Topical application of an amygdalin analogue reduces inflammation and keratinocyte proliferation in a psoriasis mouse model

Chinese herbal medicine bath therapy for psoriasis vulgaris using topical calcipotriol as the comparator: A systematic review with meta-analysis and association rule analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Vitamin D analogues are the first-line topical agents for the long-term management of psoriasis. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) bath therapy is commonly employed for psoriasis. However, the effects and safety of CHM bath therapy for psoriasis vulgaris, using topical calcipotriol as the comparator, remain inconclusive. Furthermore, the combination of herbs, a distinctive feature of CHM, is essential for its therapeutic effects due to the individual and synergistic properties of the herbs involved.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CHM bath therapy for psoriasis vulgaris, using calcipotriol as the comparator. Potential herbs and herb combinations of CHM bath therapy were also explored for further drug discovery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Nine databases were searched from inception until March 05, 2024. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating CHM bath therapy, using calcipotriol as the comparator, were included. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4, Stata 12.0 and SPSS Clementine 12.0 software. The evidence certainty for outcomes was assessed using the approach proposed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group. Moreover, association rule analysis on herbs identified in the systematic review was conducted to explore the potential herbs and herb combinations.

RESULTS

A total of 17 RCTs involving 1,379 participants were included in this systematic review. The findings of this review revealed that: 1) CHM bath therapy produced comparable effects to calcipotriol in reducing Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI), and itch visual analogue scale (VAS) at the end of the treatment phase; as well as exhibited a superior long-term effect than calcipotriol through decreasing relapse rates at the end of the follow-up phase; 2) CHM bath therapy showed an additional benefit when combined with calcipotriol in managing psoriasis vulgaris at the end of the treatment phase, in terms of PASI, PSSI, itch VAS, IL-17, IL-23, CD3+ and CD4+ T cells. The certainty of the evidence was rated as 'very low', 'low' or 'moderate' based on the GRADE assessment, considering some concerns or high risk of bias of included studies, substantial heterogeneity, and existing publication bias of some outcomes. Additionally, the proportions of participants reporting adverse events were similar in both groups. Association rule analysis of all included herbs identified 23 herb combinations including Prunus persica (L.) Batsch and Carthamus tinctorius L., as well as 11 frequently used herbs, such as Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad., Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. And Sophora flavescens Ait.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of CHM bath therapy were comparable with those of topical calcipotriol but demonstrated a longer-lasting effect. Combining CHM bath therapy with calcipotriol also provided an additional benefit for adult psoriasis vulgaris. However, the certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to the methodological limitations of included studies. To confirm the findings of this review, future investigations should involve double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCTs. Importantly, it appears worthwhile to consider further research for drug development utilising the identified herbs or herb combinations.

New and Emerging Oral/Topical Small-Molecule Treatments for Psoriasis

The introduction of biologic therapies has led to dramatic improvements in the management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Even though the efficacy and safety of the newer biologic agents are difficult to match, oral administration is considered an important advantage by many patients. Current research is focused on the development of oral therapies with improved efficacy and safety compared with available alternatives, as exemplified by deucravacitinib, the first oral allosteric Tyk2 inhibitor approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in adults. Recent advances in our knowledge of psoriasis pathogenesis have also led to the development of targeted topical molecules, mostly focused on intracellular signaling pathways such as AhR, PDE-4, and Jak-STAT. Tapinarof (an AhR modulator) and roflumilast (a PDE-4 inhibitor) have exhibited favorable efficacy and safety outcomes and have been approved by the FDA for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis. This revision focuses on the most recent oral and topical therapies available for psoriasis, especially those that are currently under evaluation and development for the treatment of psoriasis.

The Potential of Plum Seed Residue: Unraveling the Effect of Processing on Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Properties

Bioactive compounds extracted from plum seeds were identified and quantified, aiming to establish how the brandy manufacturing process affects the properties and possible cascade valorization of seed residues. Extraction with n-hexane using Soxhlet has provided oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids (92.24-92.51%), mainly oleic acid (72-75.56%), which is characterized by its heart-healthy properties. The fat extracts also contain tocopherols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All the ethanol-water extracts of the defatted seeds contain neochlorogenic acid (90-368 µg·g-1), chlorogenic acid (36.1-117 µg·g-1), and protocatechuate (31.8-100 µg·g-1) that have an impact on bioactive properties such as antimicrobial and antioxidant. Anti-amyloidogenic activity (25 mg·mL-1) was observed in the after both fermentation and distillation extract, which may be related to high levels of caffeic acid (64 ± 10 µg·g-1). The principal component analysis showed that all plum seed oils could have potential applications in the food industry as edible oils or in the cosmetic industry as an active ingredient in anti-aging and anti-stain cosmetics, among others. Furthermore, defatted seeds, after both fermentation and distillation, showed the greatest applicability in the food and nutraceutical industry as a food supplement or as an additive in the design of active packaging.

Serine deficiency exacerbates psoriatic skin inflammation by regulating S-adenosyl methionine-dependent DNA methylation and NF-κB signalling activation in keratinocytes

BACKGROUND

Serine metabolism is crucial for tumour oncogenesis and immune responses. S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), a methyl donor, is typically derived from serine-driven one-carbon metabolism. However, the involvement of serine metabolism in psoriatic skin inflammation remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between serine metabolism and psoriatic skin inflammation.

METHODS

Clinical samples were collected from patients with psoriasis and the expression of serine biosynthesis enzymes was evaluated. The HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) of key enzyme or treated with inhibitors. RNA sequencing and DNA methylation assays were performed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying serine metabolism-regulated psoriatic keratinocyte inflammation. An imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis mouse model was established to determine the effect of the SAM administration on psoriatic skin inflammation.

RESULTS

The expression of serine synthesis pathway enzymes, including the first rate-limiting enzyme in serine biosynthesis, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), was downregulated in the epidermal lesions of patients with psoriasis compared with that in healthy controls. Suppressing PHGDH in keratinocytes promoted the production of proinflammatory cytokines and enrichment of psoriatic-related signalling pathways, including the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signalling pathway, interleukin (IL)-17 signalling pathway and NF-κB signalling pathway. In particular, PHGDH inhibition markedly promoted the secretion of IL-6 in keratinocytes with or without IL-17A, IL-22, IL-1α, oncostatin M and TNF-α (mix) stimulation. Mechanistically, PHGDH inhibition upregulated the expression of IL-6 by inhibiting SAM-dependent DNA methylation at the promoter and increasing the binding of myocyte enhancer factor 2A. Furthermore, PHGDH inhibition increased the secretion of IL-6 by increasing the activation of NF-κB via SAM inhibition. SAM treatment effectively alleviated IMQ-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the crucial role of PHGDH in antagonising psoriatic skin inflammation and indicated that targeting serine metabolism may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treating psoriasis.

Bitter Phytochemicals as Novel Candidates for Skin Disease Treatment

Skin diseases represent a global healthcare challenge due to their rising incidence and substantial socio-economic burden. While biological, immunological, and targeted therapies have brought a revolution in improving quality of life and survival rates for certain dermatological conditions, there remains a stringent demand for new remedies. Nature has long served as an inspiration for drug development. Recent studies have identified bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) in both skin cell lines and human skin. Additionally, bitter natural compounds have shown promising benefits in addressing skin aging, wound healing, inflammatory skin conditions, and even skin cancer. Thus, TAS2Rs may represent a promising target in all these processes. In this review, we summarize evidence supporting the presence of TAS2Rs in the skin and emphasize their potential as drug targets for addressing skin aging, wound healing, inflammatory skin conditions, and skin carcinogenesis. To our knowledge, this is a pioneering work in connecting information on TAS2Rs expression in skin and skin cells with the impact of bitter phytochemicals on various beneficial effects related to skin disorders.

Valorization of Defatted Cherry Seed Residues from Liquor Processing by Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Extraction: A Sustainable Strategy for Production of Phenolic-Rich Extracts with Antioxidant Potential

The integrated valorization of food chain waste is one of the most promising alternatives in the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Thus, an efficient solid-phase matrix dispersion extraction method, using experimental factorial design and response surface methodology, has been developed and optimized for the recovery of polyphenols from defatted cherry seeds obtained after cherry liquor manufacture and subsequent fatty acid extraction, evaluating the effect of each processing step on the composition and phenolic content of sweet cherry residues. The phenolic extracts before fermentation showed the highest content of total polyphenols (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) (3 ± 1 mg QE·g-1 and 1.37 ± 0.08 mg GAE·g-1, respectively), while the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained in the defatted seed extracts after both fermentation and distillation. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) was used to determine the phenolic profile. Dihydroxybenzoic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin were the main phenolics found, showing differences in concentration between the stages of liquor production. The results underline the prospective of cherry by-products for obtaining phenol-rich bioactive extracts for possible use in different industrial sectors, offering a feasible solution for the cascade valorization of cherry agri-food waste.

The Unknown Role of Periostin in Psoriatic Epidermal Hyperplasia

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that affects 1-2% of the general population. The pathomechanism is based on type 1 immunological reactions. Hyperplasia of the epidermis in psoriasis is a result of disrupted epidermal architecture due to increased synthesis and expression of extracellular matrix proteins. In our study, we analyzed the involvement of periostin (POSTN) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, as one of the extracellular matrix proteins belonging to the fasciclin family. The study group consisted of 70 patients with psoriasis, while the control group comprised 30 healthy individuals. The serum concentrations of POSTN, Il-6, Il-17, Il-22, TNF-α and IFN-γ were measured in all participants. The severity of psoriasis was determined using the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score. The presence of POSTN in biopsy samples of 50 patients was assessed using the direct immunofluorescence method. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. The serum concentrations of POSTN, Il-6, Il-17, Il-22, TNF-α and IFN-γ in the study group are significantly higher than in the control group. Positive correlation has been demonstrated between the PASI score and the investigated cytokines, but not with POSTN. There was no statistically significant correlation between the POSTN level and the cytokines levels. POSTN deposits were localized in the epidermis in 66% of patients with psoriasis. The role of POSTN in the pathogenesis of psoriasis remains unclear. The mechanisms inducing the synthesis and expression of POSTN in psoriatic skin are not yet fully understood. Further research is needed to enhance our understanding of the mechanism underlying epidermal hyperplasia in psoriasis.

Topical application of TOPK inhibitor OTS514 suppresses psoriatic progression by inducing keratinocytes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

T-LAK cell-oriented protein kinase (TOPK) potently promotes malignant proliferation of tumour cells and is considered as a maker of tumour progression. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized by abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes. However, the role of TOPK in psoriasis has not been well elucidated. This study aims to investigate the expression and role of TOPK in psoriasis, and the role of TOPK inhibitor in psoriasis attenuation. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets derived from psoriasis patients and psoriatic model mice were screened for analysis. Skin specimens from psoriasis patients were collected for TOPK immunohistochemical staining to investigate the expression and localization of TOPK. Next, psoriatic mice model was established to further confirm TOPK expression pattern. Then, TOPK inhibitor was applied to investigate the role of TOPK in psoriasis progression. Finally, cell proliferation assay, apoptosis assay and cell cycle analysis were performed to investigate the potential mechanism involved. Our study showed that TOPK was upregulated in the lesions of both psoriasis patients and psoriatic model mice, and TOPK levels were positively associated with psoriasis progression. TOPK was upregulated in psoriatic lesions and expressed predominantly by epidermal keratinocytes. In addition, TOPK levels in epidermal keratinocytes were positively correlated with epidermal hyperplasia. Furthermore, topical application of TOPK inhibitor OTS514 obviously alleviated disease severity and epidermal hyperplasia. Mechanismly, inhibiting TOPK induces G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis of keratinocytes, thereby attenuating epidermal hyperplasia and disease progression. Collectively, this study identifies that upregulation of TOPK in keratinocytes promotes psoriatic progression, and inhibiting TOPK attenuates epidermal hyperplasia and psoriatic progression.

Gentiopicroside-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Inhibit TNF-α-Induced Proliferation and Inflammatory Response in HaCaT Keratinocytes and Ameliorate Imiquimod-Induced Dermatitis Lesions in Mice

Purpose

In this study, we aimed to report the biological characteristics of the first successful synthesis of gentiopicroside-loaded chitosan nanoparticles and to evaluate the therapeutic effects and preliminary mechanisms of gentiopicrin-loaded chitosan on psoriasis-like cell and mouse models.

Methods

Gentiopicroside-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CHI-GEN) were prepared, and their biological characteristics were evaluated. HaCaT keratinocytes were stimulated with TNF-α to establish a psoriatic keratinocyte model. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to measure cell viability and apoptosis, respectively. mRNA levels of K17, VEGF A, and IL-6 and IL-23A were detected using qRT-PCR. These tests were used to preliminarily assess the effects of CHI-GEN on keratinocyte proliferation and inflammation. Imiquimod was used to construct a psoriasis-like mice model. The severity of psoriasis was scored based on the psoriasis area severity index (PASI), H&E staining was used to observe the histological changes and the level of inflammation and cell proliferation of skin lesions was evaluated by measuring the mRNA levels of K17, IL-23A, and IL-17A using qRT-PCR.

Results

The average particle size of CHI-GEN nanoparticles was approximately 100 nm, and the zeta potential was 2.69 ± 0.87 mV. The cumulative release was 67.2% in solutions of pH 5.5 at 24 h. GEN reduced TNF-α-induced excessive proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes and downregulated mRNA levels of K17, VEGF A, and inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-23A, which was more obvious in the CHI-GEN treatment group. Additionally, CHI-GEN significantly improved the severity of skin lesions in psoriasis-like mice and downregulated the mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-23A, and IL-17A in mice skin lesions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we successfully prepared gentiopicrin-chitosan nanoparticles. Our results show that these nanoparticles have anti-psoriasis activity, inhibits keratinocyte proliferation and improves symptoms in psoriasis model mice and can be used to develop an effective strategy for the treatment of psoriasis.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Armeniacae semen Amarum: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim., Ku xingren, bitter almond, ASA) is an important medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is widely used because of its remarkable curative effect in relieving cough and asthma, moistening intestines and defecating.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to enlighten the deeper knowledge about ASA, giving a comprehensive overview of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology for future investigation of plant-based drugs and therapeutic applications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The databases used are Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu academic, Google academic, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP . In addition, detailed information on ASA was obtained from relevant monographs such as Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

RESULTS

The active components of ASA mainly include amygdalin, bitter almond oil, essential oil, protein, vitamin, trace elements and carbohydrates. The pharmacological studies have shown that ASA has beneficial effects such as antitussive, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antitumour, cardioprotective, antifibrotic, immune regulatory, bowel relaxation, insecticidal, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Many reports have been published on ASA's various active ingredients and biological uses. However, only a few reviews on its phytoconstituents and pharmacological uses. In addition, the exploration and development of ASA in other fields also deserve more attention in future research.

Adera2.0: A Drug Repurposing Workflow for Neuroimmunological Investigations Using Neural Networks

Drug repurposing in the context of neuroimmunological (NI) investigations is still in its primary stages. Drug repurposing is an important method that bypasses lengthy drug discovery procedures and focuses on discovering new usages for known medications. Neuroimmunological diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and depression, include various pathologies that result from the interaction between the central nervous system and the immune system. However, the repurposing of NI medications is hindered by the vast amount of information that needs mining. We previously presented Adera1.0, which was capable of text mining PubMed for answering query-based questions. However, Adera1.0 was not able to automatically identify chemical compounds within relevant sentences. To challenge the need for repurposing known medications for neuroimmunological diseases, we built a deep neural network named Adera2.0 to perform drug repurposing. The workflow uses three deep learning networks. The first network is an encoder and its main task is to embed text into matrices. The second network uses a mean squared error (MSE) loss function to predict answers in the form of embedded matrices. The third network, which constitutes the main novelty in our updated workflow, also uses a MSE loss function. Its main usage is to extract compound names from relevant sentences resulting from the previous network. To optimize the network function, we compared eight different designs. We found that a deep neural network consisting of an RNN neural network and a leaky ReLU could achieve 0.0001 loss and 67% sensitivity. Additionally, we validated Adera2.0's ability to predict NI drug usage against the DRUG Repurposing Hub database. These results establish the ability of Adera2.0 to repurpose drug candidates that can shorten the development of the drug cycle. The workflow could be download online.

Keratinocyte-derived S100A9 modulates neutrophil infiltration and affects psoriasis-like skin and joint disease

OBJECTIVES

S100A9, an alarmin that can form calprotectin (CP) heterodimers with S100A8, is mainly produced by keratinocytes and innate immune cells. The contribution of keratinocyte-derived S100A9 to psoriasis (Ps) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) was evaluated using mouse models, and the potential usefulness of S100A9 as a Ps/PsA biomarker was assessed in patient samples.

METHODS

Conditional S100A9 mice were crossed with DKO* mice, an established psoriasis-like mouse model based on inducible epidermal deletion of c-Jun and JunB to achieve additional epidermal deletion of S100A9 (TKO* mice). Psoriatic skin and joint disease were evaluated in DKO* and TKO* by histology, microCT, RNA and proteomic analyses. Furthermore, S100A9 expression was analysed in skin, serum and synovial fluid samples of patients with Ps and PsA.

RESULTS

Compared with DKO* littermates, TKO* mice displayed enhanced skin disease severity, PsA incidence and neutrophil infiltration. Altered epidermal expression of selective pro-inflammatory genes and pathways, increased epidermal phosphorylation of STAT3 and higher circulating TNFα were observed in TKO* mice. In humans, synovial S100A9 levels were higher than the respective serum levels. Importantly, patients with PsA had significantly higher serum concentrations of S100A9, CP, VEGF, IL-6 and TNFα compared with patients with only Ps, but only S100A9 and CP could efficiently discriminate healthy individuals, patients with Ps and patients with PsA.

CONCLUSIONS

Keratinocyte-derived S100A9 plays a regulatory role in psoriatic skin and joint disease. In humans, S100A9/CP is a promising marker that could help in identifying patients with Ps at risk of developing PsA.

New Topical Therapies for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease with a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Mild-to-moderate forms of the disease usually require long-term topical treatment, but prolonged use of corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues is limited by adverse effects. With further understanding of psoriasis pathogenesis, new molecules are emerging aiming to fulfil these clinical needs. Tapinarof, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulator, has completed a phase III study and demonstrated good efficacy results, even in long treatment courses, with a favourable safety profile. It additionally appears to have a promising remitting effect as patients presented with an average relapsing time of over 3 months. Roflumilast, a phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor, also underwent a phase III study with significant lesion improvement and notable pruritus management, and with no reported side effects. Roflumilast was evaluated as an option for intertriginous areas with good outcomes in a small sample, but larger trials are required. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway has been targeted in recent clinical investigations with promising options, currently with brepocitinib pending phase IIb results. Ongoing preclinical studies involving interleukin-2 inhibition, RNA modulators and amygdalin analogues may lead to forthcoming clinical trials. New topical drugs are successfully emerging and future research comparing them to classical options will dictate their clinical role in the treatment of psoriasis.

Inflammation, It's Regulation and Antiphlogistic Effect of the Cyanogenic Glycoside Amygdalin

The inflammatory reaction accompanies in part or in full any disease process in the vascularized metazoan. This complicated reaction is controlled by regulatory mechanisms, some of which produce unpleasant symptomatic manifestations of inflammation. Therefore, there has been an effort to develop selective drugs aimed at removing pain, fever, or swelling. Gradually, however, serious adverse side effects of such inhibitors became apparent. Scientific research has therefore continued to explore new possibilities, including naturally available substances. Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside present, e.g., in bitter almonds. This glycoside has already sparked many discussions among scientists, especially about its anticancer potential and related toxic cyanides. However, toxicity at different doses made it generally unacceptable. Although amygdalin given at the correct oral dose may not lead to poisoning, it has not yet been accurately quantified, as its action is often affected by different intestinal microbial consortia. Its pharmacological activities have been studied, but its effects on the body's inflammatory response are lacking. This review discusses the chemical structure, toxicity, and current knowledge of the molecular mechanism of amygdalin activity on immune functions, including the anti-inflammatory effect, but also discusses inflammation as such, its mediators with diverse functions, which are usually targeted by drugs.