Targeting inflammation by modulating the Jun/AP-1 pathway

Adaptor protein HIP-55 promotes macrophage M1 polarization through promoting AP-1 complex activation

Overwhelming macrophage M1 polarization induced by malfunction of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) initiates inflammatory responses, which play a crucial role in various cardiovascular diseases. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains elusive. Here, we identified adaptor protein HIP-55 as a critical regulator of macrophage M1 polarization. The expression of HIP-55 was upregulated in M1 macrophage induced by Ang II. Overexpression of HIP-55 significantly promoted Ang II-induced macrophage M1 polarization, whereas genetic deletion of HIP-55 inhibited the Ang II-induced macrophage M1 polarization. Mechanistically, HIP-55 facilitated activator protein-1 (AP-1) complex activation induced by Ang II via promoting ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, blocking AP-1 complex activation can attenuate the function of HIP-55 in macrophage polarization. Collectively, our results reveal the role of HIP-55 in macrophage polarization and provide potential therapeutic insights for cardiovascular diseases associated with RAAS dysfunction.

Secondary Data Analysis of Inflammation-Related mRNAs in Conjunctival Impression Cytology Samples of Aniridia Patients

PURPOSE

Aniridia is a rare corneal disease that is often associated with aniridia-associated keratopathy (AAK). In AAK, the conjunctival tissue crosses the limbal border, forming a corneal pannus that extends into the corneal center. With increasing AAK severity, corneal pannus formation, vascularization, and ocular surface inflammation increase. The purpose of this study was to investigate inflammation-related mRNA expression in conjunctival epithelial cells in AAK and its relationship with AAK severity.

METHODS

Using impression cytology, bulbar conjunctival cells were sampled from 20 subjects with congenital aniridia and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects. RNA was extracted, and mRNA analyses were performed using microarray, which was evaluated for inflammatory markers.

RESULTS

In the analyzed aniridia subjects, 70 deregulated mRNAs encoding proinflammatory or antiinflammatory cytokines or factors associated with chronic inflammation, including increased IL-1, IL-8, and MIP3A/CCL20 mRNA. The most downregulated mRNA was TIMP3, and the most upregulated mRNA was Protein c-Fos.Of the 70 mRNAs, 14 inflammation-related genes were altered only in the mild AAK forms, whereas only 2 mRNAs were altered only in the severe AAK forms (TLR4 and PPARG).

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of numerous proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines is deregulated at the ocular surface of aniridia subjects with mild AAK. Thus, early antiinflammatory treatment may prevent or slow down corneal scarring and pannus formation in aniridia subjects.

Comprehensive molecular and cellular characterization of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related key genes in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Background

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) is an inevitable complication in the process of kidney transplantation and lacks specific therapy. The study aims to determine the underlying mechanisms of RIRI to uncover a promising target for efficient renoprotection.

Method

Four bulk RNA-seq datasets including 495 renal samples of pre- and post-reperfusion were collected from the GEO database. The machine learning algorithms were utilized to ascertain pivotal endoplasmic reticulum stress genes. Then, we incorporated correlation analysis and determined the interaction pathways of these key genes. Considering the heterogeneous nature of bulk-RNA analysis, the single-cell RNA-seq analysis was performed to investigate the mechanisms of key genes at the single-cell level. Besides, 4-PBA was applied to inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress and hence validate the pathological role of these key genes in RIRI. Finally, three clinical datasets with transcriptomic profiles were used to assess the prognostic role of these key genes in renal allograft outcomes after RIRI.

Results

In the bulk-RNA analysis, endoplasmic reticulum stress was identified as the top enriched pathway and three endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes (PPP1R15A, JUN, and ATF3) were ranked as top performers in both LASSO and Boruta analyses. The three genes were found to significantly interact with kidney injury-related pathways, including apoptosis, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and pyroptosis. For oxidative stress, these genes were more strongly related to oxidative markers compared with antioxidant markers. In single-cell transcriptome, the three genes were primarily upregulated in endothelium, distal convoluted tubule cells, and collecting duct principal cells among 12 cell types of renal tissues in RIRI. Furthermore, distal convoluted tubule cells and collecting duct principal cells exhibited pro-inflammatory status and the highest pyroptosis levels, suggesting their potential as main effectors of three key genes for mediating RIRI-associated injuries. Importantly, inhibition of these key genes using 4-phenyl butyric acid alleviated functional and histological damage in a mouse RIRI model. Finally, the three genes demonstrated highly prognostic value in predicting graft survival outcomes.

Conclusion

The study identified three key endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes and demonstrated their prognostic value for graft survival, providing references for individualized clinical prevention and treatment of postoperative complications after renal transplantation.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals roles of unique retinal microglia types in early diabetic retinopathy

BACKGROUND

The pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a blinding disease, are intricate. DR was thought to be a microvascular disease previously. However, growing studies have indicated that the retinal microglia-induced inflammation precedes microangiopathy. The binary concept of microglial M1/M2 polarization paradigms during inflammatory activation has been debated. In this study, we confirmed microglia had the most significant changes in early DR using single-cell RNA sequencing.

METHODS

A total of five retinal specimens were collected from donor SD rats. Changes in various cells of the retina at the early stage of DR were analyzed using single-cell sequencing technology.

RESULTS

We defined three new microglial subtypes at cellular level, including two M1 types (Egr2+ M1 and Egr2- M1) and one M2 type. We also revealed the anatomical location between these subtypes, the dynamic changes of polarization phenotypes, and the possible activation sequence and mutual activation regulatory mechanism of different cells. Furthermore, we constructed an inflammatory network involving microglia, blood-derived macrophages and other retinal nonneuronal cells. The targeted study of new disease-specific microglial subtypes can shorten the time for drug screening and clinical application, which provided insight for the early control and reversal of DR.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that microglia show the most obvious differential expression changes in early DR and reveal the changes in microglia in a high-glucose microenvironment at the single-cell level. Our comprehensive analysis will help achieve early reversal and control the occurrence and progression of DR.

Identification of key genes as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for comorbidity of myasthenia gravis and COVID-19

Introduction

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a significant impact on the health and quality of life of MG patients and may even trigger the onset of MG in some cases. With the worldwide development of the COVID-19 vaccination, several new-onset MG cases and exacerbations following the COVID-19 vaccines have been acknowledged. The potential link between myasthenia gravis (MG) and COVID-19 has prompted the need for further investigation into the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods and results

The differential expression analysis identified six differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared by myasthenia gravis (MG) and COVID-19, namely SAMD9, PLEK, GZMB, JUNB, NR4A1, and NR1D1. The relationship between the six common genes and immune cells was investigated in the COVID-19 dataset. The predictive value of the shared genes was assessed and a nomogram was constructed using machine learning algorithms. The regulatory miRNAs, transcription factors and small molecular drugs were predicted, and the molecular docking was carried out by AutoDock.

Discussion

We have identified six common DEGs of MG and COVID-19 and explored their immunological effects and regulatory mechanisms. The result may provide new insights for further mechanism research.

Molecular insights into the anti-inflammatory activity of fermented pineapple juice using multimodal computational studies

Pineapple has been recognized for its potential to enhance health and well-being. This study aimed to gain molecular insights into the anti-inflammatory properties of fermented pineapple juice using multimodal computational studies. In this study, pineapple juice was fermented using Lactobacillus paracasei, and the solution underwent liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Network pharmacology was applied to investigate compound interactions and targets. In silico methods assessed compound bioactivities. Protein-protein interactions, network topology, and enrichment analysis identified key compounds. Molecular docking explored compound-receptor interactions in inflammation regulation. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to confirm the stability of interactions between the identified crucial compounds and their respective receptors. The study revealed several compounds including short-chain fatty acids, peptides, dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids, and glycerides that exhibited promising anti-inflammatory properties. Leucyl-leucyl-norleucine and Leu-Leu-Tyr exhibited robust and stable interactions with mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 and IκB kinase β, respectively, indicating their potential as promising therapeutic agents for inflammation modulation. This proposition is grounded in the pivotal involvement of these two proteins in inflammatory signaling pathways. These findings provide valuable insights into the anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds, serving as a foundation for further experimental validation and exploration. Future studies can build upon these results to advance the development of these compounds as effective anti-inflammatory agents.

Rhamnetin Prevents Bradykinin-Induced Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Rat Brain Astrocytes by Suppressing Protein Kinase-Dependent AP-1 Activation

Bradykinin (BK) has been recognized as a stimulant for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression, contributing to neuroinflammation. Modulating the BK/MMP-9 pathway offers potential in the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders. Rhamnetin (RNT), a flavonoid compound known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, has shown promise. However, the specific mechanisms through which RNT inhibits BK-induced MMP-9 expression remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to delve into the intricate mechanisms underlying this process. Here, we initially demonstrated that RNT effectively attenuated BK-induced MMP-9 expression and its associated cell migration in rat brain astrocyte-1 (RBA-1) cells. Further investigation revealed that BK-driven MMP-9 protein, mRNA, and promoter activity linked to cell migration relied on c-Src, Pyk2, EGFR, PDGFR, PI3K/Akt, JNK1/2, and c-Jun. This was validated by the inhibition of these effects through specific inhibitors, a finding substantiated by the introduction of siRNAs targeting these signaling molecules. Notably, the phosphorylated levels of these signaling components induced by BK were significantly reduced by their respective inhibitors and RNT, underscoring the inhibitory role of RNT in this process. These findings indicate that, in RBA-1 cells, RNT diminishes the heightened induction of MMP-9 triggered by BK through the inhibition of c-Src/Pyk2/PDGFR and EGFR/PI3K/Akt/JNK1/2-dependent AP-1 activation. This suggests that RNT holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach for addressing neuroinflammation in the brain.

Integrative metabolomic and network pharmacological analysis reveals potential mechanisms of Cardamine circaeoides Hook.f. & Thomson in alleviating potassium oxonate-induced asymptomatic hyperuricemia in rats

Cardamine circaeoides Hook.f. & Thomson (CC), a herb of the genus Cardamine (family Brassicaceae), has a rich historical usage in China for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It is distinguished by its remarkable ability to hyperaccumulate selenium (Se). CC has demonstrated efficacy in the prevention of metabolic disorders. However, investigations into the effects of CC on asymptomatic hyperuricemia remain scarce. The objective of this study is to elucidate the mechanism by which CC aqueous extract (CCE) exerts its anti-hyperuricemic effects on asymptomatic hyperuricemic rats induced by potassium oxonate (PO) by integrating metabolomics and network pharmacological analysis. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia was induced by feeding rats with PO (1000 mg/kg) and CCE (0.75, 1.5, or 3 g/kg) once daily for 30 days. Various parameters, including body weight, uric acid (UA) levels, histopathology of renal tissue, and inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) were assessed. Subsequently, metabolomic analysis of kidney tissues was conducted to explore the effects of CCE on renal metabolites and the related pathways. Furthermore, network pharmacology was employed to explicate the mechanism of action of CCE components identified through UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. Finally, metabolomic and network-pharmacology analyses were performed to predict crucial genes dysregulated in the disease model and rescued by CCE, which were then subjected to verification by RT-qPCR. The findings revealed that CCE significantly inhibited the UA levels from the 21st day to the 30th day. Moreover, CCE exhibited significant inhibition of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels in renal tissues. The dysregulation of 18 metabolites and the tyrosine, pyrimidine, cysteine, methionine, sphingolipid, and histidine metabolism pathways was prevented by CCE treatment. A joint analysis of targets predicted using the network pharmacology approach and the differential metabolites found in metabolics predicted 8 genes as potential targets of CCE, and 3 of them (PNP gene, JUN gene, and ADA gene) were verified at the mRNA level by RT-qPCR. We conclude that CCE has anti-hyperuricemia effects and alleviates renal inflammation in a rat model of hyperuricemia, and these efficacies are associated with the reversal of increased ADA, PNP, and JUN mRNA expression in renal tissues.

Eight influenza virus cellular manipulations which can boost concurrent SARS-CoV-2 infections to severe outcomes

Viral pathogens in the lungs can cause severe outcomes, including acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Dangerous respiratory pathogens include some influenza A and B viruses, and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Unfortunately, concurrent infections of influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 increase severe outcome probabilities. Influenza viruses have eight cellular manipulations which can assist concurrent SARS-CoV-2 viral infections. The eight cellular manipulations include: (1) viral protein binding with cellular sensors to block antiviral transcription factors and cytokine expressions, (2) viral protein binding with cell proteins to impair cellular pre-messenger ribonucleic acid splicing, (3) increased ribonucleic acid virus replication through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt (protein kinase B) pathway, (4) regulatory ribonucleic acids to manipulate cellular sensors and pathways to suppress antiviral defenses, (5) exosomes to transmit influenza virus to uninfected cells to weaken cellular defenses before SARS-CoV-2 infection, (6) increased cellular cholesterol and lipids to improve virion synthesis stability, quality and virion infectivity, (7) increased cellular autophagy, benefiting influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 replications and (8) adrenal gland stimulation to produce glucocorticoids, which suppress immune cells, including reduced synthesis of cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules. Concurrent infections by one of the influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 will increase the probability of severe outcomes, and with sufficient synergy potentially enable the recurrence of tragic pandemics.

The role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ in lipid metabolism and inflammation in atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease events are the result of functional and structural abnormalities in the arteries and heart. Atherosclerosis is the main cause and pathological basis of cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease associated with dyslipidemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress, among which dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation occur in all processes. Under the influence of lipoproteins, the arterial intima causes inflammation, necrosis, fibrosis, and calcification, leading to plaque formation in specific parts of the artery, which further develops into plaque rupture and secondary thrombosis. Foam cell formation from macrophages is an early event in the development of atherosclerosis. Lipid uptake causes a vascular inflammatory response, and persistent inflammatory infiltration in the lesion area further promotes the development of the disease. Inhibition of macrophage differentiation into foam cell and reduction of the level of proinflammatory factors in macrophages can effectively alleviate the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a ligand-activated nuclear receptor that plays an important antiatherosclerotic role by regulating triglyceride metabolism, lipid uptake, cholesterol efflux, macrophage polarity, and inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways. In addition, PPARγ shifts its binding to ligands and co-activators or co-repressors of transcription of target genes through posttranslational modification, thereby affecting the regulation of its downstream target genes. Many ligand agonists have also been developed targeting PPARγ. In this review, we summarized the role of PPARγ in lipid metabolism and inflammation in development of atherosclerosis, the posttranslational regulatory mechanism of PPARγ, and further discusses the value of PPARγ as an antiatherosclerosis target.

Heat-Killed Latilactobacillus sakei CNSC001WB and Lactobacillus pentosus WB693 Have an Anti-inflammatory Effect on LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells

Excessive inflammatory results, such as those seen in rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular diseases, are known to cause various complications. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether heat-killed Latilactobacillus sakei CNS001WB and Lactobacillus pentosus WB693 can prevent inflammatory reactions. When LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were handled with either heat-killed Lact. sakei CNSC001WB or Lact. pentosus WB693, the production of nitric oxide reduced. Furthermore, the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, was suppressed. The expression of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), which play important roles in inflammatory diseases, especially arthritis, was also reduced. Moreover, these strains inhibited nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, which activate various cytokines and inflammatory mediators. Additionally, heat-killed Lact. sakei CNSC001WB and Lact. pentosus WB693 inhibited the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Based on these results, we concluded that heat-killed Lact. sakei CNSC001WB and Lact. pentosus WB693 sufficiently inhibited the inflammatory response and may have anti-inflammatory potential.

TET2 and TET3 loss disrupts small intestine differentiation and homeostasis

TET2/3 play a well-known role in epigenetic regulation and mouse development. However, their function in cellular differentiation and tissue homeostasis remains poorly understood. Here we show that ablation of TET2/3 in intestinal epithelial cells results in a murine phenotype characterized by a severe homeostasis imbalance in the small intestine. Tet2/3-deleted mice show a pronounced loss of mature Paneth cells as well as fewer Tuft and more Enteroendocrine cells. Further results show major changes in DNA methylation at putative enhancers, which are associated with cell fate-determining transcription factors and functional effector genes. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of DNA methylation partially rescues the methylation and cellular defects. TET2/3 loss also alters the microbiome, predisposing the intestine to inflammation under homeostatic conditions and acute inflammation-induced death. Together, our results uncover previously unrecognized critical roles for DNA demethylation, possibly occurring subsequently to chromatin opening during intestinal development, culminating in the establishment of normal intestinal crypts.

AP-1 is a regulatory transcription factor of inflammaging in the murine kidney and liver

Aging is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation in multiple tissues, also termed "inflammaging", which represents a significant risk factor for many aging-related chronic diseases. However, the mechanisms and regulatory networks underlying inflammaging across different tissues have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we profiled the transcriptomes and epigenomes of the kidney and liver from young and aged mice and found that activation of the inflammatory response is a conserved signature in both tissues. Moreover, we revealed links between transcriptome changes and chromatin dynamics through integrative analysis and identified AP-1 and ETS family transcription factors (TFs) as potential regulators of inflammaging. Further in situ validation showed that c-JUN (a member of the AP-1 family) was mainly activated in aged renal and hepatic cells, while increased SPI1 (a member of the ETS family) was mostly induced by elevated infiltration of macrophages, indicating that these TFs have different mechanisms in inflammaging. Functional data demonstrated that genetic knockdown of Fos, a major member of the AP-1 family, significantly attenuated the inflammatory response in aged kidneys and livers. Taken together, our results revealed conserved signatures and regulatory TFs of inflammaging in the kidney and liver, providing novel targets for the development of anti-aging interventions.

Chemical-induced epigenome resetting for regeneration program activation in human cells

Human somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotent stem cells by small molecules through an intermediate stage with a regeneration signature, but how this regeneration state is induced remains largely unknown. Here, through integrated single-cell analysis of transcriptome, we demonstrate that the pathway of human chemical reprogramming with regeneration state is distinct from that of transcription-factor-mediated reprogramming. Time-course construction of chromatin landscapes unveils hierarchical histone modification remodeling underlying the regeneration program, which involved sequential enhancer recommissioning and mirrored the reversal process of regeneration potential lost in organisms as they mature. In addition, LEF1 is identified as a key upstream regulator for regeneration gene program activation. Furthermore, we reveal that regeneration program activation requires sequential enhancer silencing of somatic and proinflammatory programs. Altogether, chemical reprogramming resets the epigenome through reversal of the loss of natural regeneration, representing a distinct concept for cellular reprogramming and advancing the development of regenerative therapeutic strategies.

Induction of pro-inflammatory genes by fibronectin DAMPs in three fibroblast cell lines: Role of TAK1 and MAP kinases

Changes in the organization and structure of the fibronectin matrix are believed to contribute to dysregulated wound healing and subsequent tissue inflammation and tissue fibrosis. These changes include an increase in the EDA isoform of fibronectin as well as the mechanical unfolding of fibronectin type III domains. In previous studies using embryonic foreskin fibroblasts, we have shown that fibronectin's EDA domain (FnEDA) and the partially unfolded first Type III domain (FnIII-1c) function as Damage Associated Molecular Pattern (DAMP) molecules to stimulate the induction of inflammatory cytokines by serving as agonists for Toll-Like Receptor-4 (TLR4). However, the role of signaling molecules downstream of TLR-4 such as TGF-β Activated Kinase 1 (TAK1) and Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) in regulating the expression of fibronectin DAMP induced inflammatory genes in specific cell types is not known. In the current study, we evaluate the molecular steps regulating the fibronectin driven induction of inflammatory genes in three human fibroblast cell lines: embryonic foreskin, adult dermal, and adult kidney. The fibronectin derived DAMPs each induce the phosphorylation and activation of TAK1 which results in the activation of two downstream signaling arms, IKK/NF-κB and MAPK. Using the specific inhibitor 5Z-(7)-Oxozeanol as well as siRNA, we show TAK1 to be a crucial signaling mediator in the release of cytokines in response to fibronectin DAMPs in all three cell types. Finally, we show that FnEDA and FnIII-1c induce several pro-inflammatory cytokines whose expression is dependent on both TAK1 and JNK MAPK and highlight cell-type specific differences in the gene-expression profiles of the fibroblast cell-lines.

scTenifoldXct: A semi-supervised method for predicting cell-cell interactions and mapping cellular communication graphs

We present scTenifoldXct, a semi-supervised computational tool for detecting ligand-receptor (LR)-mediated cell-cell interactions and mapping cellular communication graphs. Our method is based on manifold alignment, using LR pairs as inter-data correspondences to embed ligand and receptor genes expressed in interacting cells into a unified latent space. Neural networks are employed to minimize the distance between corresponding genes while preserving the structure of gene regression networks. We apply scTenifoldXct to real datasets for testing and demonstrate that our method detects interactions with high consistency compared with other methods. More importantly, scTenifoldXct uncovers weak but biologically relevant interactions overlooked by other methods. We also demonstrate how scTenifoldXct can be used to compare different samples, such as healthy vs. diseased and wild type vs. knockout, to identify differential interactions, thereby revealing functional implications associated with changes in cellular communication status.

Ginaton reduces M1-polarized macrophages in hypertensive cardiac remodeling via NF-κB signaling

Introduction: Macrophages play a critical role in cardiac remodeling, and dysregulated macrophage polarization between the proinflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes promotes excessive inflammation and cardiac damage. Ginaton is a natural extract extracted from Ginkgo biloba. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it has long been used to treat a variety of diseases. However, the role of Ginaton in modulating the diverse macrophage functional phenotypes brought on by Ang II-induced hypertension and cardiac remodeling is unknown.

Methods: In the present study, we fed C57BL/6J mice in the age of eight weeks with Ginaton (300 mg/kg/day) or PBS control, and then injected Ang II (1000 ng/kg/min) or saline for 14 days to investigate the specific efficacy of Ginaton. Systolic blood pressure was recorded, cardiac function was detected by echocardiography, and pathological changes in cardiac tissue were assessed by histological staining. Different functional phenotypes of the macrophages were assessed by immunostaining. The mRNA expression of genes was assessed by qPCR analysis. Protein levels were detected by immunoblotting.

Results: Our results showed that Ang II infusion significantly enhanced the activation and infiltration of macrophages with hypertension, cardiac insufficiency, myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and M1 phenotype macrophages compared with the saline group. Instead, Ginaton attenuated these effects. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that Ginaton inhibited Ang II-induced activation, adhesion and migration of M1 phenotype macrophages.

Conclusion: Our study showed that Ginaton treatment inhibits Ang II-induced M1 phenotype macrophage activation, macrophage adhesion, and mitigation, as well as the inflammatory response leading to impaired and dysfunctional hypertension and cardiac remodeling. Gianton may be a powerful treatment for heart disease.

Functional Analysis of Monkeypox and Interrelationship between Monkeypox and COVID-19 by Bioinformatic Analysis

The outbreak of monkeypox may be considered a novel and urgent threat after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). No wide-ranging studies have been conducted on this disease since it was first reported. We systematically assessed the functional role of gene expression in cells infected with the monkeypox virus using transcriptome profiling and compared the functional relation with that of COVID-19. Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we obtained 212 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of GSE36854 and GSE21001 of monkeypox datasets. Enrichment analyses, including KEGG and gene ontology (GO) analyses, were performed to identify the common function of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001. CytoHubba and Molecular Complex Detection were performed to determine the core genes after a protein-protein interaction (PPI). Metascape/COVID-19 was used to compare DEGs of monkeypox and COVID-19. GO analysis of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001 for monkeypox infection showed cellular response to cytokine stimulus, cell activation, and cell differentiation regulation. KEGG analysis of 212 DEGs of GSE36854 and GSE21001 for monkeypox infection showed involvement of monkeypox in COVID-19, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, TNF signaling, and T cell receptor signaling. By comparing our data with published transcriptome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections in other cell lines, the common function of monkeypox and COVID-19 includes cytokine signaling in the immune system, TNF signaling, and MAPK cascade regulation. Thus, our data suggest that the molecular connections identified between COVID-19 and monkeypox elucidate the causes of monkeypox.

Blueberries and their bioactives in the modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation and cardio/vascular function markers: a systematic review of human intervention studies

Blueberries represent a rich source of (poly)phenols and other bioactive compounds. Numerous in vitro and animal model studies documented the potential health-promoting properties of blueberries and blueberry-bioactives, while little is still known about their effects in humans. The objective of the present systematic review is to provide main evidence and the potential mechanisms of action of blueberry and its (poly)phenols in the regulation of markers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, vascular and cardiometabolic function in health and disease states. A total of 45 human intervention studies were included in this review. Overall, the evidence suggests that blueberries may play a role in the improvement of markers of vascular function. Their effects were observed following both post-prandial and long-term consumption, particularly in subjects with risk factors and/or disease conditions. Conversely, the conflicting results on inflammation, oxidative stress and cardiometabolic risk markers were most likely due to differences among studies in terms of study design, subject characteristics, duration of intervention, dosage, and type of biomarkers analyzed. For these reasons, high-quality, well-designed, human intervention studies are warranted to strengthen the current findings on vascular function and provide more evidence about the impact of blueberries on the different markers considered. In addition, studies focusing on the relationship between the structure and the function of (poly)phenols will be fundamental for a better comprehension of the mechanisms behind the health effects observed.

Identification of AP-1 as a Critical Regulator of Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) Transcriptional Suppression and Acinar Cell Ferroptosis in Acute Pancreatitis

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)-dependent ferroptosis in pancreatic acinar cells plays a critical role in acute pancreatitis (AP). However, potential upstream regulators of GPX4 are not well defined. Here, we observed a marked reduction in acinar GPX4 expression and ferroptotic cell death in mice with cerulein-induced AP. To determine the critical factors involved in acinar cell ferroptosis, pancreas transcriptome data from an AP mouse model were analyzed and overlapped with predicted transcription factors of Gpx4, and an upregulated transcription factor active protein 1 (AP-1) protein, Jun, was identified. The administration of a specific ferroptosis inhibitor liproxstatin-1 alleviated AP pathology and significantly decreased Jun levels. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the Gpx4 promoter contains a putative AP-1 binding site. Jun binds directly to the Gpx4 promoter and inhibits Gpx4 transcription under pancreatic conditions. AP-1 inhibition by a selective inhibitor SR11302 reversed GPX4 reduction and ameliorated AP pathology in a GPX4-dependent manner. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the downregulation of GPX4 by AP-1 is critical in the aggravation of acinar cell ferroptosis during the progression of AP. Strategies targeting the AP-1/GPX4 axis may be potentially effective for the prevention and treatment of AP.

PGF2α facilitates pathological retinal angiogenesis by modulating endothelial FOS-driven ELR+ CXC chemokine expression

The pathological retinal angiogenesis often causes blindness. Current anti-angiogenic therapy for proliferative retinopathy targets the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but many patients do not radically benefit from this therapy. Herein, we report that circulating prostaglandin (PG) F_2α metabolites were increased in type 2 diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy, and the PGF_2α receptor (Ptgfr) was upregulated in retinal endothelial cells (ECs) from a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Further, disruption of the PTGFR receptor in ECs attenuated OIR in mice. PGF_2α promoted the proliferation and tube formation of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) via the release of ELR⁺ CXC chemokines, such as CXCL8 and CXCL2. Mechanistically, the PGF_2α /PTGFR axis potentiated ELR⁺ CXC chemokine expression in HRMECs through the G_q /CAMK2G/p38/ELK-1/FOS pathway. Upregulated FOS-mediated ELR⁺ CXC chemokine expression was observed in retinal ECs from PDR patients. Moreover, treatment with PTGFR inhibitor lessened the development of OIR in mice in a CXCR2-dependent manner. Therefore, inhibition of PTGFR may represent a new avenue for the treatment of retinal neovascularization, particularly in PDR.

Diverse effector and regulatory functions of fibro/adipogenic progenitors during skeletal muscle fibrosis in muscular dystrophy

Fibrosis is a prominent pathological feature of skeletal muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The commonly used disease mouse model, mdx ^5cv , displays progressive fibrosis in the diaphragm but not limb muscles. We use single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the cellular expression of the genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) production and degradation in the mdx ^5cv diaphragm and quadriceps. We find that fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are not only the primary source of ECM but also the predominant cells that express important ECM regulatory genes, including Ccn2, Ltbp4, Mmp2, Mmp14, Timp1, Timp2, and Loxs. The effector and regulatory functions are exerted by diverse FAP clusters which are different between diaphragm and quadriceps, indicating their activation by different tissue microenvironments. FAPs are more abundant in diaphragm than in quadriceps. Our findings suggest that the development of anti-fibrotic therapy for DMD should target not only the ECM production but also the pro-fibrogenic regulatory functions of FAPs.

Boolean modeling reveals that cyclic attractors in macrophage polarization serve as reservoirs of states to balance external perturbations from the tumor microenvironment

Cyclic attractors generated from Boolean models may explain the adaptability of a cell in response to a dynamical complex tumor microenvironment. In contrast to this idea, we postulate that cyclic attractors in certain cases could be a systemic mechanism to face the perturbations coming from the environment. To justify our conjecture, we present a dynamic analysis of a highly curated transcriptional regulatory network of macrophages constrained into a cancer microenvironment. We observed that when M1-associated transcription factors (STAT1 or NF-κB) are perturbed and the microenvironment balances to a hyper-inflammation condition, cycle attractors activate genes whose signals counteract this effect implicated in tissue damage. The same behavior happens when the M2-associated transcription factors are disturbed (STAT3 or STAT6); cycle attractors will prevent a hyper-regulation scenario implicated in providing a suitable environment for tumor growth. Therefore, here we propose that cyclic macrophage phenotypes can serve as a reservoir for balancing the phenotypes when a specific phenotype-based transcription factor is perturbed in the regulatory network of macrophages. We consider that cyclic attractors should not be simply ignored, but it is necessary to carefully evaluate their biological importance. In this work, we suggest one conjecture: the cyclic attractors can serve as a reservoir to balance the inflammatory/regulatory response of the network under external perturbations.

MLK3 Regulates Inflammatory Response via Activation of AP-1 Pathway in HEK293 and RAW264.7 Cells

Inflammation is a critically important barrier found in innate immunity. However, severe and sustained inflammatory conditions are regarded as causes of many different serious diseases, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Although numerous studies have addressed how inflammatory responses proceed and what kinds of proteins and cells are involved, the exact mechanism and protein components regulating inflammatory reactions are not fully understood. In this paper, to determine the regulatory role of mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), which functions as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) in cancer cells in inflammatory response to macrophages, we employed an overexpression strategy with MLK3 in HEK293 cells and used its inhibitor URMC-099 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 cells. It was found that overexpressed MLK3 increased the mRNA expression of inflammatory genes (COX-2, IL-6, and TNF-α) via the activation of AP-1, according to a luciferase assay carried out with AP-1-Luc. Overexpression of MLK3 also induced phosphorylation of MAPKK (MEK1/2, MKK3/6, and MKK4/7), MAPK (ERK, p38, and JNK), and AP-1 subunits (c-Jun, c-Fos, and FRA-1). Phosphorylation of MLK3 was also observed in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by LPS, Pam3CSK, and poly(I:C). Finally, inhibition of MLK3 by URMC-099 reduced the expression of COX-2 and CCL-12, phosphorylation of c-Jun, luciferase activity mediated by AP-1, and phosphorylation of MAPK in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Taken together, our findings strongly suggest that MLK3 plays a central role in controlling AP-1-mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages and that this enzyme can serve as a target molecule for treating AP-1-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Impact of genetic polymorphisms related to innate immune response on respiratory syncytial virus infection in children

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes lower respiratory tract infections and bronchiolitis, mainly affecting children under 2 years of age and immunocompromised patients. Currently, there are no available vaccines or efficient pharmacological treatments against RSV. In recent years, tremendous efforts have been directed to understand the pathological mechanisms of the disease and generate a vaccine against RSV. Although RSV is highly infectious, not all the patients who get infected develop bronchiolitis and severe disease. Through various sequencing studies, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been discovered in diverse receptors, cytokines, and transcriptional regulators with crucial role in the activation of the innate immune response, which is implicated in the susceptibility to develop or protect from severe forms of the infection. In this review, we highlighted how variations in the key genes affect the development of innate immune response against RSV. This data would provide crucial information about the mechanisms of viral infection, and in the future, could help in generation of new strategies for vaccine development or generation of the pharmacological treatments.

Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification Revealed the Mechanism of Yiqi Jianpi Recipe on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective

The study aimed to explore the active ingredients, targets, and mechanism of action of Yiqi Jianpi recipe (YQJPR) in the treatment of COPD based on the network pharmacology and COPD rat models.

Methods

The active ingredients and targets of YQJPR were collected by TCMSP. Disease-related protein targets were obtained from GeneCards. The Venn diagram was used to show the key therapeutic targets of COPD in YQJPR. The PPI network was established by STRING, and cytoHubba plug-in was used to screen the core targets within the network. GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed to describe the functions and pathways of the core targets. Cytoscape software was used to construct the ingredient-target network and the core target-enrichment pathway network. The chemical constituents of YQJPR were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS.

Results

The network pharmacology showed 152 active ingredients and 225 targets in YQJPR for the treatment of COPD. The key active ingredients were quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, tanshinone IIA, and baicalein. The contents of quercetin and luteolin in YQJPR were quantitatively measured by HPLC-MS/MS. 22 core genes were screened, including AKT1, IL-6, JUN, VEGFA, and CASP3, which were mainly involved in BPs such as cell proliferation and differentiation, oxidative/chemical stress, and regulation of DNA-binding transcription factor activity and regulated viral infection, tumor, HIF-1, MAPK, TNF, and IL-17 pathways. Animal experiments showed that YQJPR could significantly reduce the expression of p-ERK1/2, p-Akt, c-Myc, cleaved caspase-3, and p-Stat3 in lung tissue (p < 0.05). HE staining showed that, compared with the model group, YQJPR significantly improved lung tissue morphology and reduced lung inflammation in rats.

Conclusion

The effects of YQJPR on COPD may involve multiple components, pathways, and targets. This study provides new ideas for further and more comprehensive exploration of the therapeutic effect of YQJPR on COPD in the future.

CD147 mediates epidermal malignant transformation through the RSK2/AP-1 pathway

Background

Malignant transformation of the epidermis is an essential process in the pathogenesis of cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma (cSCC). Although evidence has demonstrated that CD147 plays key roles in various tumors, the role of CD147 in epidermal malignant transformation in vivo remains unclear.

Methods

Epidermal CD147-overexpression or knockout (EpiCD147-OE or EpiCD147-KO) transgenic mouse models were generated for in vivo study. RNA-sequencing and q-PCR were performed to identify the differentially expressed genes. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were performed to investigate the role of CD147 in regulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Immunoprecipitation, EMSA and ChIP assays were performed to investigate the mechanism of CD147 in cell transformation.

Results

We found that specific overexpression of CD147 in the epidermis (EpiCD147-OE) induces spontaneous tumor formation; moreover, a set of chemokines and cytokines including CXCL1, which play essential function in MDSC recruitment, were significantly upregulated in EpiCD147-OE transgenic mice. As expected, overexpression of CD147 in the epidermis remarkably facilitated tumorigenesis by increasing the rate of tumor initiation and the number and size of tumors in the DMBA/TPA mouse model. Interestingly, the expression of CXCL1 and the infiltration of MDSCs were dramatically increased in EpiCD147-OE transgenic mice. Our findings also showed that knockdown of CD147 attenuated EGF-induced malignant transformation as well as CXCL1 expression in HaCaT cells. Consistently, CD147 was found overexpressed in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), and positively related with the expression of CD33, a myeloid-associated marker. We further identified RSK2, a serine/threonine kinase, as an interacting partner of CD147 at the binding site of CD147D207-230. The interaction of CD147 and RSK2 activated RSK2, thus enhancing AP-1 transcriptional activation. Furthermore, EMSAs and ChIP assays showed that AP-1 could associate with the CXCL1 promoter. Importantly, RSK2 inhibitor suppressed the tumor growth in DMBA/TPA mouse model by inhibiting the recruitment of MDSCs.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that CD147 exerts a key function in epidermal malignant transformation in vivo by activating keratinocytes and recruiting MDSCs via the RSK2/AP-1 pathway.

UHRF1 Induces Metastasis in Thyroid Cancer

Background

Ubiquitin-like with PHD and ring-finger domain 1 (UHRF1) has been defined as an oncogene in tumor cells. However, the role of UHRF1 in mediating metastasis in thyroid cancer remains unexplored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the metastatic function and the potential mechanisms of UHRF1 in thyroid cancer.

Methods

Transwell assays were used to detect the metastatic capability of thyroid cancer. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were applied to examine the activation of transcription factors. Coimmunoprecipitation assays and immunofluorescence staining assays were used to elucidate the potential mechanisms of UHRF1 in promoting the metastasis of thyroid cancer.

Results

In this study, we found that overexpression of UHRF1 promoted the metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer cells, and suppression of UHRF1 decreased the metastasis of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. Regarding the signaling pathway in regulating metastasis, UHRF1 directly combined and activated the transcription factor c-Jun/AP-1 in the nucleus, subsequently increasing the transcription of IL-6 and MIF.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that UHRF1 could induce the metastasis of thyroid cancer, and the potential signaling pathway might be that UHRF1 activates c-Jun/AP-1 to increase the expression of IL-6 and MIF. These findings provide a novel mechanism of UHRF1 and illustrate that UHRF1/AP-1 complex could be a potential therapeutic target for patients with thyroid cancer.

Puerarin: A Potential Therapeutic for SARS-CoV-2 and Hantavirus Co-Infection

Patients with Hantavirus-caused epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF) are at risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there is currently no validated EHF/SARS-CoV-2 strategy. Several studies have recently shown Puerarin, a natural product, has potent antiviral properties. The goal of present study was to determine the mechanism of puerarin in patients with EHF/COVID-19. We use network pharmacology and bioinformatics to investigate the possible pharmacological targets, bioactivities, and molecular mechanisms of puerarin in the treatment of patients with EHF/SARS-CoV-2. The study investigated the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and EHF and the signaling pathway impacted by puerarin. 68 common genes linked to puerarin and EHF/SARS-CoV-2 were discovered during the investigation. By using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, we identified RELA, JUN, NF-B1, NF-B2, and FOS as potential therapeutic targets. The bioactivity and signaling pathways of puerarin have also been demonstrated in the treatment of EHF and COVID-19. According to present study, puerarin could reduce excessive immune responses and inflammation through the NF-B, TNF, and HIF-1 signaling pathways. This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of Puerarin in the treatment of EHF/COVID-19.

SGK1 negatively regulates inflammatory immune responses and protects against alveolar bone loss through modulation of TRAF3 activity

Serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays important roles in the cellular stress response. While SGK1 has been reported to restrain inflammatory immune responses, the molecular mechanisms involved remain elusive, especially in oral bacteria-induced inflammatory milieu. Here, we found that SGK1 curtails Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced inflammatory responses through maintaining levels of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 3, thereby suppressing NF-κB signaling. Specifically, SGK1 inhibition significantly enhances production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and IL-8 in P. gingivalis-stimulated innate immune cells. The results were confirmed with siRNA and LysM-Cre-mediated SGK1 KO mice. Moreover, SGK1 deletion robustly increased NF-κB activity and c-Jun expression but failed to alter the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Further mechanistic data revealed that SGK1 deletion elevates TRAF2 phosphorylation, leading to TRAF3 degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner. Importantly, siRNA-mediated traf3 silencing or c-Jun overexpression mimics the effect of SGK1 inhibition on P. gingivalis-induced inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB activation. In addition, using a P. gingivalis infection-induced periodontal bone loss model, we found that SGK1 inhibition modulates TRAF3 and c-Jun expression, aggravates inflammatory responses in gingival tissues, and exacerbates alveolar bone loss. Altogether, we demonstrated for the first time that SGK1 acts as a rheostat to limit P. gingivalis-induced inflammatory immune responses and mapped out a novel SGK1-TRAF2/3-c-Jun-NF-κB signaling axis. These findings provide novel insights into the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanisms of SGK1 and suggest novel interventional targets to inflammatory diseases relevant beyond the oral cavity.

Sex disparities in influenza: A multiscale network analysis

Sex differences in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases because of differential immune responses between females and males have been well-documented for multiple pathogens. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the observed sex differences in influenza virus infection remains poorly understood. In this study, we used a network-based approach to characterize the blood transcriptome collected over the course of infection with influenza A virus from female and male ferrets to dissect sex-biased gene expression. We identified significant differences in the temporal dynamics and regulation of immune responses between females and males. Our results elucidate sex-differentiated pathways involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), lipid metabolism, and inflammatory responses, including a female-biased IRE1/XBP1 activation and male-biased crosstalk between metabolic reprogramming and IL-1 and AP-1 pathways. Overall, our study provides molecular insights into sex differences in transcriptional regulation of immune responses and contributes to a better understanding of sex biases in influenza pathogenesis.

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Regulation of immune responses between females and males is significantly different

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Rapid activation of UPR in females triggers potent immune and inflammatory responses

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Male-specific regulatory pattern in the AP1 pathway indicate a bias in immune response

Oral Intake of Chicken Bone Collagen Peptides Anti-Skin Aging in Mice by Regulating Collagen Degradation and Synthesis, Inhibiting Inflammation and Activating Lysosomes

The effect of diet on skin aging has become an interesting research topic. Previous studies have mostly focused on the beneficial effects of collagen peptides derived from marine organisms on the aging skin when administered orally, while the beneficial effects of collagen peptides derived from poultry on aging skin have been rarely reported. In this study, collagen peptides were prepared from chicken bone by enzymatic hydrolysis, and the effect and mechanism of action of orally administered collagen peptides on alleviating skin aging induced by UV combined with D-galactose were investigated. The results showed that the chicken bone collagen had typical characteristics of collagen, and the chicken bone collagen peptides (CPs) were mainly small molecular peptides with a molecular weight of <3000 Da. In vivo experiments showed that CPs had a significant relieving effect on aging skin, indicated by the changes in the compostion and structure of the aging skin, improvement of skin antioxidant level, and inhibition of inflammation; the relieving effect was positively correlated with the dose of CPs. Further investigation showed that CPs first reduce the level of skin oxidation, inhibit the expression of the key transcription factor AP-1 (c-Jun and c-Fos), then activate the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway to promote collagen synthesis, inhibit the expression of MMP-1/3 to inhibit collagen degradation, and inhibit skin inflammation to alleviate skin aging in mice. Moreover, the skin transcriptome found that lysosomes activated after oral administration of CPs may be an important pathway for CPs in anti-skin aging, and is worthy of further research. These results suggested that CPs might be used as a functional anti-aging nutritional component.

Systematic Analysis of Neurotransmitter Receptors in Human Breast Cancer Reveals a Strong Association With Outcome and Uncovers HTR6 as a Survival-Associated Gene Potentially Regulating the Immune Microenvironment

Many epidemiological reports have indicated an increase in the incidence of breast cancer among psychotic patients, suggesting that the targets of antipsychotics, neurotransmitter receptors, may have a role in tumorigenesis. However, the functions of neurotransmitter receptors in cancer are barely known. Here, we analyzed 44 neurotransmitter receptors in breast cancer and revealed that the expression of 34 receptors was positively correlated with relapse-free survival rates (RFS) of patients using the public database (n = 3951). Among all these receptors, we revealed decreased expression of HTR6 in human advanced breast cancer versus tumors in situ using our original data (n = 44). After a pan-cancer analysis including 22 cancers (n = 11262), we disclosed that HTR6 was expressed in 12 tumors and uncovered its influence on survival in seven tumors. Using multi-omics datasets from Linkedomics, we revealed a potential regulatory role of HTR6 in MAPK, JUN, and leukocyte-differentiation pathways through enriching 294 co-expressed phosphorylated proteins of HTR6. Furthermore, we proclaimed a close association of HTR6 expression with the immune microenvironment. Finally, we uncovered two possible reasons for HTR6 down-regulation in breast cancer, including deep deletion in the genome and the up-regulation of FOXA1 in breast cancer, which was a potential negatively regulatory transcription factor of HTR6. Taken together, we revealed a new function of neurotransmitter receptors in breast cancer and identified HTR6 as a survival-related gene potentially regulating the immune microenvironment. The findings in our study would improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of breast cancer and provided a theoretical basis for personalized medication in psychotic patients.

RRx-001 Exerts Neuroprotection Against LPS-Induced Microglia Activation and Neuroinflammation Through Disturbing the TLR4 Pathway

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many central nervous system diseases. Here, we investigated the effect of an anti-cancer compound RRx-001 on neuroinflammation and its possible new applications. BV2 cells and primary microglia cells were used to evaluate the role of RRx-001 in LPS-induced microglial activation and inflammatory response in vitro. And, we found that the increase in the synthesis and release of cytokines and the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory factors in LPS-treated microglial cells were significantly reduced by RRx-001 pretreatment. As the most classical inflammatory pathways, NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways were activated by LPS, but were inhibited by RRx-001. Transcription of NLRP3 was also reduced by RRx-001. In addition, LPS induced oxidative stress by increasing the expression of Nox mediated by transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1, while RRx-001 pretreatment ameliorated Nox-mediated oxidative stress. LPS-induced activation of TAK1, an upstream regulator of NF-κB and MAPK pathways, was significantly inhibited by RRx-001 pretreatment, whereas recruitment of MyD88 to TLR4 was not affected by RRx-001. LPS-primed BV2 condition medium induced injury of primary neurons, and this effect was inhibited by RRx-001. Furthermore, we established a neuroinflammatory mouse model by stereotactic injection of LPS into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), and RRx-001 dose-dependently reduced LPS-induced microglial activation and loss of TH + neurons in the midbrain. In conclusion, the current study found that RRx-001 suppressed microglia activation and neuroinflammation through targeting TAK1, and may be a candidate for the treatment of neuroinflammation-related brain diseases.

Anti-Inflammatory Activities of an Anti-Histamine Drug, Loratadine, by Suppressing TAK1 in AP-1 Pathway

Loratadine is an anti-histamine routinely used for treating allergies. However, recent findings have shown that Loratadine may also have anti-inflammatory functions, while their exact mechanisms have not yet been fully uncovered. In this paper, we investigated whether Loratadine can be utilized as an anti-inflammatory drug through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments using a murine macrophage cell line and an acute gastritis mouse model. Loratadine was found to dramatically reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, including MMP1, MMP3, and MMP9, and inhibit AP-1 transcriptional activation, as demonstrated by the luciferase assay. Therefore, we decided to further explore its role in the AP-1 signaling pathway. The expression of c-Jun and c-Fos, AP-1 subunits, was repressed by Loratadine and, correspondingly, the expression of p-JNK, p-MKK7, and p-TAK1 was also inhibited. In addition, Loratadine was able to reduce gastric bleeding in acute gastritis-induced mice; Western blotting using the stomach samples showed reduced p-c-Fos protein levels. Loratadine was shown to effectively suppress inflammation by specifically targeting TAK1 and suppressing consequent AP-1 signaling pathway activation and inflammatory cytokine production.

Identification of Epigenetically Modified Hub Genes and Altered Pathways Associated With Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common childhood malignancy initiated by biallelic mutation in RB1 gene and driven by various epigenetic events including DNA methylation and microRNA dysregulation. Hence, understanding the key genes that are critically modulated by epigenetic modifications in RB1^−/− cells is very important to identify prominent biomarkers and therapeutic targets of Rb. In this study, we for the first time have integrated various Rb microarray NCBI-GEO datasets including DNA Methylation (GSE57362), miRNA (GSE7072) and mRNA (GSE110811) to comprehensively investigate the epigenetic consequences of RB loss in retinoblastoma tumors and identify genes with the potential to serve as early diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for Rb. Interestingly, the GEO2R and co-expression network analysis have identified three genes namely E2F3, ESR1, and UNC5D that are significantly deregulated by modified DNA methylation, mRNA and microRNA expression in Rb tumors. Due to their recognition in all epigenetic, transcriptomic, and miRNA datasets, we have termed these genes as “common genes”. The results of our integrative bioinformatics analysis were validated in vitro by studying the gene and protein expression of these common genes in Y79, WERI-Rb-1, Rb cell lines and non-tumorigenic retinal pigment epithelial cell line (hTERT-RPE). The expression of E2F3 and UNC5D were up-regulated and that of ESR1 was down-regulated in Rb tumor cells when compared to that in non-tumorigenic hTERT-RPE cells. More importantly, UNC5D, a potent tumor suppressor gene in most cancers is significantly up-regulated in Y79 and Weri Rb1 cells, which, in turn, questions its anti-cancer properties. Together, our study shows that E2F3, ESR1, and UNC5D may be crucially involved in Rb tumorigenesis and possess the potential to act as early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of Rb.

Targets of Tripterygium glycosides in systemic lupus erythematosus treatment: A network-pharmacology study

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of Tripterygium glycosides (TGs) in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through network-pharmacology approach.

METHODS

The protein targets of TGs' three active ingredients (triptolide, tripterine, and wilforlide) and SLE were identified by database search. Then, the intersection of the two groups was studied. The drug-target network between the active ingredients of TGs and the overlapping genes was constructed, visualized, and analyzed with Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment were performed to analyze these genes. Finally, we validated our predictions of the potential targets through docking study.

RESULTS

A total of 55 overlapping genes were discovered. Results suggested that the TGs' mechanism in SLE treatment was associated with heat shock protein family A member 5, heat shock protein family A member 8, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1, and so forth with their related 4042 gene network, which regulated ribosome, spliceosome, viral carcinogenesis, Epstein-Barr virus infection signaling, and so forth. Molecular-docking analysis proved that hydrogen bonding was the main form of interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research provided the protein targets affected by TGs in SLE treatment. The key targets (CASP3, MAPK1, HIF1A, and so forth) involving 4042 proteins became the multitarget mechanism of TGs in SLE treatment.

IRAK4 exacerbates traumatic brain injury via activation of TAK1 signaling pathway

Although multiple signaling pathways contributing to the pathophysiological process have been investigated, treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI) against present targets have not acquired significant clinical progress. Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is an important factor involved in regulating immunity and inflammation. However, the role of IRAK4 in TBI still remains largely unknown. Therefore, using a controlled cortical impact model (CCI), we investigated the function and molecular mechanism of IRAK4 in the context of TBI. IRAK4 was found to be activated in a time-dependent manner after TBI and mainly expressed in neurons. Inhibition of IRAK4 by siRNAs could significantly alleviates neuroinflammation, neuron apoptosis, brain edema, brain-blood barrier (BBB) dysfunction and improves neurological deficit in the context of CCI. Mechanistically, IRAK4 exacerbates CCI via activation of TAK1 signaling pathway. Interestingly, PF-0665083, an IRAK4 inhibitor, inhibits phosphorylation of IRAK4 and attenuates CCI-induced secondary injury. It could be conclude that IRAK4 plays a critical role in TBI-induced secondary injury and the underlining mechanism may be related to activation of TAK1 signaling pathway. PF-0665083 may serve as a potential treatment strategy to relieve TBI.

Dissecting and Evaluating the Therapeutic Targets of Coptis Chinensis Franch in the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections Induced by Escherichia coli

Coptis chinensis Franch (CCF) is extensively used in the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases. Accumulating studies have previously demonstrated the anti-inflammatory properties of CCF, yet data on its exact targets against urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain largely unknown. Therefore, the present study decodes the potential targets of action of CCF against UTIs by network pharmacology combined with experiment evaluations. Based on the pharmacology network analysis, the current study yielded six core ingredients: quercetin, palmatine (R)-canadine, berlambine, berberine, and berberrubine. The protein–protein interaction network (PPI) was generated by the string database, and then, four targets (IL6, FOS, MYC, and EGFR) were perceived as the major CCF targets using the CytoNCA plug-in. The results of molecular docking showed that the six core constituents of CCF had strong binding affinities toward the four key targets of UTIs after docking into the crystal structure. The enrichment analysis indicated that the possible regulatory mechanisms of CCF against UTIs were based on the modules of inflammation, immune responses, and apoptosis among others. Experimentally, the Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain CFT073 was applied to establish in vivo and in vitro models. In vivo results revealed that the key targets, IL6 and FOS, are significantly upregulated in rat bladder tissues of UTIs, whereas the expression of MYC and EGFR remained steady. Last, in vitro results further confirmed the therapeutic potential of CCF by reducing the expression of IL6 and FOS. In conclusion, IL6 and FOS were generally upregulated in the progression of E. coli–induced UTIs, whereas the CCF intervention exerted a preventive role in host cells stimulated by E. coli, partially due to inhibiting the expression of IL6 and FOS.

Strategies for Improving Photodynamic Therapy Through Pharmacological Modulation of the Immediate Early Stress Response

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally to noninvasive treatment modality that has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional cancer treatments. PDT induces hyperoxidative stress and disrupts cellular homeostasis in photosensitized cancer cells, resulting in cell death and ultimately removal of the tumor. However, various survival pathways can be activated in sublethally afflicted cancer cells following PDT. The acute stress response is one of the known survival pathways in PDT, which is activated by reactive oxygen species and signals via ASK-1 (directly) or via TNFR (indirectly). The acute stress response can activate various other survival pathways that may entail antioxidant, pro-inflammatory, angiogenic, and proteotoxic stress responses that culminate in the cancer cell's ability to cope with redox stress and oxidative damage. This review provides an overview of the immediate early stress response in the context of PDT, mechanisms of activation by PDT, and molecular intervention strategies aimed at inhibiting survival signaling and improving PDT outcome.

Target Sestrin2 to Rescue the Damaged Organ: Mechanistic Insight into Its Function

Sestrin2 is a stress-inducible metabolic regulator and a conserved antioxidant protein which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Sestrin2 can protect against atherosclerosis, heart failure, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, spinal cord injury neurodegeneration, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver fibrosis, acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and pulmonary inflammation. Oxidative stress and cellular damage signals can alter the expression of Sestrin2 to compensate for organ damage. Different stress signals such as those mediated by P53, Nrf2/ARE, HIF-1α, NF-κB, JNK/c-Jun, and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways can induce Sestrin2 expression. Subsequently, Sestrin2 activates Nrf2 and AMPK. Furthermore, Sestrin2 is a major negative regulator of mTORC1. Sestrin2 indirectly regulates the expression of several genes and reprograms intracellular signaling pathways to attenuate oxidative stress and modulate a large number of cellular events such as protein synthesis, cell energy homeostasis, mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy, mitophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, apoptosis, fibrogenesis, and lipogenesis. Sestrin2 vigorously enhances M2 macrophage polarization, attenuates inflammation, and prevents cell death. These alterations in molecular and cellular levels improve the clinical presentation of several diseases. This review will shed light on the beneficial effects of Sestrin2 on several diseases with an emphasis on underlying pathophysiological effects.

Korean Red Ginseng exerts anti-inflammatory and autophagy-promoting activities in aged mice

BACKGROUND

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a traditional herb that has several beneficial properties including anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy regulatory effects. However, the mechanisms of these effects are not well understood. In this report, the underlying mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and autophagy-promoting effects were investigated in aged mice treated with KRG-water extract (WE) over a long period.

METHODS

The mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and autophagy-promoting activities of KRG-WE were evaluated in kidney, lung, liver, stomach, and colon of aged mice using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and western blot analysis.

RESULTS

KRG-WE significantly suppressed the mRNA expression levels of inflammation-related genes such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and IL-6 in kidney, lung, liver, stomach, and colon of the aged mice. Furthermore, KRG-WE downregulated the expression of transcription factors and their protein levels associated with inflammation in lung and kidney of aged mice. KRG-WE also increased the expression of autophagy-related genes and their protein levels in colon, liver, and stomach.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that KRG can suppress inflammatory responses and recover autophagy activity in aged mice.

NAIL: an evolutionarily conserved lncRNA essential for licensing coordinated activation of p38 and NFκB in colitis

OBJECTIVE

NFκB is the key modulator in inflammatory disorders. However, the key regulators that activate, fine-tune or shut off NFκB activity in inflammatory conditions are poorly understood. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles that NFκB-specific long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play in regulating inflammatory networks.

DESIGN

Using the first genetic-screen to identify NFκB-specific lncRNAs, we performed RNA-seq from the p65^-/- and Ikkβ^-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts and report the identification of an evolutionary conserved lncRNA designated mNAIL (mice) or hNAIL (human). hNAIL is upregulated in human inflammatory disorders, including UC. We generated mNAIL^ΔNFκB mice, wherein deletion of two NFκB sites in the proximal promoter of mNAIL abolishes its induction, to study its function in colitis.

RESULTS

NAIL regulates inflammation via sequestering and inactivating Wip1, a known negative regulator of proinflammatory p38 kinase and NFκB subunit p65. Wip1 inactivation leads to coordinated activation of p38 and covalent modifications of NFκB, essential for its genome-wide occupancy on specific targets. NAIL enables an orchestrated response for p38 and NFκB coactivation that leads to differentiation of precursor cells into immature myeloid cells in bone marrow, recruitment of macrophages to inflamed area and expression of inflammatory genes in colitis.

CONCLUSION

NAIL directly regulates initiation and progression of colitis and its expression is highly correlated with NFκB activity which makes it a perfect candidate to serve as a biomarker and a therapeutic target for IBD and other inflammation-associated diseases.

Association between ocular toxoplasmosis and APEX1 and MYD88 polymorphism

Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is the most common form of posterior uveitis, and in some countries, it is the most frequent cause of visual impairment. Studies demonstrate that the polymorphism in genes involved with the immune response can be related both to the occurrence and to the recurrence of OT. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the association between OT and the polymorphism of the APEX1 (rs1130409) and MyD88 (rs7744) genes. The studied sample consisted of 48 volunteers with OT and 96 asymptomatic volunteers, but positive for anti - T. gondii IgG (control group). Blood collection was performed for serological analysis (ELISA) and DNA extraction. Genotyping of the polymorphism was performed using real-time PCR. To analyze the association between gene polymorphism and OT, logistic regression was performed. The results showed no association between the MYD88 gene polymorphism and the development of OT. However, a significant association was found between OT and APEX1 gene polymorphism, indicating that individuals expressing polymorphic (GG) or heterozygous (GT) alleles are more likely to develop the disease (P-value = 0.02 and 0.03 respectively). These results suggest that APEX1 (rs1130409) polymorphism is a risk factor for the occurrence of ocular toxoplasmosis in the studied population.

Application of glucocorticoids in patients with novel coronavirus infection: From bench to bedside

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have potential anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. There is plenty of controversy about the application of glucocorticoids in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This paper briefly summarizes the mechanism of glucocorticoids and their receptors and clinical applications in COVID-19. Through reviewing the current literature, our aim is to have a deeper understanding of the mechanism of GCs and their clinical applications, so as to find possible ways to enhance their efficacy and reduce drug resistance or side effects.

TIRAP in the Mechanism of Inflammation

The Toll-interleukin-1 Receptor (TIR) domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP) represents a key intracellular signalling molecule regulating diverse immune responses. Its capacity to function as an adaptor molecule has been widely investigated in relation to Toll-like Receptor (TLR)-mediated innate immune signalling. Since the discovery of TIRAP in 2001, initial studies were mainly focused on its role as an adaptor protein that couples Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) with TLRs, to activate MyD88-dependent TLRs signalling. Subsequent studies delineated TIRAP’s role as a transducer of signalling events through its interaction with non-TLR signalling mediators. Indeed, the ability of TIRAP to interact with an array of intracellular signalling mediators suggests its central role in various immune responses. Therefore, continued studies that elucidate the molecular basis of various TIRAP-protein interactions and how they affect the signalling magnitude, should provide key information on the inflammatory disease mechanisms. This review summarizes the TIRAP recruitment to activated receptors and discusses the mechanism of interactions in relation to the signalling that precede acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, we highlighted the significance of TIRAP-TIR domain containing binding sites for several intracellular inflammatory signalling molecules. Collectively, we discuss the importance of the TIR domain in TIRAP as a key interface involved in protein interactions which could hence serve as a therapeutic target to dampen the extent of acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

Reactive-oxygen-species-scavenging nanomaterials for resolving inflammation

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate multiple physiological functions; however, the over-accumulation of ROS causes premature aging and/or death and is associated with various inflammatory conditions. Nevertheless, there are limited clinical treatment options that are currently available. The good news is that owing to the considerable advances in nanoscience, multiple types of nanomaterials with unique ROS-scavenging abilities that influence the temporospatial dynamic behaviors of ROS in biological systems have been developed. This has led to the emergence of next-generation nanomaterial-controlled strategies aimed at ameliorating ROS-related inflammatory conditions. Accordingly, herein we reviewed recent progress in research on nanotherapy based on ROS scavenging. The underlying mechanisms of the employed nanomaterials are emphasized. Furthermore, important issues in developing cross-disciplinary nanomedicine-based strategies for ROS-based inflammatory conditions are discussed. Our review of this increasing interdisciplinary field will benefit ongoing studies and clinical applications of nanomedicine based on ROS scavenging.

Berberine Protests the Heart from Ischemic Reperfusion Injury via Interference with Oxidative and Inflammatory Pathways

BACKGROUND

Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is a pathological condition characterized by an initial restriction of blood supply to an organ followed by the subsequent restoration of perfusion and concomitant reoxygenation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to assess the possible cardioprotective potential effect of berberine in myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury induced by ligation of coronary artery in a male rat model.

METHODS

Total amount of 28 adult male albino rats were randomized into 4 equal groups: 1) Sham group, rats underwent the same anesthetic and surgical procedure as the control group except for LAD ligation; 2), Active control group, rats subjected to regional ischemia for 30 min by ligation of LAD coronary artery and reperfusion for 2 hours, 3), Control vehicle group, rats received dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) (vehicle of berberine) via IP route and subjected to ischemia for 30 minutes before ligation of LAD coronary artery & reperfusion for 2 hr; 4), Berberine treated group, rats pretreated with berberine10 mg/kg via IP injection 30minutes before ligation of LAD coronary artery & then subjected to reperfusion for 2 hr.

RESULTS

In the control group, as compared with sham, tissue TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, caspase-3 and BAX, plasma cTn-T and serum MDA significantly increased (P<0.05), while serum GSH significantly decreased (P<0.05). The histopathological control group showed a significant cardiac injury (P<0.05) compared with the sham group. Berberine significantly counteracted (P<0.05) the increase of TNF-α, IL-6, caspase-3 and BAX and counteracted the increase in plasma cTn-T and serum MDA. Berberine produces a significant elevation (P<0.05) in cardiac IL-10 and serum GSH with a significant reduction in (P<0.05) cardiac injury.

CONCLUSION

Berberine attenuates myocardial I/R injury in male rats via interfering with inflammatory reactions and apoptosis which were induced by I/R injury.