Repurposing anthelmintic praziquantel to treat psoriasis

Factor XII and prekallikrein promote microvascular inflammation and psoriasis in mice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease, featuring microvascular abnormalities and elevated levels of bradykinin. Contact activation of Factor XII can initiate the plasma kallikrein-kinin cascade, producing inflammation and angioedema. The role of Factor XII in psoriasis is unknown.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The effects of deficiency of Factor XII or its enzymatic substrate, prekallikrein, were examined in the imiquimod-induced mouse model of psoriasis. Skin microcirculation was assessed using intravital confocal microscopy and laser Doppler flowmeter. A novel antibody blocking Factor XII activation was evaluated for psoriasis prevention.

KEY RESULTS

Expression of Factor XII was markedly up-regulated in human and mouse psoriatic skin. Genetic deletion of Factor XII or prekallikrein, attenuated imiquimod-induced psoriatic lesions in mice. Psoriatic induction increased skin microvascular blood perfusion, causing vasodilation, hyperpermeability and angiogenesis. It also promoted neutrophil-vascular interaction, inflammatory cytokine release and enhanced Factor XII / prekallikrein enzymatic activity with elevated bradykinin. Factor XII or prekallikrein deficiency ameliorated these microvascular abnormalities and abolished bradykinin increase. Antagonism of bradykinin B2 receptors reproduced the microvascular protection of Factor XII / prekallikrein deficiency, attenuated psoriatic lesions, and prevented protection by Factor XII / prekallikrein deficiency against psoriasis. Furthermore, treatment of mice with Factor XII antibody alleviated experimentally induced psoriasis and suppressed microvascular inflammation.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Activation of Factor XII promoted psoriasis via prekallikrein-dependent formation of bradykinin, which critically mediated psoriatic microvascular inflammation. Inhibition of contact activation represents a novel therapeutic strategy for psoriasis.

Dietary supplementation with α-ionone alleviates chronic UVB exposure-induced skin photoaging in mice

Photoaging is widely regarded as the most significant contributor to skin aging damage. It is triggered by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and typically manifests as dryness and the formation of wrinkles. Nutritional intervention is a viable strategy for preventing and treating skin photoaging. In previous studies, we demonstrated that α-ionone had ameliorating effects on photoaging in both epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. Here, we investigated the potential anti-photoaging effects of dietary α-ionone using a UVB-irradiated male C57BL/6N mouse model. Our findings provided compelling evidence that dietary α-ionone alleviates wrinkle formation, skin dryness, and epidermal thickening in chronic UVB-exposed mice. α-Ionone accumulated in mouse skin after 14 weeks of dietary intake of α-ionone. α-Ionone increased collagen density and boosted the expression of collagen genes, while attenuating the UVB-induced increase of matrix metalloproteinase genes in the skin tissues. Furthermore, α-ionone suppressed the expression of senescence-associated secretory phenotypes and reduced the expression of the senescence marker p21 and DNA damage marker p53 in the skin of UVB-irradiated mice. Transcriptome sequencing results showed that α-ionone modifies gene expression profiles of skin. Multiple pathway enrichment analyses on both the differential genes and the entire genes revealed that α-ionone significantly affects multiple physiological processes and signaling pathways associated with skin health and diseases, of which the p53 signaling pathway may be the key signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings reveal that dietary α-ionone intervention holds promise in reducing the risks of skin photoaging, offering a potential strategy to address skin aging concerns.

Design, synthesis and characterization of a novel multicomponent salt of bexarotene with metformin and application in ameliorating psoriasis with T2DM

Psoriasis is a common systemic inflammatory skin disorder affecting over 60 million people globally. Some patients with psoriasis are associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Psoriasis and T2DM occur concurrently in some patients; however, there is no effective drug for the treatment of psoriasis with T2DM. Bexarotene (BEX) is a specific RXR agonist and an antineoplastic agent indicated by the FDA for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTLA). Metformin (MET) is the first-line treatment for T2DM. To develop novel effective drugs for the treatment of psoriasis with T2DM, multicomponent salts containing MET and BEX were designed and synthesized based on the drug-drug combination strategy. MET-BEX (1:1) and MET-BEX-H2O (1:1:1) were obtained and structurally characterized. The in vitro evaluation results showed that the hygroscopicity of MET was significantly optimized by the salt formation strategy, while the solubility of BEX was improved, which laid the foundation for improving the bioavailability of BEX in vivo. In a mouse model of imiquimod-induced psoriasis with T2DM, MET-BEX ameliorated imiquimod-induced psoriasis morphological features and systematic inflammation and improved glucolipid metabolism. These results showed that the multicomponent drug combination strategy in this study optimized the physicochemical properties of MET and BEX simultaneously, providing a promising candidate therapy for psoriasis with T2DM.

4-Octyl itaconate inhibits inflammation to attenuate psoriasis as an agonist of oxeiptosis

Psoriasis is a highly prevalent chronic disease associated with a substantial social and economic burden. Oxeiptosis is a programmed cell death that occurs when cells are in a state of high oxidative stress, which has a potent anti-inflammatory effect. However, there is still no research on oxeiptosis in psoriasis, and the agonists or antagonists of oxeiptosis remain an unclear field. Here, we found that oxeiptosis of keratinocytes was inhibited in psoriasis lesions. KEAP1, as the upstream molecular component of oxeiptosis, is highly expressed in psoriasis lesions. Knockdown of KEAP1 in HaCaT cells caused oxeiptosis in the condition of M5 cocktail stimulation. Next, we found that the cell-permeable derivative of itaconate, 4-octylitaconate (OI) promoted oxeiptosis of keratinocytes by inhibiting KEAP1 and then activating PGAM5 which are two upstream molecular components of oxeiptosis. At the same time, OI can reduce the expression of inflammatory cytokines induced by M5 cocktail stimulation in vitro. Similarly, we found that OI can alleviate IMQ-induced psoriatic lesions in mice and downregulate the levels of inflammatory cytokines in psoriatic lesions. In summary, our findings suggest that oxeiptosis of keratinocytes was inhibited in psoriasis and OI can significantly inhibit inflammation and alleviate psoriasis as an agonist of oxeiptosis, indicating that oxeiptosis may be involved in regulating the progression of psoriasis, which may provide new therapeutic targets for psoriasis treatment.

Anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative activity of ziziphus leaf extract as a novel potential therapeutic agent for reducing hepatic injury in experimental hamster schistosomiasis

BACKGROUND

Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent helminthic infections worldwide. Praziquantel (PZQ) resistance poses a possible danger to the disease's ability to be controlled. Little is known about the role of Ziziphus spina-christi leaf extract (ZLE) in the treatment of hepatic schistosomiasis. However, no study has explored ZLE's anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative activity as a possible mechanism for reducing hepatic injury in this context. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of ZLE as an anti-angiogenic, and anti-proliferative agent in hamsters infected with S. mansoni.

METHODS

Fifty hamsters were used and divided into 5 groups (10 hamsters each); noninfected untreated (controls), noninfected treated with ZLE, infected untreated, infected treated with PZQ- and infected treated with ZLE. Anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic effects of the drugs were assessed pathologically through the immunohistochemical expression of VEGF, Ki-67, and TGF β1 in liver sections. Some oxidative stress parameters were measured in hepatic homogenates (NO, GSH, GST, and SOD), and serum liver enzymes were also assessed.

RESULTS

A significant decrease in worm burden, granuloma size, granuloma area, and numbers in the ZLE- and PZQ-treated groups compared to the infected untreated group, and the decrease in granulomas number and tissue egg load was significantly lower in PZQ treated group compared to ZLE treated group (p<0.05). ZLE exhibited significant anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic effects on granulomas, illustrated by significantly lower expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 than infected untreated and PZQ-treated groups. ZLE exhibits antiproliferative activity evidenced by a significant reduction of positive Ki-67 hepatocytes percentage compared to the infected untreated group. Moreover, ZLE exhibits potent antioxidant effects evidenced by a significantly lowered NO and conservation of hepatic GSH, GST, and SOD in hepatic homogenates compared to infected untreated and PZQ-treated groups (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our results point to ZLE as a promising hepatoprotective therapeutic tool in the treatment of schistosome hepatic fibrosis as it has anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, anti-fibrotic, and antioxidant effects in hamsters infected with S. mansoni, providing scientific support for its use in conventional medicine.

Praziquantel: An update on the mechanism of its action against schistosomiasis and new therapeutic perspectives

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for the treatment of all forms of schistosomiasis, although its mechanisms of action are not completely understood. PZQ acts largely on adult worms. This narrative literature review describes what is known about the mechanisms of action of PZQ against schistosomes from in vitro and in vivo studies and highlights the molecular targets in parasites and immune responses induced in definitive hosts by this drug. Moreover, new therapeutic uses of PZQ are discussed. Studies have demonstrated that in addition to impacting voltage-operated Ca2 + channels, PZQ may interact with other schistosome molecules, such as myosin regulatory light chain, glutathione S-transferase, and transient receptor potential channels. Following PZQ administration, increased T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cell differentiation and decreased inflammation were observed, indicating that PZQ promotes immunoregulatory pathways. Although PZQ is widely used in mass drug administration schemes, the existence of resistant parasites has not been proven; however, it is a concern that should be constantly investigated in human populations. In addition, we discuss studies that evaluate health applications of PZQ (other than helminth infection), such as its effect in cancer therapy and its adjuvant action in vaccines against viruses.