Lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in monocytes/macrophages is blocked by liposomal delivery of Gi-protein inhibitor

Bio-intelligent plasma-engineered diferuloylmethane/fucoidan/neutrophil lysate/iron oxide nanoclusters for phototherapeutic and magnetotherapeutic with in situ magnetic gelation mitigating inflammatory diseases

Creating a versatile and remotely self-assembling biocomposite for delivering therapeutics to alleviate inflammatory diseases poses significant challenges. This study introduces a novel biocomposite, created through cold-atmosphere plasma treatment, that combines fucoidan (Fu) and neutrophil lysate (Nu) to mediate the self-assembly of diferuloylmethane (DIF) and iron oxide (IO) nanoclusters, termed DIF-Nu/Fu-IO NC. This biocomposite forms a phototherapeutic and magnetically-driven in situ gel with open-porous architecture loaded with DIF, offering non-invasive theranostic capabilities for treating inflammatory diseases. It demonstrates efficacy in both an intraarticular zymosan-induced rheumatoid arthritis animal model and an intranasal LPS-induced inflammatory lung model. Upon administration, near-infrared (NIR) irradiation and magnet application significantly improved the condition of the animals with rheumatoid arthritis and lung inflammation. This breakthrough heralds a new paradigm in bioinspired, versatile, theranostic, self-assembling biocomposites for addressing clinical inflammatory diseases.

Taming the storm: potential anti-inflammatory compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2 MPro

In severe COVID-19 cases, an exacerbated inflammatory response triggers a cytokine storm that can worsen the prognosis. Compounds with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities show promise as candidates for COVID-19 therapy, as they potentially act against the SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of the disease stage. One of the most attractive drug targets among coronaviruses is the main protease (MPro). This enzyme is crucial for cleaving polyproteins into non-structural proteins required for viral replication. The aim of this review was to identify SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitors with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. The interactions of the compounds within the SARS-CoV-2 MPro binding site were analyzed through molecular docking when data from crystallographic structures were unavailable. 18 compounds were selected and classified into five different superclasses. Five of them exhibit high potency against MPro: GC-376, baicalein, naringenin, heparin, and carmofur, with IC50 values below 0.2 μM. The MPro inhibitors selected have the potential to alleviate lung edema and decrease cytokine release. These molecules mainly target three critical inflammatory pathways: NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and MAPK, all previously associated with COVID-19 pathogenesis. The structures of the compounds occupy the S1/S2 substrate binding subsite of the MPro. They interact with residues from the catalytic dyad (His41 and Cys145) and/or with the oxyanion hole (Gly143, Ser144, and Cys145), which are pivotal for substrate recognition. The MPro SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors with potential anti-inflammatory activities present here could be optimized for maximum efficacy and safety and be explored as potential treatment of both mild and severe COVID-19.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 interacts with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) signaling pathway in lipopolysaccharide-mediated inflammation in macrophages

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a ligand-gated cation channel, is a receptor for vanilloids on sensory neurons and is also activated by capsaicin, heat, protons, arachidonic acid metabolites, and inflammatory mediators on neuronal or non-neuronal cells. However, the role of the TRPV1 receptor in pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and its potential regulatory mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation has yet to be entirely understood. To investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of the TRPV1 receptor in regulating LPS-induced inflammatory responses, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) harvested from wild-type (WT) and TRPV1 deficient (Trpv1-/-) mice were used as the cell model. In WT BMDMs, LPS induced an increase in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nitric oxide, which were attenuated in Trpv1-/- BMDMs. Additionally, the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-Bα and mitogen-activated protein kinases, as well as the translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B and activator protein 1, were all decreased in LPS-treated Trpv1-/- BMDMs. Immunoprecipitation assay revealed that LPS treatment increased the formation of TRPV1-Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) complex in WT BMDMs. Genetic deletion of TRPV1 in BMDMs impaired the LPS-triggered immune-complex formation of TLR4, myeloid differentiation protein 88, and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase, all of which are essential regulators in LPS-induced activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway. Moreover, genetic deletion of TRPV1 prevented the LPS-induced lethality and pro-inflammatory production in mice. In conclusion, the TRPV1 receptor may positively regulate the LPS-mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages by increasing the interaction with the TLR4-CD14 complex and activating the downstream signaling cascade.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells is inhibited by microRNA-494-3p via targeting lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2

BACKGROUND

Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major component of inflammation and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. According to our previous study, the expression of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is significantly upregulated in septic patients and is positively correlated with the severity of this disease. Herein, we investigated the potential roles of Lp-PLA2-targeting microRNAs (miRNAs) in LPS-induced inflammation in murine mononuclear macrophages (RAW264.7 cells).

METHODS

In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, Lp-PLA2 was confirmed to be expressed during the inflammatory response. The function of microRNA-494-3p (miR-494-3p) in the LPS-induced inflammatory response of RAW264.7 cells was determined by the transfection of a miR-494-3p mimic or inhibitor in vitro.

RESULTS

Compared to the control, LPS induced a significant increase in the Lp-PLA2 level, which was accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators. The bioinformatics and qRT‒PCR results indicated that the miR-494-3p level was associated with Lp-PLA2 expression in the LPS-induced inflammatory response of RAW264.7 cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay results confirmed that the 3'-UTR of Lp-PLA2 was a functional target of microRNA-494-3p. During the LPS-induced inflammatory response of RAW264.7 cells, targeting Lp-PLA2 and transfecting miR-494-3p mimics significantly upregulated the expression of miR-494-3p, leading to a reduction in the release of inflammatory factors and conferring a protective effect on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

CONCLUSION

By targeting Lp-PLA2, miR-494-3p suppresses Lp-PLA2 secretion, thereby alleviating LPS-induced inflammation, which indicates that miR-494-3p may be a potential target for sepsis treatment.

Inhibiting the CB1 receptor in CIH-induced animal model alleviates colon injury

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to intestinal injury, endotoxemia, and disturbance of intestinal flora. Additionally, as a crucial component of the endocannabinoid system, some studies have demonstrated that cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors are closely linked to the multiple organ dysfunction triggered by OSA. However, the role of the CB1 receptor in alleviating OSA-induced colon injury remains unclear. Here, through the construction of the OSA classic model, we found that the colon tissue of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)-induced mice exhibited an overexpression of the CB1 receptor. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed that inhibition of the CB1 receptor could decrease the gap between the mucosa and muscularis mucosae, alleviate mitochondrial swelling, reduce microvilli shedding, and promote the recovery of tight junctions of CIH-induced mice. Furthermore, CB1 receptor inhibition reduced the levels of metabolic endotoxemia and inflammatory responses, exhibiting significant protective effects on the colon injury caused by CIH. At the molecular level, through western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques, we found that inhibiting the CB1 receptor can significantly increase the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin proteins, which are closely related to the maintenance of intestinal mucosal barrier function. Through 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) determination, we found that inhibition of the CB1 receptor increased the diversity of the microbial flora and controlled the makeup of intestinal flora. Moreover, butyric acid concentration and the amount of SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, were both markedly elevated by CB1 receptor inhibition. The results of the spearman correlation study indicated that Lachnospiraceae showed a positive association with both ZO-1 and Occludin but was negatively correlated with the colon CB1 receptor, IL-1β, and TNF-α. According to this study, we found that inhibiting CB1 receptor can improve CIH-induced colon injury by regulating gut microbiota, reducing mucosal damage and promoting tight junction recovery. KEY POINTS: •CIH leads to overexpression of CB1 receptor in colon tissue. •CIH causes intestinal flora disorder, intestinal mucosal damage, and disruption of tight junctions. •Inhibition of CB1 receptor can alleviate the colon injury caused by CIH through regulating the gut microbiota, reducing mucosal injury, and promoting tight junction recovery.

The Blueprint of Logical Decisions in a NF-κB Signaling System

Nearly identical cells can exhibit substantially different responses to the same stimulus that causes phenotype diversity. Such interplay between phenotype diversity and the architecture of regulatory circuits is crucial since it determines the state of a biological cell. Here, we theoretically analyze how the circuit blueprints of NF-κB in cellular environments are formed and their role in determining the cells' metabolic state. The NF-κB is a collective name for a developmental conserved family of five different transcription factors that can form homodimers or heterodimers and often promote DNA looping to reprogram the inflammatory gene response. The NF-κB controls many biological functions, including cellular differentiation, proliferation, migration, and survival. Our model shows that nuclear localization of NF-κB differentially promotes logic operations such as AND, NAND, NOR, and OR in its regulatory network. Through the quantitative thermodynamic model of transcriptional regulation and systematic variation of promoter-enhancer interaction modes, we can account for the origin of various logic gates as formed in the NF-κB system. We further show that the interconversion or switching of logic gates yielded under systematic variations of the stimuli activity and DNA looping parameters. Such computation occurs in regulatory and signaling pathways in individual cells at a molecular scale, which one can exploit to design a biomolecular computer.

Design and Characterization of a New Formulation for the Delivery of COVID-19-mRNA Vaccine to the Nasal Mucosa

Chitosan, a natural polysaccharide derived from chitin, possesses biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mucoadhesive characteristics, making it an attractive material for the delivery of mRNA payloads to the nasal mucosa and promoting their uptake by target cells such as epithelial and immune cells (e.g., dendritic cells and macrophages). In this project, we aimed at developing novel lipid-based nanoformulations for mRNA delivery to counteract the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. The formulations achieved a mRNA encapsulation efficiency of ~80.2% with chitosan-lipid nanoparticles, as measured by the RiboGreen assay. Furthermore, the evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) receptor-binding domain (RBD) expression via ELISA for our vaccine formulations showed transfection levels in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293), lung carcinoma cells (A549), and dendritic cells (DC 2.4) equal to 9.9 ± 0.1 ng/mL (174.7 ± 1.1 fold change from untreated cells (UT)), 7.0 ± 0.2 ng/mL (128.1 ± 4.9 fold change from UT), and 0.9 ± 0.0 ng/mL (18.0 ± 0.1 fold change from UT), respectively. Our most promising vaccine formulation was also demonstrated to be amenable to lyophilization with minimal degradation of loaded mRNA, paving the way towards a more accessible and stable vaccine. Preliminary in vivo studies in mice were performed to assess the systemic and local immune responses. Nasal bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) wash showed that utilizing the optimized formulation resulted in local antibody concentrations and did not trigger any systemic antibody response. However, if further improved and developed, it could potentially contribute to the management of COVID-19 through nasopharyngeal immunization strategies.

Impact of microparticles released during murine systemic inflammation on macrophage activity and reactive nitrogen species regulation

Microparticles (MPs) packaged with numerous bioactive molecules are essential vehicles in cellular communication in various pathological conditions, including systemic inflammation, Whereas MPs are studied mostly upon isolation, their detection in vivo is limited. Impact of MPs might depend on target cell type and cargo they carry; thus herein, we aimed at verifying MPs' impact on macrophages. Unlike neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages are rather inactive during sepsis, and we hypothesized this might be at least partially controlled by MPs. For the above reasons, we focused on the detection of MPs with intravital microscopy (IVM) and report the presence of putative neutrophil-derived MPs in the vasculature of cremaster muscle of endotoxemic mice. Subsequently, we characterized MPs isolated not only from their blood but also from the peritoneal cavity and observed differences in their size, concentration, and cargo. Such MPs were then used to study their impact on RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line performance (cell viability/activity, cytokines, oxygen, and nitrogen reactive species). Addition of MPs to macrophages with or without co-stimulation with lipopolysaccharide did not affect respiratory burst, somewhat decreased mitochondrial activity but increased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and NO production especially in case of plasma-derived MPs. The latter MPs carried more iNOS-controlling ceruloplasmin than those discharged into the peritoneal cavity. We conclude that MPs can be detected in vivo with IVM and their cellular origin identified. They are heterogeneous in nature depending on the site of their release. Consequently, microparticles released during systemic inflammation to various body compartments differentially affect macrophages.

Multiple Myeloma Derived Extracellular Vesicle Uptake by Monocyte Cells Stimulates IL-6 and MMP-9 Secretion and Promotes Cancer Cell Migration and Proliferation

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is an incurable haematological malignancy caused by uncontrolled growth of plasma cells. MM pathogenesis is attributed to crosstalk between plasma cells and the bone marrow microenvironment, where extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a role. In this study, EVs secreted from a panel of MM cell lines were isolated from conditioned media by ultracentrifugation and fluorescently stained EVs were co-cultured with THP-1 monocyte cells. MM EVs from three cell lines displayed a differential yet dose-dependent uptake by THP-1 cells, with H929 EVs displaying the greatest EV uptake compared to MM.1s and U266 EVs suggesting that uptake efficiency is dependent on the cell line of origin. Furthermore, MM EVs increased the secretion of MMP-9 and IL-6 from monocytes, with H929 EVs inducing the greatest effect, consistent with the greatest uptake efficiency. Moreover, monocyte-conditioned media collected following H929 EV uptake significantly increased the migration and proliferation of MM cells. Finally, EV proteome analysis revealed differential cargo enrichment that correlates with disease progression including a significant enrichment of spliceosome-related proteins in H929 EVs compared to the U266 and MM.1s EVs. Overall, this study demonstrates that MM-derived EVs modulate monocyte function to promote tumour growth and metastasis and reveals possible molecular mechanisms involved.

Development and Validation of a Fluorogenic Probe for Lysosomal Zinc Release

Zinc homeostasis, which allows optimal zinc utilization in diverse life processes, is responsible for the general well-being of human beings. This paper describes developing and validating an easily accessible indole-containing zinc-specific probe in the cellular milieu. The probe was synthesized from readily available starting materials and was subjected to steady-state fluorescence studies. It showed selective sensing behavior towards Zn2+ with reversible binding. The suppression of PET (Photoinduced Electron Transfer) and ESIPT (Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer) elicited selectivity, and the detection limit was 0.63 μM (LOQ 6.8 μM). The zinc sensing capability of the probe was also screened in the presence of low molecular weight ligands [LMWLs] and showed interference only with GSH and ATP. It is non-toxic and can detect zinc in different cell lines under various stress conditions such as inflammation, hyperglycemia, and apoptosis. The probe could stain the early and late stages of apoptosis in PAN-2 cells by monitoring the zinc release. Most experiments were conducted without external zinc supplementation, showing its innate ability to detect zinc.

PLGA-Chitosan Encapsulated IL-10 Nanoparticles Modulate Chlamydia Inflammation in Mice

Introduction

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a key anti-inflammatory mediator in protecting host from over-exuberant responses to pathogens and play important roles in wound healing, autoimmunity, cancer, and homeostasis. However, its application as a therapeutic agent for biomedical applications has been limited due to its short biological half-life. Therefore, it is important to prolong the half-life of IL-10 to replace the current therapeutic application, which relies on administering large and repeated dosages. Therefore, not a cost-effective approach. Thus, studies that aim to address this type of challenges are always in need.

Methods

Recombinant IL-10 was encapsulated in biodegradable nanoparticles (Poly-(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) and Chitosan)) by the double emulsion method and then characterized for size, surface charge, thermal stability, cytotoxicity, in vitro release, UV-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy as well as evaluated for its anti-inflammatory effects. Bioactivity of encapsulated IL-10 was evaluated in vitro using J774A.1 macrophage cell-line and in vivo using BALB/c mice. Inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) were quantified from culture supernatants using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and significance was analyzed using ANOVA.

Results

We obtained a high 96% encapsulation efficiency with smooth encapsulated IL-10 nanoparticles of ~100-150 nm size and release from nanoparticles as measurable to 22 days. Our result demonstrated that encapsulated IL-10 was biocompatible and functional by reducing the inflammatory responses induced by LPS in macrophages. Of significance, we also proved the functionality of encapsulated IL-10 by its capacity to reduce inflammation in BALB/c mice as provoked by Chlamydia trachomatis, an inflammatory sexually transmitted infectious bacterium.

Discussion

Collectively, our results show the successful IL-10 encapsulation, slow release to prolong its biological half-life and reduce inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF production in vitro and in mice. Our results serve as proof of concept to further explore the therapeutic prospective of encapsulated IL-10 for biomedical applications, including inflammatory diseases.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Lindera glauca Extracts

INTRODUCTION

The current study investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts from Lindera glauca twig (LGT) and leaf/stem (LGLS).

METHODS

The antioxidant activities were measured by total content of polyphenol and flavonoid, DPPH radical scavenging, and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect in the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells, protein and mRNA expression of major inflammatory factors were analyzed using Western blot analysis and RT-PCR.

RESULTS

The total polyphenol content of LGT and LGLS was 88.45 ± 11.74 and 115.75 ± 7.87 GA mg/g, respectively. The total flavonoid content was 66 ± 2.89 and 74.33 ± 2.89 QE mg/g. Both LGT and LGLS showed high DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities. Neither LGT nor LGLS was cytotoxic to RAW 264.7 cells. The anti-inflammatory activities were measured by LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. LGT and LGLS showed inhibition of the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 at the protein and mRNA levels, as determined by Western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively. In addition, the release of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 mRNA expression levels of these cytokines was reduced by LGT and LGLS.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that LGT and LGLS extracts have potential for use as a functional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient in cosmetic industry.

A comparative study of the digestion behavior and functionality of protein from chia (Salvia hispanica L.) ingredients and protein fractions

Protein derived from chia (Salvia hispanica L.), characterized by a balanced amino acid composition, represents a potentially healthier and environmentally friendly alternative poised for innovation within the plant-based food sector. It was hypothesized that the growing location of chia seeds and processing techniques used might influence protein digestion patterns, which in turn could affect the biological functions of the digestion products. To examine this hypothesis, we assessed the gastrointestinal fate of degummed-defatted flour (DDF), protein concentrate (PC), and isolated albumin (Alb) and globulin (Glo) fractions. Furthermore, we compared the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the resulting digesta by means of in vitro and cellular assays. Post-gastrointestinal digestion, the PC exhibited elevated levels of soluble protein (7.6 and 6.3 % for Mexican and British PC, respectively) and peptides (24.8 and 27.9 %, respectively) of larger molecular sizes compared to DDF, Alb, and Glo. This can be attributed to differences in the extraction/fractionation processes. Leucine was found to be the most prevalent amino acids in all chia digesta. Such variations in the digestive outcomes of chia protein components significantly influenced the bioactivity of the intestinal digestates. During gastrointestinal transit, British Glo exhibited the best reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibition activity in oxidative-stressed RAW264.7 macrophages, while Mexican digesta outperformed British samples in terms of ROS inhibition within the oxidative-stressed Caco-2 cells. Additionally, both Mexican and British Alb showed effectively anti-inflammatory potential, with keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) inhibition rate of 82 and 91 %, respectively. Additionally, Mexican PC and Alb generally demonstrated an enhanced capacity to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammatory conditions in vitro. These findings highlight the substantial potential of chia seeds as functional food ingredients, resonating with the shifting preferences of health-conscious consumers.

Characterization of levans produced by levansucrases from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Gluconobacter oxydans: Structural, techno-functional, and anti-inflammatory properties

Levans of different structures and molecular weights (MW) can display various techno-functional and health-promoting properties. In the present study, selected levans were produced by the transfructosylation of sucrose catalyzed by levansucrases from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Gluconobacter oxydans, and their structural, techno-functional and anti-inflammatory properties were investigated. NMR and methylation/GC analysis confirmed the structure of β-(2, 6) levans. The structural characterization led to the classification of levans as high MW (HMW, ≥100 kDa), low MW (LMW, ≤20 kDa) and mix L/HMW ones. Levan with higher MW had more linear fructosyl units with fewer reducing ends and branching residues. LMW levan showed the highest foaming capacity and stability while HMW levan had the highest emulsion stability. HMW and mix L/HMW levans showed comparable water and oil-holding capacities, which were higher than LMW. HMW and mix L/HMW levans were found to have gelling properties at low concentrations. The rheological behaviour of HMW levan-based gel was a more viscous-like gel, while that of mix L/HMW levan-based one showed more elastic solid like-gel. The temperature also influenced the rheology of levan, showing that the mix L/HMW levan gel network was the most thermal stable as its viscoelasticity remained constant at the highest temperature (75 °C). Studies on the biological activity of levans of HMW and LMW revealed in-vitro anti-inflammatory properties as they significantly reduced the production of LPS-triggered pro-inflammatory cytokines in differentiated Caco-2 cells.

Stem cells and pain

Pain can be defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience caused by either actual or potential tissue damage or even resemble that unpleasant experience. For years, science has sought to find treatment alternatives, with minimal side effects, to relieve pain. However, the currently available pharmacological options on the market show significant adverse events. Therefore, the search for a safer and highly efficient analgesic treatment has become a priority. Stem cells (SCs) are non-specialized cells with a high capacity for replication, self-renewal, and a wide range of differentiation possibilities. In this review, we provide evidence that the immune and neuromodulatory properties of SCs can be a valuable tool in the search for ideal treatment strategies for different types of pain. With the advantage of multiple administration routes and dosages, therapies based on SCs for pain relief have demonstrated meaningful results with few downsides. Nonetheless, there are still more questions than answers when it comes to the mechanisms and pathways of pain targeted by SCs. Thus, this is an evolving field that merits further investigation towards the development of SC-based analgesic therapies, and this review will approach all of these aspects.

Investigation of Correlation between Resistance to Diazepam and Expression of Inflammatory Markers in The Peripheral Blood of Patients with Status Epilepticus

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated several inflammatory markers' gene and protein expression in status epilepticus (SE) and their correlation with diazepam resistance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Peripheral blood samples were collected from 18 adult patients with SE in Cipto Mangunkusumo Central Hospital, consisting of 12 diazepam-responsive and six diazepam-resistant samples, within 72 hours of the onset of the seizure. We collected baseline demographic and clinical data from each subject. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, cultured, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 1 mg/ml, and harvested for RNA isolation. The RNA was used to determine the expression of Human Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), Interleukin- 6 (IL-6), IL-10, Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In addition, we performed serum protein assay of HMGB1, IL-6, IL-10, TLR4, and GFAP to compare with gene expression.

RESULTS

We found a significant difference between the responsive and resistant groups for serum HMGB1 and IL-6 concentration. The mRNA expression of HMGB1 and IL-6 was significantly higher in LPS-stimulated samples in the responsive but not in the resistant groups. The ratio of IL-6 to IL-10 showed a significant difference between LPS and control in the responsive group. Diazepam response was significantly correlated with seizure duration and serum protein concentration of HMGB1.

CONCLUSION

HMGB1 was highly expressed in the resistant group and strongly correlated with diazepam response, and there was a significant increase in HMGB1 mRNA expression in response to LPS stimulation. These findings suggest that targeting HMGB1 may be a promising therapeutic strategy and that HMGB1 levels could be a valuable biomarker for predicting diazepam resistance in SE.

Lipopolysaccharide Impedes Bone Repair in FcγRIIB-Deficient Mice

Chronic inflammation contributes to the development of skeletal disorders in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Activation of the host immune response stimulates osteoclast activity, which in turn leads to bone loss. Regenerating bone in the inflammatory microenvironments of SLE patients with critical bone defects remains a great challenge. In this study, we utilized lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to imitate locally and systemically pathogenic bacterial infection and examined the bone regeneration performance of LPS-associated mandibular and tibial bone regeneration impairment in FcγRIIB-/- mice. Our results indicated that a loss of FcγRIIB alleviates bone regeneration in both mandibles and tibiae. After LPS induction, FcγRIIB-/- mice were susceptible to impaired fracture healing in tibial and mandibular bones. LPS decreased the mineralization to collagen ratio in FcγRIIB-/- mice, indicating a mineralization defect during bone repair. An osteoblast-associated gene (Col1a1) was attenuated in FcγRIIB-deficient mice, whereas Bglap, Hhip, and Creb5 were further downregulated with LPS treatment in FcγRIIB-/- mice compared to FcγRIIB-/- mice. Alpl and Bglap expression was dcreased in osteoblasts derived from bone chips. An osteoclast-associated gene, Tnfsf11/Tnfrsf11 ratio, ewas increased in LPS-induced FcγRIIB-/- mice and in vitro. Furthermore, systemic LPS was relatively potent in stimulating production of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 in FcγRIIB-/- mice compared to FcγRIIB-/- mice. The levels of TNF-α, IFN-β, IL-1α, and IL-17A were increased, whereas IL-10 and IL-23 were decreased in FcγRIIB-/- mice treated locally with LPS. These findings suggest that both local and systemic LPS burden can exacerbate bone regeneration impairment, delay mineralization and skeletal repair, and induce inflammation in SLE patients.

Aberrant glucose metabolism underlies impaired macrophage differentiation in glycogen storage disease type Ib

Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) transporter (G6PT) that is responsible for transporting G6P into the endoplasmic reticulum. GSD-Ib is characterized by disturbances in glucose homeostasis, neutropenia, and neutrophil dysfunction. Although some studies have explored neutrophils abnormalities in GSD-Ib, investigations regarding monocytes/macrophages remain limited so far. In this study, we examined the impact of G6PT deficiency on monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation using bone marrow-derived monocytes from G6pt-/- mice as well as G6PT-deficient human THP-1 monocytes. Our findings revealed that G6PT-deficient monocytes exhibited immature differentiation into macrophages. Notably, the impaired differentiation observed in G6PT-deficient monocytes seemed to be associated with abnormal glucose metabolism, characterized by enhanced glucose consumption through glycolysis, even under quiescent conditions with oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, we observed a reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines in G6PT-deficient THP-1 monocytes during the inflammatory response, despite their elevated glucose consumption. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the significance of G6PT in monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and underscores its importance in maintaining glucose homeostasis and supporting immune response in GSD-Ib. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of GSD-Ib and potentially pave the way for the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.

Starch-entrapped microspheres enhance gut microbiome-mediated anti-obesity effects of resistant starch in high-fat diet induced obese C57BL/6J mice

The prevalence of obesity is growing worldwide and has been extensively linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. In addition to exercise and physical activity, fiber-rich foods may be a first-line prophylactic to manage obesity. This study investigated in vivo dietary intervention with high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) and starch-entrapped microspheres (MS) to treat high-fat diet induced metabolic disorder and gut microbiome dysbiosis in mice. MS more efficiently controlled body weight as well as adipose tissue mass compared to HAMS. Furthermore, MS significantly reduced blood glucose, insulin, lipid and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels compared to the high-fat diet, while the effects of HAMS were less pronounced. The MS-altered gut microbiota composition favoring Streptococcaceae, Bacilli, Firmicutes and unclassified Clostridiales was predicted to promote fatty acid, pantothenate and Coenzyme A biosynthesis. In line with this, elevated fecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA), in particular, propionate concentration was observed in MS-fed mice. Our study provides novel insights into the mechanistic action of MS on intestinal homeostasis, providing a basis for future dietary therapeutic applications.

Chitosan hydrogels with MK2 inhibitor peptide-loaded nanoparticles to treat atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that lacks ideal long-term treatment options due to a series of side effects, such as skin atrophy, related to the most common treatment prescribed to manage moderate-to-severe AD. In this study, a cell-penetrating MK2 inhibitor peptide YARA (YARAAARQARAKALNRQGLVAA) was loaded into hollow thermo-responsive pNIPAM nanoparticles (NP), which were further incorporated into chitosan hydrogels (H-NP-YARA) to promote local drug delivery, improve moisture and the anti-inflammatory activity. The NPs exhibited high loading efficiency (>50%) and the hydrogel remained porous following NP incorporation as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both nanoparticles and hydrogels were able to improve the release of YARA and sustained release to up to 120 h. The hydrogels and NPs delivered 2 and 4-fold more YARA into viable skin layers of porcine skin in vitro at 12 h post-application than the non-encapsulated compound in intact and impaired barrier conditions. Furthermore, the YARA-loaded NPs (NP-YARA) and H-NP-YARA treatment decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines up to 20 time-fold compared with the non-treated group of human keratinocytes under inflammatory conditions. Consistent with the results in cell culture, the loading of YARA in NP reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α up to 3.3 times in an ex vivo skin culture model after induction of inflammation. A further decrease of up to 17 times-fold was observed with H-NP-YARA treatment compared to the drug in solution. Our data collectively suggest that chitosan hydrogel containing YARA-loaded nanoparticles is a promising new formulation for the topical treatment of AD.

High-Dose Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Displays Strong Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Monocytes

Vitamin B6 is shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it an interesting nutraceutical agent. Vitamin B6 deficiency is well established as a contributor to inflammatory-related conditions, whilst B6 supplementation can reverse these inflammatory effects. There is less information available regarding the effects of high-dose vitamin B6 supplementation as a therapeutic agent. This study set out to examine the effects of high-dose vitamin B6 on an LPS-stimulated monocyte/macrophage cell population via an analysis of protein and gene expression using an RT2 profiler PCR array for Human Innate and Adaptive Immune responses. It was identified that high-dose vitamin B6 has a global anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in monocyte/macrophage cells by downregulating the key broad-spectrum inflammatory mediators CCL2, CCL5, CXCL2, CXCL8, CXCL10, CCR4, CCR5, CXCR3, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, IL-23-a, TNF-α, CSF2, DDX58, NLRP3, NOD1, NOD2, TLR-1 -2 -4 -5 -7 -8 -9, MYD88, C3, FOXP3, STAT1, STAT3, STAT6, LYZ, CASP-1, CD4, HLA-E, MAPK1, MAPK8 MPO, MX-1, NF-κβ, NF-κβ1A, CD14, CD40, CD40LG, CD86, Ly96, ICAM1, IRF3, ITGAM, and IFCAM2. The outcomes of this study show promise regarding vitamin B6 within the context of a potent broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory mediator and could prove useful as an adjunct treatment for inflammatory-related diseases.

Palmitic Acid Modulates Microglial Cell Response to Metabolic Endotoxemia in an In Vitro Study

Metabolic endotoxemia (ME) is characterized by a 2-3-fold increase in blood endotoxin levels and low-grade systemic inflammation without apparent infection. ME is usually accompanied by metabolic syndrome, characterized by central obesity and hyperlipidemia. According to numerous studies, ME may lead to functional brain disorders, including cognitive decline, depression, and dementia. In the current in vitro study, we aimed to determine the direct and indirect impact of endotoxin (LPS) and palmitic acid (PA), representing saturated fatty acids, on the inflammatory and oxidative stress response in the human microglial HMC3 cells unstimulated and stimulated with IFNγ. The study's results revealed that direct HMC3 cell exposition to endotoxin and PA increased inflammatory response measured as levels of IL-6 and MCP-1 released into the medium and PGE2 levels in cell lysates. Moreover, direct HMC3 cell treatment with PA and LPS induced oxidative stress, i.e., ROS and COX-2 production and lipid peroxidation. On the contrary, an indirect effect of LPS and PA on microglial cells, assessed as the impact of macrophage metabolites, was much lower regarding the inflammatory response, although still associated with oxidative stress. Interestingly, IFNγ had a protective effect on microglial cells, reducing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress in HMC3 cells treated directly and indirectly with LPS and PA.

An overview of anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory potential of baicalein and its metabolite baicalin: Insights into molecular mechanisms

The current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is highly contagious infection that breaks the healthcare systems of several countries worldwide. Till to date, no effective antiviral drugs against COVID-19 infection have reached the market, and some repurposed drugs and vaccines are prescribed for the treatment and prevention of this disease. The currently prescribed COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against the newly emergent variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 due to several mutations in viral spike protein and obviously there is an urgency to develop new antiviral drugs against this disease. In this review article, we systematically discussed the anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory efficacy of two flavonoids, baicalein and its 7-O-glucuronide, baicalin, isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, Oroxylum indicum, and other plants as well as their pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability, for development of safe and effective drugs for COVID-19 treatment. Both baicalein and baicalin target the activities of viral S-, 3CL-, PL-, RdRp- and nsp13-proteins, and host mitochondrial OXPHOS for suppression of viral infection. Moreover, these compounds prevent sepsis-related inflammation and organ injury by modulation of host innate immune responses. Several nanoformulated and inclusion complexes of baicalein and baicalin have been reported to increase oral bioavailability, but their safety and efficacy in SARS-CoV-2-infected transgenic animals are not yet evaluated. Future studies on these compounds are required for use in clinical trials of COVID-19 patients.

Target and Cell Therapy for Atherosclerosis and CVD

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and, in particular, atherosclerosis, remain the main cause of death in the world today. Unfortunately, in most cases, CVD therapy begins after the onset of clinical symptoms and is aimed at eliminating them. In this regard, early pathogenetic therapy for CVD remains an urgent problem in modern science and healthcare. Cell therapy, aimed at eliminating tissue damage underlying the pathogenesis of some pathologies, including CVD, by replacing it with various cells, is of the greatest interest. Currently, cell therapy is the most actively developed and potentially the most effective treatment strategy for CVD associated with atherosclerosis. However, this type of therapy has some limitations. In this review, we have tried to summarize the main targets of cell therapy for CVD and atherosclerosis in particular based on the analysis using the PubMed and Scopus databases up to May 2023.

Genetic control of the dynamic transcriptional response to immune stimuli and glucocorticoids at single-cell resolution

Synthetic glucocorticoids, such as dexamethasone, have been used as a treatment for many immune conditions, such as asthma and, more recently, severe COVID-19. Single-cell data can capture more fine-grained details on transcriptional variability and dynamics to gain a better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of inter-individual variation in drug response. Here, we used single-cell RNA-seq to study the dynamics of the transcriptional response to glucocorticoids in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 96 African American children. We used novel statistical approaches to calculate a mean-independent measure of gene expression variability and a measure of transcriptional response pseudotime. Using these approaches, we showed that glucocorticoids reverse the effects of immune stimulation on both gene expression mean and variability. Our novel measure of gene expression response dynamics, based on the diagonal linear discriminant analysis, separated individual cells by response status on the basis of their transcriptional profiles and allowed us to identify different dynamic patterns of gene expression along the response pseudotime. We identified genetic variants regulating gene expression mean and variability, including treatment-specific effects, and showed widespread genetic regulation of the transcriptional dynamics of the gene expression response.

Inhibition of the lectin pathway of complement activation reduces LPS-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome in mice

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening disorder with a high rate of mortality. Complement activation in ARDS initiates a robust inflammatory reaction that can cause progressive endothelial injury in the lung. Here, we tested whether inhibition of the lectin pathway of complement could reduce the pathology and improve the outcomes in a murine model of LPS-induced lung injury that closely mimics ARDS in human. In vitro, LPS binds to murine and human collectin 11, human MBL and murine MBL-A, but not to C1q, the recognition subcomponent of the classical pathway. This binding initiates deposition of the complement activation products C3b, C4b and C5b-9 on LPS via the lectin pathway. HG-4, a monoclonal antibody that targets MASP-2, a key enzyme in the lectin pathway, inhibited lectin pathway functional activity in vitro, with an IC50 of circa 10nM. Administration of HG4 (5mg/kg) in mice led to almost complete inhibition of the lectin pathway activation for 48hrs, and 50% inhibition at 60hrs post administration. Inhibition of the lectin pathway in mice prior to LPS-induced lung injury improved all pathological markers tested. HG4 reduces the protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (p<0.0001) and levels of myeloid peroxide (p<0.0001), LDH (p<0.0001), TNFα and IL6 (both p<0.0001). Lung injury was significantly reduced (p<0.001) and the survival time of the mice increased (p<0.01). From the previous findings we concluded that inhibition of the lectin pathway has the potential to prevent ARDS pathology.

Bifidobacterium breve Bif11 supplementation improves depression-related neurobehavioural and neuroinflammatory changes in the mouse

Gut dysbiosis has been closely linked to the onset and progression of several brain-related disorders such as depression. The administration of microbiota-based formulations such as probiotics helps restore healthy gut flora and plays a role in preventing and treating depression-like behavior. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of probiotic supplementation using our recently isolated putative probiotic Bifidobacterium breve Bif11 in ameliorating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior in male Swiss albino mice. Mice were fed orally with B. breve Bif11 (1 × 10¹⁰ CFU and 2 × 10¹⁰ CFU) for 21 days before being challenged with a single intraperitoneal LPS injection (0.83 mg/kg). Behavioral, biochemical, histological and molecular analysis were done with an emphasis on inflammatory pathways linked to depression-like behavior. Daily supplementation with B. breve Bif11 for 21 days prevented the onset of depression-like behavior induced by LPS injection, besides reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as matrix metalloproteinase-2, c-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells. It also prevented the decrease of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and neuronal cell viability in the prefrontal cortex of LPS-treated mice. Furthermore, we observed that gut permeability was reduced, there was an improved short-chain fatty acid profile and reduced gut dysbiosis in the LPS mice fed with B. breve Bif11. Similarly, we observed a decrease in behavioural deficits and restoration of gut permeability in chronic mild stress. Together, these results would help in deciphering the role of probiotics in the management of neurological disorders where depression, anxiety and inflammation are prominent clinical features.

A Whey-Based Diet Can Ameliorate the Effects of LPS-Induced Growth Attenuation in Young Rats

Chronic inflammation in childhood is associated with impaired growth. In the current study, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model of inflammation in young rats was used to study the efficacy of whey-based as compared to soy-based diets to ameliorate growth attenuation. Young rats were injected with LPS and fed normal chow or diets containing whey or soy as the sole protein source during treatment, or during the recovery period in a separate set of experiments. The body and spleen weight, food consumption, humerus length, and EGP height and structure were evaluated. Inflammatory markers in the spleen and markers of differentiation in the EGP were assessed using qPCR. The LPS led to a significant increase in the spleen weight and a decrease in the EGP height. Whey, but not soy, protected the animals from both effects. In the recovery model, whey led to increased EGP height at both 3 and 16 d post treatment. The most affected region in the EGP was the hypertrophic zone (HZ), which was significantly shortened by the LPS treatment but enlarged by whey. In conclusion, LPS affected the spleen weight and EGP height and had a specific effect on the HZ. Nutrition with whey protein appeared to protect the rats from the LPS-induced growth attenuation.

Is the Gut Microbiome Implicated in the Excess Risk of Hypertension Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea? A Contemporary Review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent sleep disorder and an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. The pathogenesis of elevated blood pressure (BP) in OSA is multifactorial, including sympathetic overdrive, vascular aberrations, oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic dysregulation. Among the mechanisms potentially involved in OSA-induced hypertension, the role of the gut microbiome is gaining increasing attention. Perturbations in the diversity, composition, and function of the gut microbiota have been causally linked to numerous disorders, and robust evidence has identified gut dysbiosis as a determinant of BP elevation in various populations. In this brief review, we summarize the current body of literature on the implications of altered gut microbiota for hypertension risk in OSA. Data from both preclinical models of OSA and patient populations are presented, and potential mechanistic pathways are highlighted, along with therapeutic considerations. Available evidence suggests that gut dysbiosis may promote the development of hypertension in OSA and may thus be a target for interventions aimed at attenuating the adverse consequences of OSA in relation to cardiovascular risk.

Role of the Gut Microbiome in the Development of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the primary cause of death globally, with nine million deaths directly attributable to ischemic heart diseases in 2020. Since the last few decades, great effort has been put toward primary and secondary prevention strategies through identification and treatment of major cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle. Once labelled “the forgotten organ”, the gut microbiota has recently been rediscovered and has been found to play key functions in the incidence of ASCVD both directly by contributing to the development of atherosclerosis and indirectly by playing a part in the occurrence of fundamental cardiovascular risk factors. Essential gut metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), secondary bile acids, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been associated with the extent of ischemic heart diseases. This paper reviews the latest data on the impact of the gut microbiome in the incidence of ASCVD.

Role of Plant-Derived Compounds in the Molecular Pathways Related to Inflammation

Inflammation is the primary response to infection and injury. Its beneficial effect is an immediate resolution of the pathophysiological event. However, sustained production of inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen species and cytokines may cause alterations in DNA integrity and lead to malignant cell transformation and cancer. More attention has recently been paid to pyroptosis, which is an inflammatory necrosis that activates inflammasomes and the secretion of cytokines. Taking into consideration that phenolic compounds are widely available in diet and medicinal plants, their role in the prevention and support of the treatment of chronic diseases is apparent. Recently, much attention has been paid to explaining the significance of isolated compounds in the molecular pathways related to inflammation. Therefore, this review aimed to screen reports concerning the molecular mode of action assigned to phenolic compounds. The most representative compounds from the classes of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, and phenolic glycosides were selected for this review. Our attention was focused mainly on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Literature searching was performed using Scopus, PubMed, and Medline databases. In conclusion, based on the available literature, phenolic compounds regulate NF-κB, Nrf2, and MAPK signaling, which supports their potential role in chronic inflammatory disorders, including osteoarthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disorders.

Adenosine receptor activation promotes macrophage class switching from LPS-induced acute inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype

Lipopolysaccharide induced monocytes/macrophages exhibit a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype. Elevated levels of the purine nucleoside adenosine play a major role in this response. The role of adenosine receptor modulation in directing the macrophage phenotype switch from proinflammatory classically activated M1 phenotype to an anti-inflammatory alternatively activated M2 phenotype is investigated in this study. The mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 was used as the experimental model and stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose of 1 μg/ml. Adenosine receptors were activated by treating cells with the receptor agonist NECA (1 μM). Adenosine receptor stimulation in macrophages is found to suppress LPS-induced production of proinflammatory mediators (pro-inflammatory cytokines, Reactive Oxygen Species and nitrite levels). M1 marker CD38 (Cluster of Differentiation 38) and CD83 (Cluster of Differentiation 83) were significantly decreased while M2 markers Th2 cytokines, Arginase, TIMP (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases) and CD206 (Cluster of Differentiation 206) exhibited an increase. Hence from our study we observed that activation of adenosine receptors can program the macrophages from a pro-inflammatory classically activated M1 phenotype to an anti-inflammatory alternatively activated M2 phenotype. We report the significance and a time course profile of phenotype switching by receptor activation. Adenosine receptor targeting may be explored as a therapeutic intervention strategy in addressing acute inflammation.

Inflammatory stimulus worsens the effects of UV-A exposure on J774 cells

UV-A radiation affects skin homeostasis by promoting oxidative distress. Endogenous photosensitizers in the dermis and epidermis of human skin absorb UV-A radiation forming excited states (singlet and triplet) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) producing oxidized compounds that trigger biological responses. The activation of NF-kB induces the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and can intensify the generation of ROS. However, there is no studies evaluating the cross talks between inflammatory stimulus and UV-A exposure on the levels of redox misbalance and inflammation. In here, we evaluated the effects of UV-A exposure on J774 macrophage cells previously challenged with LPS in terms of oxidative distress, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and activation of regulated cell death pathways. Our results showed that LPS potentiates the dose-dependent UV-A-induced oxidative distress and cytokine release, in addition to amplifying the regulated (autophagy and apoptosis) and non-regulated (necrosis) mechanisms of cell death, indicating that a previous inflammatory stimulus potentiates UV-A-induced cell damage. We discuss these results in terms of the current-available skin care strategies.

New thiourea and benzamide derivatives of 2-aminothiazole as multi-target agents against Alzheimer's disease: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation

In this study, two series of compounds were designed and synthesized, bearing thiourea and benzamide derivatives at position 2 of 4-subtituted-2-aminothiazole, respectively. Then, the inhibition potency of all final compounds for cholinesterase enzymes were evaluated. Among the thiourea derivatives, 3c (IC50 = 0.33 μM) was identified as the most potent and selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor. Additionally, benzamide derivative 10e (AChE IC50 = 1.47 and BChE IC50 = 11.40 μM) was found as a dual cholinesterase inhibitor. The type of inhibition for both compounds was determined by kinetic studies and the results showed that the compounds were mixed type inhibitors. Moreover, all title compounds were investigated in terms of their antioxidant (DPHH, ORAC) and metal chelator activities. In addition, the neuroprotective effects of selected compounds (3c, 3e, 6c, 6e and 10e) against H₂O₂-induced damage in the PC12 cell line were tested. The experimental findings demonstrated that thiourea-derived 6e (40.4 %) and benzamide-derived 10e (37.8 %) have a neuroprotective effect of about half as ferulic acid at 10 μM. Subsequently, the cytotoxicity of selected compounds was examined by the MTT assay, and the compounds were found not to have cytotoxic effect on the PC12 cell line in 24 h. Additionally, compounds 6e and 10e were also found to be more effective in inhibiting the release of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and NO compared to other selected compounds in this study.

CCL20/CCR6 Mediated Macrophage Activation and Polarization Can Promote Adenoid Epithelial Inflammation in Adenoid Hypertrophy

Background

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a chronic or acute obstruction-related ailment of the upper respiratory tract that arises as an inflammatory response to exposure of bacteria, viruses or allergies. Activation and polarization of macrophages are key processes in inflammation-related disorders like AH and CCL20/CCR6 axis is a critical therapeutic target.

Purpose

To determine that CCL20/CCR6 mediated macrophage activation and polarization can promote adenoid epithelial inflammation in AH.

Methods

To support this claim, CCL20 and CCR6 expressions were studied in clinical AH samples. In addition, the expressions of cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IL-10 and TGF-β were analysed. In vitro, human adenoid epithelial cells were co-cultured with polarized THP-1 and T lymphocyte H9 cells to study the expressions of several inflammatory markers.

Results

The expressions of M1 macrophage markers CD86 and IL-17 were significantly increased, whereas the expressions of M2 macrophage markers CD206 and FOXP3 were significantly decreased. The THP-1 cells were successfully polarized to M0, M1 and M2 macrophages. The survival of macrophages improved after 24 hr of induction and enhanced TGF-β expression was observed. The expressions of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and CCL20 increased significantly.

Conclusion

Collectively, these results suggest that the CCL20/CCR6 mediated macrophage activation and polarization into M1-type macrophages can promote adenoid epithelial inflammation in AH. Further studies are warranted to determine the roles of inflammatory markers in the pathophysiology of AH and identifying potential targets.

Role of Endogenous Lipopolysaccharides in Neurological Disorders

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a cell-wall immunostimulatory endotoxin component of Gram-negative bacteria. A growing body of evidence reveals that alterations in the bacterial composition of the intestinal microbiota (gut dysbiosis) disrupt host immune homeostasis and the intestinal barrier function. Microbial dysbiosis leads to a proinflammatory milieu and systemic endotoxemia, which contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic disorders. Two important pathophysiological hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are oxidative/nitrative stress and inflammation, which can be initiated by elevated intestinal permeability, with increased abundance of pathobionts. These changes lead to excessive release of LPS and other bacterial products into blood, which in turn induce chronic systemic inflammation, which damages the blood-brain barrier (BBB). An impaired BBB allows the translocation of potentially harmful bacterial products, including LPS, and activated neutrophils/leucocytes into the brain, which results in neuroinflammation and apoptosis. Chronic neuroinflammation causes neuronal damage and synaptic loss, leading to memory impairment. LPS-induced inflammation causes inappropriate activation of microglia, astrocytes, and dendritic cells. Consequently, these alterations negatively affect mitochondrial function and lead to increases in oxidative/nitrative stress and neuronal senescence. These cellular changes in the brain give rise to specific clinical symptoms, such as impairment of locomotor function, muscle weakness, paralysis, learning deficits, and dementia. This review summarizes the contributing role of LPS in the development of neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death in various neurodegenerative diseases.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Macrolides Considering Evidence from Human and Veterinary Medicine

Macrolide antimicrobial agents have been in clinical use for more than 60 years in both human and veterinary medicine. The discovery of the non-antimicrobial properties of macrolides and the effect of immunomodulation of the inflammatory response has benefited patients with chronic airway diseases and impacted morbidity and mortality. This review examines the evidence of antimicrobial and non-antimicrobial properties of macrolides in human and veterinary medicine with a focus toward veterinary macrolides but including important and relevant evidence from the human literature. The complete story for these complex and important molecules is continuing to be written.

Fruits of Hippophaë rhamnoides in human leukocytes and Caco-2 cell monolayer models—A question about their preventive role in lipopolysaccharide leakage and cytokine secretion in endotoxemia

Preparations from Hippophaë rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) have been traditionally used in the treatment of skin and digestive disorders, such as gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, uterine erosions, as well as oral, rectal, and vaginal mucositis, in particular in the Himalayan and Eurasian regions. An influence of an aqueous extract from the fruits of H. rhamnoides (HR) on leakage of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli through gut epithelium developed from the human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) monolayer in vitro and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) translocation were the principal objectives of the study. Additionally, the effect of HR on the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukins: IL-8, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-6; tumor necrosis factor: TNF-α) by the Caco-2 cell line, human neutrophils (PMN), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was evaluated. The concentration of LPS on the apical and basolateral sides of the Caco-2 monolayer was evaluated with a Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay. GLUT2 translocation was evaluated using an immunostaining assay, whereas secretion of cytokines by cell cultures was established with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay. HR (500 μg/ml) significantly inhibited LPS leakage through epithelial monolayer in vitro in comparison with non-treated control. The treatment of Caco-2 cells with HR (50–100 μg/ml) showed GLUT2 expression similar to the non-treated control. HR decreased the secretion of most pro-inflammatory cytokines in all tested models. HR might prevent low-grade chronic inflammation caused by metabolic endotoxemia through the prevention of the absorption of LPS and decrease of chemotactic factors released by immune and epithelial cells, which support its use in metabolic disorders in traditional medicine.

Immunomodulation of MiRNA-223-based nanoplatform for targeted therapy in retinopathy of prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is characterized by pathological angiogenesis and associated inflammation in the retina and is the leading cause of childhood blindness. MiRNA-223 (miR-223) drives microglial polarization toward the anti-inflammatory phenotype and offers a therapeutic approach to suppress inflammation and consequently pathological neovascularization. However, miRNA-based therapy is hindered by the low stability and non-specific cell-targeting ability of delivery systems. In the present study, we developed folic acid-chitosan (FA-CS)-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (PMSN) loaded with miR-223 to regulate retinal microglial polarization. The FA-CS/PMSN/miR-223 nanoparticles exhibited high stability and loading efficiency, achieved targeted delivery, and successfully escaped from lysosomes. In cultured microglial cells, treatment with FA-CS/PMSN/miR-223 nanoparticles upregulated the anti-inflammatory gene YM1/2 and IL-4RA, and downregulated the proinflammatory genes iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6. Notably, in a mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy model of ROP, intravitreally injected FA-CS/PMSN/miR-223 nanoparticles (1 μg) decreased the retinal neovascular area by 52.6%. This protective effect was associated with the reduced and increased levels of pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) cytokines, respectively. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that FA-CS/PMSN/miR-223 nanoparticles provide an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ROP by modulating the miR-223-mediated microglial polarization to the M2 phenotype.

Effects of neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 and nanoparticle surface modification on microglia

Microelectrode arrays for neural recording suffer from low yield and stability partly due to the inflammatory host responses. A neuronal cell adhesion molecule L1 coating has been shown to promote electrode-neuron integration, reduce microglia activation and improve recording. Coupling L1 to surface via a nanoparticle (NP) base layer further increased the protein surface density and stability. However, the exact L1-microglia interaction in these coatings has not been studied. Here we cultured primary microglia on L1 modified surfaces (with and without NP) and characterized microglia activation upon phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Results showed L1 coatings reduced microglia's superoxide production in response to PMA and presented intrinsic antioxidant properties. Meanwhile, L1 decreased iNOS, NO, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha, IL-6, IL-1 beta), while increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGF beta 1, IL-10) in LPS stimulated microglia. Furthermore, L1 increased Arg-1 expression and phagocytosis upon LPS stimulation. Rougher NP surface showed lower number of microglia attached per area than their smooth counterpart, lower IL-6 release and superoxide production, and higher intrinsic reducing potential. Finally, we examined the effect of L1 and nanoparticle modifications on microglia response in vivo over 8 weeks with 2-photon imaging. Microglial coverage on the implant surface was found to be lower on the L1 modified substrates relative to unmodified, consistent with the in vitro observation. Our results indicate L1 significantly reduces superoxide production and inflammatory response of microglia and promotes wound healing, while L1 immobilization via a nanoparticle base layer brings added benefit without adverse effects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Surface modification of microelectrode arrays with L1 has been shown to reduce microglia coverage on neural probe surface in vivo and improves neural recording, but the specific mechanism of action is not fully understood. The results in this study show that surface bound L1 reduces superoxide production from cultured microglia via direct reduction reaction and signaling pathways, increases anti-inflammatory cytokine release and phagocytosis in response to PMA or LPS stimulation. Additionally, roughening the surface with nanoparticles prior to L1 immobilization further increased the benefit of L1 in reducing microglia activation and oxidative stress. Together, our findings shed light on the mechanisms of action of nanotextured and neuroadhesive neural implant coatings and guide future development of seamless tissue interface.

Microfluidic system for immune cell activation and inflammatory cytokine profiling: Application to screening of dietary supplements for anti-inflammatory properties

A versatile and reconfigurable microfluidic chip has been fully in-house fabricated and tested for immune cell culture, activation, and quantification of multi-cytokine secretion. The chip comprises three vertically stacked fluidic layers for perfusion, cell culture and cytokine capture, and quantification, respectively. The perfused media were separated from the cell culture by employing a biomimetic membrane as a model of the intestinal epithelial layer. Time-resolved detection and quantification of several secreted cytokines were enabled by an array of parallel channels, which are interfaced with the cell culture by a porous membrane. Each channel hosts magnetic beads conjugated with a specific antibody against the cytokine of interest. Magnetic bead-assisted agitation enables homogenization of the cell culture supernatant and perfusion of the cytokines through the bottom immune assay channels. As a proof of concept, THP-1 monocytic cells and their induced macrophages were used as a model of immune-responsive cells. The cells were sequentially stimulated by lipopolysaccharides and two dietary supplements, namely, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and curcumin, which are known to possess inflammasome-modulating activity. Both DHA and curcumin have shown anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating the secretion of TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-10. Treatment of the cells with DHA and curcumin together lowered the TNFα secretion by ∼54%. IL-6 secretion was lowered upon cell treatment with curcumin, DHA, or DHA and curcumin co-treatment by 69%, 78%, or 67%, respectively. IL-1β secretion was lowered by 67% upon curcumin treatment and 70% upon curcumin and DHA co-treatment. IL-10 secretion was also lowered upon treating the cells with DHA, curcumin, or DHA and curcumin together by 7%, 53%, or 54%, respectively. The limit of the detection of the assay was determined as 25 pg/ml. Four cytokine profiling was demonstrated, but the design of the chip can be improved to allow a larger number of cytokines to be simultaneously detected from the same set of cells.

Temporal Changes in Subcutaneous Fibrosis in Patients with Lower Extremity Lymphedema Following Surgery for Gynecologic Cancer: A Computed Tomography-Based Quantitative Analysis

Lymphedema causes inflammation, which provokes fibrosis within the epifascial tissue. Temporal change in fibrosis according to severity of the lymphedema has not been widely investigated. We aimed to study the quantitative changes in epifascial fibrosis during lymphedema treatment using computed tomography (CT). Forty-five patients (mean age: 57.75 ± 11.12 years) who developed lymphedema following gynecologic surgery were included in this retrospective study. Two weeks of complete decongestive therapy and continued self-bandaging or compression garments were prescribed under regular follow-up monitoring. Lower-extremity epifascial fibrosis was quantitatively analyzed on the initial and follow-up CT scans. Circumference, skin fibrosis, subcutaneous tissue, and fibrosis ratio were calculated in the axial scan. Based on the change in lymphedema severity, we divided subjects into ‘improved’ and ‘aggravated’ groups. The affected lower extremities showed higher circumference, more skin fibrosis and subcutaneous tissue, and higher fibrosis ratio than the unaffected sides on initial CT scan. At follow-up, compared to the aggravated group, the improved group showed significant decreases in fibrosis of skin and subcutaneous tissue and fibrosis ratio. Subcutaneous fibrosis was reversible with volume resolution of lymphedema. Therapeutic approaches should be established on the basis of the reversible nature of fibrotic changes in patients with lower extremity lymphedema.

IFN-γ and LPS Induce Synergistic Expression of CCL2 in Monocytic Cells via H3K27 Acetylation

Background

Overexpression of CCL2 (MCP-1) has been implicated in pathogenesis of metabolic conditions, such as obesity and T2D. However, the mechanisms leading to increased CCL2 expression in obesity are not fully understood. Since both IFN-γ and LPS levels are found to be elevated in obesity and shown to be involved in the regulation of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance, we investigated whether these two agents could synergistically trigger the expression of CCL2 in obesity.

Methods

Monocytes (Human monocytic THP-1 cells) were stimulated with IFN-γ and LPS. CCL2 gene expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR. CCL2 protein was determined by ELISA. Signaling pathways were identified by using epigenetic inhibitors and STAT1 siRNA. Acetylation of H3K27 was analyzed by Western blotting. The acetylation level of histone H3K27 in the transcriptional initiation region of CCL2 gene was determined by ChIP-qPCR.

Results

Our results show that the co-incubation of THP-1 monocytes with IFN-γ and LPS significantly enhanced the expression of CCL2, compared to treatment with IFN-γ or LPS alone. Similar results were obtained using primary monocytes and macrophages. Interestingly, IFN-γ priming was found to be more effective than LPS priming in inducing synergistic expression of CCL2. Moreover, STAT1 deficiency significantly suppressed this synergy for CCL2 expression. Mechanistically, we showed that IFN-γ priming induced acetylation of lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27ac) in THP-1 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay followed by qRT-PCR revealed increased H3K27ac at the CCL2 promoter proximal region, resulting in stabilized gene expression. Furthermore, inhibition of histone acetylation with anacardic acid suppressed this synergistic response, whereas trichostatin A (TSA) could substitute IFN-γ in this synergy.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that IFN-γ, in combination with LPS, has the potential to augment inflammation via the H3K27ac-mediated induction of CCL2 in monocytic cells in the setting of obesity.

Novel Benzoxazoles Containing 4-Amino-Butanamide Moiety Inhibited LPS-Induced Inflammation by Modulating IL-6 or IL-1β mRNA Expression

LPS induces inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and causes an inflammatory response. The development of small molecules that have suppressive effect on those inflammatory cytokines is a desirable strategy for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. We synthesized 12 novel compounds with 4-amino-N-(4-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-ylamino)phenyl)butanamide moiety and evaluated their biological activities. Among them, 4 compounds (compound 5d, 5c, 5f, 5m and synthetic intermediate 4d) showed potent inhibition activities on IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression in vitro. Further, in vivo activity was evaluated with two compounds (5f and 4d) and mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly decreased without hepatotoxicity. From the in vivo and in vitro test results, we confirmed that our synthesized compounds are effective for suppression of representative inflammatory cytokines.

Identification of galangin as the bioactive compound from Alpinia calcarata (Haw.) Roscoe rhizomes to inhibit IRAK-1/ MAPK/ NF-κB p65 and JAK-1 signaling in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Alpinia calcarata (Haw.) Roscoe rhizomes are used to treat diabetes, rheumatism, gastrointestinal problems, inflammatory diseases, cough and respiratory problems in traditional practices. The primary objective of the study is to identify and isolate anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds from A.calcarata rhizomes and to assess its molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The bioassay-guided fractionation of methanolic extract of A. calcarata rhizomes yielded chloroform fraction as the effective fraction and galangin as the bioactive compound identified by NMR studies. The anti-inflammatory action of galangin was evaluated by determining NO and cytokine production in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further, its mechanism was studied on the expression levels of mRNA and protein targets by qPCR and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Based on the MTT assay, the concentration of 3.1-25 μM of galangin was selected for further studies. Galangin reduced the levels of NO and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) production in LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the qPCR analysis revealed a reduction in the mRNA expression levels of COX-2, IRAK 1 and JAK 1 in galangin treated LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis implicated that galangin has markedly reduced the protein expression levels of cell signaling regulators (JAK-1, IRAK-1, MyD88, MAPK (p38 and ERK) and NF-κB p65).

CONCLUSION

From the results, it is evident that the inhibition of these cell signaling regulators has contributed to the anti-inflammatory effects of galangin. To our knowledge, we are the first to report IRAK-1 and JAK-1 as therapeutic targets of galangin for its anti-inflammatory effect.

Vascular Protective Effect and Its Possible Mechanism of Action on Selected Active Phytocompounds: A Review

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is characterized by an imbalance of vasodilation and vasoconstriction, deficiency of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proinflammatory factors. This dysfunction is a key to the early pathological development of major cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Therefore, modulation of the vascular endothelium is considered an important therapeutic strategy to maintain the health of the cardiovascular system. Epidemiological studies have shown that regular consumption of medicinal plants, fruits, and vegetables promotes vascular health, lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This is mainly attributed to the phytochemical compounds contained in these resources. Various databases, including Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Directory of Open Access Journals, were searched to identify studies demonstrating the vascular protective effects of phytochemical compounds. The literature had revealed abundant data on phytochemical compounds protecting and improving the vascular system. Of the numerous compounds reported, curcumin, resveratrol, cyanidin-3-glucoside, berberine, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and quercetin are discussed in this review to provide recent information on their vascular protective mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Phytochemical compounds are promising therapeutic agents for vascular dysfunction due to their antioxidative mechanisms. However, future human studies will be necessary to confirm the clinical effects of these vascular protective mechanisms.

Deep Eutectic Solvent Formulations and Alginate-Based Hydrogels as a New Partnership for the Transdermal Administration of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

The transdermal administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is a valuable and safer alternative to their oral intake. However, most of these drugs display low water solubility, which makes their incorporation into hydrophilic biopolymeric drug-delivery systems difficult. To overcome this drawback, aqueous solutions of bio-based deep eutectic solvents (DES) were investigated to enhance the solubility of ibuprofen, a widely used NSAID, leading to an increase in its solubility of up to 7917-fold when compared to its water solubility. These DES solutions were shown to be non-toxic to macrophages with cell viabilities of 97.4% (at ibuprofen concentrations of 0.25 mM), while preserving the anti-inflammatory action of the drug. Their incorporation into alginate-based hydrogels resulted in materials with a regular structure and higher flexibility. These hydrogels present a sustained release of the drug, which is able, when containing the DES aqueous solution comprising ibuprofen, to deliver 93.5% of the drug after 8 h in PBS. Furthermore, these hydrogels were able to improve the drug permeation across human skin by 8.5-fold in comparison with the hydrogel counterpart containing only ibuprofen. This work highlights the possibility to remarkably improve the transdermal administration of NSAIDs by combining new drug formulations based on DES and biopolymeric drug delivery systems.

Molecular Targets of Brown Algae Phlorotannins for the Therapy of Inflammatory Processes of Various Origins

Inflammatory reactions are part of a complex biological response that plays a vital role in the appearance of various stimuli resulting from tissue and cell damage, the invasion of pathogenic bacteria, and the formation of the subsequent adaptive immune response. The production of many triggers and mediators of inflammation, which are inducers of pro-inflammatory factors, is controlled by numerous differentiation programs, through which inflammation is resolved and tissue homeostasis is restored. However, prolonged inflammatory responses or dysregulation of pro-inflammatory mechanisms can lead to chronic inflammation. Modern advances in biotechnology have made it possible to characterize the anti-inflammatory activity of phlorotannins, polyphenolic compounds from brown seaweed, and the mechanisms by which they modulate the inflammatory response. The purpose of this review is to analyze and summarize the results of numerous experimental in vitro and in vivo studies, illustrating the regulatory mechanisms of these compounds, which have a wide range of biological effects on the body. The results of these studies and the need for further research are discussed.