group, the apoptosis rate of thymosin β4 in the treatment group was significantly reduced (P < 0.01). Compared with the normal control group, the expression of STAT1 protein was increased and the expression of STAT3 protein was decreased in model group rats after ischemia and reperfusion. Compared with the model group, the expression of STAT1 protein decreased and the expression of STAT3 protein increased after ischemia-reperfusion in the thymosin β4 treatment group. Thymosin β4 may protect the myocardium by downregulating STAT1 and upregulating STAT3 expression and inhibiting myocardial apoptosis induced by ischemia and reperfusion after severe scald injury.
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Zhang J, Long M, Sun Z, Yang C, Jiang X, He L, Su L, Peng Z. Association between Thymosin beta-4, acute kidney injury, and mortality in patients with sepsis: An observational cohort study. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 101:108167. [PMID: 34607232 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome, associated with high risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and in-hospital mortality. Thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) is an actin-sequestering protein that can prevent inflammation in several tissues. Thus, we studied the role of Tβ4 in sepsis. METHODS The Tβ4 concentrations were prospectively measured in 191 patients within 6 h of the intensive care units (ICU) admission with diagnosis of sepsis. The cohort was divided into Tβ4 concentration tertiles: 1.19-7.11 ng/ml (n = 64), 7.12-11.01 ng/ml (n = 64), and 11.02-28.10 ng/ml (n = 63). RESULTS Of 191 patients, 92 patients developed AKI, 24 of whom received continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), 29 patients died within 7 days, and 53 patients died within 28 days. Lower Tβ4 stages were correlated with poor prognosis, including AKI(odds ratio [OR], 2.102 per stage lower; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.448 to 3.050; P < 0.001), CRRT(OR, 2.346 per stage lower; 95% CI, 1.287 to 4.276; P = 0.005), 7-day mortality(OR, 1.755 per stage lower; 95% CI, 1.050 to 2.935; P = 0.032), and 28-day mortality(OR, 1.821 per stage lower; 95% CI, 1.209 to 2.743; P = 0.004). Kaplan-Meier analysis also demonstrated that patients with lower Tβ4 stages had a high risk of AKI and death. In addition, the area under the curve (AUC) of Tβ4 for predicting AKI, CRRT, 7-day mortality, and 28-day mortality were, respectively, 0.702 (95% CI 0.628-0.776), 0.717 (95% CI 0.592-0.842), 0.694 (95% CI 0.579-0.808), and 0.682 (95% CI 0.598-0.767). CONCLUSIONS Lower Tβ4 stages are associated with higher odds of poor prognosis in ICU patients with sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Zhang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Minghui Long
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhongyi Sun
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Xiaofang Jiang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Li He
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Lianjiu Su
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
| | - Zhiyong Peng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; Hubei clinical research center for critical care medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
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Shomali N, Baradaran B, Deljavanghodrati M, Akbari M, Hemmatzadeh M, Mohammadi H, Jang Y, Xu H, Sandoghchian Shotorbani S. A new insight into thymosin β4, a promising therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative disorders. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:3270-3279. [PMID: 31612500 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin β4 (Tβ4), a G-actin-sequestering secreted peptide, improves neurovascular remodeling and central nervous system plasticity, which leads to neurological recovery in many neurological diseases. Inflammatory response adjustment and tissue inflammation consequences from neurological injury are vital for neurological recovery. The innate or nonspecific immune system is made of different components. The Toll-like receptor pro-inflammatory signaling pathway, which is one of these components, regulates tissue injury. The main component of the Toll-like/IL-1 receptor signaling pathway, which is known as IRAK1, can be regulated by miR-146a and regulates NF-κB expression. Due to the significant role of Tβ4 in oligodendrocytes, neurons, and microglial cells in neurological recovery, it is suggested that Tβ4 regulates the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pro-inflammatory signaling pathway by upregulating miR-146a in neurological disorders. However, further investigations on the role of Tβ4 in regulating the expression of miR146a and TLR signaling pathway in the immune response adjustment in neurological disorders provides an insight into mechanisms of action and the possibility of Tβ4 therapeutic effect enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Shomali
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Morteza Akbari
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Maryam Hemmatzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hamed Mohammadi
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Yue Jang
- Department of Immunology, Center of Clinical Medicine and Laboratory, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Huaxi Xu
- Department of Immunology, Center of Clinical Medicine and Laboratory, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Siamak Sandoghchian Shotorbani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.,Department of Immunology, Center of Clinical Medicine and Laboratory, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Zhang Z, Liu S, Huang S. Effects of thymosin β4 on neuronal apoptosis in a rat model of cerebral ischemia‑reperfusion injury. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:4186-4192. [PMID: 31545437 PMCID: PMC6797993 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) on neuronal apoptosis in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion ischemia/reperfusion (MCAO I/R) injury, and determine the mechanisms involved in this process. Forty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=16 per group): A sham control group, an ischemia/reperfusion group (I/R group), and a Tβ4 group. The focal cerebral I/R model was established by blocking the right MCA for 2 h, followed by reperfusion for 24 h. The Zea-Longa method was used to assess neurological deficits. Cerebral infarct volume was assessed using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and pathological changes were observed via hematoxylin and eosin staining. The terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect apoptosis. The expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and caspase-12 (CASP12) protein was assessed using immunohistochemistry and western blotting 24 h after reperfusion. Infarct volume and neuronal damage in the I/R and Tβ4 groups were significantly greater than those observed in the sham group. The Zea-Longa score, neuronal apoptosis, and expression of GRP78, CHOP, and CASP12 in the I/R and Tβ4 groups were significantly higher than those reported in the sham group. However, the Longa score and neuronal apoptosis were lower in the Tβ4 group compared to the I/R group. The expression of GRP78 was significantly increased, whereas that of CHOP and CASP12 was significantly decreased in the Tβ4 group compared to the I/R group. The present data revealed that Tβ4 can inhibit neuronal apoptosis by upregulating GRP78 and downregulating CHOP and CASP12, thereby reducing cerebral I/R injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongsheng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China
| | - Shuangfeng Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China
| | - Sichun Huang
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 5K peptide which influences cellular migration by inhibiting organization of the actin-cytoskeleton. Treatment of acute stroke presently involves use of rt-PA and/or endovascular treatment with thrombectomy, both of which have time limitations. Therefore, development of a treatment beyond these times is necessary as most stroke patients present beyond these time limits. A drug which could be administered within 24 h from symptom onset would provide substantial benefit. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes the data and results of two in-vivo studies testing Tβ4 in an embolic stroke model of young and aged rats. In addition, we describe in-vitro investigations of the neurorestorative and neuroprotective properties of Tβ4 in a variety of neuroprogenitor and oligoprogenitor cell models. EXPERT OPINION Tβ4 acts as a neurorestorative agent when employed in a young male rat model of embolic stroke while in an aged model it acts a neuroprotectant. However evaluation of Tβ4 as a treatment of stroke requires further preclinical evaluation in females and in males and females with comorbidities such as, hypertension and diabetes in models of embolic stroke to further define the mechanism of action and potential as a treatment of stroke in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Morris
- a Department of Emergency Medicine , Henry Ford Health Systems , Detroit , MI , USA
| | - Zheng G Zhang
- b Department of Neurology , Henry Ford Health Systems , Detroit , MI , USA
| | - Michael Chopp
- b Department of Neurology , Henry Ford Health Systems , Detroit , MI , USA.,c Department of Physics , Oakland University , Rochester , MI , USA
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Pardon MC. Anti-inflammatory potential of thymosin β4 in the central nervous system: implications for progressive neurodegenerative diseases. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 18:165-169. [PMID: 30063850 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1486817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The actin-sequestering thymosin beta4 (Tβ4) is the most abundant member of the β-thymosins, and is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), but its functions in the healthy and diseased brain are poorly understood. The expression of Tβ4 in neurons and microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, suggests that it can play a role in modulating behavioral processes and immunological mechanisms in the brain. The purpose of this review is to shed lights on the role of Tβ4 in CNS function and diseases without antecedent autoimmune inflammation or injury, and to question its therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. AREAS COVERED This review presents the evidence supporting a role for Tβ4 in behaviors that are affected in CNS disorders, as well as studies linking Tβ4 upregulation in microglia to neuroinflammatory processes associated with these disorders. Finally, the implication of Tβ4 in the process of microglial activation and the mechanisms underlying its ability to suppress pro-inflammatory signaling in microglia are discussed. EXPERT OPINION Tβ4 has the potential to control inflammatory processes in the brain, opening avenues for new therapeutic applications to a range of neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Christine Pardon
- a School of Life Sciences, Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Queens Medical Centre , The University of Nottingham Medical School , Nottingham , UK
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Osei J, Kelly W, Toffolo K, Donahue K, Levy B, Bard J, Wang J, Levy E, Nowak N, Poulsen D. Thymosin beta 4 induces significant changes in the plasma miRNA profile following severe traumatic brain injury in the rat lateral fluid percussion injury model. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 18:159-164. [PMID: 29873258 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1484102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) has demonstrated neuroprotective potential in models of neurlogical injury. The neuroprotective potential of Tβ4 has been associated with increased miR-200a and miR-200b within the brain following stroke. Here we tested the hypothesis that Tβ4 treatment could also alter miRNA profiles within the plasma following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS We used the rat lateral fluid percusion injury model of severe TBI to test this hypothesis. Highly sensitive and quantitative droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used to measure the plasma concentrations of miR-200 family members. In addition, we conducted RNAseq analysis of plasma miRNA to further identify changes associated with TBI and treatment with Tβ4. RESULTS ddPCR demonstrated that miR-200a-3p andmiR-200b-3p were both significantly increased in plasma following treatment with Tβ4 after severe TBI. RNAseq analysis suggested that miR-300-3p and miR-598-3p increased while miR-450-3p and miR-194-5p significantly decreased following TBI. In contrast, miR-194-5p significantly increased in Tβ4 treated rats following TBI. In addition, we identified nine plasma miRNAs whose expression significantly changed following treatment with Tβ4. CONCLUSIONS Tβ4 treatment significantly increased plasma levels of miR-200a-3p and miR-200b-3p, while RNAseq analysis identified miR-194-5p as a candidate miRNA that may be critical for neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Osei
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - William Kelly
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Kathryn Toffolo
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Kaitlynn Donahue
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Bennet Levy
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Jonathan Bard
- b New York State Center for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Jianxin Wang
- c Center for Computational Research , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Elad Levy
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - Norma Nowak
- b New York State Center for Bioinformatics and Life Sciences , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA.,d Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
| | - David Poulsen
- a Department of Neurosrgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sceinces , Univeristy at Buffalo , Buffalo , NY , USA
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Zhang Z, Liu S, Huang S. Thymosin β4 prevents oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion-induced injury in rat cortical neurons. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:2385-2393. [PMID: 31692484 PMCID: PMC6710540 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s208600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigated whether thymosin (T) β4 protects against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) injury in rat cortical neurons, as well as the underlying mechanisms. METHODS Primary rat cortical neurons were transfected with Tβ4 overexpression plasmid; the transfection efficiency was confirmed by detecting Tβ4 expression by fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The OGD/R model was established and apoptotic cells were quantified by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Structural changes in the endoplasmic reticulum were visualized by transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78, C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were determined by Western blotting. The effect of Tβ4 on OGD/R injury was evaluated by adding exogenous Tβ4 to neuronal cultures. RESULTS Cortical neurons were identified by the expression of neuron-specific enolase. In OGD/R cells, the rate of apoptosis was increased and GRP78, CHOP, and Bax were upregulated whereas Bcl-2 was downregulated relative to the control group. These effects were reversed by Tβ4 overexpression. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was observed in the OGD/R group, but this was abolished in neurons overexpressing Tβ4. The protective effect of Tβ4 against OGD/R injury was also demonstrated in cells treated with exogenous Tβ4 (10 ng/mL), which blocked OGD/R-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ER stress-related and pro-apoptotic protein expression. CONCLUSION Tβ4 prevents OGD/R-induced ER stress-dependent apoptosis in cortical neurons, and is a potential treatment for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongsheng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan 511518, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangfeng Liu
- Department of Neurology, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan 511518, People's Republic of China
| | - Sichun Huang
- Department of Neurology, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Qingyuan 511518, People's Republic of China
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12
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Qin Z, Ciucci F, Chon CH, Kwok JCK, Lam DCC. Model development and comparison of low hemorrhage-risk endoluminal patch thrombolytic treatment for ischemic stroke. Med Eng Phys 2018; 61:32-40. [PMID: 30177419 DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Clot dissolution drugs delivered into the systemic circulation can dissolve intracranial blood clots in 90 min with 20-50% hemorrhage rate. Immobilizing <5% of the intravenous dosage on an endoluminal patch can reduce the dissolution time to <20 min with negligible hemorrhage risk. The thrombus dissolution behavior in endoluminal patch thrombolytic treatment is modeled and compared with experimental results from a companion study. Analyses showed that the thrombus dissolution time decreases with increasing dosage, but the dissolution time reaches a dosage-independent minimum when uPA dosage on the patch is >800 IU. Model analyses showed that dissolution time in the plateau regime is controlled by diffusion. Further results showed that dissolution time could be reduced in this regime by reducing thrombus thickness. This suggests that a stented endoluminal thrombolytic >800 IU patch that compresses the thrombus to thin the clot thickness can help reduce dissolution time. This ultra-low transition dosage (i.e., 800 IU), compared to 0.6-2.4 million IU in conventional thrombolysis suggests that hemorrhage risk in endoluminal patch thrombolytic treatment is low. The low hemorrhagic-risk endoluminal patch can be considered for use in patients who are ineligible for conventional thrombolytic treatment because of high hemorrhagic treatment risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Qin
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Francesco Ciucci
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Chi Hang Chon
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - John C K Kwok
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Department of Neurosurgery, Kwong Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - David C C Lam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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13
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Li H, Li Q, Zhang X, Zheng X, Zhang Q, Hao Z. Thymosin β4 suppresses CCl4
-induced murine hepatic fibrosis by down-regulating transforming growth factor β receptor-II. J Gene Med 2018; 20:e3043. [PMID: 29972714 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hanchao Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
| | - Xueting Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
| | - Xiaoyan Zheng
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
| | - Qiannan Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
| | - Zhiming Hao
- Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an; Shaanxi Province China
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14
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Wang L, Li X, Chen C. Inhibition of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice by exogenous thymosinβ4 treatment. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 61:20-8. [PMID: 29793165 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the effects of exogenous thymosinβ4 (Tβ4) treatment in acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity. METHODS Liver injury was induced in mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of APAP (500 mg/kg). Exogenous Tβ4 was intraperitoneally administrated at 0 h, 2 h and 4 h after APAP injection. Chloroquine (CQ) (60 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 2 h before APAP administration to inhibit autophagy. Six hours after APAP injection liver injury was evaluated by histological examinations, biochemical measurements and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs). Western blots were performed to detect proteins expression. RESULTS Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were significantly increased 6 h after APAP administration, but were significantly reduced by co-administration of Tβ4. Histological examinations demonstrated that Tβ4 reduced necrosis and inflammation induced by APAP. Immunofluorescence showed that Tβ4 suppressed APAP-induced translocation of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) from the nucleus to cytosol and intercellular space. Hepatic glutathione (GSH) depletion, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities induced by APAP were all attenuated by Tβ4. APAP-induced increases in hepatic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 protein expression and inflammatory cytokines production including interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were reduced by Tβ4 treatment. Increased LC3 and p62 proteins in the liver tissues of APAP-treated mice were decreased by Tβ4 treatment, which indicated the enhancement of autophagy flux by Tβ4. Furthermore, inhibiting autophagy by CQ abrogated the protective effects of Tβ4 against APAP hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSION Exogenous Tβ4 treatment exerts protective effects against APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The underneath molecular mechanisms may involve autophagy enhancement and inhibition of oxidative stress by Tβ4.
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisavet Vasilopoulou
- Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Chatham Maritime, UK
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Paul R. Riley
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - David A. Long
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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16
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Ji H, Xu L, Wang Z, Fan X, Wu L. Effects of thymosin β4 on oxygen‑glucose deprivation and reoxygenation‑induced injury. Int J Mol Med 2018; 41:1749-1755. [PMID: 29328391 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia causes severe brain injury and results in selective neuronal death through programmed cell death mechanisms, including apoptosis and autophagy. Minimizing neuronal injury has been considered a hot topic among clinicians. The present study elucidated the effect of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) on neuronal death induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in PC12 cells that were subjected to oxygen‑glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R). The survival, apoptotic and autophagy rates of PC12 cells were investigated. Tβ4 pre‑conditioning prior to OGD/R was performed to evaluate PC12‑cell viability and the protective mechanisms of Tβ4. Tβ4 significantly increased cell survival after OGD/R. Tβ4 inhibited the release of lactate dehydrogenase, downregulated malondialdehyde and upregulated the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, Tβ4 attenuated OGD/R‑associated decreases in the expression of P62 and the anti‑apoptotic protein B‑cell lymphoma‑2, as well as the upregulation of autophagy mediators, including autophagy‑related protein‑5 and the ratio of microtubule‑associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) II vs. LC3 I. These results suggested that Tβ4 effectively inhibits cell apoptosis and autophagy induced by OGD/R. To the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to report on the antioxidant, anti‑apoptotic and anti‑autophagic effects of Tβ4 in neuronal‑like PC12 cells. These results suggested that Tβ4 may be explored as a potential treatment for cerebral ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Ji
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Linhao Xu
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Xinli Fan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Lihui Wu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
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17
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Morris DC, Cheung WL, Loi R, Zhang T, Lu M, Zhang ZG, Chopp M. Thymosin β4 for the treatment of acute stroke in aged rats. Neurosci Lett 2017; 659:7-13. [PMID: 28864242 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.08.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 5K peptide which influences cellular migration by inhibiting organization of the actin-cytoskeleton. Tβ4 has neurorestorative properties and is a potential candidate for the treatment of sub-acute stroke. Previous research demonstrated that Tβ4 improved neurological outcome in a young (3 months) rat model of embolic stroke. We hypothesized that Tβ4 would improve neurological outcome in an aged rat model of embolic stroke when administered 24h after embolic stroke. Aged Male Wistar rats (Charles River, France 18-21 months) were subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Rats were randomized to receive Tβ4 (12mg/kg, RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.) or control 24h after MCAo and then every 3days for 4 additional doses. The dose of 12mg/kg was the maximal dose of Tβ4 that showed functional improvement in a young rat model of embolic stroke. Functional tests (adhesive-removal test (ART), foot fault test (FFT) and the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS)) were performed weekly. The rats were sacrificed 56days after MCAo and lesion volumes were measured. Immunohistochemical analysis for oligodendrogenesis, myelination and gliosis was also performed. Twenty-three rats were included in the study: control group (n=12) and Tβ4 group (n=11). After randomization, there were three deaths in both the control and Tβ4 groups. The Tβ4 treatment reduced infarct volume by more than 50% (12.8%±9.3%, mean±SE, p<0.05) compared to the control group (26.0%±4.3%). However, Tβ4 did not show improvement in functional outcome compared to control. There was no significant increase in oligodendrogenesis, myelination and gliosis between control and treatment with Tβ4, however, we unexpectedly observed that overall (control and Tβ4 groups) astrocytic gliosis as measured by GFAP immunoreactivity was significantly inversely correlated with neurological outcome measured using the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) (p<0.01), suggesting that greater gliosis may be related to improvement of neurological outcome in aged rats. In summary, Tβ4 treatment of stroke aged rats significantly reduces infarct volume compared to vehicle treated stroke, however, Tβ4 treatment did not show improvement in functional outcome, myelination or gliosis when compared to control. GFAP staining was significantly inversely correlated to improvement in the mNSS, suggesting that gliosis in the aged rat may be of benefit in improvement of functional outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Morris
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Wing Lee Cheung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Richard Loi
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Talan Zhang
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Mei Lu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Zheng G Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Michael Chopp
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA.
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18
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Zheng XY, Lv YF, Li S, Li Q, Zhang QN, Zhang XT, Hao ZM. Recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β 4 suppresses experimental colitis in mice. World J Gastroenterol 2017; 23:242-255. [PMID: 28127198 PMCID: PMC5236504 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i2.242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To investigate the protective effect of a recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β4 (AAV-Tβ4) on murine colitis via intracolonic administration.
METHODS AAV-Tβ4 was prepared and intracolonically used to mediate the secretory expression of Tβ4 in mouse colons. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was applied to induce the murine ulcerative colitis, and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) was used to establish a mouse colitis model resembling Crohn’s disease. The disease severity and colon injuries were observed and graded to reveal the effects of AAV-Tβ4 on colitis. The activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined using biochemical assays. Colonic levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-10 were measured using ELISA, and mucosal epithelial cell apoptosis and proliferation were detected by TUNEL assay and immunochemistry, respectively.
RESULTS Recombinant AAVs efficiently delivered LacZ and Tβ4 into the colonic tissues of the mice, and AAV-Tβ4 led to a strong expression of Tβ4 in mouse colons. In both the DSS and TNBS colitis models, AAV-Tβ4-treated mice displayed distinctly attenuated colon injuries and reduced apoptosis rate of colonic mucosal epithelia. AAV-Tβ4 significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltrations and relieved oxidative stress in the inflamed colons of the mice, as evidenced by decreases in MPO activity and MDA content and increases in SOD activity. AAV-Tβ4 also modulated colonic TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10 levels and suppressed the compensatory proliferation of colonic epithelial cells in DSS- and TNBS-treated mice.
CONCLUSION Tβ4 exerts a protective effect on murine colitis, indicating that AAV-Tβ4 could potentially be developed into a promising agent for the therapy of inflammatory bowel diseases.
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19
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Lever M, Theiss C, Morosan-puopolo G, Brand-saberi B. Thymosin β4 overexpression regulates neuron production and spatial distribution in the developing avian optic tectum. Histochem Cell Biol 2017; 147:555-64. [DOI: 10.1007/s00418-016-1529-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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20
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Vasilopoulou E, Kolatsi-Joannou M, Lindenmeyer MT, White KE, Robson MG, Cohen CD, Sebire NJ, Riley PR, Winyard PJ, Long DA. Loss of endogenous thymosin β 4 accelerates glomerular disease. Kidney Int 2016; 90:1056-70. [PMID: 27575556 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Glomerular disease is characterized by morphologic changes in podocyte cells accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis. Thymosin β4 regulates cell morphology, inflammation, and fibrosis in several organs and administration of exogenous thymosin β4 improves animal models of unilateral ureteral obstruction and diabetic nephropathy. However, the role of endogenous thymosin β4 in the kidney is unknown. We demonstrate that thymosin β4 is expressed prominently in podocytes of developing and adult mouse glomeruli. Global loss of thymosin β4 did not affect healthy glomeruli, but accelerated the severity of immune-mediated nephrotoxic nephritis with worse renal function, periglomerular inflammation, and fibrosis. Lack of thymosin β4 in nephrotoxic nephritis led to the redistribution of podocytes from the glomerular tuft toward the Bowman capsule suggesting a role for thymosin β4 in the migration of these cells. Thymosin β4 knockdown in cultured podocytes also increased migration in a wound-healing assay, accompanied by F-actin rearrangement and increased RhoA activity. We propose that endogenous thymosin β4 is a modifier of glomerular injury, likely having a protective role acting as a brake to slow disease progression.
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21
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Repetto IE, Monti R, Tropiano M, Tomasi S, Arbini A, Andrade-Moraes CH, Lent R, Vercelli A. The Isotropic Fractionator as a Tool for Quantitative Analysis in Central Nervous System Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:190. [PMID: 27547177 PMCID: PMC4974250 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
One major aim in quantitative and translational neuroscience is to achieve a precise and fast neuronal counting method to work on high throughput scale to obtain reliable results. Here, we tested the isotropic fractionator (IF) method for evaluating neuronal and non-neuronal cell loss in different models of central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent: (i) ischemic brain damage; (ii) intraperitoneal injection with kainic acid (KA) to induce epileptic seizures; and (iii) monolateral striatal injection with quinolinic acid (QA) mimicking human Huntington's disease. All specimens were processed for IF method and cell loss assessed. Hippocampus from KA-treated rats and striatum from QA-treated rats were carefully dissected using a dissection microscope and a rat brain matrix. Ischemic rat brains slices were first processed for TTC staining and then for IF. In the ischemic group the cell loss corresponded to the neuronal loss suggesting that hypoxia primarily affects neurons. Combining IF with TTC staining we could correlate the volume of lesion to the neuronal loss; by IF, we could assess that neuronal loss also occurs contralaterally to the ischemic side. In the epileptic group we observed a reduction of neuronal cells in treated rats, but also evaluated the changes in the number of non-neuronal cells in response to the hippocampal damage. In the QA model, there was a robust reduction of neuronal cells on ipsilateral striatum. This neuronal cell loss was not related to a drastic change in the total number of cells, being overcome by the increase in non-neuronal cells, thus suggesting that excitotoxic damage in the striatum strongly activates inflammation and glial proliferation. We concluded that the IF method could represent a simple and reliable quantitative technique to evaluate the effects of experimental lesions mimicking human diseases, and to consider the neuroprotective/anti-inflammatory effects of different treatments in the whole brain and also in discrete regions of interest, with the potential to investigate non-neuronal alterations. Moreover, IF could be used in addition or in substitution to classical stereological techniques or TTC staining used so far, since it is fast, precise and easily combined with complex molecular analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan E. Repetto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Riccardo Monti
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Marta Tropiano
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | - Simone Tomasi
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New HavenCT, USA
| | - Alessia Arbini
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Lent
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Vercelli
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, University of TurinTurin, Italy
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Abstract
The burden of cardiovascular disease is a growing worldwide issue that demands attention. While many clinical trials are ongoing to test therapies for treating the heart after myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure, there are few options doctors able to currently give patients to repair the heart. This eventually leads to decreased ventricular contractility and increased systemic disease, including vascular disorders that could result in stroke. Small peptides such as thymosin β4 (Tβ4) are upregulated in the cardiovascular niche during fetal development and after injuries such as MI, providing increased neovasculogenesis and paracrine signals for endogenous stem cell recruitment to aid in wound repair. New research is looking into the effects of in vivo administration of Tβ4 through injections and coatings on implants, as well as its effect on cell differentiation. Results so far demonstrate Tβ4 administration leads to robust increases in angiogenesis and wound healing in the heart after MI and the brain after stroke, and can differentiate adult stem cells toward the cardiac lineage for implantation to the heart to increase contractility and survival. Future work, some of which is currently in clinical trials, will demonstrate the in vivo effect of these therapies on human patients, with the goal of helping the millions of people worldwide affected by cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Marks
- Nanomedicine Research Laboratory, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - A Kumar
- Nanomedicine Research Laboratory, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States.
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Abstract
No agent has been identified that significantly accelerates the repair of chronic dermal wounds in humans. Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) is a small, abundant, naturally occurring regenerative protein that is found in body fluids and inside cells. It was found to have angiogenic and antiinflammatory activity and to be high in platelets that aggregate at the wound site. Thus we used Tβ4 initially in dermal healing. It has since been shown to have many activities important in tissue protection, repair, and regeneration. Tβ4 increases the rate of dermal healing in various preclinical animal models, including diabetic and aged animals, and is active for burns as well. Tβ4 also accelerated the rate of repair in phase 2 trials with patients having pressure ulcers, stasis ulcers, and epidermolysis bullosa wounds. It is safe and well tolerated and will likely have additional uses in the skin and in injured organs for tissue repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- H K Kleinman
- George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
| | - G Sosne
- Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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Stark CKJ, Tarkia M, Kentala R, Malmberg M, Vähäsilta T, Savo M, Hynninen VV, Helenius M, Ruohonen S, Jalkanen J, Taimen P, Alastalo TP, Saraste A, Knuuti J, Savunen T, Koskenvuo J. Systemic Dosing of Thymosin Beta 4 before and after Ischemia Does Not Attenuate Global Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Pigs. Front Pharmacol 2016; 7:115. [PMID: 27199757 PMCID: PMC4853610 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamping causes myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I-RI) and can lead to reduced postoperative cardiac function. We investigated whether this injury could be attenuated by thymosin beta 4 (TB4), a peptide which has showed cardioprotective effects. Pigs received either TB4 or vehicle and underwent CPB and aortic cross-clamping for 60 min with cold intermittent blood-cardioplegia and were then followed for 30 h. Myocardial function and blood flow was studied by cardiac magnetic resonance and PET imaging. Tissue and plasma samples were analyzed to determine the amount of cardiomyocyte necrosis and apoptosis as well as pharmacokinetics of the peptide. In vitro studies were performed to assess its influence on blood coagulation and vasomotor tone. Serum levels of the peptide were increased after administration compared to control samples. TB4 did not decrease the amount of cell death. Cardiac function and global myocardial blood flow was similar between the study groups. At high doses a vasoconstrictor effect on mesentery arteries and a vasodilator effect on coronary arteries was observed and blood clot firmness was reduced when tested in the presence of an antiplatelet agent. Despite promising results in previous trials the cardioprotective effect of TB4 was not demonstrated in this model for global myocardial I-RI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoffer K-J Stark
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of TurkuTurku, Finland; Heart Center, Turku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurku, Finland
| | - Miikka Tarkia
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Rasmus Kentala
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Markus Malmberg
- Heart Center, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Tommi Vähäsilta
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of TurkuTurku, Finland; Heart Center, Turku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurku, Finland
| | - Matti Savo
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Ville-Veikko Hynninen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency Care and Pain Medicine, Turku University Hospital Turku, Finland
| | - Mikko Helenius
- Children's Hospital, Pediatric Cardiology, Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Finland
| | - Saku Ruohonen
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Jalkanen
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Pekka Taimen
- Department of Pathology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Tero-Pekka Alastalo
- Children's Hospital, Pediatric Cardiology, Helsinki University Hospital Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antti Saraste
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Juhani Knuuti
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Timo Savunen
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Juha Koskenvuo
- Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku Turku, Finland
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Santra M, Chopp M, Santra S, Nallani A, Vyas S, Zhang ZG, Morris DC. Thymosin beta 4 up-regulates miR-200a expression and induces differentiation and survival of rat brain progenitor cells. J Neurochem 2015; 136:118-32. [PMID: 26466330 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 09/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), a secreted 43 amino acid peptide, promotes oligodendrogenesis, and improves neurological outcome in rat models of neurologic injury. We demonstrated that exogenous Tβ4 treatment up-regulated the expression of the miR-200a in vitro in rat brain progenitor cells and in vivo in the peri-infarct area of rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The up-regulation of miR-200a down-regulated the expression of the following targets in vitro and in vivo models: (i) growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2), an adaptor protein involved in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/Grb2/Ras/MEK/ERK1/c-Jun signaling pathway, which negatively regulates the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP), a marker of mature oligodendrocyte; (ii) ERRFI-1/Mig-6, an endogenous potent kinase inhibitor of EGFR, which resulted in activation/phosphorylation of EGFR; (iii) friend of GATA 2, and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted in chromosome 10 (PTEN), which are potent inhibitors of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway, and resulted in marked activation of AKT; and (iv) transcription factor, p53, which induces pro-apoptotic genes, and possibly reduced apoptosis of the progenitor cells subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD). Anti-miR-200a transfection reversed all the effects of Tβ4 treatment in vitro. Thus, Tβ4 up-regulated MBP synthesis, and inhibited OGD-induced apoptosis in a novel miR-200a dependent EGFR signaling pathway. Our findings of miR-200a-mediated protection of progenitor cells may provide a new therapeutic importance for the treatment of neurologic injury. Tβ4-induced micro-RNA-200a (miR-200a) regulates EGFR signaling pathways for MBP synthesis and apoptosis: up-regulation of miR-200a after Tβ4 treatment, increases MBP synthesis after targeting Grb2 and thereby inactivating c-Jun from inhibition of MBP synthesis; and also inhibits OGD-mediated apoptosis after targeting EGFR inhibitor (Mig-6), PI3K inhibitors (FOG2 and Pten) and an inducer (p53) of pro-apoptotic genes, for AKT activation and down-regulation of p53. These findings may contribute the therapeutic benefits for stroke and other neuronal diseases associated with demyelination disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoranjan Santra
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Michael Chopp
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA
| | - Sutapa Santra
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Ankita Nallani
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Shivam Vyas
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Zheng Gang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel C Morris
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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