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Abarova S, Alexova R, Dragomanova S, Solak A, Fagone P, Mangano K, Petralia MC, Nicoletti F, Kalfin R, Tancheva L. Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols from Geranium sanguineum L. in Viral Infections, Including SARS-CoV-2. Biomolecules 2024; 14:130. [PMID: 38275759 PMCID: PMC10812934 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The existing literature supports the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral capacities of the polyphenol extracts derived from Geranium sanguineum L. These extracts exhibit potential in hindering viral replication by inhibiting enzymes like DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase. The antiviral properties of G. sanguineum L. seem to complement its immunomodulatory effects, contributing to infection resolution. While preclinical studies on G. sanguineum L. suggest its potential effectiveness against COVID-19, there is still a lack of clinical evidence. Therefore, the polyphenols extracted from this herb warrant further investigation as a potential alternative for preventing and treating COVID-19 infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silviya Abarova
- Department of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Sofia, Zdrave Str. 2, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Ralitza Alexova
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Sofia, Zdrave Str. 2, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stela Dragomanova
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Varna, Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd 84A, 9002 Varna, Bulgaria;
| | - Ayten Solak
- Institute of Cryobiology and Food Technologies, Cherni Vrah Blvd. 53, 1407 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (R.K.); (L.T.)
- Department of Healthcare, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Ivan Mihailov Str. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (R.K.); (L.T.)
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Guido G, Mangano K, Tancheva L, Kalfin R, Leone GM, Saraceno A, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Petralia MC. Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2187. [PMID: 38137009 PMCID: PMC10743149 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by two neuropathological hallmarks: β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in AD are still elusive, which dampens the possibility of finding new and more effective therapeutic interventions. Current in vitro models are limited in modelling the complexity of AD pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the AD expression signature upon a meta-analysis of multiple human datasets, including different cell populations from various brain regions, and compare cell-specific alterations in AD patients and in vitro models to highlight the appropriateness and the limitations of the currently available models in recapitulating AD pathology. The meta-analysis showed consistent enrichment of the Rho GTPases signaling pathway among different cell populations and in the models. The accuracy of in vitro models was higher for neurons and lowest for astrocytes. Our study underscores the particularly low fidelity in modelling down-regulated genes across all cell populations. The top enriched pathways arising from meta-analysis of human data differ from the enriched pathways arising from the overlap. We hope that our data will prove useful in indicating a starting point in the development of future, more complex, 3D in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Guido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (L.T.); (R.K.)
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (L.T.); (R.K.)
- Department of Healthcare, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Ivan Mihailov Str. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Gian Marco Leone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
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Mangano K, Petralia MC, Bella R, Pennisi M, Muñoz-Valle JF, Hernández-Bello J, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Transcriptional upregulation of galectin-3 in multiple sclerosis. Immunol Res 2023; 71:950-958. [PMID: 37491623 PMCID: PMC10667405 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-023-09408-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of MS are still only partially elucidated. Galectins are a family of β-galactoside-binding lectins that are involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses and have been shown to exert a role in the maintenance of central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. There has been an increasing interest in the role of galectin-3 in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. In the current study, we have evaluated the expression levels of galectin-3 in different cellular populations involved in the etiopathogenesis of MS. We have observed dramatically higher transcriptomic levels of galectin-3 in encephalitogenic CD4+ T cells in a preclinical model of MS, the MOG-induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Also, significantly higher levels of galectin-3 were found in microglial cells, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes isolated from the spinal cord of EAE mice, as well as in human MS-related white matter lesions. Modular co-expression analysis revealed that galectin-3 is co-expressed with genes involved in the regulation of microglia, cytokine production, and chemotaxis. This is the first comprehensive analysis of the expression of galectin-3 in MS, further strengthening its potential pathogenetic role in the etiopathogenesis of this CNS autoimmune disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122, Messina, Italy
| | - Rita Bella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 78, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - José Francisco Muñoz-Valle
- Institute for Research in Biomedical Sciences, University Center for Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Jorge Hernández-Bello
- Institute for Research in Biomedical Sciences, University Center for Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123, Catania, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123, Catania, Italy
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Ralchev Ralchev N, Lyubenova Bradyanova S, Valerieva Doneva Y, Mihaylova N, Vikentieva Elefterova-Florova E, Ivanov Tchorbanov A, Munoz-Valle JF, Petralia MC, Checconi P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Exploring the Role of CD74 and D-Dopachrome Tautomerase in COVID-19: Insights from Transcriptomic and Serum Analyses. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5037. [PMID: 37568438 PMCID: PMC10419634 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12155037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to public health worldwide. While some patients experience only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, others develop severe illness, which can lead to death. The host immune response is believed to play a crucial role in determining disease severity. In this study, we investigated the involvement of CD74 and D-DT in COVID-19 patients with different disease severities, by employing an in silico analysis of a publicly available transcriptomic dataset and by measuring their serum levels by ELISA. Our results showed a significant increase in MIF levels in PBMCs from COVID-19 patients, as well as a significant increase in the D-DT levels in PBMCs. However, we observed no modulation in the serum levels of D-DT. We also observed a concordant reduction in the serum levels and PBMCs expression levels of CD74. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between CD74 serum levels and IL-13. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the involvement of CD74 and D-DT in COVID-19, with potential implications for disease severity and treatment. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying these observations and to explore the potential therapeutic value of targeting CD74 and IL-13 in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Ralchev Ralchev
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | - Yana Valerieva Doneva
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Immunology, Military Medical Academy, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolina Mihaylova
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | - Andrey Ivanov Tchorbanov
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - José Francisco Munoz-Valle
- University Center for Health Science, Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 49000, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Checconi
- Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele University, 20132 Rome, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Fagone P, Piombino E, Mangano K, De Pasquale R, Nicoletti F, Caltabiano R. Evaluation of the Involvement of Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Lesions. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1352. [PMID: 37507892 PMCID: PMC10376595 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the skin, causing red, scaly patches that may be disfiguring and can cause permanent scarring. This study aimed to investigate the potential clinical and therapeutic applications of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) in the context of DLE. Immunohistochemical staining and bioinformatics analysis were performed on skin biopsy samples from DLE patients to examine the levels of HMOX1 and to correlate with markers of inflammation. Our study revealed a negative correlation between HMOX1 levels and the inflammatory status of DLE lesions, as well as an inverse correlation between HMOX1 levels and the infiltration of M1 macrophages and activated mastocytes. These findings suggest that HMOX1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of inflammation in DLE and could be a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for DLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Eliana Piombino
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Rocco De Pasquale
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Rosario Caltabiano
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Alexova R, Alexandrova S, Dragomanova S, Kalfin R, Solak A, Mehan S, Petralia MC, Fagone P, Mangano K, Nicoletti F, Tancheva L. Anti-COVID-19 Potential of Ellagic Acid and Polyphenols of Punica granatum L. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093772. [PMID: 37175181 PMCID: PMC10180134 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a rich source of polyphenols, including ellagitannins and ellagic acid. The plant is used in traditional medicine, and its purified components can provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and support of host defenses during viral infection and recovery from disease. Current data show that pomegranate polyphenol extract and its ellagitannin components and metabolites exert their beneficial effects by controlling immune cell infiltration, regulating the cytokine secretion and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species production, and by modulating the activity of the NFκB pathway. In vitro, pomegranate extracts and ellagitannins interact with and inhibit the infectivity of a range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. In silico docking studies show that ellagitannins bind to several SARS-CoV-2 and human proteins, including a number of proteases. This warrants further exploration of polyphenol-viral and polyphenol-host interactions in in vitro and in vivo studies. Pomegranate extracts, ellagitannins and ellagic acid are promising agents to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus and to restrict the host inflammatory response to viral infections, as well as to supplement the depleted host antioxidant levels during the stage of recovery from COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralitza Alexova
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave Str. 2, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Simona Alexandrova
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stela Dragomanova
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Marin Drinov Str. 55, 9002 Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Healthcare, South-West University "Neofit Rilski", Ivan Mihailov Str. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Ayten Solak
- Institute of Cryobiology and Food Technologies, Cherni Vrah Blvd. 5, 1407 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Department of Pharmacology, Division of Neuroscience, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga 142001, India
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Li Q, He J, Li S, Tian C, Yang J, Yuan H, Lu Y, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Xiang M. The combination of gemcitabine and ginsenoside Rh2 enhances the immune function of dendritic cells against pancreatic cancer via the CARD9-BCL10-MALT1 / NF-κB pathway. Clin Immunol 2023; 248:109217. [PMID: 36581220 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2022.109217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cold tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of pancreatic cancer (PC) with minimal dendritic cell (DC) and T cell infiltration can result in insufficient immunotherapy and chemotherapy. While gemcitabine (GEM) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug for PC, its efficacy is reduced by immunosuppression and drug resistance. Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2) is known to have anti-cancer and immunomodulatory properties. Combining GEM with Rh2 may thus overcome immunosuppression and induce lasting anti-tumor immunity in PC. Here, we showed that after GEM-Rh2 therapy, there was significantly greater tumor infiltration by DCs. Caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9), a central adaptor protein, was strongly up-regulated DCs with GEM-Rh2 therapy and promoted anti-tumor immune responses by DCs. CARD9 was found to be a critical target for Rh2 to enhance DC function. However, GEM-Rh2 treatment did not achieve the substantial anti-PC efficacy in CARD9-/- mice as in WT mice. The adoptive transfer of WT DCs to DC-depleted PC mice treated with GEM-Rh2 elicited strong anti-tumor immune responses, although CARD9-/- DCs were less effective than WT DCs. Our results showed that GEM-Rh2 may reverse cold TIME by enhancing tumor immunogenicity and decreasing the levels of immunosuppressive factors, reactivating DCs via the CARD9-BCL10-MALT1/ NF-κB pathway. Our findings suggest a potentially feasible and safe treatment strategy for PC, with a unique mechanism of action. Thus, Rh2 activation of DCs may remodel the cold TIME and optimize GEM chemotherapy for future therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Jialuo He
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Senlin Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Cheng Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Huimin Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy.
| | - Ming Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.
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Leone GM, Mangano K, Petralia MC, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Past, Present and (Foreseeable) Future of Biological Anti-TNF Alpha Therapy. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12041630. [PMID: 36836166 PMCID: PMC9963154 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12041630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the key role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of immunoinflammatory diseases, TNF-α inhibitors have been successfully developed and used in the clinical treatment of autoimmune disorders. Currently, five anti-TNF-α drugs have been approved: infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, certolizumab pegol and etanercept. Anti-TNF-α biosimilars are also available for clinical use. Here, we will review the historical development as well as the present and potential future applications of anti-TNF-α therapies, which have led to major improvements for patients with several autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), psoriasis (PS) and chronic endogenous uveitis. Other therapeutic areas are under evaluation, including viral infections, e.g., COVID-19, as well as chronic neuropsychiatric disorders and certain forms of cancer. The search for biomarkers able to predict responsiveness to anti-TNF-α drugs is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gian Marco Leone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Aleksandrova S, Alexova R, Dragomanova S, Kalfin R, Nicoletti F, Fagone P, Petralia MC, Mangano K, Tancheva L. Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Punica granatum L. Polyphenols in Neurological Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24031856. [PMID: 36768185 PMCID: PMC9916020 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24031856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a polyphenol-rich food and medicinal plant containing flavonols, anthocyanins, and tannins. Ellagitannins (ETs) are the most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate. A growing body of research shows that polyphenol-rich pomegranate extracts and their metabolites target multiple types of brain cell and support their redox balance, proliferation and survival, as well as cell signaling. Independent studies have demonstrated that the significant neuroprotective effects of ETs are mediated by their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, their chelating properties, by their ability to activate various signaling pathways, as well as the ability to influence mitochondrial damage, thus regulating autophagy, apoptosis and neurotransmitter signaling. The multitude of in vitro and in vivo studies summarized in the present review suggest that pomegranate polyphenols act on both neuronal and glial cells directly, and also affect blood-brain barrier function, restoring redox balance in the blood and brain and increasing blood flow to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Aleksandrova
- Department of Biological Activity of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ralitza Alexova
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Medical University—Sofia, 2 Zdrave St., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stela Dragomanova
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, 9002 Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Department of Biological Activity of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Health Care, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Ivan Mihailov St. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Biological Activity of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Petralia MC, Nicoletti F, Tancheva L, Kalfin R, Fagone P, Mangano K. Gene Co-Expression Network Modular Analysis Reveals Altered Immune Mechanisms in HIV-HAND. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101378. [PMID: 36291312 PMCID: PMC9599201 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the introduction of HAART has completely changed the natural course of HIV infection, the number of chronic forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) has risen. It is estimated that up to half of subjects undergoing HAART therapy exhibit mild cognitive impairments. In the current study, we apply the gene co-expression network modular analysis, a well-established system biology approach, to the gene expression profiles of cases from the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium (NNTC). We observed a negative enrichment for genes associated with the control of immune responses and putatively regulated by the transcription factors IRF8 and SPI1 and by both type I and II interferons. Our study provides evidence of altered immune responses, which are likely associated with the occurrence of HAND in the absence of HIV encephalitis (HIVE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
- Department of Healthcare, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Ivan Mihailov St. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-478-1274
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
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11
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Petralia MC, Mangano K, Quattropani MC, Lenzo V, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Computational Analysis of Pathogenetic Pathways in Alzheimer’s Disease and Prediction of Potential Therapeutic Drugs. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070827. [PMID: 35884634 PMCID: PMC9313152 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease which affects more than 50 million patients and represents 60–80% of all cases of dementia. Mutations in the APP gene, mostly affecting the γ-secretase site of cleavage and presenilin mutations, have been identified in inherited forms of AD. Methods. In the present study, we performed a meta-analysis of the transcriptional signatures that characterize two familial AD mutations (APPV7171F and PSEN1M146V) in order to characterize the common altered biomolecular pathways affected by these mutations. Next, an anti-signature perturbation analysis was performed using the AD meta-signature and the drug meta-signatures obtained from the L1000 database, using cosine similarity as distance metrics. Results. Overall, the meta-analysis identified 1479 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 684 downregulated genes, and 795 upregulated genes. Additionally, we found 14 drugs with a significant anti-similarity to the AD signature, with the top five drugs being naftifine, moricizine, ketoconazole, perindopril, and fexofenadine. Conclusions. This study aimed to integrate the transcriptional profiles associated with common familial AD mutations in neurons in order to characterize the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in AD and to find more effective drugs for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy;
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | | | - Vittorio Lenzo
- Department of Social and Educational Sciences of the Mediterranean Area, University for Foreigners “Dante Alighieri” of Reggio Calabria, 89125 Reggio Calabria, Italy;
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.)
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12
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Basile MS, Cavalli E, McCubrey J, Hernández-Bello J, Muñoz-Valle JF, Fagone P, Nicoletti F. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: A potential pharmacological target in COVID-19. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:848-856. [PMID: 34763066 PMCID: PMC8574122 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a serious threat to global health. The disregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) cell signaling pathway observed in patients with COVID-19 has attracted attention for the possible use of specific inhibitors of this pathway for the treatment of the disease. Here, we review emerging data on the involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and the clinical studies investigating its tailored inhibition in COVID-19. Current in silico, in vitro, and in vivo data convergently support a role for the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in COVID-19 and suggest the use of specific inhibitors of this pathway that, by a combined mechanism entailing downregulation of excessive inflammatory reactions, cell protection, and antiviral effects, could ameliorate the course of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Basile
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - James McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody Medical Sciences Building, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Jorge Hernández-Bello
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud Universidad de Guadalajara, 44340 Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - José Francisco Muñoz-Valle
- University Center for Health Science, Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, University of Guadalajara, Jalisco 49000, Mexico
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy,Corresponding author
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13
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Pesce A, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Feo CV. The Role of KCNMA1 Expression in Digestive Cancers: A Potential Prognostic Biomarker. Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov 2022; 17:324-325. [PMID: 34983352 DOI: 10.2174/1574892817666220104094425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Pesce
- Department of Surgery, AUSL of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Carlo Vittorio Feo
- Department of Surgery, AUSL of Ferrara, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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14
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Rahman MR, Islam T, Shahjaman M, Islam MR, Lombardo SD, Bramanti P, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Tchorbanov A, Fisicaro F, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Pennisi M. Discovering common pathogenetic processes between COVID-19 and diabetes mellitus by differential gene expression pattern analysis. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:bbab262. [PMID: 34260684 PMCID: PMC8344483 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the newly discovered coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Increased severity of COVID-19 has been observed in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to identify common transcriptional signatures, regulators and pathways between COVID-19 and DM. We have integrated human whole-genome transcriptomic datasets from COVID-19 and DM, followed by functional assessment with gene ontology (GO) and pathway analyses. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), among the upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 32 were found to be commonly modulated in COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes (T2D), while 10 DEGs were commonly downregulated. As regards type 1 diabetes (T1D), 21 DEGs were commonly upregulated, and 29 DEGs were commonly downregulated in COVID-19 and T1D. Moreover, 35 DEGs were commonly upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 infected pancreas organoids and T2D islets, while 14 were commonly downregulated. Several GO terms were found in common between COVID-19 and DM. Prediction of the putative transcription factors involved in the upregulation of genes in COVID-19 and DM identified RELA to be implicated in both PBMCs and pancreas. Here, for the first time, we have characterized the biological processes and pathways commonly dysregulated in COVID-19 and DM, which could be in the next future used for the design of personalized treatment of COVID-19 patients suffering from DM as comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezanur Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Khwaja Yunus Ali University, Enayetpur, Sirajganj, Bangladesh
| | - Tania Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
| | - Md Shahjaman
- Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh
| | - Md Rafiqul Islam
- Faculty of Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
| | - Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, AKH BT 25.3, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Andrey Tchorbanov
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Microbiology , Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
- National Institute of Immunology, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Francesco Fisicaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
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15
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Dragomanova S, Miteva S, Nicoletti F, Mangano K, Fagone P, Pricoco S, Staykov H, Tancheva L. Therapeutic Potential of Alpha-Lipoic Acid in Viral Infections, including COVID-19. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:1294. [PMID: 34439542 PMCID: PMC8389191 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10081294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress (OS), resulting from a disrupted balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protective antioxidants, is thought to play an important pathogenetic role in several diseases, including viral infections. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) is one of the most-studied and used natural compounds, as it is endowed with a well-defined antioxidant and immunomodulatory profile. Owing to these properties, LA has been tested in several chronic immunoinflammatory conditions, such as diabetic neuropathy and metabolic syndrome. In addition, a pharmacological antiviral profile of LA is emerging, that has attracted attention on the possible use of this compound for the cotreatment of several viral infections. Here, we will review the emerging literature on the potential use of LA in viral infections, including COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stela Dragomanova
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, 9002 Varna, Bulgaria;
| | - Simona Miteva
- Department of Behavior Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (S.M.); (L.T.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Salvatore Pricoco
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (K.M.); (P.F.); (S.P.)
| | - Hristian Staykov
- Department of Pharmacology and toxicology, Medical University, Sofia, 2, Zdrave Str., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Behavior Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (S.M.); (L.T.)
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16
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Petralia MC, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Bramanti P, Saraceno A, Mangano K, Quattropani MC, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Transcriptomic Data Analysis Reveals a Down-Expression of Galectin-8 in Schizophrenia Hippocampus. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11080973. [PMID: 34439592 PMCID: PMC8392448 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11080973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder with several clinical manifestations that include cognitive dysfunction, decline in motivation, and psychosis. Current standards of care treatment with antipsychotic agents are often ineffective in controlling the disease, as only one-third of SCZ patients respond to medications. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SCZ remain elusive. It is believed that inflammatory processes may play a role as contributing factors to the etiology of SCZ. Galectins are a family of β-galactoside-binding lectins that contribute to the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and previous reports have shown their role in the maintenance of central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis and neuroinflammation. In the current study, we evaluated the expression levels of the galectin gene family in post-mortem samples of the hippocampus, associative striatum, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from SCZ patients. We found a significant downregulation of LGALS8 (Galectin-8) in the hippocampus of SCZ patients as compared to otherwise healthy donors. Interestingly, the reduction of LGALS8 was disease-specific, as no modulation was observed in the hippocampus from bipolar nor major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Prediction analysis identified TBL1XR1, BRF2, and TAF7 as potential transcription factors controlling LGALS8 expression. In addition, MIR3681HG and MIR4296 were negatively correlated with LGALS8 expression, suggesting a role for epigenetics in the regulation of LGALS8 levels. On the other hand, no differences in the methylation levels of LGALS8 were observed between SCZ and matched control hippocampus. Finally, ontology analysis of the genes negatively correlated with LGALS8 expression identified an enrichment of the NGF-stimulated transcription pathway and of the oligodendrocyte differentiation pathway. Our study identified LGALS8 as a disease-specific gene, characterizing SCZ patients, that may in the future be exploited as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (M.C.Q.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- Department of Medicine, University of Salerno, 84084 Salerno, Italy;
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Maria Catena Quattropani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (M.C.Q.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
- Correspondence:
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17
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Lombardo SD, Basile MS, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Arcidiacono A, Mangano K, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. A Network Medicine Approach for Drug Repurposing in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040543. [PMID: 33918694 PMCID: PMC8069953 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive hereditary muscular disease caused by a lack of dystrophin, leading to membrane instability, cell damage, and inflammatory response. However, gene-editing alone is not enough to restore the healthy phenotype and additional treatments are required. In the present study, we have first conducted a meta-analysis of three microarray datasets, GSE38417, GSE3307, and GSE6011, to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between healthy donors and DMD patients. We have then integrated this analysis with the knowledge obtained from DisGeNET and DIAMOnD, a well-known algorithm for drug–gene association discoveries in the human interactome. The data obtained allowed us to identify novel possible target genes and were used to predict potential therapeutical options that could reverse the pathological condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Structural & Computational Biology at the Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Antonio Arcidiacono
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.A.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
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18
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Rahman MR, Islam T, Nicoletti F, Petralia MC, Ciurleo R, Fisicaro F, Pennisi M, Bramanti A, Demirtas TY, Gov E, Islam MR, Mussa BM, Moni MA, Fagone P. Identification of Common Pathogenetic Processes between Schizophrenia and Diabetes Mellitus by Systems Biology Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020237. [PMID: 33562405 PMCID: PMC7916024 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by both positive symptoms (i.e., psychosis) and negative symptoms (such as apathy, anhedonia, and poverty of speech). Epidemiological data show a high likelihood of early onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in SCZ patients. However, the molecular processes that could explain the epidemiological association between SCZ and T2DM have not yet been characterized. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to identify underlying common molecular pathogenetic processes and pathways between SCZ and T2DM. To this aim, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomic data from SCZ and T2DM patients, and we detected 28 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) commonly modulated between SCZ and T2DM. Inflammatory-associated processes and membrane trafficking pathways as common biological processes were found to be in common between SCZ and T2DM. Analysis of the putative transcription factors involved in the regulation of the DEGs revealed that STAT1 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1), RELA (v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (avian)), NFKB1 (Nuclear Factor Kappa B Subunit 1), and ERG (ETS-related gene) are involved in the expression of common DEGs in SCZ and T2DM. In conclusion, we provide core molecular signatures and pathways that are shared between SCZ and T2DM, which may contribute to the epidemiological association between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezanur Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia 7003, Bangladesh;
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Khwaja Yunus Ali University, Enayetpur, Sirajganj 6751, Bangladesh;
| | - Tania Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Khwaja Yunus Ali University, Enayetpur, Sirajganj 6751, Bangladesh;
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Francesco Fisicaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Talip Yasir Demirtas
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana 01250, Turkey; (T.Y.D.); (E.G.)
| | - Esra Gov
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana 01250, Turkey; (T.Y.D.); (E.G.)
| | - Md Rafiqul Islam
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Bashair M. Mussa
- Basic Medical Sciences Department, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- WHO Collaborating Centre on eHealth, UNSW Digital Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
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Donia M, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Andersen RS, Høgdall E, Straten PT, Andersen MH, Svane IM. BRAF inhibition improves tumor recognition by the immune system: Potential implications for combinatorial therapies against melanoma involving adoptive T-cell transfer. Oncoimmunology 2021; 1:1476-1483. [PMID: 23264894 PMCID: PMC3525603 DOI: 10.4161/onci.21940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of the fact that they occur at high rates, the clinical responses of BRAFV600 mutant metastatic melanoma to BRAF inhibitors are usually short-lasting, with most cases progressing within less than 8 mo. Immunomodulatory strategies initiated after progression have recently been reported to be poorly efficient. By characterizing the immunological interactions between T cells and cancer cells in clinical material as well as the influence of the FDA-approved BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib on the immune system, we aimed at unraveling new strategies to expand the efficacy of adoptive T-cell transfer, which represents one of the most promising approaches currently in clinical development for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Here we show that blocking the BRAF-MAPK pathway in BRAF signaling-addicted melanoma cells significantly increases the ability of T cells contained in clinical grade tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to recognize autologous BRAFV600 mutant melanoma cell lines in vitro. Antitumor reactivity was improved regardless of the class of antigen recognized by tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. Microarray data suggests that improved tumor recognition is associated with modified expression of MHC Class I-associated proteins as well as of heat-shock proteins. In conclusion, our preclinical data suggest that an appropriately timed sequential treatment of BRAFV600 mutant melanoma with vemurafenib and adoptive T-cell transfer might result in synergistic antineoplastic effects owing to an increased immunogenicity of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Donia
- Center for Cancer Immune Therapy; Department of Haematology; Copenhagen University Hospital at Herlev; Herlev, Denmark ; Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Catania; Catania, Italy
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20
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Basile MS, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Petralia MC, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Cavalli E. Cognitive Decline in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insight into the Molecular Pathogenetic Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031185. [PMID: 33530359 PMCID: PMC7865873 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline refers to a deterioration of intellectual and learning abilities and related memory problems, and is often associated with behavioral alterations, which prevents sufferers from carrying out the most common daily activities, such as maintaining normal productive interpersonal relationships, communicating, and leading an autonomous life. Numerous studies have highlighted the association between cognitive decline and autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease that involves systems and organs other than the bones and joints, with varying severity among patients. Here, we review the studies investigating the link between cognitive decline and RA, focusing on the main molecular pathogenetic mechanisms involved. The emerging body of data suggests that clinical, psychological, and biological factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of cognitive decline in RA, including cardiovascular complications, chronic pain, depression, inflammatory factors, changes in hormone levels, drug side effects, and genetics. Further studies are warranted in order to fully clarify the basis underlying the association between cognitive decline and RA and to find new possible diagnostic strategies and therapeutic targets for RA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Basile
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.S.B.); (R.C.); (A.B.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (P.F.); (E.C.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (P.F.); (E.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (P.F.); (E.C.)
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21
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Horspool AM, Kieffer T, Russ BP, DeJong MA, Wolf MA, Karakiozis JM, Hickey BJ, Fagone P, Tacker DH, Bevere JR, Martinez I, Barbier M, Perrotta PL, Damron FH. Interplay of Antibody and Cytokine Production Reveals CXCL13 as a Potential Novel Biomarker of Lethal SARS-CoV-2 Infection. mSphere 2021; 6:e01324-20. [PMID: 33472985 PMCID: PMC7845617 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01324-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is impacting the global population. This study was designed to assess the interplay of antibodies with the cytokine response in SARS-CoV-2 patients. We demonstrate that significant levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody to receptor binding domain (RBD), nucleocapsid, and spike S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 develop over the first 10 to 20 days of infection. The majority of patients produced antibodies against all three antigens (219/255 SARS-CoV-2+ patient specimens, 86%), suggesting a broad response to viral proteins. Antibody levels to SARS-CoV-2 antigens were different based on patient mortality, sex, blood type, and age. Analyses of these findings may help explain variation in immunity between these populations. To better understand the systemic immune response, we analyzed the levels of 20 cytokines by SARS-CoV-2 patients throughout infection. Cytokine analysis of SARS-CoV-2+ patients exhibited increases in proinflammatory markers (interleukin 6 [IL-6], IL-8, IL-18, and gamma interferon [IFN-γ]) and chemotactic markers (IP-10 and eotaxin) relative to healthy individuals. Patients who succumbed to infection produced decreased IL-2, IL-4, IL-12, RANTES, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), GRO-α, and MIP-1α relative to patients who survived infection. We also observed that the chemokine CXCL13 was particularly elevated in patients who succumbed to infection. CXCL13 is involved in B cell activation, germinal center development, and antibody maturation, and we observed that CXCL13 levels in blood trended with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Furthermore, patients who succumbed to infection produced high CXCL13 and had a higher ratio of nucleocapsid to RBD antibodies. This study provides insights into SARS-CoV-2 immunity implicating the magnitude and specificity of response in relation to patient outcomes.IMPORTANCE The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is continuing to impact the global population, and knowledge of the immune response to COVID-19 is still developing. This study assesses the interplay of different parts of the immune system during COVID-19 disease. We demonstrate that COVID-19 patients produce antibodies to three proteins of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) and identify many other immunological proteins that are involved during infection. The data suggest that one of these proteins (CXCL13) may be a novel biomarker for severe COVID-19 that can be readily measured in blood. This information combined with our broad-scale analysis of immune activity during COVID-19 provides new information on the immunological response throughout the course of disease and identifies a novel potential marker for assessing disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Horspool
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Theodore Kieffer
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Brynnan P Russ
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Megan A DeJong
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - M Allison Wolf
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Karakiozis
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Brice J Hickey
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Danyel H Tacker
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Justin R Bevere
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Ivan Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- West Virginia University Cancer Institute, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Mariette Barbier
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Peter L Perrotta
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - F Heath Damron
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Vaccine Development Center at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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22
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Caltabiano R, De Pasquale R, Piombino E, Campo G, Nicoletti F, Cavalli E, Mangano K, Fagone P. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and Its Homologue d-Dopachrome Tautomerase (DDT) Inversely Correlate with Inflammation in Discoid Lupus Erythematosus. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26010184. [PMID: 33401503 PMCID: PMC7795694 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26010184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic cutaneous disease of unknown etiology and of immunoinflammatory origin that is characterized by inflammatory plaques and may lead to disfiguring scarring and skin atrophy. Current treatments are limited, with a large proportion of patients either poorly or not responsive, which makes DLE an unmet medical need. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is the prototype of a pleiotropic family of cytokine that also includes the recently discovered homologue D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT) or MIF2. MIF and DDT/MIF-2 exert several biological properties, primarily, but not exclusively of a proinflammatory nature. MIF and DDT have been suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, as well as in the development and progression of certain forms of cancers. In the present study, we have performed an immunohistochemistry analysis for the evaluation of MIF in DLE lesions and normal skin. We found high levels of MIF in the basal layer of the epidermis as well as in the cutaneous appendage (eccrine glands and sebocytes) of normal skin. In DLE lesions, we observed a significant negative correlation between the expression of MIF and the severity of inflammation. In addition, we performed an analysis of MIF and DDT expression levels in the skin of DLE patients in a publicly available microarray dataset. Interestingly, while these in silico data only evidenced a trend toward reduced levels of MIF, they demonstrated a significant pattern of expression and correlation of DDT with inflammatory infiltrates in DLE skins. Overall, our data support a protective role for endogenous MIF and possibly DDT in the regulation of homeostasis and inflammation in the skin and open up novel avenues for the treatment of DLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Caltabiano
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; (R.C.); (E.P.)
| | - Rocco De Pasquale
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Eliana Piombino
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; (R.C.); (E.P.)
| | - Giorgia Campo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.C.); (E.C.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.C.); (E.C.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.C.); (E.C.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.C.); (E.C.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.C.); (E.C.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
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23
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Schumann S, Kaiser A, Nicoletti F, Mangano K, Fagone P, van Wijk E, Yan Y, Schulz P, Ludescher B, Niedermaier M, von Wegerer J, Rauch P, Setz C, Schubert U, Brysch W. Immune-Modulating Drug MP1032 with SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral Activity In Vitro: A potential Multi-Target Approach for Prevention and Early Intervention Treatment of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8803. [PMID: 33233817 PMCID: PMC7699954 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
At least since March 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the multi-organ coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are keeping a firm grip on the world. Although most cases are mild, older patients and those with co-morbidities are at increased risk of developing a cytokine storm, characterized by a systemic inflammatory response leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome and organ failure. The present paper focuses on the small molecule MP1032, describes its mode of action, and gives rationale why it is a promising option for the prevention/treatment of the SARS-CoV-2-induced cytokine storm. MP1032 is a phase-pure anhydrous polymorph of 5-amino-2,3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazinedione sodium salt that exhibits good stability and bioavailability. The physiological action of MP1032 is based on a multi-target mechanism including localized, self-limiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities that were demonstrated in a model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced joint inflammation. Furthermore, its immune-regulatory and PARP-1-modulating properties, coupled with antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2, have been demonstrated in various cell models. Preclinical efficacy was elucidated in LPS-induced endotoxemia, a model with heightened innate immune responses that shares many similarities to COVID-19. So far, during oral clinical development with three-month daily administrations, no serious adverse drug reactions occurred, highlighting the outstanding safety profile of MP1032.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Schumann
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Astrid Kaiser
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.N.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.N.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (F.N.); (K.M.); (P.F.)
| | - Eduard van Wijk
- Meluna Research, Department of Biophotonics, Koppelsedijk 1A, 4191 LC Geldermalsen, The Netherlands; (E.v.W.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Yu Yan
- Meluna Research, Department of Biophotonics, Koppelsedijk 1A, 4191 LC Geldermalsen, The Netherlands; (E.v.W.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Petra Schulz
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Beate Ludescher
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Michael Niedermaier
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Joerg von Wegerer
- MetrioPharm Deutschland GmbH, Am Borsigturm 100, 13507 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (P.S.); (B.L.); (M.N.); (J.v.W.)
| | - Pia Rauch
- Institute of Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (P.R.); (C.S.); (U.S.)
| | - Christian Setz
- Institute of Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (P.R.); (C.S.); (U.S.)
| | - Ulrich Schubert
- Institute of Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (P.R.); (C.S.); (U.S.)
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24
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Lombardo SD, Bramanti A, Ciurleo R, Basile MS, Pennisi M, Bella R, Mangano K, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Profiling of inhibitory immune checkpoints in glioblastoma: Potential pathogenetic players. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:332. [PMID: 33123243 PMCID: PMC7583708 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.12195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) represents the most frequent glial tumor, with almost 3 new cases per 100,000 people per year. Despite treatment, the prognosis for GBM patients remains extremely poor, with a median survival of 14.6 months, and a 5-year survival less than 5%. It is generally believed that GBM creates a highly immunosuppressive microenvironment, sustained by the expression of immune-regulatory factors, including inhibitory immune checkpoints, on both infiltrating cells and tumor cells. However, the trials assessing the efficacy of current immune checkpoint inhibitors in GBM are still disappointing. In the present study, the expression levels of several inhibitory immune checkpoints in GBM (CD276, VTCN1, CD47, PVR, TNFRSF14, CD200, LGALS9, NECTIN2 and CD48) were characterized in order to evaluate their potential as prognostic and eventually, therapeutic targets. Among the investigated immune checkpoints, TNFRSF14 and NECTIN2 were identified as the most promising targets in GBM. In particular, a higher TNFRSF14 expression was associated with worse overall survival and disease-free survival, and with a lower Th1 response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Rita Bella
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
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25
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Cavalli E, Petralia MC, Basile MS, Bramanti A, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Spandidos DA, Shoenfeld Y, Fagone P. Transcriptomic analysis of COVID‑19 lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples reveals predominant B cell activation responses to infection. Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:1266-1273. [PMID: 32945352 PMCID: PMC7447313 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus disease (named, COVID‑19), caused by the novel SARS‑CoV‑2 virus, represents a worldwide severe threat to public health. It is of the utmost importance to characterize the immune responses against the SARS‑CoV‑2 and the mechanisms of hyperinflammation, in order to design better therapeutic strategies for COVID‑19. In the present study, a transcriptomic analysis was performed to profile the immune signatures in lung and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from COVID‑19 patients and controls. Our data concordantly revealed increased humoral responses to infection. The elucidation of the host responses to SARS‑CoV‑2 infection may further improve our understanding of COVID‑19 pathogenesis and suggest better therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Yehuda Shoenfeld
- Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center (Affiliated to Tel-Aviv University), Tel-Hashomer 5265601, Israel
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146 Moscow, Russia
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania
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26
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Pesce A, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Armeli Iapichino EC, Petralia MC, Magro GG, Fagone P, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Mangano K. Effects of Combined Admistration of Imatinib and Sorafenib in a Murine Model of Liver Fibrosis. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25184310. [PMID: 32962198 PMCID: PMC7571085 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is defined as excessive extracellular matrix deposition in the hepatic parenchyma as a consequence of complex interactions among matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and liver-resident and infiltrating cells. In addition to the liver, the process of fibrosis may represent end-stage disease of several diseases including kidneys, lungs, spleens, heart, muscles and at certain extent, the central nervous system and the peripheral nerves. To date, antifibrotic treatment of fibrosis represents an unconquered area for drug development. The aim of the present study was to test the efficacy of a new drug combination for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in order to provide a proof-of-concept for the use of therapeutic agents in clinical practice. For this purpose, we have studied the effects of the PDGF inhibitor imatinib and the angiogenesis inhibitor sorafenib, administered alone or in combination, in reducing the progression of the fibrogenetic process in a pre-clinical model of liver damage induced in mice by repeated administration of Concanavalin A (ConA), resembling long-tern autoimmune hepatitis. Our results suggest that treatments with imatinib and sorafenib can modulate potently and, in a superimposable fashion, the fibrinogenic process when administered alone. However, and in agreement with the computational data presently generated, they only exert partial overlapping antifibrotic effects in modulating the main pathways involved in the process of liver fibrosis, without significant additive or synergist effects, when administered in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Pesce
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.M.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | | | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.P.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Gaetano Giuseppe Magro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.M.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.P.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (A.B.); (P.B.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.P.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.C.P.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
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Lazarević M, Battaglia G, Jevtić B, Đedović N, Bruno V, Cavalli E, Miljković Đ, Nicoletti F, Momčilović M, Fagone P. Upregulation of Tolerogenic Pathways by the Hydrogen Sulfide Donor GYY4137 and Impaired Expression of H 2S-Producing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:E608. [PMID: 32664399 PMCID: PMC7402185 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9070608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro effects of the slow-releasing H2S donor GYY4137 on the immune cells involved in the pathogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis (MS). GYY4137 specifically potentiated TGF-β expression and production in dendritic cells and significantly reduced IFN-γ and IL-17 production in the lymph node and spinal cord T cells obtained from mice immunized with CNS antigens. Both the proportion of FoxP3+ regulatory CD4+ T cells in the lymph node cells, and the percentage of IL-17+ CD4+ T cells in the spinal cord cells were reduced upon culturing with GYY4137. Interestingly, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from the MS patients had a lower expression of the H2S-producing enzyme, 3-mercaptopyruvate-sulfurtransferase (MPST), in comparison to those obtained from healthy donors. A significant inverse correlation between the expression of MPST and several pro-inflammatory factors was also observed. Further studies on the relevance of the observed results for the pathogenesis and therapy of MS are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Lazarević
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Piazzale A. Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Bojan Jevtić
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Neda Đedović
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Valeria Bruno
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Piazzale A. Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Đorđe Miljković
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Miljana Momčilović
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Cavalli E, Bramanti A, Ciurleo R, Tchorbanov AI, Giordano A, Fagone P, Belizna C, Bramanti P, Shoenfeld Y, Nicoletti F. Entangling COVID-19 associated thrombosis into a secondary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: Diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives (Review). Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:903-912. [PMID: 32588061 PMCID: PMC7388827 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel β coronavirus that is the etiological agent of the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that at the time of writing (June 16, 2020) has infected almost 6 million people with some 450,000 deaths. These numbers are still rising daily. Most (some 80%) cases of COVID-19 infection are asymptomatic, a substantial number of cases (15%) require hospitalization and an additional fraction of patients (5%) need recovery in intensive care units. Mortality for COVID-19 infection appears to occur globally between 0.1 and 0.5% of infected patients although the frequency of lethality is significantly augmented in the elderly and in patients with other comorbidities. The development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and episodes of thromboembolism that may lead to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) represent the primary causes of lethality during COVID-19 infection. Increasing evidence suggests that thrombotic diathesis is due to multiple derangements of the coagulation system including marked elevation of D-dimer that correlate negatively with survival. We propose here that the thromboembolic events and eventually the development of DIC provoked by SARS-CoV-2 infection may represent a secondary anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). We will apply both Baconian inductivism and Cartesian deductivism to prove that secondary APS is likely responsible for coagulopathy during the course of COVID-19 infection. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of this are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino‑Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Andrey I Tchorbanov
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Belizna
- Vascular and Coagulation Department, University Hospital Angers, 49000 Angers, France
| | | | - Yehuda Shoenfeld
- Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Affiliated to Tel‑Aviv University, Ramat Gan 5265601, Israel
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
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29
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Petralia MC, Ciurleo R, Saraceno A, Pennisi M, Basile MS, Fagone P, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Cavalli E. Meta-Analysis of Transcriptomic Data of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex and of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Identifies Altered Pathways in Schizophrenia. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11040390. [PMID: 32260267 PMCID: PMC7230488 DOI: 10.3390/genes11040390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by both positive and negative symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction, decline in motivation, delusion and hallucinations. Antipsychotic agents are currently the standard of care treatment for SCZ. However, only about one-third of SCZ patients respond to antipsychotic medications. In the current study, we have performed a meta-analysis of publicly available whole-genome expression datasets on Brodmann area 46 of the brain dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in order to prioritize potential pathways underlying SCZ pathology. Moreover, we have evaluated whether the differentially expressed genes in SCZ belong to specific subsets of cell types. Finally, a cross-tissue comparison at both the gene and functional level was performed by analyzing the transcriptomic pattern of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of SCZ patients. Our study identified a robust disease-specific set of dysfunctional biological pathways characterizing SCZ patients that could in the future be exploited as potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-4781284
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (M.P.); (M.S.B.); (F.N.); (E.C.)
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30
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Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Fagone P, Basile MS, Lenzo V, Quattropani MC, Di Nuovo S, Bendtzen K, Nicoletti F. The cytokine network in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder. Close to translation? Autoimmun Rev 2020; 19:102504. [PMID: 32173514 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common condition that afflicts the general population across a broad spectrum of ages and social backgrounds. MDD has been identified by the World Health Organization as a leading cause of disability worldwide. Approximately 30% of patients are poor responsive to standard of care (SOC) treatment and novel therapeutic approaches are warranted. Since chronic inflammation, as it is often observed in certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, psoriasis and chronic arthritis, are accompanied by depression, it has been suggested that immunoinflammatory processes may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDD. Cytokines are a group of glycoproteins secreted from lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells that orchestrate immune responses. It has been suggested that a dysregulated production of cytokines may be implicated in the pathogenesis and maintenance of MDD. On the basis of their functions, cytokines can be subdivided in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Since abnormal blood and cerebrospinal fluid of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines are altered in MDD, it has been suggested that abnormal cytokine homeostasis may be implicated in the pathogenesis of MDD and possibly to induction of therapeutic resistance. We review current data that indicate that cytokines may represent a useful tool to identify MDD patients that may benefit from tailored immunotherapeutic approaches and may represent a potential tailored therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lenzo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Santo Di Nuovo
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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31
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Cavalli E, Battaglia G, Basile MS, Bruno V, Petralia MC, Lombardo SD, Pennisi M, Kalfin R, Tancheva L, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Mangano K. Exploratory Analysis of iPSCS-Derived Neuronal Cells as Predictors of Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer Disease. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10030166. [PMID: 32183090 PMCID: PMC7139610 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10030166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents the most common neurodegenerative disorder, with 47 million affected people worldwide. Current treatment strategies are aimed at reducing the symptoms and do slow down the progression of the disease, but inevitably fail in the long-term. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neuronal cells from AD patients have proven to be a reliable model for AD pathogenesis. Here, we have conducted an in silico analysis aimed at identifying pathogenic gene-expression profiles and novel drug candidates. The GSE117589 microarray dataset was used for the identification of Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) between iPSC-derived neuronal progenitor (NP) cells and neurons from AD patients and healthy donors. The Discriminant Analysis Module (DAM) algorithm was used for the identification of biomarkers of disease. Drugs with anti-signature gene perturbation profiles were identified using the L1000FWD software. DAM analysis was used to identify a list of potential biomarkers among the DEGs, able to discriminate AD patients from healthy people. Finally, anti-signature perturbation analysis identified potential anti-AD drugs. This study set the basis for the investigation of potential novel pharmacological strategies for AD. Furthermore, a subset of genes for the early diagnosis of AD is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Battaglia
- University Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro, 5, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.B.); (V.B.)
- IRCCS Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
| | - Valeria Bruno
- University Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro, 5, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.B.); (V.B.)
- IRCCS Neuromed, Località Camerelle, 86077 Pozzilli (IS), Italy
| | | | - Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (R.K.); (L.T.)
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (R.K.); (L.T.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-478-1284
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (E.C.); (M.S.B.); (S.D.L.); (M.P.); (F.N.); (K.M.)
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32
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Mangano K, Lanteri R, Basile MS, Bellavia N, Latino R, Messina D, Fagone P, Colletti G, Nania R, Caltabiano R, Di Marco R, Di Cataldo A. Effects of GIT-27NO, a NO-donating compound, on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2020; 33:2058738419862736. [PMID: 31298048 PMCID: PMC6628530 DOI: 10.1177/2058738419862736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is a clinical condition that may lead
to cellular injury and organ dysfunction that can be observed in different
conditions, such as trauma, shock, liver resection, and transplantation.
Moderate levels of nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelial isoform of the
NO synthase protect against liver IRI. GIT-27NO is a NO-derivative of the
toll-like receptor 4 antagonist VGX-1027 that has been shown to possess both
antineoplastic and immunomodulatory properties in vitro and in vivo. In this
study, we have investigated the effects of this compound in vitro, in a model of
oxidative stress induced in HepG2 cells by hydrogen peroxide
(H2O2), and in vivo, in a rat model of IRI of the
liver. GIT-27NO significantly counteracted the toxic effects induced by the
H2O2 on the HepG2 cells and in vivo, GIT-27NO reduced
the transaminase levels and the histological liver injury by reducing necrotic
areas with preservation of viable tissue. These effects were almost similar to
that of the positive control drug dimethyl fumarate. These data suggest that the
beneficial effect of GIT-27NO in the hepatic IRI can be secondary to
anti-oxidative effects and hepatocyte necrosis reduction probably mediated by NO
release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Mangano
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Raffaele Lanteri
- 2 Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Noemi Bellavia
- 2 Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosalia Latino
- 2 Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Domenico Messina
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Colletti
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Riccardo Nania
- 1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosario Caltabiano
- 3 Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- 4 Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "Vincenzo Tiberio," University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Cataldo
- 2 Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Basile MS, Mazzon E, Mangano K, Pennisi M, Petralia MC, Lombardo SD, Nicoletti F, Fagone P, Cavalli E. Impaired Expression of Tetraspanin 32 (TSPAN32) in Memory T Cells of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10010052. [PMID: 31963428 PMCID: PMC7016636 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10010052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetraspanins are a conserved family of proteins involved in a number of biological processes. We have previously shown that Tetraspanin-32 (TSPAN32) is significantly downregulated upon activation of T helper cells via anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation. On the other hand, TSPAN32 is marginally modulated in activated Treg cells. A role for TSPAN32 in controlling the development of autoimmune responses is consistent with our observation that encephalitogenic T cells from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice exhibit significantly lower levels of TSPAN32 as compared to naïve T cells. In the present study, by making use of ex vivo and in silico analysis, we aimed to better characterize the pathophysiological and diagnostic/prognostic role of TSPAN32 in T cell immunity and in multiple sclerosis (MS). We first show that TSPAN32 is significantly downregulated in memory T cells as compared to naïve T cells, and that it is further diminished upon ex vivo restimulation. Accordingly, following antigenic stimulation, myelin-specific memory T cells from MS patients showed significantly lower expression of TSPAN32 as compared to memory T cells from healthy donors (HD). The expression levels of TSPAN32 was significantly downregulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from drug-naïve MS patients as compared to HD, irrespective of the disease state. Finally, when comparing patients undergoing early relapses in comparison to patients with longer stable disease, moderate but significantly lower levels of TSPAN32 expression were observed in PBMCs from the former group. Our data suggest a role for TSPAN32 in the immune responses underlying the pathophysiology of MS and represent a proof-of-concept for additional studies aiming at dissecting the eventual contribution of TSPAN32 in other autoimmune diseases and its possible use of TSPAN32 as a diagnostic factor and therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.M.); (M.C.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.M.); (M.C.P.); (E.C.)
| | - Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (K.M.); (M.P.); (S.D.L.); (F.N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.M.); (M.C.P.); (E.C.)
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34
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Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Mangano K, Fagone P, Di Marco R, Falzone L, Basile MS, Nicoletti F, Cavalli E. Transcriptomic analysis reveals moderate modulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor superfamily genes in alcohol use disorders. Exp Ther Med 2020; 19:1755-1762. [PMID: 32104230 PMCID: PMC7026954 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.8410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a primary, chronic and relapsing disease of brain reward, motivation and memory, which is associated with several comorbidities, including major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has been revealed that Ibudilast (IBUD), a dual inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-4 and −10 and of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), exerts beneficial effects on AUD in rodent models and human patients. Therefore, IBUD has attracted increasing interest, with research focusing on the elucidation of the pathogenic role of MIF and its homologue, D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), in the pathogenesis and maintenance of AUD. By using DNA microarray analysis, the current study performed a transcriptomic expression analysis of MIF, DDT and their co-receptors, including CD74, C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR)2, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in patients with AUD. The results revealed that the transcriptomic levels of MIF, DDT and their receptors were superimposable in the prefrontal cortex of rodents and patients with AUD and human patients. Furthermore, peripheral blood cells from heavy drinkers exhibited a moderate increase in MIF and DDT levels, both at the baseline and following exposure to alcohol-associated cues, based on individual situations that included alcohol-related stimuli resulting in subsequent alcohol use (buying alcohol and being at a bar, watching others drink alcohol). Considering the overlapping effects of MIF and DDT, the inverse Fisher's χ2 test was performed on unadjusted P-values to evaluate the combined effect of MIF and DDT. The results revealed a significant increase in these cytokines in heavy drinkers compared with controls (moderate drinkers). To the best of our knowledge, the present study demonstrated for the first time that MIF and DDT expression was upregulated in the blood of patients with AUD. These results therefore warrant further study to evaluate the role of MIF and DDT in the development and maintenance of AUD, to evaluate their use as biomarkers to predict the psychotherapeutic and pharmacological response of patients with AUD and for use as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences 'Vincenzo Tiberio', University of Molise, I-86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Luca Falzone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
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Cavalli E, Mazzon E, Basile MS, Mammana S, Pennisi M, Fagone P, Kalfin R, Martinovic V, Ivanovic J, Andabaka M, Mesaros S, Pekmezovic T, Drulovic J, Nicoletti F, Petralia MC. In Silico and In Vivo Analysis of IL37 in Multiple Sclerosis Reveals Its Probable Homeostatic Role on the Clinical Activity, Disability, and Treatment with Fingolimod. Molecules 2019; 25:molecules25010020. [PMID: 31861585 PMCID: PMC6982851 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the in silico expression and circulating levels of interleukin (IL)37 in patients with different forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and also upon treatment with different disease-modifying drugs. The combined interpretation of the resulting data strengthens and extends the current emerging concept that endogenous IL37 plays an important role in determining onset and progression of MS. The in silico analysis revealed that production of IL37 from cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells from MS patients was reduced in vitro as compared to healthy controls. The analysis of the datasets also demonstrated that “higher” levels of IL37 production from PBMC entailed significant protection from MS relapses. In addition, the in vivo part of the study showed that IL37 was selectively augmented in the sera of MS patients during a relapse and that treatment with the high potency disease-modifying drug fingolimod significantly increased the frequency of patients with circulating blood levels of IL37 (6/9, 66%) as compared to patients receiving no treatment (n = 48) or platform therapy (n = 59) who had levels of IL37 below the limit of the sensitivity of the assay. This finding therefore anticipates that fingolimod may at least partially exert its beneficial effects in MS by upregulating the production of IL37.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.C.); (E.M.); (S.M.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.C.); (E.M.); (S.M.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Santa Mammana
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.C.); (E.M.); (S.M.); (M.C.P.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 23 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Vanja Martinovic
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Jovana Ivanovic
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Marko Andabaka
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Sarlota Mesaros
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Tatjana Pekmezovic
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Jelena Drulovic
- Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Subotica 6, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.M.); (J.I.); (M.A.); (S.M.); (T.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-478-1270
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (E.C.); (E.M.); (S.M.); (M.C.P.)
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Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Basile MS, Cutuli M, Di Marco R, Scandurra F, Saraceno A, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Mangano K. Effects of Treatment with the Hypomethylating Agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in Murine Type II Collagen-Induced Arthritis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12040174. [PMID: 31783688 PMCID: PMC6958460 DOI: 10.3390/ph12040174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging role of epigenetics in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has recently attracted much interest on the possible use of epigenetic modulators for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. In particular, we and others have shown that drugs that inhibit DNA methylation, such as azacitidine (AZA) and decitabine (DAC), already used for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, exert powerful beneficial effects in rodent models of type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Guillain Barrè syndrome. Along this line of research, we have presently studied the effects of DAC in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis induced by type II collagen and have demonstrated that DAC administration was associated with a significant amelioration of the clinical condition, along with in vivo and ex vivo modification of the immunological profile of the so-treated mice, that exhibited a diminished production of Th1 and Th17 pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduction of anti-type II collagen autoantibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (E.M.)
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Marco Cutuli
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.C.); (R.D.M.)
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.C.); (R.D.M.)
| | - Fabiola Scandurra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-478-1270
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (M.S.B.); (F.S.); (A.S.); (P.F.); (K.M.)
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Basile MS, Mazzon E, Fagone P, Longo A, Russo A, Fallico M, Bonfiglio V, Nicoletti F, Avitabile T, Reibaldi M. Immunobiology of Uveal Melanoma: State of the Art and Therapeutic Targets. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1145. [PMID: 31750244 PMCID: PMC6848265 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal Melanoma (UM) represents the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in adults. Although it originates from melanocytes as cutaneous melanoma, it shows significant clinical and biological differences with the latter, including high resistance to immune therapy. Indeed, UM can evade immune surveillance via multiple mechanisms, such as the expression of inhibitory checkpoints (e.g., PD-L1, CD47, CD200) and the production of IDO-1 and soluble FasL, among others. More in-depth understanding of these mechanisms will suggest potential targets for the design of novel and more effective management strategies for UM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Longo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Russo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Matteo Fallico
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Michele Reibaldi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Cavalli E, Mazzon E, Mammana S, Basile MS, Lombardo SD, Mangano K, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P, Petralia MC. Overexpression of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor and Its Homologue D-Dopachrome Tautomerase as Negative Prognostic Factor in Neuroblastoma. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9100284. [PMID: 31635049 PMCID: PMC6826588 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9100284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) represents one of the most frequent pediatric solid tumors. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine exerting multiple biological functions. More recently, a second member of the MIF family of cytokine has been identified, the D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), that exerts several overlapping functions with MIF. Growing evidence suggests a key role for MIF and DDT in the development of cancer. The aim of this study is to characterize the prognostic value of MIF and DDT in NB. We show that higher expression levels of MIF and DDT in Stage 4 NB samples are associated with a poorer prognosis, independently of the presence of MYCN amplification. Moreover, higher levels of MIF are mostly enriched by Th1 cells, while lower levels of MIF are associated with an increased proportion of B cells, Cytotoxic T cells, Dendritic cells and Natural Killer T cells. We also show that treatment with the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, vorinostat, of the NB cell line, SH-SY5Y, determines a significant reduction in the expression of both MIF and DDT. Finally, MIF and DDT inhibition by short interfering RNA is able to revert vincristine sensitivity in vitro. Overall, our data suggest that MIF exert pro-tumorigenic properties in NB, likely by dampening antigen presentation and cytotoxic immune responses, and we propose the HDAC inhibitors as a potential therapeutic strategy for NB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Santa Mammana
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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Cavalli E, Mazzon E, Basile MS, Mangano K, Di Marco R, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P, Petralia MC. Upregulated Expression of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor, Its Analogue D-Dopachrome Tautomerase, and the CD44 Receptor in Peripheral CD4 T Cells from Clinically Isolated Syndrome Patients with Rapid Conversion to Clinical Defined Multiple Sclerosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 55:medicina55100667. [PMID: 31581595 PMCID: PMC6843666 DOI: 10.3390/medicina55100667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background and objectives: Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and D-Dopachrome Tautomerase (DDT) are two pleiotropic and primarily, but not exclusively, proinflammatory cytokines belonging to the MIF family of cytokines that have recently been shown to be implicated in the pathogenesis of progressive forms of human progressive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the experimental model counterpart in rodents. Materials and Methods: We have presently evaluated a transcriptomic analysis of the expression of MIF, DDT, their receptors CD74 and CD44, and MIF co-receptors CXCR2, CXCR4, and CXCR7 in peripheral blood of patients with Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS), with rapid progression to clinical defined MS. Results: Our analysis reveals that MIF, DDT, and CD44 are overexpressed in CD4+ T cells from patients with CIS, as compared to healthy controls. Accordingly, a significant overlap was observed between the genes overexpressed in CD4+ T cells from patients with CIS and the genes belonging to the MIF regulatory network. This upregulated expression appeared to be unique for CD4+ T cells, as other immune cells including CD8+ T cells, B cells, and monocytes from these patients exhibited expression levels of these molecules that were superimposable to those observed in healthy controls. Conclusions: Overall, our data suggest that the overexpression MIF cytokine family signature may occur in CD4+ T cells from patients with CIS, and that this phenomenon may be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease, offering the possibility to represent both a diagnostic marker and a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenio Cavalli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences "Vincenzo Tiberio", University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy.
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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Lombardo SD, Mazzon E, Basile MS, Campo G, Corsico F, Presti M, Bramanti P, Mangano K, Petralia MC, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Modulation of Tetraspanin 32 (TSPAN32) Expression in T Cell-Mediated Immune Responses and in Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184323. [PMID: 31487788 PMCID: PMC6770290 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetraspanins are a conserved family of proteins involved in a number of biological processes including, cell–cell interactions, fertility, cancer metastasis and immune responses. It has previously been shown that TSPAN32 knockout mice have normal hemopoiesis and B-cell responses, but hyperproliferative T cells. Here, we show that TSPAN32 is expressed at higher levels in the lymphoid lineage as compared to myeloid cells. In vitro activation of T helper cells via anti-CD3/CD28 is associated with a significant downregulation of TSPAN32. Interestingly, engagement of CD3 is sufficient to modulate TSPAN32 expression, and its effect is potentiated by costimulation with anti-CD28, but not anti-CTLA4, -ICOS nor -PD1. Accordingly, we measured the transcriptomic levels of TSPAN32 in polarized T cells under Th1 and Th2 conditions and TSPAN32 resulted significantly reduced as compared with unstimulated cells. On the other hand, in Treg cells, TSPAN32 underwent minor changes upon activation. The in vitro data were finally translated into the context of multiple sclerosis (MS). Encephalitogenic T cells from Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG)-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice showed significantly lower levels of TSPAN32 and increased levels of CD9, CD53, CD82 and CD151. Similarly, in vitro-activated circulating CD4 T cells from MS patients showed lower levels of TSPAN32 as compared with cells from healthy donors. Overall, these data suggest an immunoregulatory role for TSPAN32 in T helper immune response and may represent a target of future immunoregulatory therapies for T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giorgia Campo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Federica Corsico
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Presti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Lombardo SD, Presti M, Mangano K, Petralia MC, Basile MS, Libra M, Candido S, Fagone P, Mazzon E, Nicoletti F, Bramanti A. Prediction of PD-L1 Expression in Neuroblastoma via Computational Modeling. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E221. [PMID: 31480495 PMCID: PMC6770763 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9090221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a promising new therapeutic approach for neuroblastoma (NBM): an anti-GD2 vaccine combined with orally administered soluble beta-glucan is undergoing a phase II clinical trial and nivolumab and ipilimumab are being tested in recurrent and refractory tumors. Unfortunately, predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy are currently not available for NBM patients. The aim of this study was to create a computational network model simulating the different intracellular pathways involved in NBM, in order to predict how the tumor phenotype may be influenced to increase the sensitivity to anti-programmed cell death-ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) immunotherapy. The model runs on COPASI software. In order to determine the influence of intracellular signaling pathways on the expression of PD-L1 in NBM, we first developed an integrated network of protein kinase cascades. Michaelis-Menten kinetics were associated to each reaction in order to tailor the different enzymes kinetics, creating a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The data of this study offers a first tool to be considered in the therapeutic management of the NBM patient undergoing immunotherapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvo Danilo Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Presti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS (Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124- Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Massimo Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Saverio Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS (Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124- Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123- Catania, Italy
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS (Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, C.da Casazza, 98124- Messina, Italy
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Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Fagone P, Falzone L, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Basile MS. Retrospective follow-up analysis of the transcriptomic patterns of cytokines, cytokine receptors and chemokines at preconception and during pregnancy, in women with post-partum depression. Exp Ther Med 2019; 18:2055-2062. [PMID: 31410161 PMCID: PMC6676209 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.7774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-partum depression (PPD) occurs in approximately 20% of women usually early following child delivery. PPD represents an important unmet medical need as it is frequently underdiagnosed and, as the neurobiology of the disease is limitedly known, no pathogenic-tailored approach is available and only symptomatic medications are used. In the present study, we carried out a DNA microarray analysis to evaluate the fluctuation of cytokines, cytokine receptors and chemokines during the preconception period, the 1st and 3th trimester of pregnancy and the early post-partum period. The data demonstrated that, as compared to always-depressed patients and euthymic controls, women who developed PPD exhibited significant fluctuations in the levels of different cytokines and cytokine receptors, primarily related to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)18. These data emphasize the role of the immune system in PPD. However, additional studies aimed at evaluating if and how these functional modifications of the immune system during pregnancy are related to the development of PPD warranted to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Luca Falzone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
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Fagone P, Mazzon E, Mammana S, Di Marco R, Spinasanta F, Basile MS, Petralia MC, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Mangano K. Identification of CD4+ T cell biomarkers for predicting the response of patients with relapsing‑remitting multiple sclerosis to natalizumab treatment. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:678-684. [PMID: 31180553 PMCID: PMC6580020 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system of autoimmune etiopathogenesis, and is characterized by various neurological symptoms. Glatiramer acetate and interferon-β are administered as first-line treatments for this disease. In non-responsive patients, several second-line therapies are available, including natalizumab; however, a percentage of MS patients does not respond, or respond partially. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to develop a diagnostic test for the prediction of drug response in patients suffering from complex diseases, such as MS, where several therapeutic options are already available. By a machine learning approach, the UnCorrelated Shrunken Centroid algorithm was applied to identify a subset of genes of CD4+ T cells that may predict the pharmacological response of relapsing-remitting MS patients to natalizumab, before the initiation of therapy. The results from the present study may provide a basis for the design of personalized therapeutic strategies for patients with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino‑Pulejo', I‑98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Santa Mammana
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino‑Pulejo', I‑98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, I‑86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Flaminia Spinasanta
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I‑95123 Catania, Italy
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Nicoletti F, Mazzon E, Fagone P, Mangano K, Mammana S, Cavalli E, Basile MS, Bramanti P, Scalabrino G, Lange A, Curtin F. Prevention of clinical and histological signs of MOG-induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by prolonged treatment with recombinant human EGF. J Neuroimmunol 2019; 332:224-232. [PMID: 31100693 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) represents the prototype of the group I EGF family. The pleiotropic effects of the EGF have attracted attention to the possibility that it could be implicated in autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We show here that treatment with EGF, as a late prophylactic regime, improved the clinical and histological features of EAE, a preclinical model of MS. In silico analysis further corroborated these findings by demonstrating that EGF receptors are less expressed in CNS from patients with MS as compared to controls. Taken together these data provide clear-cut in vivo proof of concept for a beneficial role of exogenously administered EGF in MS, that may, therefore, represent a novel therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.
| | | | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Santa Mammana
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', Messina, Italy
| | | | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Scalabrino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Neuropathology, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Alois Lange
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Francois Curtin
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Geneva, Switzerland
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Shumar SA, Kerr EW, Fagone P, Infante AM, Leonardi R. Overexpression of Nudt7 decreases bile acid levels and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation in the liver. J Lipid Res 2019; 60:1005-1019. [PMID: 30846528 PMCID: PMC6495166 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m092676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid metabolism requires CoA, an essential cofactor found in multiple subcellular compartments, including the peroxisomes. In the liver, CoA levels are dynamically adjusted between the fed and fasted states. Elevated CoA levels in the fasted state are driven by increased synthesis; however, this also correlates with decreased expression of Nudix hydrolase (Nudt)7, the major CoA-degrading enzyme in the liver. Nudt7 resides in the peroxisomes, and we overexpressed this enzyme in mouse livers to determine its effect on the size and composition of the hepatic CoA pool in the fed and fasted states. Nudt7 overexpression did not change total CoA levels, but decreased the concentration of short-chain acyl-CoAs and choloyl-CoA in fasted livers, when endogenous Nudt7 activity was lowest. The effect on these acyl-CoAs correlated with a significant decrease in the hepatic bile acid content and in the rate of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation, as estimated by targeted and untargeted metabolomics, combined with the measurement of fatty acid oxidation in intact hepatocytes. Identification of the CoA species and metabolic pathways affected by the overexpression on Nudt7 in vivo supports the conclusion that the nutritionally driven modulation of Nudt7 activity could contribute to the regulation of the peroxisomal CoA pool and peroxisomal lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Shumar
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Evan W Kerr
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506; Protein Core Facility West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Aniello M Infante
- Genomics Core Facility West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Roberta Leonardi
- Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506.
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Basile MS, Fagone P, Mangano K, Mammana S, Magro G, Salvatorelli L, Li Destri G, La Greca G, Nicoletti F, Puleo S, Pesce A. KCNMA1 Expression is Downregulated in Colorectal Cancer via Epigenetic Mechanisms. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11020245. [PMID: 30791468 PMCID: PMC6406553 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11020245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
KCNMA1 is a gene located at 10q22 that encodes the pore-forming α-subunit of the large-conductance Ca2+-activated K⁺ channel. KCNMA1 is down-regulated in gastric carcinoma tumors, through hypermethylation of its promoter. In the present study, we have evaluated the expression levels of KCNMA1 both in a mouse model of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) and in human CRC samples. Additionally, epigenetic mechanisms of KCNMA1 gene regulation were investigated. We observed a significant down-regulation of KCNMA1 both in a human and mouse model of CRC. No differences in KCNMA1 levels were, however, observed at different TNM stages. We also wanted to determine whether the modulation in KCNMA1 was dependent on epigenetic mechanisms. A statistically significant inverse correlation between KCNMA1 expression and mir-17-5p levels was observed in patients with CRC. Furthermore, in the tumor samples, we found a significant hypermethylation of the promoter, in the loci cg24113782 and cg25655799, compared to healthy tissue. Overall, our data suggest the possible use of KCNMA1 as a therapeutic target in the early stages of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Santa Mammana
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Strada Statale 113, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy.
| | - Gaetano Magro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Lucia Salvatorelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Li Destri
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Gaetano La Greca
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Stefano Puleo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Antonio Pesce
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technology "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 86, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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Mijatović S, Bramanti A, Nicoletti F, Fagone P, Kaluđerović GN, Maksimović-Ivanić D. Naturally occurring compounds in differentiation based therapy of cancer. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:1622-1632. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Hu X, Fagone P, Dong C, Su R, Xu Q, Dinu CZ. Biological Self-Assembly and Recognition Used to Synthesize and Surface Guide Next Generation of Hybrid Materials. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2018; 10:28372-28381. [PMID: 29939708 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b09421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Free-standing, high aspect ratio sulfur-doped carbon nanodot-based hybrid nanowires with a microtubular aspect were synthesized using self-recognition and self-assembly processes of tubulin, a biological molecule precursor of the cytoskeletal microtubule. Physicochemical characterizations (e.g., morphology, diameter, spectral characteristics, etc.) of such user-synthesized hybrid bionanowires were performed using classical atomic and spectroscopic techniques, whereas bioactivity and functionality testing was demonstrated by mimicking cellular transport based on kinesin, a motor protein capable to recognize, and move on the microtubules. Our results indicate that user-synthesized hybrid nanowires could be manipulated in vitro under constant chemical energy of adenosine triphosphate and have the potential to be implemented in the next generation of synthetic applications from drug delivery to diagnosis systems, and photocatalytic to optical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rigu Su
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing , China University of Petroleum (Beijing) , Beijing 102249 , China
| | - Quan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing , China University of Petroleum (Beijing) , Beijing 102249 , China
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Fagone P, Mazzon E, Bramanti P, Bendtzen K, Nicoletti F. Gasotransmitters and the immune system: Mode of action and novel therapeutic targets. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 834:92-102. [PMID: 30016662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Gasotransmitters are a group of gaseous molecules, with pleiotropic biological functions. These molecules include nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and carbon monoxide (CO). Abnormal production and metabolism of these molecules have been observed in several pathological conditions. The understanding of the role of gasotransmitters in the immune system has grown significantly in the past years, and independent studies have shed light on the effect of exogenous and endogenous gasotransmitters on immune responses. Moreover, encouraging results come from the efficacy of NO-, CO- and H2S -donors in preclinical animal models of autoimmune, acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. To date, data on the influence of gasotransmitters in immunity and immunopathology are often scattered and partial, and the scarcity of clinical trials using NO-, CO- and H2S -donors, reveals that more effort is warranted. This review focuses on the role of gasotransmitters in the immune system and covers the evidences on the possible use of gasotransmitters for the treatment of inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Stada Statale 113, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Stada Statale 113, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Klaus Bendtzen
- Institute for Inflammation Research, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
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Presti M, Mazzon E, Basile MS, Petralia MC, Bramanti A, Colletti G, Bramanti P, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Overexpression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and functionally-related genes, D-DT, CD74, CD44, CXCR2 and CXCR4, in glioblastoma. Oncol Lett 2018; 16:2881-2886. [PMID: 30127875 PMCID: PMC6096183 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF) is a cytokine with multiple biological functions, including the cancer-associated processes, cell cycle deregulation, angiogenesis and metastatization. The present study investigated the expression of MIF and its functionally associated genes (D-DT, CD74, CD44, CXCR2 and CXCR4) in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas databank, through the cBioportal web-based utility (cbioportal.org/). A significant increase was observed in the majority of these genes in GBM samples compared with lower grade gliomas, however no significant correlation among the selected genes and the overall survival of the patients was identified. In contrast, the expression of MIF exhibited a trend toward an increase in overall survival and a significant increase of MIF expression was observed in samples of patients who underwent neoadjuvant treatment. In conclusion these data indicate that MIF and its receptors are involved in GBM progression and maintenance. Deciphering the precise biological significance in GBM would favor the adoption of tailored approaches to modulate the function of MIF and its associated genes for the treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Presti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', Messina I-98124, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy.,Department of Formative Processes, University of Catania, Catania I-98124, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Colletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Biological Tower, University of Catania, Catania I-95123, Italy
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