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Huang B, Han R, Tan H, Zhu W, Li Y, Jiang F, Xie C, Ren Z, Shi R. Scutellarin ameliorates diabetic nephropathy via TGF-β1 signaling pathway. NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIOPROSPECTING 2024; 14:25. [PMID: 38656633 PMCID: PMC11043297 DOI: 10.1007/s13659-024-00446-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Breviscapine, a natural flavonoid mixture derived from the traditional Chinese herb Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz, has demonstrated a promising potential in improving diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the specific active constituent(s) responsible for its therapeutic effects and the underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of scutellarin, a constituent of breviscapine, on streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy and elucidate its pharmacological mechanism(s). Our findings demonstrate that scutellarin effectively ameliorates various features of DN in vivo, including proteinuria, glomerular expansion, mesangial matrix accumulation, renal fibrosis, and podocyte injury. Mechanistically, scutellarin appears to exert its beneficial effects through modulation of the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathway, as well as its interaction with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and Wnt/β-catenin pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangrui Huang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource (Ministry of Education)Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Han
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Tan
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenzhuo Zhu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Fakun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource (Ministry of Education)Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun Xie
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource (Ministry of Education)Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Zundan Ren
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Rou Shi
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, People's Republic of China.
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Macvanin MT, Rizzo M, Radovanovic J, Sonmez A, Paneni F, Isenovic ER. Role of Chemerin in Cardiovascular Diseases. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10112970. [PMID: 36428537 PMCID: PMC9687862 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Obesity is closely connected to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Excess fat accumulation is associated with metabolic malfunctions that disrupt cardiovascular homeostasis by activating inflammatory processes that recruit immune cells to the site of injury and reduce nitric oxide levels, resulting in increased blood pressure, endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Adipose tissue produces adipokines, such as chemerin, that may alter immune responses, lipid metabolism, vascular homeostasis, and angiogenesis. (2) Methods: We performed PubMed and MEDLINE searches for articles with English abstracts published between 1997 (when the first report on chemerin identification was published) and 2022. The search retrieved original peer-reviewed articles analyzed in the context of the role of chemerin in CVDs, explicitly focusing on the most recent findings published in the past five years. (3) Results: This review summarizes up-to-date findings related to mechanisms of chemerin action, its role in the development and progression of CVDs, and novel strategies for developing chemerin-targeting therapeutic agents for treating CVDs. (4) Conclusions: Extensive evidence points to chemerin's role in vascular inflammation, angiogenesis, and blood pressure modulation, which opens up exciting perspectives for developing chemerin-targeting therapeutic agents for the treatment of CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana T. Macvanin
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Manfredi Rizzo
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMIS), Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA), 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Jelena Radovanovic
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Alper Sonmez
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Gulhane School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara 34668, Turkey
| | - Francesco Paneni
- University Heart Center, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology (CTEC), Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Wagistrasse 12, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Esma R. Isenovic
- Department of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Pohl R, Eichelberger L, Feder S, Haberl EM, Rein-Fischboeck L, McMullen N, Sinal CJ, Bruckmann A, Weiss TS, Beck M, Höring M, Krautbauer S, Liebisch G, Wiest R, Wanninger J, Buechler C. Hepatocyte expressed chemerin-156 does not protect from experimental non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:2059-2071. [PMID: 35449483 PMCID: PMC9237010 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04430-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a rapidly growing liver disease. The chemoattractant chemerin is abundant in hepatocytes, and hepatocyte expressed prochemerin protected from NASH. Prochemerin is inactive and different active isoforms have been described. Here, the effect of hepatocyte expressed muChem-156, a highly active murine chemerin isoform, was studied in the methionine–choline deficient dietary model of NASH. Mice overexpressing muChem-156 had higher hepatic chemerin protein. Serum chemerin levels and the capability of serum to activate the chemerin receptors was unchanged showing that the liver did not release active chemerin. Notably, activation of the chemerin receptors by hepatic vein blood did not increase in parallel to total chemerin protein in patients with liver cirrhosis. In experimental NASH, muChem-156 had no effect on liver lipids. Accordingly, overexpression of active chemerin in hepatocytes or treatment of hepatocytes with recombinant chemerin did not affect cellular triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Importantly, overexpression of muChem-156 in the murine liver did not change the hepatic expression of inflammatory and profibrotic genes. The downstream targets of chemerin such as p38 kinase were neither activated in the liver of muChem-156 producing mice nor in HepG2, Huh7 and Hepa1-6 cells overexpressing this isoform. Recombinant chemerin had no effect on global gene expression of primary human hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells within 24 h of incubation. Phosphorylation of p38 kinase was, however, increased upon short-time incubation of HepG2 cells with chemerin. These findings show that muChem-156 overexpression in hepatocytes does not protect from liver steatosis and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Pohl
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Laura Eichelberger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Feder
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth M Haberl
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Rein-Fischboeck
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nichole McMullen
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Christopher J Sinal
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Astrid Bruckmann
- Biochemistry Center Regensburg (BZR), Laboratory for RNA Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas S Weiss
- Children's University Hospital (KUNO), Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Beck
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Höring
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Krautbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Liebisch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Reiner Wiest
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University Inselspital, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Josef Wanninger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christa Buechler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Chemerin Overexpression in the Liver Protects against Inflammation in Experimental Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10010132. [PMID: 35052810 PMCID: PMC8773259 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is marked by macrophage infiltration and inflammation. Chemerin is a chemoattractant protein and is abundant in hepatocytes. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the role of hepatocyte-produced prochemerin in NASH. Therefore, mice were infected with adeno-associated virus 8 to direct hepatic overexpression of prochemerin in a methionine–choline deficient dietary model of NASH. At the end of the study, hepatic and serum chemerin were higher in the chemerin-expressing mice. These animals had less hepatic oxidative stress, F4/80 and CC-chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) protein, and mRNA levels of inflammatory genes than the respective control animals. In order to identify the underlying mechanisms, prochemerin was expressed in hepatocytes and the hepatic stellate cells, LX-2. Here, chemerin had no effect on cell viability, production of inflammatory, or pro-fibrotic factors. Notably, cultivation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the supernatant of Huh7 cells overexpressing chemerin reduced CCL2, interleukin-6, and osteopontin levels in cell media. CCL2 was also low in RAW264.7 cells exposed to Hepa1–6 cell produced chemerin. In summary, the current study showed that prochemerin overexpression had little effect on hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells. Of note, hepatocyte-produced chemerin deactivated PBMCs and protected against inflammation in experimental NASH.
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Iacob SA, Iacob DG. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in HIV/HBV Patients - a Metabolic Imbalance Aggravated by Antiretroviral Therapy and Perpetuated by the Hepatokine/Adipokine Axis Breakdown. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:814209. [PMID: 35355551 PMCID: PMC8959898 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.814209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome and is one of the most prevalent comorbidities in HIV and HBV infected patients. HIV plays an early and direct role in the development of metabolic syndrome by disrupting the mechanism of adipogenesis and synthesis of adipokines. Adipokines, molecules that regulate the lipid metabolism, also contribute to the progression of NAFLD either directly or via hepatic organokines (hepatokines). Most hepatokines play a direct role in lipid homeostasis and liver inflammation but their role in the evolution of NAFLD is not well defined. The role of HBV in the pathogenesis of NAFLD is controversial. HBV has been previously associated with a decreased level of triglycerides and with a protective role against the development of steatosis and metabolic syndrome. At the same time HBV displays a high fibrogenetic and oncogenetic potential. In the HIV/HBV co-infection, the metabolic changes are initiated by mitochondrial dysfunction as well as by the fatty overload of the liver, two interconnected mechanisms. The evolution of NAFLD is further perpetuated by the inflammatory response to these viral agents and by the variable toxicity of the antiretroviral therapy. The current article discusses the pathogenic changes and the contribution of the hepatokine/adipokine axis in the development of NAFLD as well as the implications of HIV and HBV infection in the breakdown of the hepatokine/adipokine axis and NAFLD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Alexandra Iacob
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Infectious Diseases “Prof. Dr. Matei Bals”, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Diana Gabriela Iacob
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
- *Correspondence: Diana Gabriela Iacob,
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Pratap Verma D, Ansari MM, Verma NK, Saroj J, Akhtar S, Pant G, Mitra K, Singh BN, Ghosh JK. Tandem Repeat of a Short Human Chemerin-Derived Peptide and Its Nontoxic d-Lysine-Containing Enantiomer Display Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial and Antitubercular Activities. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15349-15366. [PMID: 34662112 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
To design novel antimicrobial peptides by utilizing the sequence of the human host defense protein, chemerin, a seven-residue amphipathic stretch located in the amino acid region, 109-115, was identified, which possesses the highest density of hydrophobic and positively charged residues. Although this 7-mer peptide was inactive toward microorganisms, its 14-mer tandem repeat (Chem-KVL) was highly active against different bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain, and slow- and fast-growing mycobacterial species. The selective enantiomeric substitutions of its two l-lysine residues were attempted to confer cell selectivity and proteolytic stability to Chem-KVL. Chem-8dK with a d-lysine replacement in its middle (eighth position) showed the lowest hemolytic activity against human red blood cells among Chem-KVL analogues and maintained high antimicrobial properties. Chem-8dK showed in vivo efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in BALB/c mice and inhibited the development of resistance in this microorganism up to 30 serial passages and growth of intracellular mycobacteria in THP-1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devesh Pratap Verma
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Mohd Mustkim Ansari
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Neeraj Kumar Verma
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Jyotshana Saroj
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Sariyah Akhtar
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Garima Pant
- Electron Microscopy Unit, SAIF &R Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Kalyan Mitra
- Electron Microscopy Unit, SAIF &R Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Bhupendra Narain Singh
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Jimut Kanti Ghosh
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi 110001, India
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Zhu L, Huang J, Wang Y, Yang Z, Chen X. Chemerin causes lipid metabolic imbalance and induces passive lipid accumulation in human hepatoma cell line via the receptor GPR1. Life Sci 2021; 278:119530. [PMID: 33887347 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Chemerin is abundant in patients with high body mass index and metabolic syndrome possibly due to its activation in adipogenesis and glucose intolerance. It has reported that sera chemerin is positively associated with fatty liver with little known underlying mechanisms. Our aim is to study the role of chemerin in hepatic lipid metabolism. MAIN METHODS Oil Red O staining and TG quantitative assay were used to detect intracellular lipid accumulation. PCR, QPCR and western blot were applied to measure lipid metabolism-related genes, CMKLR1, GPR1 and inflammation marker genes. Luciferase reporter assay was employed to uncover the down-regulation of proximate promoter activities of CMKLR1 and GPR1 by SREBP1c. Antibody neutralization assay was used to address the effects of chemerin on hepatic lipid synthesis. KEY FINDINGS Over-expression of chemerin led to passive lipid accumulation, in human hepatoma cell line HepG2. The disable form of chemerin (chemerin 21-158) and active chemerin (chemerin 21-157) performed strongly effects on lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells. Heterologous expression of CMKLR1 or G-protein coupled receptor1 (GPR1) played similar roles in hepatocyte lipid metabolism as chemerin. Chemerin exerted its effects on lipid metabolism via GPR1 in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, free fatty acids and high concentration insulin inhibited chemerin expression. Consistently, the key lipogenic transcription factor Sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c suppressed chemerin mRNA expression and proximate promoter activities of CMKLR1 and GPR1. SIGNIFICANCE It implied the existence of negative feed-back regulation and further confirmed the involvement of chemerin in hepatic lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jianfeng Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Zaiqing Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaodong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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