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Fuster-Martínez I, Calatayud S. The currrent landscape of antifibrotic therapy across different organs: A systematic approach. Pharmacol Res 2024; 205:107245. [PMID: 38821150 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a common pathological process that can affect virtually all the organs, but there are hardly any effective therapeutic options. This has led to an intense search for antifibrotic therapies over the last decades, with a great number of clinical assays currently underway. We have systematically reviewed all current and recently finished clinical trials involved in the development of new antifibrotic drugs, and the preclinical studies analyzing the relevance of each of these pharmacological strategies in fibrotic processes affecting tissues beyond those being clinically studied. We analyze and discuss this information with the aim of determining the most promising options and the feasibility of extending their therapeutic value as antifibrotic agents to other fibrotic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Fuster-Martínez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Universitat de València, Valencia 46010, Spain; FISABIO (Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunidad Valenciana), Valencia 46020, Spain.
| | - Sara Calatayud
- Departamento de Farmacología, Universitat de València, Valencia 46010, Spain; CIBERehd (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red - Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas), Spain.
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2
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Sabir Z, Ben Said S, Al-Mdallal Q. Bio inspired heuristic computing scheme for the human liver nonlinear model. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28912. [PMID: 38617930 PMCID: PMC11015407 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
In this research, a bio-inspired heuristic computing approach has been developed to solve the nonlinear behavior of the human liver, which is categorized into the liver and blood. The solutions of the human liver model are presented by using the stochastic computation procedure based on the artificial neural network (ANN) along with the optimization of genetic algorithm (GA) and interior-point (IP). A fitness function is designed through the differential form of the nonlinear human liver model and then optimized by using the hybrid competency of GAIP scheme. The correctness and exactness of the proposed approach are observed through the overlapping of the obtained (GAIP) and reference (Adams scheme) solutions, while the calculated absolute error values in good order enhance the worth of the proposed solver. The log-sigmoid transfer function together with ten numbers of neurons is executed to perform the solutions of the human liver nonlinear model. Furthermore, the statistical approaches have been applied in order to observe the reliability of the designed approach for solving the nonlinear human liver model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulqurnain Sabir
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Salem Ben Said
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Qasem Al-Mdallal
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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3
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Wang Y, Yu H, Cen Z, Zhu Y, Wu W. Drug targets regulate systemic metabolism and provide new horizons to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Metabol Open 2024; 21:100267. [PMID: 38187470 PMCID: PMC10770762 DOI: 10.1016/j.metop.2023.100267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is the advanced stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with rapidly rising global prevalence. It is featured with severe hepatocyte apoptosis, inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis. The drugs directly targeting the processes of steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis are currently under clinical investigation. Nevertheless, the long-term ineffectiveness and remarkable adverse effects are well documented, and new concepts are required to tackle with the root causes of NASH progression. We critically assess the recently validated drug targets that regulate the systemic metabolism to ameliorate NASH. Thermogenesis promoted by mitochondrial uncouplers restores systemic energy expenditure. Furthermore, regulation of mitochondrial proteases and proteins that are pivotal for intracellular metabolic homeostasis normalize mitochondrial function. Secreted proteins also improve systemic metabolism, and NASH is ameliorated by agonizing receptors of secreted proteins with small molecules. We analyze the drug design, the advantages and shortcomings of these novel drug candidates. Meanwhile, the structural modification of current NASH therapeutics significantly increased their selectivity, efficacy and safety. Furthermore, the arising CRISPR-Cas9 screen strategy on liver organoids has enabled the identification of new genes that mediate lipid metabolism, which may serve as promising drug targets. In summary, this article discusses the in-depth novel mechanisms and the multidisciplinary approaches, and they provide new horizons to treat NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, China
| | - Hanhan Yu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Zhipeng Cen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Nanhai Translational Innovation Center of Precision Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Foshan, 528200, China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, 200438, China
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4
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Wang Y, Zheng J, Long Y, Wu W, Zhu Y. Direct degradation and stabilization of proteins: New horizons in treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 220:115989. [PMID: 38122854 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is featured with excessive hepatic lipid accumulation and its global prevalence is soaring. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the severe systemic inflammatory subtype of NAFLD, is tightly associated with metabolic comorbidities, and the hepatocytes manifest severe inflammation and ballooning. Currently the therapeutic options for treating NASH are limited. Potent small molecules specifically intervene with the signaling pathways that promote pathogenesis of NASH. Nevertheless they have obvious adverse effects and show long-term ineffectiveness in clinical trials. It poses the fundamental question to efficiently and safely inhibit the pathogenic processes. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) belongs to the direct degradation strategies and is a burgeoning strategy. It utilizes the small molecules to bind to the target proteins and recruit the endogenous proteasome, lysosome and autophagosome-mediated degradation machineries. They effectively and specifically degrade the target proteins. It has exhibited promising therapeutic effects in treatment of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases in a catalytic manner at low doses. We critically discuss the principles of multiple direct degradation strategies, especially PROTAC and ATTEC. We extensively analyze their emerging application in degradation of excessive pathogenic proteins and lipid droplets, which promote the progression of NASH. Moreover, we discuss the opposite strategy that utilizes the small molecules to recruit deubiquinases to stabilize the NASH/MASH-suppressing proteins. Their advantages, limitations, as well as the solutions to address the limitations have been analyzed. In summary, the innovative direct degradation strategies provide new insights into design of next-generation therapeutics to combat NASH with optimal safety paradigm and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health, PR China.
| | - Jianan Zheng
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Yun Long
- Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, PR China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, PR China
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5
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Yarahmadi A, Afkhami H. The role of microbiomes in gastrointestinal cancers: new insights. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1344328. [PMID: 38361500 PMCID: PMC10867565 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1344328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers constitute more than 33% of new cancer cases worldwide and pose a considerable burden on public health. There exists a growing body of evidence that has systematically recorded an upward trajectory in GI malignancies within the last 5 to 10 years, thus presenting a formidable menace to the health of the human population. The perturbations in GI microbiota may have a noteworthy influence on the advancement of GI cancers; however, the precise mechanisms behind this association are still not comprehensively understood. Some bacteria have been observed to support cancer development, while others seem to provide a safeguard against it. Recent studies have indicated that alterations in the composition and abundance of microbiomes could be associated with the progression of various GI cancers, such as colorectal, gastric, hepatic, and esophageal cancers. Within this comprehensive analysis, we examine the significance of microbiomes, particularly those located in the intestines, in GI cancers. Furthermore, we explore the impact of microbiomes on various treatment modalities for GI cancer, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Additionally, we delve into the intricate mechanisms through which intestinal microbes influence the efficacy of GI cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aref Yarahmadi
- Department of Biology, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Hamed Afkhami
- Nervous System Stem Cells Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
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6
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Lonardo A, Ballestri S, Mantovani A, Targher G, Bril F. Endpoints in NASH Clinical Trials: Are We Blind in One Eye? Metabolites 2024; 14:40. [PMID: 38248843 PMCID: PMC10820221 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This narrative review aims to illustrate the notion that nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), recently renamed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is a systemic metabolic disorder featuring both adverse hepatic and extrahepatic outcomes. In recent years, several NASH trials have failed to identify effective pharmacological treatments and, therefore, lifestyle changes are the cornerstone of therapy for NASH. with this context, we analyze the epidemiological burden of NASH and the possible pathogenetic factors involved. These include genetic factors, insulin resistance, lipotoxicity, immuno-thrombosis, oxidative stress, reprogramming of hepatic metabolism, and hypoxia, all of which eventually culminate in low-grade chronic inflammation and increased risk of fibrosis progression. The possible explanations underlying the failure of NASH trials are also accurately examined. We conclude that the high heterogeneity of NASH, resulting from variable genetic backgrounds, exposure, and responses to different metabolic stresses, susceptibility to hepatocyte lipotoxicity, and differences in repair-response, calls for personalized medicine approaches involving research on noninvasive biomarkers. Future NASH trials should aim at achieving a complete assessment of systemic determinants, modifiers, and correlates of NASH, thus adopting a more holistic and unbiased approach, notably including cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic outcomes, without restricting therapeutic perspectives to histological surrogates of liver-related outcomes alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amedeo Lonardo
- AOU—Modena—Ospedale Civile di Baggiovara, 41126 Modena, Italy;
| | | | - Alessandro Mantovani
- Section of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Piazzale Stefani, 37126 Verona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Targher
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37126 Verona, Italy;
- Metabolic Diseases Research Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore—Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy
| | - Fernando Bril
- Department of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL 35233, USA;
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7
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Zhu G, Li J, Lin X, Zhang Z, Hu T, Huo S, Li Y. Discovery of a Novel Ketohexokinase Inhibitor with Improved Drug Distribution in Target Tissue for the Treatment of Fructose Metabolic Disease. J Med Chem 2023; 66:13501-13515. [PMID: 37766386 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Excessive fructose absorption and its subsequent metabolisms are implicated in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, and insulin resistance in humans. Ketohexokinase (KHK) is a primary enzyme involved in fructose metabolism via the conversion of fructose to fructose-1-phosphate. KHK inhibition might be a potential approach for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Herein, a series of novel KHK inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. Among them, compound 14 exhibited more potent activity than PF-06835919 based on the rat KHK inhibition assay in vivo, and higher drug distribution concentration in the liver. Its good absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion and pharmacokinetic properties make it a promising clinical candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Zhu
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Jiao Li
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Lin
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Tao Hu
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Shuhua Huo
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
| | - Yunfei Li
- TuoJie Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201206, P. R. China
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8
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Velliou RI, Legaki AI, Nikolakopoulou P, Vlachogiannis NI, Chatzigeorgiou A. Liver endothelial cells in NAFLD and transition to NASH and HCC. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:314. [PMID: 37798474 PMCID: PMC11072568 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04966-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which is characterised by obesity, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. NAFLD is the most frequent liver disease worldwide and more than 10% of NAFLD patients progress to the inflammatory and fibrotic stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to end-stage liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequent primary malignant liver tumor. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are strategically positioned at the interface between blood and hepatic parenchyma. LSECs are highly specialized cells, characterised by the presence of transcellular pores, called fenestrae, and exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic characteristics under physiological conditions. However, during NAFLD development they undergo capillarisation and acquire a phenotype similar to vascular endothelial cells, actively promoting all pathophysiological aspects of NAFLD, including steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. LSEC dysfunction is critical for the progression to NASH and HCC while restoring LSEC homeostasis appears to be a promising approach to prevent NAFLD progression and its complications and even reverse tissue damage. In this review we present current information on the role of LSEC throughout the progressive phases of NAFLD, summarising in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence and data from human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rallia-Iliana Velliou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Aigli-Ioanna Legaki
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos I Vlachogiannis
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonios Chatzigeorgiou
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., 11527, Athens, Greece.
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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9
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Xu ST, Jin HW, Jin X, Xu BX, Zhang Y, Xie T, Wang G, Wang J, Zhen L. Development and validation for bioanalysis of VK2809, its active metabolite VK2809A and glutathione-conjugated metabolite MB06588 in rat liver using LC-MS/MS. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 234:115595. [PMID: 37487290 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
VK2809 is a promising drug candidate in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). It is a prodrug with a HepDirect strategy, which can achieve selective hepatic metabolic activation, generating an active metabolite VK2809A as a potent and selective agonist for thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRβ), a concomitant reactive metabolite VK2809B, and a glutathione (GSH) conjugate MB06588. Currently, there is no convenient and sensitive bioanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of the above three metabolites. Herein, we established an LC-MS/MS method to separate VK2809 and its metabolites on the XSelect HSS T3 column and quantified them in negative electrospray ionization mode. Subsequently, several factors were investigated such as the use of 60% acetonitrile for homogenization to stabilize the analytes, the addition of 20 mM glutathione for the derivation of VK2809B, and the protein precipitation with methanol containing Sobetirome as the internal standard (IS). The method exhibited good linearity for all compounds (19.4-388.4 nM for VK2809; 27.4-2744.4 nM for VK2809A and 10.6-211.0 nM for MB06588) with great correlation coefficients (r > 0.996). The method validation also demonstrated acceptable precision (RSD < 13.0% for VK2809, RSD < 7.9% for VK2809A, RSD < 14.4% for MB06588) and accuracy (92.7%-103% for VK2809, 91.2%-107.3% for VK2809A, 96%-106.7% for MB06588). The matrix effect, recovery, and stability were also suitable to determine all the analytes. This method is suitable for the bioanalysis of VK2809 and its metabolites and has been successfully applied to the study of intrahepatic exposure in rats. It is expected to be further practiced in drug design, optimization, and metabolism study in the following research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Tao Xu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao-Wen Jin
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Jin
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bi-Xin Xu
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Xie
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guangji Wang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Jiankun Wang
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Le Zhen
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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Boslem E, Reibe S, Carlessi R, Smeuninx B, Tegegne S, Egan CL, McLennan E, Terry LV, Nobis M, Mu A, Nowell C, Horadagoda N, Mellett NA, Timpson P, Jones M, Denisenko E, Forrest AR, Tirnitz-Parker JE, Meikle PJ, Rose-John S, Karin M, Febbraio MA. Therapeutic blockade of ER stress and inflammation prevents NASH and progression to HCC. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh0831. [PMID: 37703359 PMCID: PMC10499313 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh0831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rapidly rising largely because of increased obesity leading to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a known HCC risk factor. There are no approved treatments to treat NASH. Here, we first used single-nucleus RNA sequencing to characterize a mouse model that mimics human NASH-driven HCC, the MUP-uPA mouse fed a high-fat diet. Activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammation was observed in a subset of hepatocytes that was enriched in mice that progress to HCC. We next treated MUP-uPA mice with the ER stress inhibitor BGP-15 and soluble gp130Fc, a drug that blocks inflammation by preventing interleukin-6 trans-signaling. Both drugs have progressed to phase 2/3 human clinical trials for other indications. We show that this combined therapy reversed NASH and reduced NASH-driven HCC. Our data suggest that these drugs could provide a potential therapy for NASH progression to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebru Boslem
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Saskia Reibe
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Carlessi
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Benoit Smeuninx
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Surafel Tegegne
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Casey L. Egan
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emma McLennan
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lauren V. Terry
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Max Nobis
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andre Mu
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
- EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge UK
| | - Cameron Nowell
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Neil Horadagoda
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia
| | | | - Paul Timpson
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew Jones
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Elena Denisenko
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Alistair R. R. Forrest
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Janina E. E. Tirnitz-Parker
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Peter J. Meikle
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Rose-John
- Department of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Karin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mark A. Febbraio
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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11
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Zhang C, Teng Y, Li F, Ho W, Bai X, Xu X, Zhang XQ. Nanoparticle-Mediated RNA Therapy Attenuates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Related Fibrosis by Targeting Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells. ACS NANO 2023; 17:14852-14870. [PMID: 37490628 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c03217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic liver injury and inflammation triggered by metabolic abnormalities initiate the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), driving fibrosis and parenchymal dysfunction, culminating in disorders such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Unfortunately, there are currently no approved drugs capable of effectively treating NASH due to the challenges in addressing fibrosis and restoring extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis. We discovered a significant up-regulation of interleukin-11 (IL-11) in fibrotic livers using two well-established murine models of NASH. To leverage this signaling pathway, we developed a nanoparticle (NP)-assisted RNA interfering approach that specifically targets activated HSCs (aHSCs), blocking IL-11/ERK signaling to regulate HSC transdifferentiation along with fibrotic remodeling. The most potent NP, designated NP-AEAA, showed enhanced accumulation in fibrotic livers with NASH and was primarily enriched in aHSCs. We further investigated the therapeutic efficacy of aHSC-targeting NP-AEAA encapsulating small interfering RNA (siRNA) against IL11 or its cognate receptor IL11ra1 (termed siIL11@NP-AEAA or siIL11ra1@NP-AEAA, respectively) for resolving fibrosis and NASH. Our results demonstrate that both siIL11@NP-AEAA and siIL11ra1@NP-AEAA effectively inhibit HSC activation and resolve fibrosis and inflammation in two well-established murine models of NASH. Notably, siIL11ra1@NP-AEAA exhibits a superior therapeutic effect over siIL11@NP-AEAA, in terms of reducing liver steatosis and fibrosis as well as recovering liver function. These results constitute a targeted nanoparticulate siRNA therapeutic approach against the IL-11 signaling pathway of aHSCs in the fibrotic liver, offering a promising therapeutic intervention for NASH and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenshuang Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmacy, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | - Yilong Teng
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmacy, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | | | | | - Xin Bai
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmacy, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
| | | | - Xue-Qing Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, School of Pharmacy, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
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12
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Zheng Y, Wang S, Wu J, Wang Y. Mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: new insights from pathogenic mechanisms to clinically targeted therapy. J Transl Med 2023; 21:510. [PMID: 37507803 PMCID: PMC10375703 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04367-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is among the most widespread metabolic disease globally, and its associated complications including insulin resistance and diabetes have become threatening conditions for human health. Previous studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were focused on the liver's lipid metabolism. However, growing evidence suggests that mitochondrial metabolism is involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD to varying degrees in several ways, for instance in cellular division, oxidative stress, autophagy, and mitochondrial quality control. Ultimately, liver function gradually declines as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction. The liver is unable to transfer the excess lipid droplets outside the liver. Therefore, how to regulate hepatic mitochondrial function to treat NAFLD has become the focus of current research. This review provides details about the intrinsic link of NAFLD with mitochondrial metabolism and the mechanisms by which mitochondrial dysfunctions contribute to NAFLD progression. Given the crucial role of mitochondrial metabolism in NAFLD progression, the application potential of multiple mitochondrial function improvement modalities (including physical exercise, diabetic medications, small molecule agonists targeting Sirt3, and mitochondria-specific antioxidants) in the treatment of NAFLD was evaluated hoping to provide new insights into NAFLD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwei Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shiting Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jialiang Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
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13
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Chen L, Wang Y. Interdisciplinary advances reshape the delivery tools for effective NASH treatment. Mol Metab 2023; 73:101730. [PMID: 37142161 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a severe systemic and inflammatory subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, eventually develops into cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with few options for effective treatment. Currently potent small molecules identified in preclinical studies are confronted with adverse effects and long-term ineffectiveness in clinical trials. Nevertheless, highly specific delivery tools designed from interdisciplinary concepts may address the significant challenges by either effectively increasing the concentrations of drugs in target cell types, or selectively manipulating the gene expression in liver to resolve NASH. SCOPE OF REVIEW We focus on dissecting the detailed principles of the latest interdisciplinary advances and concepts that direct the design of future delivery tools to enhance the efficacy. Recent advances have indicated that cell and organelle-specific vehicles, non-coding RNA research (e.g. saRNA, hybrid miRNA) improve the specificity, while small extracellular vesicles and coacervates increase the cellular uptake of therapeutics. Moreover, strategies based on interdisciplinary advances drastically elevate drug loading capacity and delivery efficiency and ameliorate NASH and other liver diseases. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS The latest concepts and advances in chemistry, biochemistry and machine learning technology provide the framework and strategies for the design of more effective tools to treat NASH, other pivotal liver diseases and metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linshan Chen
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China; Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health.
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14
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An S, Ko H, Jang H, Park IG, Ahn S, Hwang SY, Gong J, Oh S, Kwak SY, Lee Y, Kim H, Noh M. Prenylated Chrysin Derivatives as Partial PPARγ Agonists with Adiponectin Secretion-Inducing Activity. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:425-431. [PMID: 37077388 PMCID: PMC10107909 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreased circulating adiponectin levels are associated with an increased risk of human metabolic diseases. The chemical-mediated upregulation of adiponectin biosynthesis has been proposed as a novel therapeutic approach to managing hypoadiponectinemia-associated diseases. In preliminary screening, the natural flavonoid chrysin (1) exhibited adiponectin secretion-inducing activity during adipogenesis in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). Here, we provide the 7-prenylated chrysin derivatives, chrysin 5-benzyl-7-prenylether compound 10 and chrysin 5,7-diprenylether compound 11, with the improved pharmacological profile compared with chrysin (1). Nuclear receptor binding and ligand-induced coactivator recruitment assays revealed that compounds 10 and 11 functioned as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ partial agonists. These findings were supported by molecular docking simulation, followed by experimental validation. Notably, compound 11 showed PPARγ binding affinity as potent as that of the PPARγ agonists pioglitazone and telmisartan. This study presents a novel PPARγ partial agonist pharmacophore and suggests that prenylated chrysin derivatives have therapeutic potential in various human diseases associated with hypoadiponectinemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungchan An
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Ko
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hongjun Jang
- Research
Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - In Guk Park
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungjin Ahn
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Young Hwang
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Junpyo Gong
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyeon Oh
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Yeon Kwak
- Research
Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonjin Lee
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoungsu Kim
- Research
Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, 206 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsoo Noh
- Natural
Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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15
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Qin T, Gao X, Lei L, Feng J, Zhang W, Hu Y, Shen Z, Liu Z, Huan Y, Wu S, Xia J, Zhang L. Machine learning- and structure-based discovery of a novel chemotype as FXR agonists for potential treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115307. [PMID: 37003047 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a promising target for drug discovery against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no FXR agonist has been approved for NAFLD so far. The R & D of FXR agonists are somewhat hindered by the lack of effective and safe chemotypes. To this end, we developed a multi-stage computational workflow to screen the Specs and ChemDiv chemical library for FXR agonists, which consisted of machine learning (ML)-based classifiers, shape-based and electrostatic-based models, a FRED-based molecular docking protocol, an ADMET prediction protocol and substructure search. As a result, we identified a novel chemotype that has never been reported before, with compound XJ02862 (ChemDiv ID: Y020-6413) as the representative. By designing an asymmetric synthesis strategy, we were able to prepare four isomers of compound XJ02862. Interestingly, one of the isomers, 2-((S)-1-((2S,4R)-2-methyl-4-(phenylamino)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-1(2H)-yl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)hexahydro-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione (XJ02862-S2), showed potent FXR agonistic activity in HEK293T cells. The molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and site-directed mutagenesis suggested the hydrogen bond between compound XJ02862-S2 and HIS294 of FXR is essential for ligand binding. We further demonstrated that compound XJ02862-S2 had no agonistic effect on TGR5. Further biological experiments have shown that compound XJ02862-S2 could ameliorate hypercholesterolemia, hepatic steatosis, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance (IR) in high-fat-diet induced obese (DIO) mice. In term of molecular mechanism, compound XJ02862-S2 regulates the expression of FXR downstream genes involved in lipogenesis, cholesterol transport and bile acid biosynthesis and transport. Taken together, we have discovered a novel chemotype as potent FXR agonists for NAFLD by computational modeling, chemical synthesis and biological evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Xuefeng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Lei Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jing Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Wenxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yuhua Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhufang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhenming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yi Huan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Song Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Jie Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of New Drug Research and Development, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Liangren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
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16
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Li H, Guan T, Qin S, Xu Q, Yin L, Hu Q. Natural products in pursuing novel therapies of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103471. [PMID: 36610488 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH) are hepatic manifestations of systemic metabolic dysfunction, which affect one-quarter of the adult population worldwide as estimated, and exhibit high risk in progressing to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current drug discovery focuses on modifying homeostasis of lipids, carbohydrates, and cholesterol, as well as inhibiting inflammation and fibrogenesis. Many natural products show promising activities on various molecular targets involving these mechanisms; however, they have not been fully exploited. Since some compounds are components of healthy food, they may be employed in chemoprevention as adjuvants to lifestyle modification, while natural products such as alkaloids and sesquiterpenoids could serve as promising starting points for structural modifications and deserve further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Guan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qihao Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Lina Yin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Qingzhong Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 232 East Waihuan Road, Panyu, Guangzhou, China.
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17
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Gheshlaghi SZ, Ebrahimi A, Faghih Z. A detailed theoretical exploration on the THR-β binding affinities and antioxidant activity of some halogenated bisphenols. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10835-10851. [PMID: 34278964 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1950568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Natural halogenated phenolic compounds are unique bioactive structures which share features and physicochemical properties with thyroid hormones, who are essential regulators of neurological development and metabolism processes. Also, these structures can be used as natural antioxidants to minimize the diseases related to oxidative stress. In this work, the binding affinity of 32 natural and synthetic halogenated bisphenols were investigated on thyroid hormone receptor-β (THR-β) using the molecular docking, MM/GBSA, molecular dynamics, and a rigorous three-layer ONIOM ((M06-2X/6-31G*:PM6:AMBER) calculation. The desirable potency is observed for binding of selected compounds to THR-β. The Met313, Asn331, and His435 are the main interacting residues in the binding cavity which involved in the hydrogen and halogen bond interactions with the ligands. The most potent candidate on binding to the active site of THR-β is presented with respect to the results of mentioned calculations. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of compounds has been investigated using the quantum mechanical calculations. The electrostatic potential surfaces illustrate well the antioxidant capacity of compounds. The halogen substituents increase the antioxidant activity of the most stable conformers. The position and number of OH groups are crucial factors which affect the activity, whereas two adjacent hydroxyl groups enhance the antioxidant activity of selected compounds.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Zare Gheshlaghi
- Department of Chemistry, Computational Quantum Chemistry Laboratory, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Ali Ebrahimi
- Department of Chemistry, Computational Quantum Chemistry Laboratory, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Zeinab Faghih
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Centre, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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18
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Selective disruption of NRF2-KEAP1 interaction leads to NASH resolution and reduction of liver fibrosis in mice. JHEP Rep 2022; 5:100651. [PMID: 36866391 PMCID: PMC9971056 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Oxidative stress is recognized as a major driver of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progression. The transcription factor NRF2 and its negative regulator KEAP1 are master regulators of redox, metabolic and protein homeostasis, as well as detoxification, and thus appear to be attractive targets for the treatment of NASH. Methods Molecular modeling and X-ray crystallography were used to design S217879 - a small molecule that could disrupt the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction. S217879 was highly characterized using various molecular and cellular assays. It was then evaluated in two different NASH-relevant preclinical models, namely the methionine and choline-deficient diet (MCDD) and diet-induced obesity NASH (DIO NASH) models. Results Molecular and cell-based assays confirmed that S217879 is a highly potent and selective NRF2 activator with marked anti-inflammatory properties, as shown in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In MCDD mice, S217879 treatment for 2 weeks led to a dose-dependent reduction in NAFLD activity score while significantly increasing liver Nqo1 mRNA levels, a specific NRF2 target engagement biomarker. In DIO NASH mice, S217879 treatment resulted in a significant improvement of established liver injury, with a clear reduction in both NAS and liver fibrosis. αSMA and Col1A1 staining, as well as quantification of liver hydroxyproline levels, confirmed the reduction in liver fibrosis in response to S217879. RNA-sequencing analyses revealed major alterations in the liver transcriptome in response to S217879, with activation of NRF2-dependent gene transcription and marked inhibition of key signaling pathways that drive disease progression. Conclusions These results highlight the potential of selective disruption of the NRF2-KEAP1 interaction for the treatment of NASH and liver fibrosis. Impact and implications We report the discovery of S217879 - a potent and selective NRF2 activator with good pharmacokinetic properties. By disrupting the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction, S217879 triggers the upregulation of the antioxidant response and the coordinated regulation of a wide spectrum of genes involved in NASH disease progression, leading ultimately to the reduction of both NASH and liver fibrosis progression in mice.
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Key Words
- 4-HNE, 4-hydroxynonenal
- ARE, antioxidant response element
- DIO, diet-induced obesity
- GSEA, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis
- HEC, hydroxyethyl cellulose
- HSCs, Hepatic Stellate Cells
- KEAP1, Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1
- LPS, lipopolysaccharide
- MCDD, methionine- and choline-deficient diet
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NAS, NAFLD activity score
- NASH
- NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- NRF2
- NRF2, nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2
- PPI, Protein-protein interaction
- PSR, Picrosirius red
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- fibrosis
- hPBMCs, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
- oxidative stress
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19
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Tu H, Yin X, Wen J, Wu W, Zhai B, Li J, Jiang H. Glutaminase 1 blockade alleviates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis via promoting proline metabolism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 634:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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20
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Futatsugi K, Cabral S, Kung DW, Huard K, Lee E, Boehm M, Bauman J, Clark RW, Coffey SB, Crowley C, Dechert-Schmitt AM, Dowling MS, Dullea R, Gosset JR, Kalgutkar AS, Kou K, Li Q, Lian Y, Loria PM, Londregan AT, Niosi M, Orozco C, Pettersen JC, Pfefferkorn JA, Polivkova J, Ross TT, Sharma R, Stock IA, Tesz G, Wisniewska H, Goodwin B, Price DA. Discovery of Ervogastat (PF-06865571): A Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2 for the Treatment of Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis. J Med Chem 2022; 65:15000-15013. [PMID: 36322383 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Discovery efforts leading to the identification of ervogastat (PF-06865571), a systemically acting diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2) inhibitor that has advanced into clinical trials for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with liver fibrosis, are described herein. Ervogastat is a first-in-class DGAT2 inhibitor that addressed potential development risks of the prototype liver-targeted DGAT2 inhibitor PF-06427878. Key design elements that culminated in the discovery of ervogastat are (1) replacement of the metabolically labile motif with a 3,5-disubstituted pyridine system, which addressed potential safety risks arising from a cytochrome P450-mediated O-dearylation of PF-06427878 to a reactive quinone metabolite precursor, and (2) modifications of the amide group to a 3-THF group, guided by metabolite identification studies coupled with property-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Futatsugi
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shawn Cabral
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Daniel W Kung
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Kim Huard
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Esther Lee
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Markus Boehm
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jonathan Bauman
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Ronald W Clark
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Steven B Coffey
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Collin Crowley
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | | | - Matthew S Dowling
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Robert Dullea
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - James R Gosset
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Amit S Kalgutkar
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Kou Kou
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Qifang Li
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Yajing Lian
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Paula M Loria
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Allyn T Londregan
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Mark Niosi
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Christine Orozco
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - John C Pettersen
- Pfizer Inc. Drug Safety R&D, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Jeffrey A Pfefferkorn
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jana Polivkova
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Trenton T Ross
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Raman Sharma
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Ingrid A Stock
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Gregory Tesz
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Hanna Wisniewska
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Bryan Goodwin
- Pfizer Inc. Internal Medicine Research Unit, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - David A Price
- Pfizer Inc. Medicine Design, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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21
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Yan M, Man S, Ma L, Gao W. Comprehensive molecular mechanisms and clinical therapy in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: An overview and current perspectives. Metabolism 2022; 134:155264. [PMID: 35810782 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) pathophysiology continues to advance rapidly. Given the complexity of the pathogenesis of NASH, the field has moved from describing the single pathogenesis of NASH to deeply phenotyping with a description of the multi-mechanism and multi-target pathogenesis that includes glucose, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, fibrotic progression, inflammation, immune reaction and apoptosis. To make the picture more complex, the pathogenesis of NASH involves pathological connections between the liver and several organs such as the adipose, pancreas, kidney and gut. Numerous pharmacologic candidates have been tested in clinical trials and have generated some positive results. Importantly, PPAR as triglyceride synthesis inhibitor and FXR as bile acids synthesis inhibitor have displayed beneficial effects on candidates for lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Although the efficacy of these drugs has been affirmed, serious side effects hinder their further development. It is a particularly important task to carry out the in-depth long-term research. Additionally, drug combination increases response rate and reduces side effects of a single drug. Mastering the advantages and limitations of clinical candidate drugs and continuous improvement and innovation are necessary to formulate a new strategy for the future treatment of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industry Microbiology, National and Local United Engineering Lab of Metabolic Control Fermentation Technology, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Shuli Man
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industry Microbiology, National and Local United Engineering Lab of Metabolic Control Fermentation Technology, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
| | - Long Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industry Microbiology, National and Local United Engineering Lab of Metabolic Control Fermentation Technology, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
| | - Wenyuan Gao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Modern Drug Delivery & High-Efficiency, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China.
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22
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Shi X, Zheng Y, Cui H, Zhang Y, Jiang M. Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution and risk of overweight and obesity across different life periods: A review. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113893. [PMID: 35917711 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to the highly evolved industrialization and modernization, air quality has deteriorated in most countries. As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is now considered as one of the major threats to global health and a principal risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. Meanwhile, the increasing worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity is attracting more public attentions. Recently, accumulating epidemiological studies have provided evidence that overweight and obesity may be partially attributable to environmental exposure to air pollution. This review summarizes the epidemiological evidence for the correlation between exposure to various outdoor and indoor air pollutants (mainly particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) and overweight and obesity outcomes in recent years. Moreover, it discusses the multiple effects of air pollution during exposure periods throughout life and sex differences in populations. This review also describes the potential mechanism underlying the increased risk of obesity caused by air pollution, including inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic imbalance, intestinal flora disorders and epigenetic modifications. Finally, this review proposes macro- and micro-measures to prevent the negative effects of air pollution exposure on the obesity prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Shi
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuxin Zheng
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Haiwen Cui
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuxi Zhang
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Menghui Jiang
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071, China.
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23
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Wang P, Hill TA, Mitchell J, Fitzsimmons RL, Xu W, Loh Z, Suen JY, Lim J, Iyer A, Fairlie DP. Modifying a Hydroxyl Patch in Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Produces Biased Agonists with Unique Signaling Profiles. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11759-11775. [PMID: 35984914 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) lowers blood glucose by inducing insulin but also has other poorly understood properties. Here, we show that hydroxy amino acids (Thr11, Ser14, Ser17, Ser18) in GLP-1(7-36) act in concert to direct cell signaling. Mutating any single residue to alanine removes one hydroxyl group, thereby reducing receptor affinity and cAMP 10-fold, with Ala11 or Ala14 also reducing β-arrestin-2 10-fold, while Ala17 or Ala18 also increases ERK1/2 phosphorylation 5-fold. Multiple alanine mutations more profoundly bias signaling, differentially silencing or restoring one or more signaling properties. Mutating three serines silences only ERK1/2, the first example of such bias. Mutating all four residues silences β-arrestin-2, ERK1/2, and Ca2+ maintains the ligand and receptor at the membrane but still potently stimulates cAMP and insulin secretion in cells and mice. These novel findings indicate that hydrogen bonding cooperatively controls cell signaling and highlight an important regulatory hydroxyl patch in hormones that activate class B G protein-coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiqi Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Timothy A Hill
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Justin Mitchell
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rebecca L Fitzsimmons
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Weijun Xu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhixuan Loh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jacky Y Suen
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Junxian Lim
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Abishek Iyer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - David P Fairlie
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia.,Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Queensland 4072, Australia
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24
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Liu Y, Li Y, Wang J, Yang L, Yu X, Huang P, Song H, Zheng P. Salvia-Nelumbinis naturalis improves lipid metabolism of NAFLD by regulating the SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway. BMC Complement Med Ther 2022; 22:213. [PMID: 35945571 PMCID: PMC9361555 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-022-03697-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Salvia-Nelumbinis naturalis (SNN), the extract of Chinese herbal medicine, has shown effects on NAFLD. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanism of SNN for regulating the lipid metabolism disorder in NAFLD based on the SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway.
Methods
Male C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) were used to establish the NAFLD model. Dynamic changes of mice including body weight, liver weight, serological biochemical indexes, liver histopathological changes, and protein level of AMPK and SIRT1 were monitored. After18 weeks, SNN treatment was administrated to the NAFLD mice for another 4 weeks. Besides the aforementioned indices, TC and TG of liver tissues were also measured. Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR were used to detect the expression and/or activation of SIRT1 and AMPK, as well as the molecules associated with lipid synthesis and β-oxidation. Furthermore, AML12 cells with lipid accumulation induced by fatty acids were treated with LZG and EX527 (SIRT1 inhibitor) or Compound C (AMPK inhibitor ) to confirm the potential pharmacological mechanism.
Results
Dynamic observation found the mice induced by HFD with gradually increased body and liver weight, elevated serum cholesterol, hepatic lipid accumulation, and liver injury. After 16 weeks, these indicators have shown obvious changes. Additionally, the hepatic level of SIRT1 and AMPK activation was identified gradually decreased with NAFLD progress. The mice with SNN administration had lower body weight, liver weight, and serum level of LDL-c and ALT than those of the NAFLD model. Hepatosteatosis and hepatic TG content in the liver tissues of the SNN group were significantly reduced. When compared with control mice, the NAFLD mice had significantly decreased hepatic expression of SIRT1, p-AMPK, p-ACC, ACOX1, and increased total Acetylated-lysine, SUV39H2, and SREBP-1c. The administration of SNN reversed the expression of these molecules. In vitro experiments showed the effect of SNN in ameliorating hepatosteatosis and regulating the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in AML12 cells, which were diminished by EX527 or Compound C co-incubation.
Conclusions
Taken together, the SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway, involved in hepatic lipid synthesis and degradation, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD development. The regulation of SIRT1/AMPK signaling greatly contributes to the underlying therapeutic mechanism of SNN for NAFLD.
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25
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Tong Y, Zhu W, Wen T, Mukhamejanova Z, Xu F, Xiang Q, Pang J. Xyloketal B Reverses Nutritional Hepatic Steatosis, Steatohepatitis, and Liver Fibrosis through Activation of the PPARα/PGC1α Signaling Pathway. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2022; 85:1738-1750. [PMID: 35749236 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a class of disorders including hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and liver fibrosis. Previous research suggested that xyloketal B (Xyl-B), a marine-derived natural product, could attenuate the NAFLD-related lipid accumulation. Herein, we investigated the protective mechanism of Xyl-B in a high-fat diet (HFD) mice fatty liver model by combining a quantitative proteomic approach with experimental methods. The results showed that the administration of Xyl-B (20 and 40 mg·kg-1·day-1, ip) ameliorated the hepatic steatosis in HFD mice. Proteomic profiling together with bioinformatics analysis highlighted the upregulation of a cluster of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) downstream enzymes mainly related to fatty acid oxidation (FAO) as key changes after the treatment. These changes were subsequently confirmed by bioassays. Moreover, further results showed that the expression levels of PPARα and PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC1α) were increased after the treatment. The related mode-of-action was confirmed by PPARα inhibition. Furthermore, we evaluated the PPARα-mediated anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effect of Xyl-B in methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) mice hepatitis and liver fibrosis models. According to the results, the histological features were improved, and the levels of inflammatory factors, adhesion molecules, as well as fibrosis markers were decreased after the treatment. Collectively, these results indicated that Xyl-B ameliorated different phases of NAFLD through activation of the PPARα/PGC1α signaling pathway. Our findings revealed the possible metabolism-regulating mechanism of Xyl-B, broadened the application of xyloketal family compounds, and may provide a new strategy to curb the development of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Tong
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wentao Zhu
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tianzhi Wen
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | | | - Fang Xu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) & Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qi Xiang
- Institute of Biomedicine & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiyan Pang
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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26
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Ryder TF, Bergman A, King-Ahmad A, Amin NB, Lall MS, Ballard TE, Kalgutkar AS. Pharmacokinetics, Mass Balance, Metabolism, and Excretion of the Liver-Targeted Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Inhibitor PF-05221304 (Clesacostat) in Humans. Xenobiotica 2022; 52:240-253. [PMID: 35382680 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2022.2062487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The disposition of the hepatoselective ACC inhibitor PF-05221304 (Clesacostat) was studied after a single 50-mg oral dose of [14C]-PF-05221304 to healthy human subjects.Mass balance was achieved with 89.9% of the administered dose recovered in urine and faeces, over the 11-day study period. The total administered radioactivity excreted in faeces and urine was 81.7% and 8.2%, respectively. Unchanged PF-05221304 accounted for 35.6% of the radioactive dose in faeces, suggesting ∼64% of the administered dose was absorbed.PF-05221304 was principally metabolized via oxidative and reductive pathways involving: (a) N-dealkylation, (b) isopropyl group monohydroxylation to yield enantiomeric metabolites (M2a and M2b), (c) hydroxylation on the 3-azaspiro[5.5]undecan-8-one moiety to metabolites M5 and 519c, and (d) carbonyl group reduction to enantiomeric alcohol metabolites M3, and M4. Secondary metabolites (521a, 521b, and 533), derived from a combination of oxidation and reduction of the primary metabolites accounted for ∼14.8% of the dose. In plasma, unchanged PF-05221304 represented 96.1% circulating radioactivity. Metabolites M1, M2b, and M2a represented 1.94, 1.76, and 0.18% of circulating radioactivity, respectively.Overall, these data suggest that PF-05221304 is well absorbed in humans and eliminated largely via phase I metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim F Ryder
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Groton, Connecticut, USA
| | - Arthur Bergman
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda King-Ahmad
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Groton, Connecticut, USA
| | - Neeta B Amin
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Manjinder S Lall
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Groton, Connecticut, USA
| | - T Eric Ballard
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Groton, Connecticut, USA
| | - Amit S Kalgutkar
- Pfizer Worldwide Research, Development, and Medical, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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27
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Rahman SR, Roper JA, Grove JI, Aithal GP, Pun KT, Bennett AJ. Integrins as a drug target in liver fibrosis. Liver Int 2022; 42:507-521. [PMID: 35048542 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
As the worldwide prevalence of chronic liver diseases is high and continuing to increase, there is an urgent need for treatment to prevent cirrhosis-related morbidity and mortality. Integrins are heterodimeric cell-surface proteins that are promising targets for therapeutic intervention. αv integrins are central in the development of fibrosis as they activate latent TGFβ, a known profibrogenic cytokine. The αv subunit can form heterodimers with β1, β3, β5, β6 or β8 subunits and one or more of these integrins are central to the development of liver fibrosis, however, their relative importance is not understood. This review summarises the current knowledge of αv integrins and their respective β subunits in different organs, with a focus on liver fibrosis and the emerging preclinical and clinical data with regards to αv integrin inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syedia R Rahman
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,FRAME Alternatives Laboratory, Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Translational Medical Sciences, Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - James A Roper
- Novel Human Genetics Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Jane I Grove
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Translational Medical Sciences, Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Guruprasad P Aithal
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Translational Medical Sciences, Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - K Tao Pun
- Novel Human Genetics Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, UK
| | - Andrew J Bennett
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,FRAME Alternatives Laboratory, Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Translational Medical Sciences, Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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28
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Chen Y, Su H, Xue H, Wang T, Qian T, Liao C, Wu J. Correlation between serum total bile acid and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study. Saudi J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:304-311. [PMID: 35170435 PMCID: PMC9408735 DOI: 10.4103/sjg.sjg_512_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common component of chronic liver disease. Total bile acid (TBA) may influence the NAFLD progression through its signaling pathways. We attempted to find out if there is a correlation between TBA and NAFLD. METHODS 427,507 subjects were enrolled in health examinations conducted by The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Among them, only 67616 met the inclusion criteria. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were gathered from all subjects. We used multivariate logistic regression model to find the correlation between serum TBA and NAFLD after adjusting for acknowledged risk factors for NAFLD. RESULTS A negative correlation was found between the TBA and NAFLD after adjusting for confounders in the multivariate logistic regression model (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.88, P < 0.001). After subgroup analysis, we found the interaction between NAFLD and diabetes was significant (P = 0.043). In patients with NAFLD without diabetes, TBA showed a protective effect in NAFLD (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.85). CONCLUSION TBA is protective for NAFLD, but not in patients with NAFLD and diabetes. Further studies are urgently required to completely explore the underlying mechanisms of TBA in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Huang Su
- Department of Gastroenterology, Wenzhou Central Hospital Medical Group, The Dingli Clinical Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Haibo Xue
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ting Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Chengwei Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Jinming Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China,Address for correspondence: Dr. Jinming Wu, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang province, China. E-mail:
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29
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Lanzhang Granules Ameliorate Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating the PPAR α Signaling Pathway. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1124901. [PMID: 35035496 PMCID: PMC8759917 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1124901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background There is still a lack of effective therapeutic drugs for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to date. In this study, we applied mouse model experiments to clarify the effect of Chinese herbal medicine “Lanzhang Granules (LZG)” on NAFLD and further explore the potential mechanism to provide an alternative method for NAFLD treatment. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for twenty-two weeks to induce the NAFLD model. LZG intervention was then performed by gavage daily for another eight weeks. At the end of the treatment, serum and liver tissues were collected. Serum biochemical indexes, insulin levels, and liver histopathology were measured to assess the effect of LZG on NAFLD. The liver tissues were then analyzed by RNA sequence for differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways. Results were further analyzed by Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks between the LZG and model groups. The selected different genes and signaling pathways were further verified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Moreover, alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) cells with lipid accumulation induced by fatty acid were treated with LZG, Fenofibrate (PPARα agonist), or Gw6471 (PPARα antagonist) to confirm the potential pharmacological mechanism. Results LZG was found to downregulate liver weight, body weight, liver index, and serum levels of ALT, AST, and serum lipid in HFD-induced NAFLD mice. HE and Oil Red O staining showed the improvement of hepatic steatosis and inflammatory infiltration in the mice with LZG treatment. The homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index indicated that LZG improved the insulin resistance of NAFLD mice. The RNA sequencing and PPI analysis confirmed the role of LZG in lipid metabolism regulation and identified the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) signaling pathway as one of the major underlying mechanisms. Western blot and RT-PCR results verified the regulatory effect of LZG on the PPARα pathway, including the upregulation of PPARα, acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1), and enoyl-CoA hydratase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (EHHADH) and the downregulation of TNFα. In vitro experiments showed the effect of LZG in improving lipid accumulation and cell viability in AML12 cells induced by fatty acids, which were alleviated by Gw6471 coincubation. Gw6471could also reverse the transcription of PPAR target genes ACOX1 and EHHADH, which were upregulated by LZG treatment. Conclusion LZG can improve NAFLD in mice or cell models. A major underlying mechanism may be the regulation of the PPARα signaling pathway to improve lipid metabolism and inhibit the inflammatory response. This study will help to promote the clinical application of LZG for the treatment of NAFLD.
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30
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Wen F, Bian D, Wu X, Liu R, Wang C, Gan J. SU5, a new Auraptene analog with improved metabolic stability, ameliorates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in methionine- and choline-deficient diet-fed db/db mice. Chem Biol Drug Des 2022; 99:504-511. [PMID: 35040254 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has been considered as a promising target for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), while existing FXR agonists suffer from serious side effects. Thus, it is very necessary to identify novel FXR agonists with good safety. Auraptene (AUR) is a new FXR agonist with excellent safety and extensive pharmacological activities, while the lactone of AUR is vulnerable to esterolysis. In this study, the lactone of AUR was converted to metabolically stable amide moiety, and the obtained analog SU5 revealed comparable activity and better metabolic stability than that of AUR. In NASH model, SU5 showed stronger efficacy than AUR on fatty liver by up-regulating gene expressions related to FXR in vivo. Moreover, SU5 improved lipid metabolism by down-regulating the gene expressions of lipid synthesis, while up-regulating the gene expressions of fatty acid β-oxidation and triglyceride metabolism. Besides, the inflammation-related genes were significantly decreased in SU5 treated group. These positive results highlighted the pharmacological potential of SU5 for the treatment of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Wen
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Road, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.,Department of General Practice, Yancheng First People's Hospital, 166 YulongWest Road, Yancheng City, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - DeZhi Bian
- Department of General Practice, Yancheng First People's Hospital, 166 YulongWest Road, Yancheng City, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - XuDong Wu
- Department of General Practice, Yancheng First People's Hospital, 166 YulongWest Road, Yancheng City, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - RuoBing Liu
- Department of General Practice, Yancheng First People's Hospital, 166 YulongWest Road, Yancheng City, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - ChaoNan Wang
- Department of General Practice, Yancheng First People's Hospital, 166 YulongWest Road, Yancheng City, 224005, Jiangsu, China
| | - JianHe Gan
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Road, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China
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31
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Chen L, Yan G, Ohwada T. Building on endogenous lipid mediators to design synthetic receptor ligands. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 231:114154. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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32
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Duvivier V, Creusot S, Broux O, Helbert A, Lesage L, Moreau K, Lesueur N, Gerard L, Lemaitre K, Provost N, Hubert EL, Baltauss T, Brzustowski A, De Preville N, Geronimi J, Adoux L, Letourneur F, Hammoutene A, Valla D, Paradis V, Delerive P. Characterization and Pharmacological Validation of a Preclinical Model of NASH in Göttingen Minipigs. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2022; 12:293-305. [PMID: 35535064 PMCID: PMC9077241 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, which is associated with features of metabolic syndrome. NAFLD may progress in a subset of patients into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with liver injury resulting ultimately in cirrhosis and potentially hepatocellular carcinoma. Today, there is no approved treatment for NASH due to, at least in part, the lack of preclinical models recapitulating features of human disease. Here, we report the development of a dietary model of NASH in the Göttingen minipig. Methods First, we performed a longitudinal characterization of diet-induced NASH and fibrosis using biochemical, histological, and transcriptional analyses. We then evaluated the pharmacological response to Obeticholic acid (OCA) treatment for 8 weeks at 2.5mg/kg/d, a dose matching its active clinical exposure. Results Serial histological examinations revealed a rapid installation of NASH driven by massive steatosis and inflammation, including evidence of ballooning. Furthermore, we found the progressive development of both perisinusoidal and portal fibrosis reaching fibrotic septa after 6 months of diet. Histological changes were mechanistically supported by well-defined gene signatures identified by RNA Seq analysis. While treatment with OCA was well tolerated throughout the study, it did not improve liver dysfunction nor NASH progression. By contrast, OCA treatment resulted in a significant reduction in diet-induced fibrosis in this model. Conclusions These results, taken together, indicate that the diet-induced NASH in the Göttingen minipig recapitulates most of the features of human NASH and may be a model with improved translational value to prioritize drug candidates toward clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Duvivier
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Stéphanie Creusot
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Olivier Broux
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Aurélie Helbert
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Ludovic Lesage
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Kevin Moreau
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Nicolas Lesueur
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Lindsay Gerard
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Karine Lemaitre
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Nicolas Provost
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Edwige-Ludiwyne Hubert
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Tania Baltauss
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | | | - Nathalie De Preville
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Julia Geronimi
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Lucie Adoux
- GenomIC Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Franck Letourneur
- GenomIC Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Adel Hammoutene
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
- Pathology Department, Hôpital Beaujon, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Valla
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, Hôpital Beaujon, Service D'Hépatologie, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires Du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur L'inflammation, Inserm, UMR, Paris, 1149, France
| | | | - Philippe Delerive
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research, Institut de Recherches Servier, Suresnes, France
- Address for correspondence. Philippe Delerive, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Institut de Recherches Servier, 11 rue des Moulineaux, Suresnes, 92150, France.
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Hepatic macrophage targeted siRNA lipid nanoparticles treat non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. J Control Release 2022; 343:175-186. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Yang XD, Chen Z, Ye L, Chen J, Yang YY. Esculin protects against methionine choline-deficient diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by regulating the Sirt1/NF- κB p65 pathway. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2021; 59:922-932. [PMID: 34243681 PMCID: PMC8274538 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1945112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Esculin, an active coumarin compound, has been demonstrated to exert anti-inflammatory effects. However, its potential role in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE This study explored the hepatoprotective effect and the molecular mechanism of esculin in methionine choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced NASH. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty C57BL/6J mice were divided into five groups: control, model, low dosage esculin (oral, 20 mg/kg), high dosage esculin (oral, 40 mg/kg), and silybin (oral, 105 mg/kg). All animals were fed a MCD diet, except those in the control group (control diet), for 6 weeks. RESULTS Esculin (20 and 40 mg/kg) inhibited MCD diet-induced hepatic lipid content (triglyceride: 16.95 ± 0.67 and 14.85 ± 0.78 vs. 21.21 ± 1.13 mg/g; total cholesterol: 5.10 ± 0.34 and 4.08 ± 0.47 vs. 7.31 ± 0.58 mg/g), fibrosis, and inflammation (ALT: 379.61 ± 40.30 and 312.72 ± 21.45 vs. 559.51 ± 37.01 U/L; AST: 428.22 ± 34.29 and 328.23 ± 23.21 vs. 579.36 ± 31.93 U/L). In vitro, esculin reduced tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, fibronectin, and collagen 4A1 levels, but had no effect on lipid levels in HepG2 cells induced by free fatty acid. Esculin increased Sirt1 expression levels and decreased NF-κB acetylation levels in vivo and in vitro. Interfering with Sirt1 expression attenuated the beneficial effect of esculin on inflammatory and fibrotic factor production in HepG2 cells. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that esculin ameliorates MCD diet-induced NASH by regulating the Sirt1/ac-NF-κB signalling pathway. Esculin could thus be employed as a therapy for NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Ding Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Central of Translational Medical and Innovative Drug, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Department of Geriatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ling Ye
- Department of Geriatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong-Yu Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Central of Translational Medical and Innovative Drug, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Tang R, Li R, Li H, Ma XL, Du P, Yu XY, Ren L, Wang LL, Zheng WS. Design of Hepatic Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Natural Products: Insights into Nomenclature Revision of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. ACS NANO 2021; 15:17016-17046. [PMID: 34705426 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c02158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently renamed metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), affects a quarter of the worldwide population. Natural products have been extensively utilized in treating NAFLD because of their distinctive advantages over chemotherapeutic drugs, despite the fact that there are no approved drugs for therapy. Notably, the limitations of many natural products, such as poor water solubility, low bioavailability in vivo, low hepatic distribution, and lack of targeted effects, have severely restricted their clinical application. These issues could be resolved via hepatic targeted drug delivery systems (HTDDS) that boost clinical efficacy in treating NAFLD and decrease the adverse effects on other organs. Herein an overview of natural products comprising formulas, single medicinal plants, and their crude extracts has been presented to treat NAFLD. Also, the clinical efficacy and molecular mechanism of active monomer compounds against NAFLD are systematically discussed. The targeted delivery of natural products via HTDDS has been explored to provide a different nanotechnology-based NAFLD treatment strategy and to make suggestions for natural-product-based targeted nanocarrier design. Finally, the challenges and opportunities put forth by the nomenclature update of NAFLD are outlined along with insights into how to improve the NAFLD therapy and how to design more rigorous nanocarriers for the HTDDS. In brief, we summarize the up-to-date developments of the NAFLD-HTDDS based on natural products and provide viewpoints for the establishment of more stringent anti-NAFLD natural-product-targeted nanoformulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rou Tang
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - He Li
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Peng Du
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiao-You Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Ling Ren
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Lu-Lu Wang
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wen-Sheng Zheng
- Beijing City Key Laboratory of Drug Delivery Technology and Novel Formulation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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Lefebvre P, Staels B. Hepatic sexual dimorphism - implications for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2021; 17:662-670. [PMID: 34417588 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-021-00538-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The liver is often thought of as a single functional unit, but both its structural and functional architecture make it highly multivalent and adaptable. In any given physiological situation, the liver can maintain metabolic homeostasis, conduct appropriate inflammatory responses, carry out endobiotic and xenobiotic transformation and synthesis reactions, as well as store and release multiple bioactive molecules. Moreover, the liver is a very resilient organ. This resilience means that chronic liver diseases can go unnoticed for decades, yet culminate in life-threatening clinical complications once the adaptive capacity of the liver is overwhelmed. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) predisposes individuals to cirrhosis and increases liver-related and cardiovascular disease-related mortality. This Review discusses the accumulating evidence of sexual dimorphism in NAFLD, which is currently rarely considered in preclinical and clinical studies. Increased awareness of the mechanistic causes of hepatic sexual dimorphism could lead to improved understanding of the biological processes that are dysregulated in NAFLD, to the identification of relevant therapeutic targets and to improved risk stratification of patients with NAFLD undergoing therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Lefebvre
- Université Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France.
| | - Bart Staels
- Université Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
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Dong Y, Ma N, Fan L, Yuan L, Wu Q, Gong L, Tao Z, Chen J, Ren J. GADD45β stabilized by direct interaction with HSP72 ameliorates insulin resistance and lipid accumulation. Pharmacol Res 2021; 173:105879. [PMID: 34508810 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45β (GADD45β) belongs to the GADD45 family which is small acidic proteins in response to cellular stress. GADD45β has already been reported to have excellent capabilities against cancer, innate immunity and neurological diseases. However, there is little information regard GADD45β and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In the current work, we found that the expression of GADD45β was markedly decreased in the livers of NAFLD patients via analyzing Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and in mouse model through detecting its mRNA in high-fat-high-fructose diet (HFHFr)-fed mice. Moreover, the results from in vivo experiment demonstrated that overexpression of GADD45β by AAV8-mediated gene transfer in HFHFr-fed mouse model could reduce the level of serum and hepatic triglyceride (TG), and alleviate insulin resistance. Subsequently, by combining immunoprecipitation (IP) and mass spectrometry, we identified that HSP72 directly interacted with GADD45β to prevent GADD45β from being degraded by the proteasome pathway. Finally, the benefits of GADD45β in regulating key factors of TG synthesis and insulin signaling pathway were abolished after HSP72 knockdown. In conclusion, GADD45β stabilized by the interaction with HSP72 could alleviate the NAFLD-related pathologies, suggested it might be a potential target for the treatment of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Dong
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ningning Ma
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 100 Haike Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lei Fan
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Luyang Yuan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Likun Gong
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhouteng Tao
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jin Ren
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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Lu S, Wang Y, Liu J. TNF-α signaling in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and targeted therapies. J Genet Genomics 2021; 49:269-278. [PMID: 34757037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an inflammatory subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is featured by significantly elevated levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines. Among numerous pro-inflammatory factors that contribute to NASH pathogenesis, the secreted protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plays an essential role in multiple facets of NASH progression and is therefore considered as a potential therapeutic target. In this review, we will first systematically describe the preclinical studies on the biochemical function of TNF-α and its intracellular downstream signaling mechanisms through its receptors. Moreover, we extensively discuss its functions in regulating inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis of liver cells in the pathogenesis of NASH, and the molecular mechanism that TNF-α expression was regulated by NF-κB and other upstream master regulators during NASH progression. As TNF-α is one of the causal factors that remarkably contributes to NASH progression, combination of therapeutic modalities, including TNF-α-based therapies may lead to resolution of NASH via multiple pathways and thus generate clinical benefits. For translational studies, we summarize recent advances in strategies targeting TNF-α and its signaling pathway, which paves the way for potential therapeutic treatments for NASH in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Lu
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Yibing Wang
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sports, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Junli Liu
- Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China.
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Cusi K, Alkhouri N, Harrison SA, Fouqueray P, Moller DE, Hallakou-Bozec S, Bolze S, Grouin JM, Jeannin Megnien S, Dubourg J, Ratziu V. Efficacy and safety of PXL770, a direct AMP kinase activator, for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (STAMP-NAFLD): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a study. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 6:889-902. [PMID: 34560015 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(21)00300-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AMP kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor implicated in regulation of lipid metabolism, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. We aimed to assess efficacy and safety of PXL770, a novel direct AMPK activator, in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS STAMP-NAFLD, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2a study, was done across 15 US clinical sites. Patients aged 18-75 years with liver fat content of at least 10% at baseline when assessed by MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1), via an interactive web response system, to receive oral PXL770 250 mg once daily, 250 mg twice daily, or 500 mg once daily, or matched placebo. Patients were stratified according to type 2 diabetes status and study site. The primary endpoint was relative change in liver fat content from baseline compared with placebo at week 12, assessed by MRI-PDFF. The primary endpoint was analysed in an ANCOVA model with treatment and stratification criteria as factors and baseline liver fat content as a covariate in the modified intention-to-treat population, defined as all as-randomised patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. Safety was analysed in the safety population, defined as all as-treated patients receiving at least one dose of the study treatment. The trial has been completed and the final results are reported. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03763877. FINDINGS Between March 29, 2019, and March 13, 2020, 387 patients were screened, of whom 120 were included in the modified intention-to-treat and safety analyses (30 in the 250 mg once daily group, 30 in the 250 mg twice daily group, 29 in the 500 mg once daily group, and 31 in the placebo group). The mean relative change from baseline in liver fat content at week 12 was -1·1% in the placebo group, -1·0% in the 250 mg once daily group (mean difference versus placebo 0·1% [95% CI -15·4 to 15·7], p=0·99), -14·3% in the 250 mg twice daily group (-13·1% [-28·1 to 1·8], p=0·084), and -14·7% in the 500 mg once daily group (-13·5% [-28·5 to 1·4], p=0·076). At least one treatment-emergent adverse event occurred in 23 (77%) of 30 patients in the 250 mg once daily group, 20 (67%) of 30 patients in the 250 mg twice daily group, 21 (72%) of 29 patients in the 500 mg once daily group, and 21 (68%) of 31 patients in the placebo group. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event was diarrhoea (five [17%] of patients in the 250 mg once daily group, seven [23%] in the 250 mg twice daily group, six [21%] in the 500 mg once daily group, and none in the placebo group). No life-threatening events or treatment-related deaths occurred. INTERPRETATION PXL770 treatment did not meet the primary outcome of liver fat improvement compared with placebo. Treatment was well tolerated. Given indications that metabolic features improved with PXL770 treatment, AMPK activation might be a promising pharmacological target for patients with type 2 diabetes and NAFLD, and could also be considered for further assessment in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. FUNDING Poxel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Cusi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Vlad Ratziu
- Institute for Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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40
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Ahmed BA, Ong FJ, Barra NG, Blondin DP, Gunn E, Oreskovich SM, Szamosi JC, Syed SA, Hutchings EK, Konyer NB, Singh NP, Yabut JM, Desjardins EM, Anhê FF, Foley KP, Holloway AC, Noseworthy MD, Haman F, Carpentier AC, Surette MG, Schertzer JD, Punthakee Z, Steinberg GR, Morrison KM. Lower brown adipose tissue activity is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease but not changes in the gut microbiota. Cell Rep Med 2021; 2:100397. [PMID: 34622234 PMCID: PMC8484690 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In rodents, lower brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is associated with greater liver steatosis and changes in the gut microbiome. However, little is known about these relationships in humans. In adults (n = 60), we assessed hepatic fat and cold-stimulated BAT activity using magnetic resonance imaging and the gut microbiota with 16S sequencing. We transplanted gnotobiotic mice with feces from humans to assess the transferability of BAT activity through the microbiota. Individuals with NAFLD (n = 29) have lower BAT activity than those without, and BAT activity is inversely related to hepatic fat content. BAT activity is not related to the characteristics of the fecal microbiota and is not transmissible through fecal transplantation to mice. Thus, low BAT activity is associated with higher hepatic fat accumulation in human adults, but this does not appear to have been mediated through the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma A. Ahmed
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Frank J. Ong
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Nicole G. Barra
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Denis P. Blondin
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Centre de recherche du CHUS, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Gunn
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Stephan M. Oreskovich
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Jake C. Szamosi
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Metagenomics Facility, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Saad A. Syed
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Emily K. Hutchings
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Norman B. Konyer
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Nina P. Singh
- Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Julian M. Yabut
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Eric M. Desjardins
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Fernando F. Anhê
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Kevin P. Foley
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Alison C. Holloway
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Michael D. Noseworthy
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Francois Haman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Andre C. Carpentier
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Centre de recherche du CHUS, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Michael G. Surette
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D. Schertzer
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Zubin Punthakee
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Gregory R. Steinberg
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Katherine M. Morrison
- Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
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41
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Carpenter J, Wu G, Wang Y, Cook EM, Wang T, Sitkoff D, Rossi KA, Mosure K, Zhuo X, Cao GG, Ziegler M, Azzara AV, Krupinski J, Soars MG, Ellsworth BA, Wacker DA. Discovery of BMS-986318, a Potent Nonbile Acid FXR Agonist for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1413-1420. [PMID: 34531950 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report the discovery and preclinical biological evaluation of 6-(2-(5-cyclopropyl-3-(3,5-dichloropyridin-4-yl)isoxazol-4-yl)-7-azaspiro[3.5]non-1-en-7-yl)-4-(trifluoromethyl)quinoline-2-carboxylic acid, compound 1 (BMS-986318), a nonbile acid farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist. Compound 1 exhibits potent in vitro and in vivo activation of FXR, has a suitable ADME profile, and demonstrates efficacy in the mouse bile duct ligation model of liver cholestasis and fibrosis. The overall profile of compound 1 supports its continued evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Carpenter
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Gang Wu
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Ying Wang
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Erica M. Cook
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Tao Wang
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Doree Sitkoff
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Karen A. Rossi
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Kathy Mosure
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Xiaoliang Zhuo
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Gary G. Cao
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Milinda Ziegler
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Anthony V. Azzara
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Jack Krupinski
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Matthew G. Soars
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Bruce Alan Ellsworth
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
| | - Dean A. Wacker
- Departments of Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Discovery Biology, and Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, P.O. Box 5400, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-5400, United States
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42
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Wang Y, Crittenden DB, Eng C, Zhang Q, Guo P, Chung D, Fenaux M, Klucher K, Jones C, Jin F, Quirk E, Charlton MR. Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Formulation of Liver-Distributed Farnesoid X-Receptor Agonist TERN-101 in Healthy Volunteers. Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev 2021; 10:1198-1208. [PMID: 34302449 DOI: 10.1002/cpdd.960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
TERN-101 is a nonsteroidal farnesoid X-receptor agonist being developed for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of TERN-101 capsule and tablet formulations in healthy volunteers. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 38 participants were enrolled and randomized to receive placebo or 25-, 75-, or 150-mg TERN-101 capsules orally once daily for 7 days. In a separate open-label PK and formulation-bridging study, 16 participants received single doses of TERN-101 tablets (5 and 25 mg) or capsules (25 mg). TERN-101 was overall well-tolerated in this healthy volunteer population; no pruritus was reported. TERN-101 capsule administration over 7 days resulted in decreases in serum 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one that were sustained for 24 hours after the last dose (maximum suppression 91% from baseline), indicating target engagement in the liver. TERN-101 capsules exhibited less than dose-proportional PK. Relative to capsules, TERN-101 tablets showed increased bioavailability, with 24-hour plasma exposure of the 5-mg tablet similar to that of the 25-mg capsule. There was no significant effect of food on exposure. The overall safety, PK, and PD profiles of TERN-101 support its further evaluation for the treatment of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujin Wang
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Clarence Eng
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Pengfei Guo
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Diana Chung
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Martijn Fenaux
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Kevin Klucher
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Feng Jin
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Erin Quirk
- Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | - Michael R Charlton
- Center for Liver Diseases, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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43
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Brunt EM, Kleiner DE, Carpenter DH, Rinella M, Harrison SA, Loomba R, Younossi Z, Neuschwander-Tetri BA, Sanyal AJ. NAFLD: Reporting Histologic Findings in Clinical Practice. Hepatology 2021; 73:2028-2038. [PMID: 33111374 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The role of liver biopsy in NASH has evolved along with the increased recognition of the significance of this disease, and the unmet medical need it presents. Drug development and clinical trials are rapidly growing, as are noninvasive tests for markers of steatosis, inflammation, injury, and fibrosis. Liver biopsy evaluation remains necessary for both drug development and clinical trials as the most specific means of diagnosis and patient identification for appropriate intervention. This White Paper, sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease NASH Task Force, is a focused review of liver biopsy evaluation in fatty liver disease in subjects with presumed NAFLD for practicing clinical hepatologists and pathologists. The goal is to provide succinct and specific means for reporting the histopathologic elements of NASH, distinguishing NASH from nonalcoholic fatty liver without steatohepatitis, and from alcohol-associated steatohepatitis when possible. The discussion includes the special situations of NASH in advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis, and in the pediatric population. Finally, there is discussion of semiquantitative methods of evaluation of lesions of "disease activity" and fibrosis. Tables are presented for scoring and a suggested model for final reporting. Figures are presented to highlight the histopathologic elements of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David E Kleiner
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Mary Rinella
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Rohit Loomba
- NAFLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Zobair Younossi
- Inova Medicine Services, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA
| | | | - Arun J Sanyal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
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44
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Lu WJ, Xu WJ, Zhang MH, Zhang YQ, Li YR, Zhang H, Luo J, Kong LY. Diverse Polycyclic Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinol Congeners with Anti-Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Activity from Hypericum forrestii. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2021; 84:1135-1148. [PMID: 33788569 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, hyperforcinols A-J (1-10), were isolated from the fruits of Hypericum forrestii, together with 30 biogenetic congeners of known structures. The structures of hyperforcinols A-J were determined by HRESIMS and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and their absolute configurations were determined by a combination of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) exciton chirality method, ECD calculations, and X-ray diffraction analysis. A selection of 25 isolates, possessing seven types of carbon skeletons, were assessed for their in vitro effects against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) using a free fatty acid-induced L02 cell model. Compounds 20 and 40 significantly decreased intracellular lipid accumulation. QRT-PCR analyses revealed that compounds 20 and 40 regulate the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes, including CD36, FASN, PPARα, and ACOX1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Jia Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Jun Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei-Hui Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Qiu Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Ran Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling-Yi Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
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45
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Wang XK, Peng ZG. Targeting Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells: An Attractive Therapeutic Strategy to Control Inflammation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:655557. [PMID: 33935770 PMCID: PMC8082362 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.655557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially its advanced stage nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has become a threatened public health problem worldwide. However, no specific drug has been approved for clinical use to treat patients with NASH, though there are many promising candidates against NAFLD in the drug development pipeline. Recently, accumulated evidence showed that liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) play an essential role in the occurrence and development of liver inflammation in patients with NAFLD. LSECs, as highly specialized endothelial cells with unique structure and anatomical location, contribute to the maintenance of liver homeostasis and could be a promising therapeutic target to control liver inflammation of NAFLD. In this review, we outline the pathophysiological roles of LSECs related to inflammation of NAFLD, highlight the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects of LSECs, and discuss the potential drug development strategies against NAFLD based on targeting to LSECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Kai Wang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zong-Gen Peng
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Antimicrobial Agents, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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46
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Gohda K, Iguchi Y, Masuda A, Fujimori K, Yamashita Y, Teno N. Design and identification of a new farnesoid X receptor (FXR) partial agonist by computational structure-activity relationship analysis: Ligand-induced H8 helix fluctuation in the ligand-binding domain of FXR may lead to partial agonism. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 41:128026. [PMID: 33839252 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) controls gene-expression relevant to various diseases including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and has become a drug target to regulate metabolic aberrations. However, some side effects of FXR agonists reported in clinical development such as an increase in blood cholesterol levels incentivize the development of partial agonists to minimize side effects. In this study, to identify a new partial agonist, we analyzed the computational structure-activity relationship (SAR) of FXR agonists previously developed in our laboratories using molecular dynamics simulations. SAR analysis showed that fluctuations in the H8 helix, by ligand binding, of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of FXR may influence agonistic activity. Based on this observation, 6 was newly designed as a partial agonist and synthesized. As a result of biological evaluations, 6 showed weak agonistic activity (40.0% relative agonistic activity to the full-agonist GW4064) and a potent EC50 value (55.5 nM). The successful identification of the new potent partial agonist 6 suggested that helix fluctuation in the LBD induced by ligands could be one way to develop partial agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keigo Gohda
- Computer-aided Molecular Modeling Research Center, Kansai (CAMM-Kansai), 3-32-302, Tsuto-Otsuka, Nishinomiya 663-8241, Japan.
| | - Yusuke Iguchi
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, 5-1-1 Hirokoshingai, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0112, Japan
| | - Arisa Masuda
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, 5-1-1 Hirokoshingai, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0112, Japan
| | - Ko Fujimori
- Department of Pathobiochemistry, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan
| | - Yukiko Yamashita
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, 5-1-1 Hirokoshingai, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0112, Japan
| | - Naoki Teno
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima International University, 5-1-1 Hirokoshingai, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0112, Japan; Faculty of Clinical Nutrition, Hiroshima International University, 5-1-1 Hirokoshingai, Kure, Hiroshima 737-0112, Japan
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47
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Teno N, Iguchi Y, Oda K, Yamashita Y, Masuda A, Fujimori K, Une M, Gohda K. Discovery of Orally Active and Nonsteroidal Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) Antagonist with Propensity for Accumulation and Responsiveness in Ileum. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:420-425. [PMID: 33738070 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe the discovery of analog 15 (FLG249), which is an orally active and nonsteroidal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) antagonist in mice with unique profiles, such as a propensity for ileum distribution and the significant control in the expression level of three FXR target genes in mouse ileum. Key design features incorporated in 15 were the introduction of metabolically stable groups in potent and metabolically labile antagonist 9. Our pursuit ultimately identified FXR antagonist 15, which has enabled its assessment in a drug discovery program.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ko Fujimori
- Department of Pathobiochemistry, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 4-20-1 Nasahara, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan
| | | | - Keigo Gohda
- Computer-Aided Molecular Modeling Research Center, Kansai (CAMM-Kansai), 3-32-302, Tsuto-Otsuka, Nishinomiya 663-8241, Japan
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48
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Therapeutic potential of mitochondrial uncouplers for the treatment of metabolic associated fatty liver disease and NASH. Mol Metab 2021; 46:101178. [PMID: 33545391 PMCID: PMC8085597 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mitochondrial uncouplers shuttle protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane via a pathway that is independent of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase, thereby uncoupling nutrient oxidation from ATP production and dissipating the proton gradient as heat. While initial toxicity concerns hindered their therapeutic development in the early 1930s, there has been increased interest in exploring the therapeutic potential of mitochondrial uncouplers for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Scope of review In this review, we cover recent advances in the mechanisms by which mitochondrial uncouplers regulate biological processes and disease, with a particular focus on metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis (NASH), insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We also discuss the challenges that remain to be addressed before synthetic and natural mitochondrial uncouplers can successfully enter the clinic. Major conclusions Rodent and non-human primate studies suggest that a myriad of small molecule mitochondrial uncouplers can safely reverse MAFLD/NASH with a wide therapeutic index. Despite this, further characterization of the tissue- and cell-specific effects of mitochondrial uncouplers is needed. We propose targeting the dosing of mitochondrial uncouplers to specific tissues such as the liver and/or developing molecules with self-limiting properties to induce a subtle and sustained increase in mitochondrial inefficiency, thereby avoiding systemic toxicity concerns.
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49
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Rabiee N, Ahmadi S, Fatahi Y, Rabiee M, Bagherzadeh M, Dinarvand R, Bagheri B, Zarrintaj P, Saeb MR, Webster TJ. Nanotechnology-assisted microfluidic systems: from bench to bedside. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2021; 16:237-258. [PMID: 33501839 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2020-0353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
With significant advancements in research technologies, and an increasing global population, microfluidic and nanofluidic systems (such as point-of-care, lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, etc) have started to revolutionize medicine. Devices that combine micron and nanotechnologies have increased sensitivity, precision and versatility for numerous medical applications. However, while there has been extensive research on microfluidic and nanofluidic systems, very few have experienced wide-spread commercialization which is puzzling and deserves our collective attention. For the above reasons, in this article, we review research advances that combine micro and nanotechnologies to create the next generation of nanomaterial-based microfluidic systems, the latest in their commercialization success and failure and highlight the value of these devices both in industry and in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Rabiee
- Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Ahmadi
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Cellular & Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yousef Fatahi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Nanotechnology Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rabiee
- Biomaterial Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Rassoul Dinarvand
- Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Nanotechnology Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Babak Bagheri
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Payam Zarrintaj
- School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 420 Engineering North, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | | | - Thomas J Webster
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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50
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Leng YR, Zhang MH, Luo JG, Zhang H. Pathogenesis of NASH and Promising Natural Products. Chin J Nat Med 2021; 19:12-27. [PMID: 33516448 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(21)60002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common clinical condition that can lead to advanced liver diseases. The mechanism of the diaease progression, which is lacking effective therapy, remains obsure. Therefore, there is a need to understand the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for disease development and progression in order to develop innovative therapies. To accomplish this goal, experimental animal models that recapitulate the human disease are necessary. Currently, an increasing number of studies have focused on natural constituents from medicinal plants which have been emerged as a new hope for NASH. This review summarized the pathogenesis of NASH, animal models commonly used, and the promising targets for therapeutics. We also reviewed the natural constituents as potential NASH therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Rong Leng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mei-Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jian-Guang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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