Phosphorylation of NF-kappaB and IkappaB proteins: implications in cancer and inflammation

PI3K/AKT pathway: A potential therapeutic target in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Cerebral ischemia is a prevalent cerebrovascular disorder, with the restoration of blocked blood vessels serving as the current standard clinical treatment. However, reperfusion can exacerbate neuronal damage and neurological dysfunction, resulting in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Presently, clinical treatment strategies for cerebral I/R injury are limited, creating an urgent need to identify new effective therapeutic targets. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, a pro-survival pathway associated with cerebral I/R injury, has garnered significant attention. We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on the PI3K/AKT pathway in the context of cerebral I/R. Our findings indicate that activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway following cerebral I/R can alleviate oxidative stress, reduce endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), inhibit inflammatory responses, decrease neuronal apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis, mitigate blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage, and promote neurological function recovery. Consequently, this pathway ultimately reduces neuronal death, alleviates brain tissue damage, decreases the volume of cerebral infarction, and improves behavioral impairments. These results suggest that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is a promising therapeutic target for further research and drug development, holding significant potential for the treatment of cerebral I/R injury.

Targeted self-assembled anti-NFκB AuNCs-aptamer nanoplatform for precise theranostics via tailored follicle regeneration

NFκB is a vital transcription factor for the regulation of hair follicle cycle. As a therapeutic target, NFκB is specifically blocked by RNA aptamer with negligible side effects, but the targeted transmembrane transport of anti-NFκB aptamer remains a challenge due to its negative charge under physiological conditions. In this study, taking advantage of the depilation-induced oxidative stress microenvironment (OSM), it was confirmed for the first time that self-assembled gold nanoclusters and aptamer (AuNCs-Aptamer) complexes formed in the skin and enhanced the therapeutic effect of anti-NFκB aptamer drugs, effectively blocking the NFκB-mediated inflammatory response and inhibiting hair follicle regeneration. The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of tissue section and hematology analysis demonstrated that OSM-responsive self-assembled AuNCs-Aptamer caused no toxicity to the living organism. Moreover, self-assembly occurred only in the oxidative stress-injured skin cells rather than the normal cells, which revealed that this self-assembly was a targeted, safe and effective therapy for hypertrichosis.

Novel Insights into Dietary Bioactive Compounds and Major Depressive Disorders: Evidence from Animal Studies and Future Perspectives

Clinical depression, including major depressive disorder (MDD), is a chronic mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and indifference. Depression is associated with neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal apoptosis in the brain, resulting in microglial overactivation, decreased neuronal and glial proliferation, monoamine depletion, structural abnormalities, and aberrant biochemical activity via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Recent studies have exhibited the role of dietary bioactive compounds in the mitigation of MDD progression. Here, in this narrative review, we reported the effects of commonly consumed bioactive compounds (curcumin, saffron, garlic, resveratrol, omega-3 fatty acids, ginger, blueberry, tea, and creatine) on MDD and MDD-related neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The evidence reviewed here is almost exclusively from animal studies and strongly suggests that these commonly consumed bioactive compounds have anti-MDD effects as shown in antidepression-like behaviors, such as increased immobility, sucrose preference, and social interaction. On the basis of the literature/studies reviewed, the proposed molecular mechanisms include 1) the reduction of neuroinflammation activation and oxidative stress, 2) the enhancement of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, 3) the reduction of monoamine oxidase-A production, and 4) the elevation of brain-derived neurotropic factor and neurogenesis. In the future, dietary bioactive compounds on clinical randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the findings of preclinical efficacies using bioactive compounds in individuals with MDD.

Extracellular Vesicles in Renal Inflammatory Diseases: Revealing Mechanisms of Extracellular Vesicle-Mediated Macrophage Regulation

Renal inflammatory diseases are a group of severe conditions marked by significant morbidity and mortality. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), as facilitators of intercellular communication, have been recognized as pivotal regulators of renal inflammatory diseases, significantly contributing to these conditions by modulating immune responses among other mechanisms. This review highlights the intricate mechanisms through which EVs modulate macrophage-kidney cell interactions by regulating macrophages, the principal immune cells within the renal milieu. This regulation subsequently influences the pathophysiology of renal inflammatory diseases such as acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Furthermore, understanding these mechanisms offers novel opportunities to alleviate the severe consequences associated with renal inflammatory diseases. In addition, we summarize the therapeutic landscape based on EV-mediated macrophage regulatory mechanisms, highlighting the potential of EVs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets as well as the challenges and limitations of translating therapies into clinical practice.

Inflammatory signaling pathways play a role in SYK inhibitor resistant AML

Trials have shown promising clinical activity of the selective SYK inhibitor entospletinib in patients with high expressing HOXA9/MEIS1 acute leukemias. As the development of resistance mechanisms is a common problem in the use of targeted drugs, we performed a chemical library screen to identify drug sensitivities in SYK inhibitor resistant AML cells. We identified that SYK inhibitor resistant cells displayed an increased sensitivity to glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are potent immunosuppressants which work in part by inhibiting the transcription of cytokine genes. RNA sequencing of entospletinib resistant cells revealed a strong enrichment of inflammatory response and TNFα signaling via NF-κB gene sets in comparison to naive cells. Naive AML cells treated with entospletinib showed a strong downregulation of the same gene sets which were upregulated in the resistant state. Our data suggest that inflammatory signaling pathways play a role in entospletinib resistant AML cells.

HM-chromanone attenuates obesity and adipose tissue inflammation by downregulating SREBP-1c and NF-κb pathway in high-fat diet-fed mice

Background: Obese adipose tissue produces various pro-inflammatory cytokines that are major contributors to adipose tissue inflammation.

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effects of HM-chromanone (HMC) against obesity and adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat diet-fed mice.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four C57BL/6J male mice were divided into three groups: ND (normal diet), HFD (high-fat diet), and HFD + HMC. The ND group was fed a normal diet, whereas the HFD and HFD + HMC groups were fed a high-fat diet. After 10 weeks of feeding, the animals were orally administered the treatments daily for 9 weeks. The ND and HFD group received distilled water as treatment. The HFD+HMC group was treated with HM-chromaone (50 mg/kg).

Results: HM-chromanone administration decreased body weight, fat mass, and adipocyte diameter. HM-chromanone also improved plasma lipid profiles, decreased leptin levels, and increased adiponectin levels. The inhibiting effect of HM-chromanone on SREBP-1c, PPARγ, C/EBPα, and FAS decreased adipogenesis, thereby alleviating lipid accumulation. Furthermore, HM-chromanone administration exhibited a reduction in macrophage infiltration and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. HM-chromanone suppressed the phosphorylation of IκBα and NF-κB, leading to the inhibition of iNOS and COX2 expressions, resulting in decreased inflammation in adipose tissue.

Discussion and conclusion: These results highlight the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties of HM-chromanone, achieved through the downregulation of the SREBP-1c and NF-κB pathway in high-fat diet-fed mice.

Polyphenols-rich Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) alleviates ulcerative colitis through restiring the intestinal barrier, gut microbiota and metabolites

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a recurrent intestinal disease caused by a complex of factors, and there are serious adverse effects and tolerance problems associated with the current long-term use of therapeutic drugs. The development of natural food sources and multi-targeted drugs for the treatment of UC is imminent. Portulaca oleracea L. (PO), as a vegetable, has been shown in studies to have an anti-UC effects. However, the relationship between the abundant active ingredients contained in Portulaca oleracea L. and the improvement of intestinal barrier, gut microbiota and metabolites is unclear. In the present study, Portulaca oleracea L. which was found to be rich in phenolic acid-based active ingredients, were effective in alleviating dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced body weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) score and colon length in mice. It also decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) responses, reduced the permeation of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and evans blue (EB), and improved histopathological scores. Meanwhile, in vitro and in vivo validation revealed the protective effects of purslane on the intestinal barrier indicators ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1, and inhibited the expression of inflammation-associated iNOS and NLRP3 proteins through the NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, purslane increased the diversity of the intestinal flora, enhancing the proportion of the genera Butyricoccus, Dorea and Bifidobacterium and decreasing the percentage of Bacteroides, Turicibacter and Parabacteroides. Serum metabolomics analysis showed that the imbalance of 39 metabolites was significantly reversed after PO deployment. Enrichment analysis showed that Pentose phosphate pathway and Pyruvate metabolism pathway were the key pathways of PO against UC. Overall, purslane effectively improved the intestinal barrier disruption and intestinal inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, and adjusted the disorder of gut microbiota and metabolites to exert anti-UC effects.

The Organogermanium Compound 3-(trihydroxygermyl)propanoic Acid Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects via Adenosine-NR4A2 Signaling

We previously reported that 3-(trihydroxygermyl)propanoic acid (THGP) suppresses inflammasome activation in THP-1 cells following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and ATP (signals 1 and 2) by forming a complex with ATP, thereby inhibiting IL-1β secretion. Our findings also suggested that THGP inhibits inflammasome activation through mechanisms independent of ATP complex formation. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of THGP on signal 1 (ATP-independent) of inflammasome activation. THGP suppressed NF-κB nuclear translocation in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells, which reduced the mRNA expression of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, as well as IL-1β secretion. This mechanism was mediated by the formation of a THGP-adenosine complex, which inhibited adenosine degradation and subsequently activated adenosine-NR4A2 signaling. Thus, THGP exerts anti-inflammatory effects by forming a complex with adenosine, leading to adenosine-NR4A2 signaling pathway activation. This mechanism is distinct from the ATP-dependent pathway by which THGP was previously reported to function. By targeting both ATP-dependent and ATP-independent inflammasome activation pathways, THGP has potential as a broad-spectrum therapeutic agent for various inflammatory diseases.

Isoferulic Acid Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Pancreatic Cancer Cells, and Promotes the Apoptosis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells in a Mitochondria-Dependent Manner Through Inhibiting NF-κB Signalling Pathway

Isoferulic acid (IA), a derivative of cinnamic acid, is derived from Danshen and exhibits anticancer properties by disrupting cancer cell activities. However, its role in pancreatic cancer, the "king of cancer", was unknown. In this study, pancreatic cancer cells were subjected to treatment with IA (6.25, 12.5, 25 μM), and nude mice injected with pancreatic cancer cells were received IA at doses of 7.5 mg/kg/day or 30 mg/kg/day by oral administration. CCK8, Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and TUNEL assay were conducted to evaluate the cell viability and apoptosis. Hoechst staining and comet assay was employed to measure DNA damage. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) analysis was carried out to explain the mitochondrial damage. EdU and wound healing assay were performed for cell proliferation and migration detection. Immunofluorescence and western blot were used to explore the mechanism. We found that IA reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis, as evidenced by an increase in Annexin V-FITC+PI- and Annexin V-FITC+PI+ cell populations, brighter TUNEL and Hoechst staining, and more percentage of tail DNA. Furthermore, IA decreased MMP and changed levels of apoptosis-related proteins. The cell proliferation and migration were inhibited by IA treatment. Mechanically, IA downregulated the phosphorylation of IĸBα and inhibited p65 nuclear translocation, consequently suppressing NF-κB pathway. In general, IA suppressed the cell proliferation and migration, and caused apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells in a mitochondria-dependent manner through blocking NF-κB signalling pathway, indicating that IA may be a potential therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.

Bidirectional regulation of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase-stimulator of interferon gene pathway and its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in China, and the treatment options are limited. The cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS) activates the stimulator of interferon gene (STING) signaling pathway as a crucial immune response pathway in the cytoplasm, which detects cytoplasmic DNA to regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. As a potential therapeutic target, cGAS-STING pathway markedly inhibits tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, with its activation being particularly relevant in HCC. However, prolonged pathway activation may lead to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, which fostering the invasion or metastasis of liver tumor cells.

AIM

To investigate the dual-regulation mechanism of cGAS-STING in HCC.

METHODS

This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The study conducted a comprehensive search for articles related to HCC on PubMed and Web of Science databases. Through rigorous screening and meticulous analysis of the retrieved literature, the research aimed to summarize and elucidate the impact of the cGAS-STING pathway on HCC tumors.

RESULTS

All authors collaboratively selected studies for inclusion, extracted data, and the initial search of online databases yielded 1445 studies. After removing duplicates, the remaining 964 records were screened. Ultimately, 55 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review.

CONCLUSION

Acute inflammation can have a few inhibitory effects on cancer, while chronic inflammation generally promotes its progression. Extended cGAS-STING pathway activation will result in a suppressive tumor microenvironment.

Neuronal PLPP/CIN exaggerates the immune response of hippocampal microglia to LPS challenge dependent on PAK1-NF-κB-COX-2 signaling pathway

Recently, we have reported that pyridoxal-5'-phosphate phosphatase/chronophin (PLPP/CIN) selectively dephosphorylates neurofibromin 2 (NF2, also known as merlin) at serine (S) 10 site. Since NF2 inhibits p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)-mediated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, in the present study, we investigated the role of PLPP/CIN-mediated NF2 S10 dephosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation and explored its related signaling pathways in the mouse hippocampus. PLPP/CIN overexpression increased NF2 S10 dephosphorylation and PAK1 S204 autophosphorylation under physiological condition, which were reversed by PLPP/CIN deletion. Following LPS injection, PLPP/CIN overexpression exacerbated microglial activation, although microglial PLPP/CIN expression was undetectable. In addition, PLPP/CIN overexpression enhanced PAK1 and NF-κB phosphorylations, and upregulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PTGES2) expressions in CA1 neurons. PLPP/CIN overexpression also augmented microglial interleukin-1β induction. PLPP/CIN ablation and 1,1'-dithiodi-2-naphthtol (IPA-3, a PAK1 inhibitor) pretreatment ameliorated these LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses. These findings indicate that PLPP/CIN-mediated NF2 S10 dephosphorylation may facilitate PAK1-NF-κB-COX-2-PTGES2 signaling pathway in CA1 neurons, which would subsequently exaggerate immune response of microglia following LPS treatment. Therefore, our findings suggest that this PLPP/CIN-mediated neuron-microglia interaction may play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation-related neurological diseases.

Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response and Its Prominent Suppression by Paspalum thunbergii Extract

The extract of Paspalum thunbergii, a native perennial herb in Korea belonging to the rice family, was investigated for its anti-inflammatory activity and the underlying mechanisms driving its effects. Fifteen chemical components of the P. thunbergii extract, including rosmarinic acid and isoquercitrin, were identified using LC-MS. The extract showed antioxidative activity through DPPH and ABTS cation radical scavenging activity. The P. thunbergii extract significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The extract inhibited the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced iNOS and COX-2, which are inflammation-related enzymes. To explore the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism, the expression levels of signal proteins related to MAPK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were measured. As a result, the P. thunbergii extract inhibited the expression of p-p38, and p-JNK increased by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, it decreased the expression of LPS-induced p-IKKβ and p-NF-κB p65 and prevented the migration of p-NF-κB into the nucleus caused by LPS. Notably, p-JAK1, p-STAT3, Wnt 3α, β-catenin, and p-GSK-3β protein expressions were also inhibited. Therefore, the prominent anti-inflammatory activity of the P. thunbergii extract may be via the MAPK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

The role of chronic low-grade inflammation in the development of sarcopenia: Advances in molecular mechanisms

With the exacerbation of global population aging, sarcopenia has become an increasingly recognized public health issue. Sarcopenia, characterized by a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, significantly impacts the quality of life in the elderly. Herein, we explore the role of chroniclow-gradeinflammation in the development of sarcopenia and its underlying molecular mechanisms, including chronic inflammation-associated signaling pathways, immunosenescence, obesity and lipid infiltration, gut microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal barrier disruption, and the decline of satellite cells. The interplay and interaction of these molecular mechanisms provide new perspectives on the complexity of the pathogenesis of sarcopenia and offer a theoretical foundation for the development of future therapeutic strategies.

The proximity-based protein interactome and regulatory logics of the transcription factor p65 NF-κB/RELA

The protein interactome of p65/RELA, the most active subunit of the transcription factor (TF) NF-κB, has not been previously determined in living cells. Using p65-miniTurbo fusion proteins and biotin tagging, we identify >350 RELA interactors from untreated and IL-1α-stimulated cells, including many TFs (47% of all interactors) and >50 epigenetic regulators belonging to different classes of chromatin remodeling complexes. A comparison with the interactomes of two point mutants of p65 reveals that the interactions primarily require intact dimerization rather than DNA-binding properties. A targeted RNAi screen for 38 interactors and subsequent functional transcriptome and bioinformatics studies identify gene regulatory (sub)networks, each controlled by RELA in combination with one of the TFs ZBTB5, GLIS2, TFE3/TFEB, or S100A8/A9. The large, dynamic and versatile high-resolution interactome of RELA and its gene regulatory logics provides a rich resource and a new framework for explaining how RELA cooperativity determines gene expression patterns.

Mutant PP2A Induces IGFBP2 Secretion to Promote Development of High-Grade Uterine Cancer

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) and uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) tumors are uniquely aggressive, suggesting that the primary tumor is intrinsically equipped to disseminate and metastasize. Previous work identified mutational hotspots within PPP2R1A, which encodes the Aα scaffolding subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a heterotrimeric serine/threonine phosphatase. Two recurrent heterozygous PPP2R1A mutations, P179R and S256F, occur exclusively within high-grade subtypes of uterine cancer and can drive tumorigenesis and metastasis. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which PP2A Aα mutants promote tumor development and progression could help identify therapeutic opportunities. Here, we showed that expression of these mutants in USC/UCS cell lines enhanced tumor-initiating capacity, drove a hybrid epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity phenotype, and elevated secretion of the tumorigenic cytokine insulin growth factor (IGF) binding protein 2 (IGFBP2). Therapeutic targeting of the IGFBP2/IGF receptor 1 signaling axis using small molecules and genetic approaches resulted in marked tumor growth inhibition. Mechanistically, PP2A regulated IGFBP2 expression through the transcription factor, NF-κB, which harbors a B56 recognition motif. Collectively, these results identify a role for PP2A in regulating paracrine cancer cell signaling that can be targeted to block the initiation and metastasis of high-grade uterine cancer. Significance: Elevated IGFBP2 secretion by uterine cancer cells with heterozygous PPP2R1A mutations supports tumor progression and confers a vulnerability to IGFBP2/IGF1R inhibition as a therapeutic approach for this highly aggressive cancer subtype.

Methionine Aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2) Inhibitor BL6 Attenuates Inflammation in Cultured Microglia and in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2) plays an important role in the regulation of protein synthesis and post-translational processing. Preclinical/clinical applications of MetAP2 inhibitors for the treatment of various diseases have been explored because of their antiangiogenic, anticancer, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and immunosuppressive properties. However, the effects of MetAP2 inhibitors on CNS diseases are rarely examined despite the abundant presence of MetAP2 in the brain. Previously, we synthesized a novel boron-containing MetAP2 inhibitor, BL6, and found that it suppressed angiogenesis and adipogenesis yet improved glucose uptake. Here, we studied the anti-inflammatory effects of BL6 in SIM-A9 microglia and in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease generated by the intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). We found that BL6 reduced proinflammatory molecules, such as nitric oxide, iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6, together with phospho-Akt and phospho-NF-κB p65, which were elevated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglial SIM-A9 cells. However, the LPS-induced reduction in Arg-1 and CD206 was attenuated by BL6, suggesting that BL6 promotes microglial M1 to M2 polarization. BL6 also decreased glial activation along with a reduction in phospho-tau and an elevation in synaptophysin in the icv-STZ mouse model. Thus, our experiments demonstrate an anti-neuroinflammatory action of BL6, suggesting possible clinical applications of MetAP2 inhibitors for brain disorders in which neuroinflammation is involved.

Molecular signaling pathways in doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity and potential therapeutic agents

Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent, is extensively utilized in the clinical management of both solid and hematological malignancies. Nevertheless, the clinical application of this treatment is significantly limited by adverse reactions and toxicity that may arise during or after administration. Its cytotoxic effects are multifaceted, with cardiotoxicity being the most prevalent side effect. Furthermore, it has the potential to adversely affect other organs, including the brain, kidneys, liver, and so on. Notably, it has been reported that DOX may cause renal failure in patients and there is currently no effective treatment for DOX-induced kidney damage, which has raised a high concern about DOX-induced nephrotoxicity (DIN). Although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying DIN remain incompletely elucidated, prior research has indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are pivotal in this process, triggering a cascade of detrimental pathways including apoptosis, inflammation, dysregulated autophagic flux, and fibrosis. In light of these mechanisms, decades of research have uncovered several DIN-associated signaling pathways and found multiple potential therapeutic agents targeting them. Thus, this review intends to delineate the DIN associated signaling pathways, including AMPK, JAKs/STATs, TRPC6/RhoA/ROCK1, YAP/TEAD, SIRTs, Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β/Smad, MAPK, Nrf2/ARE, NF-κB, and PI3K/AKT, and to summarize their potential regulatory agents, which provide a reference for the development of novel medicines against DIN.

Molecular mechanisms of ubiquitination in wound healing

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving multiple cellular and molecular mechanisms. Ubiquitination, a crucial post-translational modification, plays a vital role in regulating various aspects of wound healing through protein modification and degradation. This review comprehensively examines the molecular mechanisms of ubiquitination in wound healing, focusing on its regulation of inflammatory responses, macrophage polarization, angiogenesis, and the activities of fibroblasts and keratinocytes. We discuss how ubiquitination modifies key signaling pathways, including TGF-β/Smad3, NF-κB, and HIF-α, which are essential for proper wound healing. Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into potential therapeutic strategies for treating impaired wound healing, particularly in conditions such as diabetes. The review highlights recent advances in understanding ubiquitination's role in wound healing and discusses future research directions for developing targeted therapeutic approaches.

High mobility group box 1 cytokine targeted topical delivery of resveratrol embedded nanoemulgel for the management of atopic dermatitis

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound showing anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of high mobility group box 1 cytokine responsible for the activation of nuclear factor-κB pathway in atopic dermatitis. To evaluate the efficacy of resveratrol through topical route we have developed resveratrol-loaded nanoemulgel for the effective management of atopic dermatitis in mice model. The resveratrol-loaded nanoemulsion (0.5%, 0.75% and 1% w/w) was optimized by spontaneous nano-emulsification. The optimized resveratrol-loaded nanoemulsions showed average globule size in the 180-230 nm range and found to be monodispersed. The resveratrol nanoemulgel was prepared with a SEPINEO™ P 600 gel base and propylene glycol. Ex vivo permeation and retention study resulted in significantly higher skin retention of resveratrol from resveratrol-loaded nanoemulgel than free resveratrol-loaded gel. Preclinical efficacy of resveratrol nanoemulgel displayed promising therapeutic outcomes where, western blotting of skin tissues disclosed a significant reduction in the relative expression of high mobility group box 1, the receptor for advanced glycation end products, toll-like receptor-4 and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB. Further, real-time polymerase chain reaction also disclosed a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines such as thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-4, interleukin-13, interleukin-31, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. The histopathological examination of skin sections showed improvement in the skin condition. Collectively, the findings from our study showcased the significant improvement in the atopic dermatitis skin condition in mice model after topical application of resveratrol loaded nanoemulgel.

The multiple roles of macrophages in peritoneal adhesion

Peritoneal adhesion (PA) refers to the abnormal adhesion of the peritoneum either with the peritoneum itself or with tissues and organs that is caused by abdominopelvic surgery, abdominal infection or peritoneal inflammation. PA is associated with various clinical complications, such as abdominal pain and distension, intestinal obstruction, gastrointestinal disorders and female infertility, and adversely affects the quality of life of patients. Macrophages are essential for PA formation and can undergo polarization into classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2), which are influenced by the peritoneal microenvironment. By releasing proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, M1 macrophages promote peritoneal inflammatory reactions and the resultant formation of adhesion. In contrast, M2 macrophages secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors to inhibit PA formation and to promote repair and healing of peritoneal tissues, and thereby play a significant anti-inflammatory role. This review comprehensively explores the function and mechanism of macrophages and their subtypes in PA formation to gain insight into the prevention and treatment of PA based on the modulation of macrophages.

Deletion of lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR) protects against acute kidney injury by PPARα pathway

BACKGROUND

Recent data has shown a considerable advancement in understanding the role of lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR) in inflammation. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of LTβR in acute kidney injury (AKI) remain largely unknown.

METHODS

AKI was induced in mice by renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). HK-2 cells and primary renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) were subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. The effects of LTβR depletion were examined in mice, as well as primary RTECs. Bone marrow chimeric mice was generated to determine whether the involvement of LTβR expression by parenchymal cells or bone marrow derived cells contributes to renal injury during AKI. RNA sequencing techniques were employed to investigate the mechanism via which LTβR signaling provides protection against I/R-induced AKI RESULTS: LTβR expression was downregulated both in vivo and in vitro models of AKI. Moreover, depletion of LTβR decreased renal damage and inflammation in I/R-induced AKI. We also found that LTβR deficient mice engrafted with wild type bone marrow had significantly less tubular damage, implying that LTβR in renal parenchymal cells may play dominant role in I/R-induced AKI. RNA sequencing indicated that the protective effect of LTβR deletion was associated with activation of PPARα signaling. Furthermore, upregulation of PPARα was observed upon depletion of LTβR. PPARα inhibitor, GW6471, aggravated the tubular damage and inflammation in LTβR-/- mice following I/R injury. Then we further demonstrated that LTβR depletion down-regulated non-canonical NF-κB and Bax/Bcl-2 apoptosis pathway through PPARα.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that the LTβR/PPARα axis may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of AKI.

C3+ cancer-associated fibroblasts promote tumor growth and therapeutic resistance in gastric cancer via activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies globally, with limited therapeutic options. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a diverse population of stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), play a central role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. However, the specific markers identifying tumor-promoting CAF subsets in GC have yet to be fully characterized.

METHODS

Through animal studies and RNA sequencing, complement C3 (C3) emerged as a key marker linked to tumor-promoting CAF subsets. Single-cell sequencing and multiplex immunofluorescence staining confirmed that C3 expression is predominantly localized within CAFs. Independent cohort analyses demonstrated a strong association between elevated levels of C3+ CAFs and poor clinical outcomes in GC patients. To further investigate, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of C3 in CAFs was employed in vitro, with subsequent experiments, including cell migration assays, cell viability assays, and immunofluorescence, revealing significant functional impacts.

RESULTS

C3 secreted by CAFs promoted Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and accelerated cancer cell migration. Patients with minimal C3+ CAF infiltration exhibited a higher probability of deriving therapeutic benefit from adjuvant treatments. Furthermore, C3+ CAFs were associated with immunosuppressive effects and an immune-evasive microenvironment marked by CD8 + T cell dysfunction. A lower prevalence of C3+ CAFs correlated with improved responsiveness to immunotherapy in GC patients. Enrichment analysis highlighted pronounced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in C3+ CAFs relative to their C3- counterparts, supported by elevated phosphorylation levels of IKK, IκBα, and p65 in C3+ CAFs compared to both C3- CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs). Silencing p65 nuclear translocation in CAFs through siRNA significantly suppressed C3 secretion.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that NF-κB pathway-mediated CAF activation enhances C3 secretion, driving EMT, migration, chemoresistance, and immune evasion in GC progression. Targeting the NF-κB/C3 signaling axis in CAFs may offer a viable therapeutic strategy for GC management.

Monotropein alleviates septic acute liver injury by restricting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via the AKT (Ser473)/GSK3β (Ser9)/Fyn/NRF2 pathway

Sepsis-associated acute liver injury (ALI) is a deadly condition resulting from a systemic inflammatory response to liver cell damage and malfunction. Monotropein (MON) belongs to the iris group of compounds extracted from the natural product Mollen dae officinalis radix, which has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pharmacological effects. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the underlying mechanism of MON in the treatment of sepsis ALI. In this study, an in vivo caecal ligation puncture (CLP)-induced ALI model and in vitro LPS-stimulated AML12 cells and RAW264.7 cells model were established. Additionally, a variety of experimental techniques, including CCK8, H&E staining, DHE probe labelling, biochemical, QPCR, and Western blotting and blocking tests, were used to explore the role of MON in ALI. The results showed that MON improved liver morphological abnormalities, oedema, histopathological injury, and elevated ALT and AST, providing a protective effect against ALI. MON reduced CYP2E1 expression, alleviated oxidative stress (downregulation of MDA levels and upregulation of GSH, CAT, and T-AOC levels) and ROS accumulation with the involvement of the NRF2-Keap-1 pathway. MON inhibited inflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. In addition, it activated the Akt (Ser473)/GSK3β (Ser9)/Fyn pathway and accelerated NRF2 nuclear accumulation; MK-2206 blockade reversed the NRF2 nuclear accumulation and anti-inflammatory function of MON. MON also restricted the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, a process specifically blocked by MK-2206. In summary, we concluded that MON alleviated septic ALI by restricting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via the AKT (Ser473)/GSK3β (Ser9)/Fyn/NRF2 pathway.

Alteration of lncRNA RHPN1-AS1 predicts clinical prognosis and regulates the progression of bladder cancer via modulating miR-485-5p

BACKGROUND

Exploring effect biomarkers that monitor tumor progression and predict the prognosis could benefit the clinical management of bladder cancer and improve the postoperative life of patients. This study aimed to estimate the function of long non-coding (lnc)RNA RHPN1-AS1 (RHPN1-AS1) in bladder cancer and the potential molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The expression of RHPN1-AS1 was evaluated in bladder cancer tissues from 115 patients and cells by polymerase chain reaction. The clinical significance of RHPN1-AS1 was assessed and its effect was also estimated in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The underlying molecular mechanism was explored by the dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

The expression of RHPN1-AS1 was 2.91-fold elevated in bladder cancer, which showed a close correlation with advanced tumor node metastasis stage (P = 0.013) and the presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.018). RHPN1-AS1 also served as a poor prognostic indicator (hazard ratio = 2.563) for bladder cancer. The knockdown of RHPN1-AS1 significantly suppressed the proliferation and metastasis ability of bladder cancer cells. Moreover, miR-485-5p was found to mediate the function of RHPN1-AS1 in bladder cancer, which was considered the underlying regulatory mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

RHPN1-AS1 serves as a prognostic biomarker and tumor promoter in bladder cancer via modulating miR-485-5p, which might be a reliable target of bladder cancer therapy.

FAS(APO), DAMP, and AKT Phosphoproteins Expression Predict the Development of Nosocomial Infection After Pediatric Burn Injury

Pediatric burn injuries are a leading cause of morbidity with infections being the most common acute complication. Thermal injuries elicit a heightened cytokine response while suppressing immune function; however, the mechanisms leading to this dysfunction are still unknown. Our aim was to identify extracellular proteins and circulating phosphoprotein expression in the plasma after burn injury to predict the development of nosocomial infection (NI). Plasma was collected within 72 hours after injury from 64 pediatric burn subjects; of these, 18 went on to develop an NI. Extracellular damage-associated molecular proteins, FAS(APO), and protein kinase b (AKT) signaling phosphoproteins were analyzed. Subjects who went on to develop an NI had elevated high-mobility group box 1, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and FAS expression than those who did not develop an NI after injury (NoNI). Concurrently, phosphorylated (p-)AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) were elevated in those subjects who went on to develop an NI. Quadratic discriminant analysis revealed distinct differential profiles between NI and NoNI burn subjects using HSP90, FAS, and p-mTOR. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curves displayed significant ability to distinguish between these 2 burn subject cohorts. These findings provide insight into predicting the signaling proteins involved in the development of NI in pediatric burn patients. Further, these proteins show promise as a diagnostic tool for pediatric burn patients at risk of developing infection while additional investigation may lead to potential therapeutics to prevent NI.

Lipin1 as a therapeutic target for respiratory insufficiency of duchenne muscular dystrophy

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), diaphragm muscle dysfunction results in respiratory insufficiency which is a leading cause of death in patients. Mutations to the dystrophin gene result in myocyte membrane instability, contributing to the structural deterioration of the diaphragm muscle tissues. With previous works suggesting the importance of lipin1 for maintaining skeletal muscle membrane integrity, we explored the roles of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm. We found that the protein expression levels of lipin1 were reduced by 60% in the dystrophic diaphragm. While further knockdown of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm leads to increased necroptosis, restoration of lipin1 in the dystrophic diaphragm results in reduced inflammation and fibrosis, decreased myofiber death, and improved respiratory function. Our results demonstrated that lipin1 restoration improved respiratory function by enhancing membrane integrity and suggested that lipin1 could be a potential therapeutic target for preventing respiratory insufficiency and respiratory failure in DMD. Continued investigation is required to better understand the mechanisms behind these findings, and to determine the role of lipin1 in maintaining muscle membrane stability.

Phosphorylation of RelA/p65 Ser536 inhibits the progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by mediating cytoplasmic retention of NF-κB p65

Background

Intrahepatic and extrahepatic metastases contribute to the high recurrence rate and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Constitutive activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a crucial feature of HCC. NF-κB p65 (p50-p65) is the most common dimeric form. Ser536 acts as an essential phosphorylation site of RelA/p65. However, the effect of RelA/p65 Ser536 phosphorylation on progression and metastases during intermediate and advanced HCC has not been reported.

Methods

Phosphorylation of RelA/p65 (p-p65 Ser536) and NF-κB p65 were detected by using immunohistochemical staining in HCC tissue samples. The biological effects of RelA/p65 Ser536 phosphorylation were evaluated by using xenograft and metastasis models. NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation was detected by using Western blotting. The binding of NF-κB p65 to the BCL2, SNAIL, and MMP9 promoters was detected by using chromatin immunoprecipitation. The biological effects on proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition were assessed by using tetrazolium-based colorimetry, colony formation, EdU incorporation, flow cytometry, cell wound healing, and transwell assay.

Results

NF-κB p65 is highly expressed, while p-p65 Ser536 is not well expressed in intermediate and advanced HCC tissues. In vivo experiments demonstrated that a phosphorylation-mimetic mutant of RelA/p65 Ser536 (p65/S536D) prevents tumor progression and metastasis. In vitro experiments showed that p65/S536D inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, RelA/p65 Ser536 phosphorylation inhibits NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and reduces NF-κB p65 binding to the BCL2, SNAIL, and MMP9 promoters.

Conclusions

RelA/p65 Ser536 phosphorylation was detrimental to NF-κB p65 entry into the nucleus and inhibited HCC progression and metastasis by reducing BCL2, SNAIL, and MMP9. The phosphorylation site of RelA/p65 Ser536 has excellent potential to be a promising target for NF-κB-targeted therapy in HCC.

Rafoxanide negatively modulates STAT3 and NF-κB activity and inflammation-associated colon tumorigenesis

In the colorectal cancer (CRC) niche, the transcription factors signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) are hyperactivated in both malignant cells and tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILs) and cooperate to maintain cancer cell proliferation/survival and drive protumor inflammation. Through drug repositioning studies, the anthelmintic drug rafoxanide has recently emerged as a potent and selective antitumor molecule for different types of cancer, including CRC. Here, we investigate whether rafoxanide could negatively modulate STAT3/NF-κB and inflammation-associated CRC. The antineoplastic effect of rafoxanide was explored in a murine model of CRC resembling colitis-associated disease. Cell proliferation and/or STAT3/NF-κB activation were evaluated in colon tissues taken from mice with colitis-associated CRC, human CRC cells, and CRC patient-derived explants and organoids after treatment with rafoxanide. The STAT3/NF-κB activation and cytokine production/secretion were assessed in TILs isolated from CRC specimens and treated with rafoxanide. Finally, we investigated the effects of TIL-derived supernatants cultured with or without rafoxanide on CRC cell proliferation and STAT3/NF-κB activation. The results showed that rafoxanide restrains STAT3/NF-κB activation and inflammation-associated colon tumorigenesis in vivo without apparent effects on normal intestinal cells. Rafoxanide markedly reduces STAT3/NF-κB activation in cultured CRC cells, CRC-derived explants/organoids, and TILs. Finally, rafoxanide treatment impairs the ability of TILs to produce protumor cytokines and promote CRC cell proliferation. We report the novel observation that rafoxanide negatively affects STAT3/NF-κB oncogenic activity at multiple levels in the CRC microenvironment. Our data suggest that rafoxanide could potentially be deployed as an anticancer drug in inflammation-associated CRC.

Roles of miRNAs in regulating ovarian cancer stemness

Ovarian cancer is one of the gynaecology malignancies with the highest mortality rate. Ovarian cancer stem cell (CSC) is a subpopulation of ovarian cancer cells with increased self-renewability, aggression, metastatic potentials, and resistance to conventional anti-cancer therapy. The emergence of ovarian CSC is a critical factor that promotes treatment resistance and frequent relapse among ovarian cancer patients, leading to poor clinical outcomes. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a short, non-protein-coding RNA that regulates ovarian CSC development. Although multiple original research articles have discussed the CSC-regulatory roles of different miRNAs in ovarian cancer, there is a deficiency of a review article that can summarize the findings from different research papers. To narrow the gap in the literature, this review aimed to provide an up-to-date summary of the CSC-regulatory roles of various miRNAs in modulating ovarian cancer cell stemness. This review will begin by giving an overview of ovarian CSC and the pathways responsible for driving its appearance. Next, the CSC-regulatory roles of miRNAs in controlling ovarian CSC development will be discussed. Overall, more than 60 miRNAs have been reported to play CSC-regulatory roles in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. By targeting various downstream targets, these miRNAs can control the signaling activities of PI3K/AKT, EGFR/ERK, WNT/ß-catenin, NF-kß, Notch, Hippo/YAP, EMT, and DNA repair pathways. Hence, these CSC-modulatory miRNAs have the potential to be used as prognostic biomarkers in predicting the clinical outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. Targeting CSC-promoting miRNAs or increasing the expressions of CSC-repressing miRNAs can help slow ovarian cancer progression. However, more in-depth functional and clinical trials must be carried out to evaluate the suitability, safety, sensitivity, and specificity of these CSC-regulating miRNAs as prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets.

Therapeutic Effects of Zanthoxyli Pericarpium on Intestinal Inflammation and Network Pharmacological Mechanism Analysis in a Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis Mouse Model

(1) Background: IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation leading to persistent symptoms and a lack of effective treatments. ZP (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for the management of intestinal disorders. (2) Methods: This study aimed to investigate the components of ZP, their specific targets, and associated diseases using the TCMSP (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology) analysis platform, TCMBank database, and ETCM2.0 (Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2.0) database. Additionally, we explored the protective effects of ZP on the colon and the underlying molecular mechanisms in the treatment of IBD. (3) Results: We identified 59 compounds in ZP that target 38 genes related to IBD, including PTGS2, PPARG, and GPBAR1. In a mice model of DSS (dextran sodium sulfate)-induced colitis, ZP significantly reduced colonic epithelial damage and oxidative stress markers, such as iNOS and nitrotyrosine, demonstrating its antioxidant properties. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that ZP has protective effects against DSS-induced colonic damage owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it a potential candidate for IBD treatment. However, further research and clinical trials are required to confirm its therapeutic potential and safety in humans.

GBMPhos: A Gating Mechanism and Bi-GRU-Based Method for Identifying Phosphorylation Sites of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Phosphorylation, a reversible and widespread post-translational modification of proteins, is essential for numerous cellular processes. However, due to technical limitations, large-scale detection of phosphorylation sites, especially those infected by SARS-CoV-2, remains a challenging task. To address this gap, we propose a method called GBMPhos, a novel method that combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for extracting local features, gating mechanisms to selectively focus on relevant information, and a bi-directional gated recurrent unit (Bi-GRU) to capture long-range dependencies within protein sequences. GBMPhos leverages a comprehensive set of features, including sequence encoding, physicochemical properties, and structural information, to provide an in-depth analysis of phosphorylation sites. We conducted an extensive comparison of GBMPhos with traditional machine learning algorithms and state-of-the-art methods. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of GBMPhos over existing methods. The visualization analysis further highlights its effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, we have established a free web server platform to help researchers explore phosphorylation in SARS-CoV-2 infections. The source code of GBMPhos is publicly available on GitHub.

Comparative proteomic analysis of regenerative mechanisms in mouse retina to identify markers for neuro-regeneration in glaucoma

The retina is part of the central nervous system (CNS). Neurons in the CNS and retinal ganglion cells lack the ability to regenerate axons spontaneously after injury. The intrinsic axonal growth regulators, their interaction and roles that enable or inhibit axon growth are still largely unknown. This study endeavored to characterize the molecular characteristics under neurodegenerative and regenerative conditions. Data-Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry was used to map the comprehensive proteome of the regenerative retina from 14-day-old mice (Reg-P14) and adult mice after lens injury (Reg-LI) both showing regrowing axons in vitro, untreated adult mice, and retina from adult mice subjected to two weeks of elevated intraocular pressure showing degeneration. A total of 5750 proteins were identified (false discovery rate < 1%). Proteins identified in both Reg-P14 and Reg-LI groups were correlated to thyroid hormone, Notch, Wnt, and VEGF signaling pathways. Common interactors comprising E1A binding protein P300 (EP300), CREB binding protein (CBP), calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were found in both Reg-P14 and Reg-LI retinas. Proteins identified in both regenerating and degenerative groups were correlated to thyroid hormone, Notch, mRNA surveillance and measles signaling pathways, along with PD-L1 expression and the PD-1 checkpoint pathway. Common interactors across regenerative and degenerative retinas comprising NF-kappa-B p65 subunit (RELA), RNA-binding protein with serine-rich domain 1 (RNPS1), EP300 and SIN3 transcription regulator family member A (SIN3A). The findings from our study provide the first mapping of regenerative mechanisms across postnatal, mature and degenerative mouse retinas, revealing potential biomarkers that could facilitate neuro-regeneration in glaucoma.

Overview of pyroptosis mechanism and in-depth analysis of cardiomyocyte pyroptosis mediated by NF-κB pathway in heart failure

The pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes has become an essential topic in heart failure research. The abnormal accumulation of these biological factors, including angiotensin II, advanced glycation end products, and various growth factors (such as connective tissue growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor beta, among others), activates the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway in cardiovascular diseases, ultimately leading to pyroptosis of cardiomyocytes. Therefore, exploring the underlying molecular biological mechanisms is essential for developing novel drugs and therapeutic strategies. However, our current understanding of the precise regulatory mechanism of this complex signaling pathway in cardiomyocyte pyroptosis is still limited. Given this, this study reviews the milestone discoveries in the field of pyroptosis research since 1986, analyzes in detail the similarities, differences, and interactions between pyroptosis and other cell death modes (such as apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis), and explores the deep connection between pyroptosis and heart failure. At the same time, it depicts in detail the complete pathway of the activation, transmission, and eventual cardiomyocyte pyroptosis of the NF-κB signaling pathway in the process of heart failure. In addition, the study also systematically summarizes various therapeutic approaches that can inhibit NF-κB to reduce cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, including drugs, natural compounds, small molecule inhibitors, gene editing, and other cutting-edge technologies, aiming to provide solid scientific support and new research perspectives for the prevention and treatment of heart failure.

Scar matrix drives Piezo1 mediated stromal inflammation leading to placenta accreta spectrum

Scar tissue formation is a hallmark of wound repair in adults and can chronically affect tissue architecture and function. To understand the general phenomena, we sought to explore scar-driven imbalance in tissue homeostasis caused by a common, and standardized surgical procedure, the uterine scar due to cesarean surgery. Deep uterine scar is associated with a rapidly increasing condition in pregnant women, placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), characterized by aggressive trophoblast invasion into the uterus, frequently necessitating hysterectomy at parturition. We created a model of uterine scar, recapitulating PAS-like invasive phenotype, showing that scar matrix activates mechanosensitive ion channel, Piezo1, through glycolysis-fueled cellular contraction. Piezo1 activation increases intracellular calcium activity and Protein kinase C activation, leading to NF-κB nuclear translocation, and MafG stabilization. This inflammatory transformation of decidua leads to production of IL-8 and G-CSF, chemotactically recruiting invading trophoblasts towards scar, initiating PAS. Our study demonstrates aberrant mechanics of scar disturbs stroma-epithelia homeostasis in placentation, with implications in cancer dissemination.

Plantaginis semen ameliorates diabetic kidney disease via targeting the sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Plantaginis Semen (PS) is widely utilized as a common herb in several Asian countries, particularly China, due to its diuretic, anti-hypertensive, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-hyperglycemic properties. Furthermore, it is acknowledged for its ability to mitigate renal complications associated with metabolic syndrome. Despite its extensive usage, there is limited systematic literature elucidating its therapeutic mechanisms, thus emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive investigations in this field.

AIM

This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the therapeutical potential of PS in treating diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms through in vivo and in vitro models.

METHODS

The main composition of PS were characterized using the UPLC-QTOF-MS method. For the in vivo investigation, a mouse model mediated by streptozocin (STZ) associated with a high-fat diet (HFD) and unilateral renal excision was established. The mice were split into 6 groups (n = 8): control group (CON group), DKD group, low-dose of Plantago asiatica L. seed extract group (PASE-L group, 3 g/kg/d), medium-dose of PASE group (PASE-M, 6 g/kg/d), high-dose of PASE group (PASE-H, 9 g/kg/d), and positive drug group (valsartan, VAS group, 12 mg/kg/d). After 8 weeks of treatment, the damage induced by DKD was evaluated by using relevant parameters of urine and blood. Furthermore, indicators of inflammation and factors associated with the SphK1-S1P signaling pathway were investigated. For the in vitro study, the cell line HBZY-1 was stimulated by high glucose (HG), they were then co-cultured with different concentrations of PASE, and the corresponding associated inflammatory and sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine-1-phosphate (SphK1-S1P) factors were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 59 major components in PS were identified, including flavonoids, iridoids, phenylethanol glycosides, guanidine derivatives, and fatty acids. In the mouse model, PS was found to significantly improve body weight, decrease fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, increased glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance, improved kidney-related markers compared to the DKD group, pathological changes in the kidneys also improved dramatically. These effects showed a dose-dependent relationship, with higher PASE concentrations yielding significantly better outcomes than lower concentrations. However, the effects of the low PASE concentration were not evident for some indicators. In the cellular model, the high dose of PASE suppressed high glucose (HG) stimulated renal mesangial cell proliferation, suppressed inflammatory factors and NF-κB, and decreased the levels of fibrillin-1(FN-1) and collagen IV(ColIV).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that PS exerts favorable therapeutic effects on DKD, with the possible mechanisms including the inhibition of inflammatory pathways, suppression of mRNA levels and protein expressions of SphK1 and S1P, consequently leading to reduced overexpression of FN-1 and ColIV, thereby warranting further exploration.

Cylindromatosis lysine 63 deubiquitinase (CYLD) suppress TLR3-mediated CCL5 expression in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

One of the causes of tubulointerstitial nephritis is viral infection, with innate immune responses affecting its pathogenesis. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) recognizes viral infections and acts antivirally by activating signaling to produce inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, including C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) and interferon-β (IFN-β). Although cylindromatosis lysine 63 deubiquitinase (CYLD) is known to be associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis and renal function, its role in the antiviral innate immune response in tubular epithelial cells remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the association between CYLD and TLR3-mediated CCL5 production in cultured human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (hRPTECs).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly IC), a synthetic TLR3 ligand, was used to stimulate hRPTECs. mRNA expression was measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression was assayed using western blotting or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Knockdown of IFN-β, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, and CYLD was performed by transfecting cells with specific small interfering RNAs. The intracellular localization of CYLD in hRPTECs was analyzed using immunofluorescence. Poly IC induced CCL5 expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and knockdown of either IFN-β or p65 reduced poly IC-induced CCL5 expression. CYLD knockdown increased the poly IC-induced CCL5, phosphorylated IκB kinase α/β (IKK complex), and phosphorylated p65 expression. The CYLD protein was localized in the cytoplasm, and poly IC did not alter its expression.

CONCLUSION

CYLD may prevent excessive inflammation due to an antiviral innate immune response by suppressing IKK complex and NF-κB activation downstream of TLR3 in hRPTECs.

Synbiotics containing sea buckthorn polysaccharides ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice via regulating Th17/Treg homeostasis through intestinal microbiota and their production of BA metabolites and SCFAs

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic condition whose incidence has been rising globally. Synbiotic (SYN) is an effective means of preventing IBD. This study investigated the preventive effects and potential biological mechanisms of SYN (Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and sea buckthorn polysaccharides) on DSS-induced colitis in mice. The results indicated that dietary supplementation with SYN has a significant improvement effect on DSS mice. SYN ameliorated disease activity index (DAI), colon length, and intestinal barrier permeability in mice. In addition, RT-qPCR results indicated that after SYN intervention, the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17F) and transcription factor RORγt secreted by Th17 cells were significantly reduced, and the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10 and TGF-β) and transcription factor Foxp3 secreted by Treg cells were robustly increased. 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed that key intestinal microbiota related to Th17/Treg balance (Ligilactobacillus, Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia) was significantly enriched. At the same time, a significant increase in microbial metabolites SCFAs and BAs was observed. We speculate that SYN may regulate the Th17/Treg balance by restructuring the structure and composition of the intestinal microbiota, thereby mitigating DSS-induced colitis.

Activation of farnesoid X receptor enhances the efficacy of normothermic machine perfusion in ameliorating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury

The shortage of transplant organs remains a severe global issue. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) has the potential to increase organ availability, yet its efficacy is hampered by the inflammatory response during machine perfusion. Mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) models, discarded human liver models, and porcine marginal liver transplantation models were utilized to investigate whether farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation could mitigate inflammation-induced liver damage. FXR expression levels before and after reperfusion were measured. Gene editing and coimmunoprecipitation techniques were employed to explore the regulatory mechanism of FXR in inflammation inhibition. The expression of FXR correlates with the extent of liver damage after reperfusion. Activation of FXR significantly suppressed the inflammatory response triggered by IRI, diminished the release of proinflammatory cytokines, and improved liver function recovery during NMP, assisting discarded human livers to reach transplant standards. Mechanistically, FXR disrupts the interaction between p65 and p300, thus inhibiting modulating the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway, a key instigator of inflammation. Our research across multiple species confirms that activating FXR can optimize NMP by attenuating IRI-related liver damage, thereby improving the utilization of marginal livers for transplantation.

ST3GAL1 Promotes Malignant Phenotypes in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has a poor prognosis, and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying iCCA malignancy is of great significance. Glycosylation, an important post-translational modification, is closely associated with tumor progression. Altered glycosylation, including aberrant sialylation resulting from abnormal expression of sialyltransferases (STs) and neuraminidases (NEUs), is a significant feature of cancer cells. However, there is limited information on the roles of STs and NEUs in iCCA malignancy. Here, utilizing our proteogenomic resources from a cohort of 262 patients with iCCA, we identified ST3GAL1 as a prognostically relevant molecule in iCCA. Moreover, overexpression of ST3GAL1 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited apoptosis of iCCA cells in vitro. Through proteomic analyses, we identified the downstream pathway potentially regulated by ST3GAL1, which was the NF-κB signaling pathway, and further demonstrated that this pathway was positively correlated with malignancy in iCCA cells. Notably, glycoproteomics showed that O-glycosylation was changed in iCCA cells with high ST3GAL1 expression. Importantly, the altered O-glycopeptides underscored the potential utility of O-glycosylation profiling as a discriminatory marker for iCCA cells with ST3GAL1 overexpression. Additionally, miR-320b was identified as a post-transcriptional regulator of ST3GAL1, capable of suppressing ST3GAL1 expression and then reducing the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of iCCA cell lines. Taken together, these results suggest ST3GAL1 could serve as a promising therapeutic target for iCCA.

Mechanisms for controlling Dorsal nuclear levels

Formation of the Dorsal nuclear-cytoplasmic gradient is important for the proper establishment of gene expression patterns along the dorsal-ventral (DV) axis during embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Correct patterning of the DV axis leads to formation of the presumptive mesoderm, neurogenic ectoderm, dorsal ectoderm, and amnioserosa, which are tissues necessary for embryo viability. While Toll signaling is necessary for Dorsal gradient formation, a gradient still forms in the absence of Toll, suggesting there are additional mechanisms required to achieve correct nuclear Dorsal levels. Potential mechanisms include post-translational modification, shuttling, and nuclear spacing. Post-translational modification could affect import and export rates either directly through modification of a nuclear localization sequence or nuclear export sequence, or indirectly by affecting interactions with binding partners that alter import and export rates. Shuttling, which refers to the facilitated diffusion of Dorsal through its interaction with its cytoplasmic inhibitor Cactus, could regulate nuclear levels by delivering more Dorsal ventrally. Finally, nuclear spacing could result in higher nuclear levels by leaving fewer nuclei in the ventral domain to uptake Dorsal. This review details how each of these mechanisms may help establish Dorsal nuclear levels in the early fly embryo, which serves as a paradigm for understanding how the dynamics of graded inputs can influence patterning and target gene expression. Furthermore, careful analysis of nuclear Dorsal levels is likely to provide general insights as recent studies have suggested that the regulation of nuclear import affects the timing of gene expression at the maternal-to-zygotic transition.

Post-translational modifications: The potential ways for killing cancer stem cells

While strides in cancer treatment continue to advance, the enduring challenges posed by cancer metastasis and recurrence persist as formidable contributors to the elevated mortality rates observed in cancer patients. Among the multifaceted factors implicated in tumor recurrence and metastasis, cancer stem cells (CSCs) emerge as noteworthy entities due to their inherent resistance to conventional therapies and heightened invasive capacities. Characterized by their notable abilities for self-renewal, differentiation, and initiation of tumorigenesis, the eradication of CSCs emerges as a paramount objective. Recent investigations increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of post-translational protein modifications (PTMs) in governing the self-renewal and replication capabilities of CSCs. This review accentuates the critical significance of several prevalent PTMs and the intricate interplay of PTM crosstalk in regulating CSC behavior. Furthermore, it posits that the manipulation of PTMs may offer a novel avenue for targeting and eliminating CSC populations, presenting a compelling perspective on cancer therapeutics with substantial potential for future applications.

Intricate effects of post-translational modifications in liver cancer: mechanisms to clinical applications

Liver cancer is a significant global health challenge, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most prevalent form, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Despite advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, the prognosis for advanced liver cancer remains poor. This underscores the urgent need for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC to enable early detection and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are crucial regulatory mechanisms in cellular biology, affecting protein functionality, interactions, and localization. These modifications, including phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, and glycosylation, occur after protein synthesis and play vital roles in various cellular processes. Recent advances in proteomics and molecular biology have highlighted the complex networks of PTMs, emphasizing their critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. Dysregulation of PTMs has been associated with several malignant cellular processes in HCC, such as altered cell proliferation, migration, immune evasion, and metabolic reprogramming, contributing to tumor growth and metastasis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathological mechanisms and clinical implications of various PTMs in liver cancer. By exploring the multifaceted interactions of PTMs and their impact on liver cancer progression, we highlight the potential of PTMs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The significance of this review lies in its potential to inform the development of novel therapeutic approaches and improve prognostic tools for early intervention in the fight against liver cancer.

Jolkinolide B attenuates allergic airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthmatic mice

Asthma is a widely prevalent chronic disease that brings great suffering to patients and may result in death if it turns severe. Jolkinolide B (JB) is one diterpenoid component separated from the dried roots of Euphorbia fischeriana Steud (Euphorbiaceae), and has anti--inflammatory, antioxidative, and antitumor properties. However, the detailed regulatory role and associated regulatory mechanism in the progression of asthma remain elusive. In this work, it was demonstrated that the extensive infiltration of bronchial inflammatory cells and the thickening of airway wall were observed in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice, but these impacts were reversed by JB (10 mg/kg) treatment, indicating that JB relieved the provocative symptoms in OVA-induced asthma mice. In addition, JB can control OVA-triggered lung function and pulmonary resistance. Moreover, JB attenuated OVA-evoked inflammation by lowering the levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Besides, the activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and transforming growth factor-beta-mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (TGFβ/smad3) pathways in OVA-induced mice are rescued by JB treatment. In conclusion, it was disclosed that JB reduced allergic airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthmatic mice by modulating the NF-κB and TGFβ/smad3 pathways. This work could offer new opinions on JB for lessening progression of asthma.

Baicalin attenuates acute skin damage induced by ultraviolet B via inhibiting pyroptosis

As the outermost layer of the human body, the skin suffers from various external factors especially light damage, among which ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation is common and possesses a relatively high biological damage capacity. Pyroptosis is a newly discovered type of programmed cell death, which can induce cell rupture and induce local inflammatory response. However, the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis in photodamaged skin is poorly understood. Baicalin, a flavonoid extracted from the desiccated root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Huang Qin). Despite its antioxidant abilities, whether baicalin protects skin by attenuating UVB-induced pyroptosis remains unclear, which was the aim of this study. The UVB-induced acute skin damage model was established by using human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and Kunming (KM) strain mice. The protective dose selection for baicalin is 50 μM in vitro and 100 mg/kg in vivo. In in vitro study, UVB irradiation significantly decreased cell viability, increased cell death and oxidative stress in HaCaT cells, while pretreatment with baicalin improved these phenomena. Furthermore, the baicalin pretreatment notably suppressed nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) translocation, the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and gasdermin D (GSDMD) maturation, thus effectively attenuating UVB-induced pyroptosis. In in vivo study, the baicalin pretreatment mitigated epidermal hyperplasia, collagen fiber fragmentation, oxidative stress and pyroptosis in UVB-irradiated mouse skin. In a nutshell, this study suggests that baicalin could be a potential protective agent to attenuate acute skin damage induced by UVB irradiation through decreasing oxidative stress and suppressing NF-κB/NLRP3/GSDMD-involved pyroptosis.

Antiproliferative Effect of 7-Ketositosterol in Breast and Liver Cancer Cells: Possible Impact on Ceramide, Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases, and Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Pathways

Background: This study aimed to examine the effect of 7-Ketositosterol (7-KSS), on sphingomyelin/ceramide metabolites and apoptosis in human breast MCF-7 and human liver HepG2 cancer cells. Methods: Anti-proliferative effects of 7-KSS treatment were assessed at different concentrations and periods. Cell viability was assessed through MTT analysis, whereas the levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), sphingomyelins (SMs), and ceramides (CERs) were measured using LC-MS/MS. Phosphorylated 44/42 ERK1/2 and NF-κB p65 (Ser536) protein levels were measured by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining and flow cytometric assessment of annexin-V and propidium iodide (PI) labeling. Results: Treatment with 7-KSS significantly decreased cell survival and S1P, p-44/42 ERK1/2, and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels in cancer cells compared to controls. A substantial rise was detected in intracellular amounts of C16-C24 CERs and apoptosis in cancer cells incubated with 7-KSS. Conclusions: 7-KSS stimulated ceramide accumulation and apoptosis while decreasing cell proliferation via downregulating S1P, p-44/42 ERK1/2, and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels.

Cheungsam Seed Husk Extract Reduces Skin Inflammation through Regulation of Inflammatory Mediator in TNF-α/IFN-γ-Induced HaCaT Cells

Cannabis contains numerous natural components and has several effects such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Cheungsam is a variety of non-drug-type hemp, developed in Korea and is used for fiber (stem) and oil (seed). The efficacy of Cheungsam on skin is not yet known, and although there are previous studies on Cheungsam seed oil, there are no studies on Cheungsam seed husk. In this study, we investigated the potential of Cheungsam seed husk ethanol extract (CSSH) to alleviate skin inflammation through evaluating the gene and protein expression levels of inflammatory mediators. The results showed that CSSH reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and CXCL10) and atopic dermatitis-related cytokines (IL-4, CCL17, MDC and RANTES) in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. Furthermore, ERK, JNK and p38 phosphorylation were decreased and p-p65, p-IκBα, NLRP3, caspase-1, p-JAK1 and p-STAT6 were suppressed after CSSH treatment. CSSH significantly increased the level of the skin barrier factors filaggrin and involucrin. These results suggest that Cheungsam seed husk ethanol extract regulates the mechanism of skin inflammation and can be used as a new treatment for skin inflammatory diseases.

Microglial SIX2 suppresses lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation by up-regulating FXYD2 expression

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although its pathogenesis remains unclear, microglia-mediated neuroinflammation significantly contributes to the development of PD. Here we showed that the sine oculis homeobox (SIX) homologue family transcription factors SIX2 exerted significant effects on neuroinflammation. The SIX2 protein, which is silenced during development, was reactivated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated microglia. The reactivated SIX2 in microglia mitigated the LPS induced inflammatory effects, and then reduced the toxic effect of conditioned media (CM) of microglia on co-cultured MES23.5 DA cells. Using the LPS-stimulated Cx3cr1-CreERT2 mouse model, we also demonstrated that the highly-expressed SIX2 in microglia obviously attenuated neuroinflammation and protected the DA neurons in SN. Further RNA-Seq analysis on the inflammatory activated microglia revealed that the SIX2 exerted these effects via up-regulating the FXYD domain containing ion transport regulator 2 (FXYD2). Taken together, our study demonstrated that SIX2 was an endogenous anti-inflammatory factor in microglia, and it exerted anti-neuroinflammatory effects by regulating the expression of FXYD2, which provides new ideas for anti-neuroinflammation in PD.

Melatonin at repeated doses alleviates hyperglycemia-exacerbated cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury at 72 h via anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis

Objective

We aimed to investigate how hyperglycemia would exacerbate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) in a rat model of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and explore the beneficial effects of multiple doses of melatonin in T1DM induced CIRI.

Method

The T1DM rat model was induced with streptozocin, and melatonin (10 mg/kg) was injected at 0.5 h before ischemia as well as at 24 and 48 h after reperfusion.

Results

When compared to normoglycemic (NG) rats, T1DM rats had hyperglycemia with weight loss before CIRI. Despite comparable degrees of ischemia and initial reperfusion, T1DM rats tended to have greater weight loss and had worse neurological deficits and larger infarct volume than NG rats up to 72 h after CIRI. Persistent activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway but not of apoptosis or calpains was a crucial factor in T1DM-mediated exacerbation of CIRI at 72 h. Despite lacking effects on baseline hyperglycemia, ischemia and initial reperfusion, melatonin at multiple doses lessened post-CIRI weight loss, neurological deficits and infarct volume in T1DM rats at 72 h. when compared to vehicle-treated T1DM rats with CIRI. Beneficial effects of melatonin treatment included decreased activation of NF-κB pathway, apoptosis and calpains, leading to reduced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and enhanced neuronal density.

Conclusion

Melatonin at multiple doses can alleviate T1DM-mediated exacerbation of CIRI at 72 h through anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis.

Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy

Tumor biomarkers, the substances which are produced by tumors or the body's responses to tumors during tumorigenesis and progression, have been demonstrated to possess critical and encouraging value in screening and early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, recurrence detection, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring of cancers. Over the past decades, continuous progress has been made in exploring and discovering novel, sensitive, specific, and accurate tumor biomarkers, which has significantly promoted personalized medicine and improved the outcomes of cancer patients, especially advances in molecular biology technologies developed for the detection of tumor biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the discovery and development of tumor biomarkers, including the history of tumor biomarkers, the conventional and innovative technologies used for biomarker discovery and detection, the classification of tumor biomarkers based on tissue origins, and the application of tumor biomarkers in clinical cancer management. In particular, we highlight the recent advancements in biomarker-based anticancer-targeted therapies which are emerging as breakthroughs and promising cancer therapeutic strategies. We also discuss limitations and challenges that need to be addressed and provide insights and perspectives to turn challenges into opportunities in this field. Collectively, the discovery and application of multiple tumor biomarkers emphasized in this review may provide guidance on improved precision medicine, broaden horizons in future research directions, and expedite the clinical classification of cancer patients according to their molecular biomarkers rather than organs of origin.

CLK2 mediates IκBα-independent early termination of NF-κB activation by inducing cytoplasmic redistribution and degradation

Activation of the NF-κB pathway is strictly regulated to prevent excessive inflammatory and immune responses. In a well-known negative feedback model, IκBα-dependent NF-κB termination is a delayed response pattern in the later stage of activation, and the mechanisms mediating the rapid termination of active NF-κB remain unclear. Here, we showed IκBα-independent rapid termination of nuclear NF-κB mediated by CLK2, which negatively regulated active NF-κB by phosphorylating the RelA/p65 subunit of NF-κB at Ser180 in the nucleus to limit its transcriptional activation through degradation and nuclear export. Depletion of CLK2 increased the production of inflammatory cytokines, reduced viral replication and increased the survival of the mice. Mechanistically, CLK2 phosphorylated RelA/p65 at Ser180 in the nucleus, leading to ubiquitin‒proteasome-mediated degradation and cytoplasmic redistribution. Importantly, a CLK2 inhibitor promoted cytokine production, reduced viral replication, and accelerated murine psoriasis. This study revealed an IκBα-independent mechanism of early-stage termination of NF-κB in which phosphorylated Ser180 RelA/p65 turned off posttranslational modifications associated with transcriptional activation, ultimately resulting in the degradation and nuclear export of RelA/p65 to inhibit excessive inflammatory activation. Our findings showed that the phosphorylation of RelA/p65 at Ser180 in the nucleus inhibits early-stage NF-κB activation, thereby mediating the negative regulation of NF-κB.