Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition Is Protective in Hyperoxia-Induced Lung Injury

Evaluation of hypoxia pathway genes and serum parameters in new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19)

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) causes severe hypoxemia. Unlike normal pneumonia, pneumonia due to COVID-19 causes oxygen deprivation without breathing difficulties (i.e., silent hypoxia). We evaluated the relationship between COVID-19 and hypoxemia and examined possible mechanisms of pneumonia from the perspective of gene expression (HIF1A, vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], NF-kB, MEKK1, and EGFR) using real-time PCR and ELISA for serum parameters.

METHODS

We evaluated 100 individuals (50 patients and 50 controls). The patients were individuals with respiratory symptoms and pneumonia who were COVİD-19 positive. The relative quantification of standardized samples wa s calculated according to the formula 2 -ΔΔCT. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was made to define the diagnostic power of the genes. The expression changes of four genes in the hypoxia pathway were significant (excluding VEGF) and upregulated in the patients' serums.

RESULTS

The fold change values of the HIF1A, VEGF, NF-kB, MEKK1, and EGFR genes were 0.048, 0.688, 0.168, 0.207, and 0.171, respectively, in the cases checked against to the controls. The areas under the ROC values indicating the diagnostic power of the genes were 0.727, 0.538, 0.815, 0.734, and 0.936, respectively. Some serum parameters were significant (age, PCR, urea, LDH, WBC, ferritin, and pO2).

CONCLUSIONS

The upregulation of some genes in the hypoxia pathway in COVID-19 pneumonia shows that these genes and protein products are candidates for treatment targets. At the same time, the high discriminative power of two genes (NF-κB and EGFR) in patients compared to controls indicates their diagnostic potential in serum samples.

Identifying key targets and immune environment in wound healing based on iron overload-related genes

Wound healing (WH) poses a significant socio-economic burden due to its high incidence and recurrence rates. Iron overload (IO) could be a factor leading to delayed WH. This study thus analyzed IO-related genes (IORGs) in WH, offering possibilities for developing new therapeutic strategies. Differential gene expression (DEGs) analysis was conducted between the WH group and intact skin (IS) group, intersected with IORGs to obtain differentially expressed IORGs (DE-IORGs). Functional enrichment analysis and potential drug screening were performed on DE-IORGs. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DE-IORGs was constructed, and hub genes were identified using CytoHubba and MCODE methods. ROC curves of hub genes were plotted, and their expression levels in WH and IS groups as well as inter-gene correlations were analyzed. Additionally, immune infiltration variances in WH and IS groups, along with miRNA and TFs of hub genes, were examined. Finally, the effect of EGFR on skin wound healing was verified by scratch healing assay. 39 DE-IORGs were predominantly enriched in signaling pathways like HIF-1 signaling pathway and Th17 cell differentiation. Potential drugs for treating WH (e.g., felbamate, SA-94315, GANT-58, rucaparib) were identified. Three hub genes related to IO in WH were pinpointed (HIF1A, CDKN2A, EGFR) with diagnostic value. Immune infiltration analysis showed higher levels of immune cells like endothelial cells and macrophages in the WH group. Additionally, 55 miRNAs (e.g., hsa-mir-200a-3p, hsa-mir-218-5p) and 2 TFs (L3MBTL2, ZNF76) regulating the three hub genes were predicted. Cell experiments showed that EGFR could promote skin wound healing. The study suggested HIF1A, CDKN2A, and EGFR as potential diagnostic biomarkers for effective WH diagnosis, offering new insights into identifying potenti1al therapeutic targets for WH treatment.

Pulmonary effects of waterpipe generated smoke in adult diabetic rats

Waterpipe smoking (WPS) is associated with pulmonary inflammation and DNA damage. Tobacco use among diabetic patients adds substantial clinical and public health burden. This study aims to investigate the combined pulmonary effects of diabetes and smoking. To achieve this goal, type 1 diabetes (T1D) was induced in adult male rats by Streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) injection. Rats were then exposed either to fresh air or WPS for one hour daily over five weeks (five days/week). Lung remodeling was evaluated by histology. Changes affecting inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and survival pathways were characterized by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot. Our findings showed that T1D was associated with pulmonary remodeling characterized by increases in lung weight/BW ratio, exacerbated by WPS, and elevated alveolar count. Both T1D and WPS exposure led to an accumulation of alveolar foamy macrophages and decreased alveolar septal thickness. Upregulation in the transcript levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α and anti-inflammatory marker, IL-10, were reported in diabetic lungs irrespective of WPS exposure. Moreover, diabetic lungs also displayed significant changes in the expression of mitochondrial complexes III and IV and antioxidant enzyme, SOD2, irrespective of the exposure condition. We also noted significant downregulation in the expression of caspases 3 and 9, p-P53/P53 ratio and JNK protein in diabetic lungs compared to control irrespective of the exposure condition. Lastly, diabetes and WPS exposure triggered significant decreases in EGFR expression. In conclusion, we show for the first time pulmonary remodeling and damages caused by the combined effects of T1D and smoking. Our findings highlight the pressing need for future better management of waterpipe consumption among patients with diabetes.

Mechanisms of mechanical stimulation in the development of respiratory system diseases

During respiration, mechanical stress can initiate biological responses that impact the respiratory system. Mechanical stress plays a crucial role in the development of the respiratory system. However, pathological mechanical stress can impact the onset and progression of respiratory diseases by influencing the extracellular matrix and cell transduction processes. In this article, we explore the mechanisms by which mechanical forces communicate with and influence cells. We outline the basic knowledge of respiratory mechanics, elucidating the important role of mechanical stimulation in influencing respiratory system development and differentiation from a microscopic perspective. We also explore the potential mechanisms of mechanical transduction in the pathogenesis and development of respiratory diseases such as asthma, lung injury, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer. Finally, we look forward to new research directions in cellular mechanotransduction, aiming to provide fresh insights for future therapeutic research on respiratory diseases.

Optimized preparation pipeline for emergency phage therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa at Yale University

Bacteriophage therapy is one potential strategy to treat antimicrobial resistant or persistent bacterial infections, and the year 2021 marked the centennial of Felix d'Hérelle's first publication on the clinical applications of phages. At the Center for Phage Biology & Therapy at Yale University, a preparatory modular approach has been established to offer safe and potent phages for single-patient investigational new drug applications while recognizing the time constraints imposed by infection(s). This study provides a practical walkthrough of the pipeline with an Autographiviridae phage targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa (phage vB_PaeA_SB, abbreviated to ΦSB). Notably, a thorough phage characterization and the evolutionary selection pressure exerted on bacteria by phages, analogous to antibiotics, are incorporated into the pipeline.