Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat

The Modulation of Cell Plasticity by Budesonide: Beyond the Metabolic and Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Glucocorticoids

The synthetic cortisol analog budesonide (BUD) is an essential drug employed to manage chronic inflammatory diseases in humans, mainly those involving gastroenteric and airway mucosa, such as rhinitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, esophagitis, gastritis, and colitis, with high levels of success. As a glucocorticoid, BUD prevents the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the recruitment of immune cells into the inflamed mucosa. However, emerging evidence indicates that BUD, unlike classical glucocorticoids, is also a potent modulator of stem and cancer cell behavior/plasticity. Certainly, BUD stabilizes cell-cell adhesions, preventing embryonic stem cell differentiation and inhibiting the development of 3D gastruloids. In addition, BUD inhibits the motile/invasive propensity of different cancer cells, including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Finally, it prevents the infection of positive single-stranded human-infecting RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. At a molecular level, BUD induces epigenetic changes and modifies the transcriptome of epithelial, stem, and cancer cells, providing molecular support to the immune cell-independent activity of BUD. Here, we performed an in-depth review of these unexpected activities of BUD, identified by unbiased drug screening programs, and we emphasize the molecular mechanisms modulated by this efficacious drug that deserve further research.

Periplaneta americana extract CII-3 triggers cell senescence through activating ROS-p38 MAPK-p53 signaling pathway in SKOV3 cells

This study aimed to investigate effect of Periplaneta americana extract CII-3 (CII-3) in senescence of SKOV3 cells. Proliferation, colony forming and cell senescence of SKOV3 cells were determined. ROS production was evaluated by flow cytometry. Transcription of telomerase (TERT), p38 MAPK and p53 gene and protein expression of p-p38 MAPK and p-p53, were identified. CII-3 at different concentrations significantly inhibited SKOV3 proliferation, and 80 μg/ml demonstrated the highest inhibitory effect. CII-3 significantly blocked cell cycle in G0/G1 phase (P<0.01) and reduced colony forming efficiency (P<0.001) of SKOV3 cells compared to those in Control group. CII-3 significantly increased SA-β-Gal positive staining SKOV3 cells (P<0.001) and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01) compared to those in Control group. CII-3 markedly decreased TERT gene transcription of SKOV3 cells compared to that in Control group (P<0.001). CII-3 also triggered significantly higher ROS levels in SKOV3 cells compared to that in Control group (P<0.001). CII-3 significantly increased p-p38 MAPK (P<0.001), p-p53 (P<0.001) and p21 (P<0.001) expressions of SKOV3 cells compared to those in Control group. In conclusion, CII-3 triggered cell senescence of SKOV3 cells through activating ROS-p38 MAPK-p53 signaling pathway. This study would provide a promising strategy for inhibiting cancer cell proliferation by including cell senescence.

Oral alginate microspheres for the efficient site-specific delivery of epidermal growth factor attenuated murine ulcerative colitis via repairing the mucosal barrier

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic bowel inflammatory disease affecting the colorectum. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been demonstrated to be effective to counteract UC. However, there exists the gastrointestinal challenges such as stomach acid, enzyme and bile salts for oral delivery of EGF. Herein, calcium alginate microsphere was prepared by the microfluidic technique to encapsulate EGF. The morphology of EGF-loaded microsphere (MS-EGF) was spherical and its average particle size was 80 ± 23 μm. The encapsulation efficiency of EGF was reaching to 93.8 % ± 1.6 %. In vitro release experiments showed that MS-EGF presented the good pH-sensitive properties, that was, it could effectively resist the gastric acid and small intestinal fluids, and undergone the rapid dissolution in the artificial colon fluid. In vitro cellular experiments demonstrated that the bioactivity of EGF was well preserved by microsphere. Moreover, in vivo murine colitis model showed that MS-EGF presented the obvious colitis alleviation. Furthermore, the colonic morphology of colitis mice was effectively recovered and the tight junction between the gut epithelium was obviously repaired. In conclusion, calcium alginate microsphere might be a promising vehicle of EGF for UC treatment.

Animal models of inflammatory bowel disease: category and evaluation indexes

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research often relies on animal models to study the etiology, pathophysiology, and management of IBD. Among these models, rats and mice are frequently employed due to their practicality and genetic manipulability. However, for studies aiming to closely mimic human pathology, non-human primates such as monkeys and dogs offer valuable physiological parallels. Guinea pigs, while less commonly used, present unique advantages for investigating the intricate interplay between neurological and immunological factors in IBD. Additionally, New Zealand rabbits excel in endoscopic biopsy techniques, providing insights into mucosal inflammation and healing processes. Pigs, with their physiological similarities to humans, serve as ideal models for exploring the complex relationships between nutrition, metabolism, and immunity in IBD. Beyond mammals, non-mammalian organisms including zebrafish, Drosophila melanogaster, and nematodes offer specialized insights into specific aspects of IBD pathology, highlighting the diverse array of model systems available for advancing our understanding of this multifaceted disease. In this review, we conduct a thorough analysis of various animal models employed in IBD research, detailing their applications and essential experimental parameters. These include clinical observation, Disease Activity Index score, pathological assessment, intestinal barrier integrity, fibrosis, inflammatory markers, intestinal microbiome, and other critical parameters that are crucial for evaluating modeling success and drug efficacy in experimental mammalian studies. Overall, this review will serve as a valuable resource for researchers in the field of IBD, offering insights into the diverse array of animal models available and their respective applications in studying IBD.

Research advances on the restorative effect of Periplaneta americana extracts on mucosa

In addition to the pharmacological effects of Periplaneta americana extracts (PAEs), including their antitumor, hepatic protection, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue regeneration characteristics, their mucosal restorative effects have also attracted significant attention. The mucosa serves as a "gateway" into the body and its functions include the surveillance and clearance of bacteria and pathogens; it also has the immunological function of acquiring beneficial antigens from the external environment and removing non-beneficial ones, a mechanism controlled by the mucosal immune system. In the present study, the relevant modern research literature on the mucosal restorative effect of PAEs was reviewed via a summarization of its restorative effects on respiratory, digestive, dermal, and genitourinary mucosa. The aim of doing so was to present a comprehensive understanding of the mucosal restorative effect of PAEs and their related mechanisms and to provide a reference for their further development and clinical application.

Efficiency of a novel thermosensitive enema in situ hydrogel carrying Periplaneta americana extracts for the treatment of ulcerative colitis

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a thermosensitive in situ gel (TISG) as an effective rectal delivery platform for delivering Periplaneta americana extracts (PA) to alleviate ulcerative colitis (UC) and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Materials and methods: Thermosensitive (poloxamer 407) and adhesive polymers (chondroitin sulfate modified carboxymethyl chitosan, CCMTS) were used to construct the in situ gel. CCMTS and aldehyde poloxamer 407 (P407-CHO) were synthesized and chemically cross-linked by Schiff base reaction to formulate thermosensitive in situ gel, which carried Periplaneta americana extracts (PA/CCMTS-P). The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of CCMTS-P were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced macrophages by CCK-8 assay. The anti-inflammatory effects of PA/CCMTS-P were studied in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis mouse models. In addition, the ability of PA/CCMTS-P to restore the intestinal mucosal barrier after rectal administration was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis (IHC). Results: PA/CCMTS-P was prepared and characterized as gel with a phase-transition temperature of 32.9°C. The results of the in vitro experiments indicated that the hydrogels promoted the cellular uptake of Periplaneta americana extracts without causing any toxicity as compared to the free gel. PA/CCMTS-P showed superior anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo, which restored the damaged intestinal mucosal barrier associated by inhibiting necroptosis in dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis models. Conclusion: The findings from our study show that the rectal administration of PA/CCMTS-P holds a promising potential for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Periplaneta Americana extract inhibits osteoclastic differentiation in vitro

OBJECTIVES

Periplaneta americana extract (PAE) is proven to be promising in treating fever, wound healing, liver fibrosis, and cardiovascular disease. However, the role of PAE in skeletal disorders remains unclear. This study investigated whether PAE regulates osteoclastic differentiation in vitro via the culture using RAW264.7 cells and bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RAW264.7 cells and BMDMs were cultured and induced for osteoclastic differentiation supplementing with different concentrations of PAE (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/mL). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the cytotoxicity and cell proliferation. TRAP staining, actin ring staining, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and bone resorption activity test were performed to detect osteoclastic differentiation. RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were conducted to assay the expression and secretion of inflammatory factors. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and western blot analysis were carried out to uncover the underlying mechanism.

RESULTS

CCK-8 results showed that 10 mg/mL and a lower concentration of PAE did not affect cell proliferation. RT-qPCR analysis verified that PAE down-regulated the osteoclastic genes Nfatc1, Ctsk, and Acp5 in macrophages. Moreover, PAE restrained the differentiation, formation, and function of osteoclasts. Besides, RT-qPCR and ELISA assays showed that PAE decreased inflammatory genes expression and reduced the secretion of inflammatory factors, including IL1β, IL6, and TNFα. Subsequent RNA-seq analysis identified possible genes and signaling pathways of PAE-mediated osteoclastogenesis suppression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that PAE has inhibitive effects on osteoclastogenesis and may be a potential therapeutic alternative for bone diseases.

Development of microparticles for oral administration of Periplaneta americana extract to treat ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease, which can result the inflammation of the rectum, mucosa of the colon, and submucosa. The active component such as polypeptide in Periplaneta americana, which is one of the most common insects in the nature, can be extracted to treat UC. However, the active components in Periplaneta americana extract (PAE) can be degraded in the stomach due to its extreme acidic environment and enzyme. In this study, we developed a pH-dependent drug delivery method using polymer cellulose acetate (Eudragit S100) as a carrier to deliver high concentration PAE to inflamed colon. Both in vitro and in vivo results showed the PAE-Eudragit-S100 could treat UC through delivering active drug components to colon without degradation.

Periplanetaamericana Extract Pretreatment Alleviates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation and Increases the Abundance of Gut Akkermansia muciniphila in Diquat-Induced Mice

Studies have shown that Periplaneta americana extract (PAE) has good therapeutic effects in inflammatory disorders such as ulcerative colitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and gastric ulcers. However, whether or not PAE has good pre-protective effects has not been widely and deeply studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of PAE pretreatment for 7 days on oxidative stress and inflammation triggered by oxidative stress by using diquat-induced C57BL/6 mice as an oxidative stress model. The results showed that PAE pretreatment could significantly reduce oxidative stress in the intestine and liver by reducing the production of MDA, and improved antioxidant systems (SOD, CAT, GSH, and T-AOC). By primarily activating the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) mediated JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway, PAE also effectively reduced oxidative stress-induced liver inflammation while also reducing liver damage, as evidenced by the reductions in serum AST and ALT. PAE pretreatment also had a significant effect on maintaining the intestinal barrier function, which was manifested by inhibiting a decrease in the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin), and reducing the increased intestinal permeability (serum DAO and D-Lac) caused by diquat. The 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that diquat decreased the gut microbiota diversity index and increased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Allobaculum, Providencia and Escherichia-Shigella), while PAE pretreatment responded to diquat-induced damage by greatly increasing the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila. These findings elucidate potential pre-protective mechanisms of PAE in alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation, while providing a direction for the treatment of metabolic diseases by utilizing PAE to enhance the abundance of gut A. muciniphila.

Treatment of colitis by oral negatively charged nanostructured curcumin in rats

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of a negatively charged nanostructured curcumin microemulsion in experimental ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats.

METHODS

Four percent acetic acid was used to induce UC. The animals were treated for seven days and randomly assigned to four groups: normal control (NC), colitis/normal saline (COL/NS), colitis/curcumin (COL/CUR), and colitis/mesalazine (COL/MES). The nanostructured curcumin was formulated with a negative zeta potential (-16.70 ± 1.66 mV). Dosage of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1-β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase), macro and microscopic evaluation of the colon tissue were analyzed.

RESULTS

The COL/CUR group had a higher level of antioxidant enzymes compared to the COL/MESgroup. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly lower in the colonic tissue of the COL/CUR group rats, when compared to the COL/NS and COL/MES groups (p < 0.001). The presence of ulcers in the colonic mucosa in rats of the COL/NSgroup was significantly higher than in the COL/MES group (p < 0.001). In the NC and COL/CUR groups, there were no ulcers in the colonic mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS

The nanostructured microemulsion of curcumin, used orally, positively influenced the results of the treatment of UC in rats. The data also suggests that nanostructured curcumin with negative zeta potential is a promising phytopharmaceutical oral delivery system for UC therapy. Further research needs to be done to better understand the mechanisms of the negatively charged nanostructured curcumin microemulsion in UC therapy.

The Regulating Effect of CII-3 and Its Active Components from Periplaneta americana on M1/M2 Macrophage Polarization

CII-3 is the effective part of Periplaneta americana for application in oncotherapy. This study investigated its main chemical components for macrophage polarization regulation activity. Compounds were separated and purified, and their structures were elucidated based on NMR and HR-ESI-MS analyses. After inducing the M1 and M2 phenotype macrophages, CII-3 and testing components were added and co-incubated to evaluate their effects on the relevant markers of macrophages. Then, gradient concentrations of CII-3 and active monomers were further investigated for their effects on M2 macrophages. The effects were detected by RT-PCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. Twelve compounds were identified from CII-3. CII-3 and pericanaside (5) had no obvious effect on M1 macrophages, while they significantly reduced the expression levels of M2 macrophage markers. Specifically, they significantly reduced the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 and the mRNA expression levels of ARG-1 and CD206 in the M2 phenotypes of RAW264.7 and Ana-1 macrophages. The conditioned medium of CII-3 and pericanaside (5) could inhibit the migration capacity of CT26.WT tumor cells. Macrophage M1/M2 polarization is a dynamic equilibrium, and the M2 phenotype, which can promote the growth of tumor cells, is relatively highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment. CII-3 and pericanaside could significantly reduce the phenotype of M2-type macrophages, indicating that the anti-tumor activity of CII-3 could be related to the inhibitory effect on M2 polarization, and pericanaside was one of the active components.

Rectal administration of Panax notoginseng and Colla Corii Asini suppositories in ulcerative colitis: clinical effect and influence on immune function

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of rectal administration of different doses of Panax notoginseng and Colla Corii Asini (CCA) suppositories in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) and the effect on immune function and recurrence.

METHODS

Totally 120 UC patients admitted to our hospital from February 2019 to February 2020 were enrolled and randomized into experimental group (n=60) and control group (n=60). The experimental group received rectal administration of a high dose of Panax notoginseng and CCA suppositories, while the control group received a low dose. After three months of treatment, clinical symptom scores, inflammatory factor levels, scores of rectal mucosa, immune function, recurrence rates, adverse reaction rates, and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

After treatment, the experimental group obtained significantly lower clinical symptom scores, inflammatory factors, and scores of rectal mucosa than the control group (all P<0.001). The immune function of the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group (P<0.001). At 6, 8, and 12 months after treatment, the recurrence rates in the experimental group were all significantly lower than those in the control group (all P<0.001). The two groups showed no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reaction (P>0.05), and the experimental group obtained a higher clinical efficacy than the control group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

For patients with UC, the rectal administration of Panax notoginseng and CCA suppositories can exert positive effects on their inflammatory factors, immune functions, UC severity, clinical symptoms, and recovery. In addition, higher doses were associated with better effects without increased adverse events.

Periplaneta americana Oligosaccharides Exert Anti-Inflammatory Activity through Immunoregulation and Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Acute Colitis Mice Model

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) are increasing around the world due to bacterial infection, abnormal immune response, etc. The conventional medicines for IBD treatment possess serious side effects. Periplaneta americana (P. americana), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat arthritis, fever, aches, inflammation, and other diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of oligosaccharides from P. Americana (OPA) and its possible mechanisms in vivo. OPA were purified and biochemical characterization was analyzed by HPGPC, HPLC, FT-IR, and GC–MS. Acute colitis mice model was established, the acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity were tested in vivo. The results showed OPA with molecular mass of 1.0 kDa were composed of 83% glucose, 6% galactose, 11% xylose, and the backbone was (1→4)-Glcp. OPA had potent antioxidant activities in vitro and significantly alleviated the clinical symptoms of colitis, relieved colon damage without toxic side effects in vivo. OPA exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by regulating Th1/Th2, reducing oxidative stress, preserving intestinal barrier integrity, and inhibiting TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Moreover, OPA protected gut by increasing microbial diversity and beneficial bacteria, and reducing pathogenic bacteria in feces. OPA might be the candidate of complementary and alternative medicines of IBD with low-cost and high safety.