Janus Kinase Inhibition Ameliorates Ischemic Stroke Injury and Neuroinflammation Through Reducing NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation via JAK2/STAT3 Pathway Inhibition

DOCK8 interference alleviates Aβ‑induced damage of BV2 cells by inhibiting STAT3/NLRP3/NF‑κB signaling

Dementia is defined as memory loss and other cognitive decline and it severely influences daily life. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) is reported to be involved in neurological diseases. The present study focused on investigating the role that DOCK8 serves in AD and addressing its hidden regulatory mechanism. Initially, Aβ_1-42 (Aβ) was applied for the administration of BV2 cells. Subsequently, the mRNA and protein expression levels of DOCK8 were evaluated utilizing reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. After the DOCK8 silencing, immunofluorescence staining (IF), ELISA, wound healing and Transwell assays were applied to assess ionized calcium binding adapter molecule-1 (IBA-1) expression, release of inflammatory factors, migration and invasion in Aβ-induced BV2 cells. IF was used to evaluate cluster of differentiation (CD)11b expression. RT-qPCR and western blotting were to analyze the levels of M1 cell markers inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and CD86. The expression of STAT3/NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)/NF-κB signaling-related proteins were determined by western blotting. Finally, the viability and apoptosis in hippocampal HT22 cells with DOCK8 depletion were estimated. Results revealed that Aβ induction greatly stimulated the expression levels of IBA-1 and DOCK8. DOCK8 silencing suppressed Aβ-induced inflammation, migration and invasion of BV2 cells. Additionally, DOCK8 deficiency conspicuously decreased the expression levels of CD11b, iNOS and CD86. The expression of phosphorylated (p-)STAT3, NLRP3, ASC, caspase1 and p-p65 was downregulated in Aβ-induced BV2 cells after DOCK8 depletion. STAT3 activator Colivelin reversed the effects of DOCK8 knockdown on IBA-1 expression, inflammation, migration, invasion and M1 cell polarization. In addition, the viability and apoptosis in hippocampal HT22 cells stimulated by neuroinflammatory release of BV2 cells were repressed following DOCK8 deletion. Collectively, DOCK8 interference alleviated Aβ-induced damage of BV2 cells by inhibiting STAT3/NLRP3/NF-κB signaling.

Neuroprotective Effects of Savinin on LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation In Vivo via Regulating MAPK/NF-κB Pathway and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

The traditional herb Eleutherococcus henryi Oliv. is commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions including rheumatism, arthritis, and hepatitis, as well as mental fatigue and amnesia, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Savinin is a natural lignan obtained from the roots of E. henryi. The present study was undertaken to determine whether savinin can relieve LPS-induced neuroinflammation and if so, what the mechanism is. Groups of male C57BL/6 mice were administered savinin (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) and DEX (10 mg/kg) by gavage once daily for a continuous 7 days. On the 5th day of continuous pre-administration, LPS (2.5 mg/kg) was injected into the lateral ventricles of the mice for modeling 48 h. We found that treatment with savinin decreased the levels of neuroinflammatory cytokines and histopathological alterations dramatically. Consequently, it improved the LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response in mice. Furthermore, savinin inhibited the up-regulated expression of related proteins in the activated MAPK/NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways caused by LPS. Docking studies demonstrated the binding of savinin to three receptors (MAPK, NF-κB and NLRP3) using a well-fitting mode. These findings suggest that savinin may suppress neuroinflammation induced by LPS in vivo via modulating MAPK/NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways.

Suppression of Macrophage Activation by Sodium Danshensu via HIF-1α/STAT3/NLRP3 Pathway Ameliorated Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

It is still a clinical challenge to sustain the remission of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); thus, identifying more effective and safer agents for RA treatment remains an urgent demand. We investigated the anti-arthritic activity and potential mechanism of action of sodium Danshensu (SDSS), a structurally representative water-soluble derivative of Danshen, on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice. Our results showed that paw edema, synovium hyperplasia, bone destruction, and the serum levels of both IL-1β and IL-6 were ameliorated by SDSS (40 mg/kg·d) in CIA mice. In addition, there was no difference between SDSS and methotrexate (MTX, 2 mg/kg·3d) treatment in the above indicators. Further mechanism studies illustrated that SDSS inhibited IL-1β secretion by downregulating the HIF-1α/STAT3/NLRP3 pathway in macrophages. On the other hand, HIF-1α accumulation and HIF-1α/STAT3/NLRP3 pathway activation by IOX4 stimulation reduced the therapeutic effect of SDSS. These findings demonstrate that SDSS displays anti-arthritic activity in CIA mice and prevents proinflammatory cytokines secretion in macrophages by suppressing the HIF-1α/STAT3/NLRP3 pathway.

Gut-brain axis: Mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke through immune functions

After an ischemic stroke (IS) occurs, immune cells begin traveling to the brain and immune system from the gut and gastrointestinal tract, where most of them typically reside. Because the majority of the body's macrophages and more than 70% of the total immune cell pool are typically found within the gut and gastrointestinal tract, inflammation and immune responses in the brain and immune organs require the mobilization of a large number of immune cells. The bidirectional communication pathway between the brain and gut is often referred to as the gut-brain axis. IS usually leads to intestinal motility disorders, dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota, and a leaky gut, which are often associated with poor prognosis in patients with IS. In recent years, several studies have suggested that intestinal inflammation and immune responses play key roles in the development of IS, and thus may become potential therapeutic targets that can drive new therapeutic strategies. However, research on gut inflammation and immune responses after stroke remains in its infancy. A better understanding of gut inflammation and immune responses after stroke may be important for developing effective therapies. This review discusses the immune-related mechanisms of the gut-brain axis after IS and compiles potential therapeutic targets to provide new ideas and strategies for the future effective treatment of IS.

Functional investigation and two-sample Mendelian randomization study of neuropathic pain hub genes obtained by WGCNA analysis

Objective

Neuropathic pain as a complex chronic disease that occurs after neurological injury, however the underlying mechanisms are not clarified in detail, hence therapeutic options are limited. The purpose of this study was to explore potential hub genes for neuropathic pain and evaluate the clinical application of these genes in predicting neuropathic pain.

Methods

Differentially expressed analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to explore new neuropathic pain susceptibility modules and hub genes. KEGG and GO analyses was utilized to explore the potential role of these hub genes. Nomogram model and ROC curves was established to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of hub genes. Additionally, the correlation of IL-2 with immune infiltration was explored. Finally, a Mendelian randomization study was conducted to determine the causal effect of IL-2 on neuropathic pain based on genome-wide association studies.

Results

WGCNA was performed to establish the networks of gene co-expression, screen for the most relevant module, and screen for 440 overlapping WGCNA-derived key genes. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses demonstrated that the key genes were correlated with cytokine receptor binding, chemokine receptor binding, positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway, PI3K-AKT pathway and chemokine pathway. Through Cytoscape software, top ten up-regulated genes with high scores were IL2, SMELL, CCL4, CCR3, CXCL1, CCR1, HGF, CXCL2, GATA3, and CRP. In addition, nomogram model performed well in predicting neuropathic pain risk, and with the ROC curve, the model was showed to be effective in diagnosis. Finally, IL2 was selected and we observed that IL2 was causally associated with immune cell infiltrates in trigeminal neuralgia. In inverse variance weighting, we found that IL2 was associated with the risk of trigeminal neuralgia with an OR of 1.203 (95% CI = 1.004-1.443, p = 0.045).

Conclusion

We constructed a WGCNA-based co-expression network and identified neuropathic pain-related hub genes, which may offer further insight into pre-symptomatic diagnostic approaches and may be useful for the study of molecular mechanisms for understanding neuropathic pain risk genes.

Regulation of microglia related neuroinflammation contributes to the protective effect of Gelsevirine on ischemic stroke

Stroke, especially ischemic stroke, is an important cause of neurological morbidity and mortality worldwide. Growing evidence suggests that the immune system plays an intricate function in the pathophysiology of stroke. Gelsevirine (Gs), an alkaloid from Gelsemium elegans, has been proven to decrease inflammation and neuralgia in osteoarthritis previously, but its role in stroke is unknown. In this study, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice model was used to evaluate the protective effect of Gs on stroke, and the administration of Gs significantly improved infarct volume, Bederson score, neurobiological function, apoptosis of neurons, and inflammation state in vivo. According to the data in vivo and the conditioned medium (CM) stimulated model in vitro, the beneficial effect of Gs came from the downregulation of the over-activity of microglia, such as the generation of inflammatory factors, dysfunction of mitochondria, production of ROS and so on. By RNA-seq analysis and Western-blot analysis, the JAK-STAT signal pathway plays a critical role in the anti-inflammatory effect of Gs. According to the results of molecular docking, inhibition assay, and thermal shift assay, the binding of Gs on JAK2 inhibited the activity of JAK2 which inhibited the over-activity of JAK2 and downregulated the phosphorylation of STAT3. Over-expression of a gain-of-function STAT3 mutation (K392R) abolished the beneficial effects of Gs. So, the downregulation of JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway by Gs contributed to its anti-inflammatory effect on microglia in stroke. Our study revealed that Gs was benefit to stroke treatment by decreasing neuroinflammation in stroke as a potential drug candidate regulating the JAK2-STAT3 signal pathway.

Immune regulation based on sex differences in ischemic stroke pathology

Ischemic stroke is one of the world's leading causes of death and disability. It has been established that gender differences in stroke outcomes prevail, and the immune response after stroke is an important factor affecting patient outcomes. However, gender disparities lead to different immune metabolic tendencies closely related to immune regulation after stroke. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the role and mechanism of immune regulation based on sex differences in ischemic stroke pathology.

Resveratrol suppresses neuroinflammation to alleviate mechanical allodynia by inhibiting Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway in a rat model of spinal cord injury

Background

Neuropathic pain (NP) is one of intractable complications of spinal cord injury (SCI) and lacks effective treatment. Resveratrol (Res) has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects. In this study, we investigated the analgesic effect of Res and its underlying mechanism in a rat model of SCI.

Methods

The rat thoracic (T10) spinal cord contusion injury model was established, and mechanical thresholds were evaluated during an observation period of 21 days. Intrathecal administration with Res (300 μg/10 μl) was performed once a day for 7 days after the operation. On postoperative day 7, the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), the expression of Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway was determined by western blot and RT-qPCR, and the co-labeled phospho-STAT3 (p-STAT3) with neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) were explored by double immunofluorescence staining in the lumbar spinal dorsal horns. The temporal changes of p-STAT3 were investigated by western blot on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days after the operation.

Results

Intrathecal administration with Res for 7 successive days alleviated mechanical allodynia of rats during the observation period. Meanwhile, treatment with Res suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and inhibited the expressions of phospho-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in the lumbar spinal dorsal horns on postoperative day 7. Additionally, the protein expression of p-STAT3 was significantly increased on the 1st day following the operation and remained elevated during the next 21 days, immunofluorescence suggested that the up-regulated p-STAT3 was co-located with glial cells and neurons.

Conclusion

Our current results indicated that intrathecal administration with Res effectively alleviated mechanical allodynia after SCI in rats, and its analgesic mechanism might be to suppress neuroinflammation by partly inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Neutrophil extracellular traps: A novel target for the treatment of stroke

Stroke is a threatening cerebrovascular disease caused by thrombus with high morbidity and mortality rates. Neutrophils are the first to be recruited in the brain after stroke, which aggravate brain injury through multiple mechanisms. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), as a novel regulatory mechanism of neutrophils, can trap bacteria and secret antimicrobial molecules, thereby degrading pathogenic factors and killing bacteria. However, NETs also exacerbate certain non-infectious diseases by activating autoimmune or inflammatory responses. NETs have been found to play important roles in the pathological process of stroke in recent years. In this review, the mechanisms of NETs formation, the physiological roles of NETs, and the dynamic changes of NETs after stroke are summarized. NETs participate in stroke through various mechanisms. NETs promote the coagulation cascade and interact with platelets to induce thrombosis. tPA induces the degranulation of neutrophils to form NETs, leading to hemorrhagic transformation and thrombolytic resistance. NETs aggravate stroke by mediating inflammation, atherosclerosis and vascular injury. In addition, the regulation of NETs in stroke, the potential of NETs as biomarker and the treatment of stroke targeting NETs are discussed. The increasing evidences suggest that NETs may be a potential target for stroke treatment. Inhibition of NETs formation or promotion of NETs degradation plays protective effects in stroke. However, how to avoid the adverse effects of NETs-targeted therapy deserves further study. In summary, this review provides a reference for the pathogenesis, drug targets, biomarkers and drug development of NETs in stroke.

What type of cell death occurs in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion? A review focusing on pyroptosis and its potential therapeutic implications

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is a major global disease with chronic cerebral blood flow reduction. It is also the main cause of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. Pyroptosis, a novel form of cell death, is characterized by the rupture of the cell membrane and the release of pro-inflammatory mediators. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have identified the involvement of pyroptosis and its mediated inflammatory response in the pathological process of CCH. Therefore, preventing the activation of pyroptosis following CCH is beneficial to inhibit the inflammatory cascade and reduce brain injury. In this review, we discuss the research progress on the relationship between pyroptosis and CCH, in order to provide a reference for research in related fields.

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway in Epilepsy

Epilepsy is defined as spontaneous recurrent seizures in the brain. There is increasing evidence that inflammatory mediators and immune cells are involved in epileptic seizures. As more research is done on inflammatory factors and immune cells in epilepsy, new targets for the treatment of epilepsy will be revealed. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and transcriptional activator (JAKSTAT) signaling pathway is strongly associated with many immune and inflammatory diseases, At present, more and more studies have found that the JAK-STAT pathway is involved in the development and development of epilepsy, indicating the JAK-STAT pathway's potential promise as a target in epilepsy treatment. In this review, we discuss the composition, activation, and regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway and the relationship between the JAK-STAT pathway and epilepsy. In addition, we summarize the common clinical inhibitors of JAK and STAT that we would expect to be used in epilepsy treatment in the future.

FDA-Approved Kinase Inhibitors in Preclinical and Clinical Trials for Neurological Disorders

Cancers and neurological disorders are two major types of diseases. We previously developed a new concept termed "Aberrant Cell Cycle Diseases" (ACCD), revealing that these two diseases share a common mechanism of aberrant cell cycle re-entry. The aberrant cell cycle re-entry is manifested as kinase/oncogene activation and tumor suppressor inactivation, which are hallmarks of both tumor growth in cancers and neuronal death in neurological disorders. Therefore, some cancer therapies (e.g., kinase inhibition, tumor suppressor elevation) can be leveraged for neurological treatments. The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has so far approved 74 kinase inhibitors, with numerous other kinase inhibitors in clinical trials, mostly for the treatment of cancers. In contrast, there are dire unmet needs of FDA-approved drugs for neurological treatments, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), ischemic stroke (IS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and others. In this review, we list these 74 FDA-approved kinase-targeted drugs and identify those that have been reported in preclinical and/or clinical trials for neurological disorders, with a purpose of discussing the feasibility and applicability of leveraging these cancer drugs (FDA-approved kinase inhibitors) for neurological treatments.

Inflammasomes and their roles in arthritic disease pathogenesis

The inflammasome is a molecular platform that is created in the cytosolic compartment to mediate the host immunological response to cellular injury and infection. Caspase-1 may be activated by the inflammasome, which leads to the generation of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 and the beginning of pyroptosis, which is a type of proinflammatory cell death. Scientists have identified a number of different inflammasomes in the last 2 decades. The NLRP3 inflammasome has been studied the most, and its activity may be triggered by a broad range of different inducers. However, activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in a manner that is not properly controlled is also a factor in the etiology of many human illnesses. Accumulating evidence indicates that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a significant role in the innate and adaptive immune systems and the development of various arthritic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and gout. The present review provides a concise summary of the biological properties of the NLRP3 inflammasome and presents the fundamental processes behind its activation and control. We discuss the role of the inflammasome in the pathogenesis of arthritic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and gout, and the potential of newly developed therapies that specifically target the inflammasome or its products for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, with a particular emphasis on treatment and clinical application.

Exercise Preconditioning Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment in Mice with Ischemic Stroke by Alleviating Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Several studies have demonstrated that exercise preconditioning is an effective means of alleviating poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Mechanisms of regulating cognitive function have not been fully elucidated. Herein, the present study is aimed at exploring the effect of the microbiota-gut-inflammasome-brain axis in the process of exercise preconditioning moderating cognitive impairment after ischemic stroke. We observed that exercise preconditioning decreased infarct size, reduced the degree of neuronal damage, and alleviated cognitive impairment in mice with ischemic stroke. In addition, exercise preconditioning also reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines, as well as NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-18, and IL-1β protein expressions. Ischemic stroke could downregulate the abundance of Roseburia while increasing the abundance of the Helicobacter at the level of genus. As a comparison, exercise preconditioning increased the abundance of the Lactobacillus, which was beneficial for mice at the genus level. In conclusion, exercise preconditioning can improve cognitive dysfunction after ischemic stroke through alleviating inflammation and regulating the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota, which might provide a new strategy for the prevention of PSCI.

Resveratrol Mitigates Oxygen and Glucose Deprivation-Induced Inflammation, NLRP3 Inflammasome, and Oxidative Stress in 3D Neuronal Culture

Oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) can produce hypoxia-induced neurotoxicity and is a mature in vitro model of hypoxic cell damage. Activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates a downstream pathway that substantially increases bioenergy production, which may be a key player in physiological energy and has also been shown to play a role in regulating neuroprotective processes. Resveratrol is an effective activator of AMPK, indicating that it may have therapeutic potential as a neuroprotective agent. However, the mechanism by which resveratrol achieves these beneficial effects in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to OGD-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in a 3D gelatin scaffold remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol in 3D gelatin scaffold cells to understand its neuroprotective effects on NF-κB signaling, NLRP3 inflammasome, and oxidative stress under OGD conditions. Here, we show that resveratrol improves the expression levels of cell viability, inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18), NF-κB signaling, and NLRP3 inflammasome, that OGD increases. In addition, resveratrol rescued oxidative stress, nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and Nrf2 downstream antioxidant target genes (e.g., SOD, Gpx GSH, catalase, and HO-1). Treatment with resveratrol can significantly normalize OGD-induced changes in SH-SY5Y cell inflammation, oxidative stress, and oxidative defense gene expression; however, these resveratrol protective effects are affected by AMPK antagonists (Compounds C) blocking. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of the AMPK-dependent protective effect of resveratrol under 3D OGD-induced inflammation and oxidative stress-mediated cerebral ischemic stroke conditions.

Isobavachalcone's Alleviation of Pyroptosis Contributes to Enhanced Apoptosis in Glioblastoma: Possible Involvement of NLRP3

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant intracranial tumor with high mortality rates and invariably poor prognosis due to its limited clinical treatments. There is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic drugs for GBM treatment. As a natural prenylated chalcone compound, Isobavachalcone (IBC)'s favorable pharmacological activities have been widely revealed. However, potential inhibitory effects of IBC on GBM have not been explored. In the present study, we aimed to detect the effects of IBC on GBM and clarify its anti-GBM mechanisms for the first time. It was observed that IBC could inhibit GBM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and prevent tumor growth without any significant drug toxicity in both subcutaneous and orthotopic GBM xenograft tumor models in vivo. Mechanistically, IBC may target NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) transcription factor estrogen receptor α (ESR1 gene) by network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis. Experimentally, IBC alleviated NLRP3 inflammasome-related pyroptosis and inflammation, arrested cell cycle at G1 phase, and induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in GBM cells. IBC's inhibition on NLRP3 could be rescued by the NLRP3 antagonist CY-09 both in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that IBC is a potential therapeutic drug against GBM and provide a new insight into GBM treatment.

A susceptibility putative haplotype within NLRP3 inflammasome gene influences ischaemic stroke risk in the population of Punjab, India

Despite strong genetic implications of NLRP3 inflammasome, its examination as genetic determinant of ischaemic stroke (IS) remains to be done in Punjab, which has been investigated in this study. In this case control study, 400 subjects (200 IS patients, 200 stroke free controls) were included. Contributions of 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including a functional SNP within NLRP3 gene (rs10754558, rs4612666, rs2027432, rs3738488 and rs1539019) for the risk of IS were investigated through genetic models after correcting the effect of significant variables. Plasma levels of three pro‐inflammatory markers, that is, C‐reactive protein (CRP), interleukin‐1beta (IL‐1β) and interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Minor alleles of 3 out of 5 SNPs (rs10754558, rs4612666 and rs1539019) exhibited association with IS risk in additive, recessive and multiplicative models. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed that higher levels of systolic blood pressure (β ± SE: 1.42 ± 0.57, p = .013), CRP (β ± SE: 1.22 ± 0.41, p = .003), IL‐1β (β ± SE: 1.78 ± 0.88, p = .043) and IL‐18 (β ± SE: 1.13 ± 0.49, p = .021) were independent risk predictors for IS. Haplotype analysis revealed a susceptibility putative haplotype GTGTA, which approximately doubled the IS risk (OR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.12–3.78, p = .04) in dominant mode after adjusting the effect with confounding variables. This susceptibility putative haplotype GTGTA was significantly associated with increased concentrations of CRP (β = 1.21, p = .014) and IL‐1β (β = 1.53, p = .034) in dose‐dependent manner (less in carriers of 1 copy than those who had 2 copies of GTGTA).

The present study has revealed a susceptibility putative haplotype GTGTA within NLRP3 gene, carriers of which have double the risk of IS by having increased plasma levels of CRP and IL‐1β in a dose‐dependent manner.

Role of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by multi-articular, symmetrical and invasive arthritis resulting from immune system abnormalities involving T and B lymphocytes. Although significant progress has been made in the understanding of RA pathogenesis, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Recent studies suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome, a regulator of inflammation, might play an important role in the development of RA. There have been increasing clinical and pre-clinical evidence showing the treatment of NLRP3/IL-1β in inflammatory diseases. To provide a foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies, we will briefly summarize the roles of NLRP3 inflammasome in RA and explore its potential clinical treatment.

Suppression of NLRP3 Inflammasome by Dihydroarteannuin via the HIF-1α and JAK3/STAT3 Signaling Pathway Contributes to Attenuation of Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Mice

Dihydroarteannuin (DHA), the primary element of artemisinin extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua L., has been used in malaria treatment for a long time. Recently, many studies have indicated that DHA also exhibits potent anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity. In this study, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1J mice and inflammatory model in THP-1 cells were established to evaluate the modulatory effects of DHA on joint destruction and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that DHA decreased the serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6, alleviated paw oedema, and reduced bone destruction in DBA/1J mice with CIA. Further exploration with the inflammatory model in THP-1 cells indicated that DHA reduced the protein expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α and the phosphorylation in Janus kinase (JAK) 3 and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 protein, which resulted in a decrease in NOD-like receptor protein (NLRP) 3 expression and interleukin (IL)-1β release. Consequentially, the inflammatory activation in THP-1 cells was inhibited. Therefore, we concluded that DHA efficiently alleviated the inflammation and arthritic symptoms in CIA mice and downregulated inflammation in part by inhibiting NLRP3 expression via the HIF‐1α and JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway. Thus, DHA may be considered as a potential therapeutic agent in RA treatment.

Expression and predictive value of NLRP3 in patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression and prognostic value of NLRP3 in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients with ischemic stroke (IS).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis from January 2019 to December 2021 was conducted in 105 patients with NVAF who were treated in our hospital and were divided into the simple NVAF group (simple group) and combined IS group (consolidation group) according to the occurrence of IS. The relative expression of NLRP3 in serum was tested via qRT-PCR. The serum TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP levels were measured by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA), and the correlation between the expression of NLRP3, TNF-α, IL-6, CRP and non-valvular atrial fibrillation stroke risk score (CHA2DS2-VASc score) was analyzed by Pearson method. The independent predictors of NVAF combined with IS were analyzed by regression equation. Meanwhile, the predictive value of the factors was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

The scores of NLRP3, TNF-α, IL-6, CRP and CHA2DS2-VASc in the consolidation group were obviously higher than those in the simple group. Pearson analysis revealed that the NLRP3, TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP levels in IS patients were positively correlated with CHA2DS2-VASc score. Logistic analysis revealed that NLRP3, IL-6, CRP and CHA2DS2-VASc could be used as potential factors to predict the merging of NVAF with IS. ROC showed that combined detection of NLRP3, IL-6, CRP and CHA2DS2-VASc in predicting NVAF complicated with IS exhibited an area under the curve of more than 0.9.

CONCLUSION

NLRP3 is highly expressed in peripheral blood of patients with NVAF complicated with IS, which is a potential indicator for predicting NVAF complicated with IS.

JAK2V617F Is a Risk Factor for TIA/Stroke in Young Patients

The objective of this study was to assess the risk of arterial thrombosis in patients who harbor the JAK2V617F allele burden ≥1% detected during workup for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). We conducted a large cross-sectional analysis consisted of 5,220 patients who were tested for JAK2V617F and 1,047,258 people matched in age from health care insurance provider, taking into account age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation. Compared with noncarriers, mutation carriers were older, less likely to be current or past smokers and had lower body mass index. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding myocardial infarction and peripheral vascular disease. However, JAK2V617F ≥1% at age 34 to 54 years was associated with eightfold more likely to have transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke history unrelated to hypertension, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation. Association of JAK2V617F with TIA/stroke was also observed in the older age group, albeit a weaker association and not statistically significant. Prevalence of TIA/stroke was higher in patients with JAK2V617F negative, with odds ratio of 3.93 when compared with the general population after confounder adjustments. Further research is warranted to verify the relation between allele burden of JAK2V617F mutation and TIA/stroke and the role of JAK2V617F per se as a risk factor for arterial thrombosis in the absence of overt MPN. Also, consideration should be paid to the screened group with JAK2V617F negative due to the high incidence of TIA/stroke among them in comparison to the general population.

High Mobility Group Box 1: Biological Functions and Relevance in Oxidative Stress Related Chronic Diseases

In the early 1970s, a group of non-histone nuclear proteins with high electrophoretic mobility was discovered and named high-mobility group (HMG) proteins. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is the most studied HMG protein that detects and coordinates cellular stress response. The biological function of HMGB1 depends on its subcellular localization and expression. It plays a critical role in the nucleus and cytoplasm as DNA chaperone, chromosome gatekeeper, autophagy maintainer, and protector from apoptotic cell death. HMGB1 also functions as an extracellular alarmin acting as a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule (DAMP). Recent findings describe HMGB1 as a sophisticated signal of danger, with a pleiotropic function, which is useful as a clinical biomarker for several disorders. HMGB1 has emerged as a mediator in acute and chronic inflammation. Furthermore, HMGB1 targeting can induce beneficial effects on oxidative stress related diseases. This review focus on HMGB1 redox status, localization, mechanisms of release, binding with receptors, and its activities in different oxidative stress-related chronic diseases. Since a growing number of reports show the key role of HMGB1 in socially relevant pathological conditions, to our knowledge, for the first time, here we analyze the scientific literature, evaluating the number of publications focusing on HMGB1 in humans and animal models, per year, from 2006 to 2021 and the number of records published, yearly, per disease and category (studies on humans and animal models).

Echinacoside Protects Dopaminergic Neurons Through Regulating IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 Pathway in Parkinson’s Disease Model

Echinacoside (ECH), the major active constituent of Cistanche deserticola, was found to exert neuroprotection through neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory functions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) models. However, a clear intermediate molecule or pathway that unifies these two effects has to be found. In this study, our results demonstrate that ECH can protect DA neurons in PD mice with Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was adapted to confirm its anti-inflammatory function with decreased cytokines (interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in PD mice and LPS-induced BV2 cells. Further studies found that ECH inhibited the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway and decreased phosphorylation of STAT3 on tyr705 by Western blot. It can also increase p-STAT3 (ser727) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in PD mice and LPS-induced BV2 cells. This study revealed that ECH exerts neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway and the phosphorylation of STAT3, promoting the mutually beneficial influence of the two effects to maximize its neuroprotective function.

Interleukins and Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke after cerebral artery occlusion is one of the major causes of chronic disability worldwide. Interleukins (ILs) play a bidirectional role in ischemic stroke through information transmission, activation and regulation of immune cells, mediating the activation, multiplication and differentiation of T and B cells and in the inflammatory reaction. Crosstalk between different ILs in different immune cells also impact the outcome of ischemic stroke. This overview is aimed to roughly discuss the multiple roles of ILs after ischemic stroke. The roles of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-16, IL-17, IL-18, IL-19, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-32, IL-33, IL-34, IL-37, and IL-38 in ischemic stroke were discussed in this review.

Takinib Inhibits Inflammation in Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts by Targeting the Janus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) Pathway

TGF β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) is an important participant in inflammatory pathogenesis for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gouty arthritis. The central position it occupies between the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways makes it an attractive therapeutic target. As this field has developed in recent years, several novel inhibitors have been presented as having specific activity that reduces the TAK1 function either covalently as in the case of 5Z-7-oxozeanol (5Z7O) or reversibly (NG-25). However, the mechanism through which takinib elicits its anti-inflammatory activity remains elusive. While this inhibitor shows great promise, a thorough analysis of its inhibitor function and its potential off-target effects is necessary before addressing its clinical potential or its use in inflammatory conditions. An analysis through Western blot showed an unexpected increase in IL-1β-induced TAK1 phosphorylation—a prerequisite for and indicator of its functional potential—by takinib while simultaneously demonstrating the inhibition of the JAK/STAT pathway in human rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) in vitro. In THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages, takinib again led to the lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of TAK1 without a marked inhibition of the TAK1 downstream effectors, namely, of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phospho-c-Jun, NF-κB phospho-p65 or phospho-IκBα. Taken together, these findings indicate that takinib inhibits inflammation in these cells by targeting multiple signaling pathways, most notably the JAK/STAT pathway in human RASFs.

New Drug Targets to Prevent Death Due to Stroke: A Review Based on Results of Protein-Protein Interaction Network, Enrichment, and Annotation Analyses

This study used established biomarkers of death from ischemic stroke (IS) versus stroke survival to perform network, enrichment, and annotation analyses. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis revealed that the backbone of the highly connective network of IS death consisted of IL6, ALB, TNF, SERPINE1, VWF, VCAM1, TGFB1, and SELE. Cluster analysis revealed immune and hemostasis subnetworks, which were strongly interconnected through the major switches ALB and VWF. Enrichment analysis revealed that the PPI immune subnetwork of death due to IS was highly associated with TLR2/4, TNF, JAK-STAT, NOD, IL10, IL13, IL4, and TGF-β1/SMAD pathways. The top biological and molecular functions and pathways enriched in the hemostasis network of death due to IS were platelet degranulation and activation, the intrinsic pathway of fibrin clot formation, the urokinase-type plasminogen activator pathway, post-translational protein phosphorylation, integrin cell-surface interactions, and the proteoglycan-integrin extracellular matrix complex (ECM). Regulation Explorer analysis of transcriptional factors shows: (a) that NFKB1, RELA and SP1 were the major regulating actors of the PPI network; and (b) hsa-mir-26-5p and hsa-16-5p were the major regulating microRNA actors. In conclusion, prevention of death due to IS should consider that current IS treatments may be improved by targeting VWF, the proteoglycan-integrin-ECM complex, TGF-β1/SMAD, NF-κB/RELA and SP1.

An Integrated Analysis of Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Chinese Medicine Formula Naotaifang in Treating Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

BACKGROUND

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is a crucial factor leading to a poor prognosis for ischemic stroke patients. As a novel Chinese medicine formula, Naotaifang (NTF) was proven to exhibit a neuroprotective effect against ischemic stroke, clinically, and to alleviate CIRI in animals. However, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect have not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

In this study, we combined a network pharmacology approach and an in vivo experiment to explore the specific effects and underlying mechanisms of NTF in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury. A research strategy based on network pharmacology, combining target prediction, network construction, gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking was used to predict the targets of NTF in treating the ischemic stroke and CIRI. On the other hand, we used HPLC and HRMS to identify biologically active components of NTF. Middle cerebral artery occlusion models in rats were utilized to evaluate the effect and the underlying mechanisms of NTF against CIRI after ischemic stroke.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology analysis revealed 43 potential targets and 14 signaling pathways for the treatment of NTF against CIRI after ischemic stroke. Functional enrichment analysis showed that a STAT3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway serves as the target for in vivo experimental study validation. The results of animal experiments showed that NTF significantly alleviated CIRI by decreasing neurological score, infarct volume, numbers of apoptotic neuronal cells, increasing density of dendritic spines and survival of neurons. Furthermore, NTF could increase the expression of p-STAT3, PI3K, p-AKT. In addition, the detection of apoptosis-related factors showed that the NTF could raise the expression of Bcl-2 and reduce the expression of Bax.

CONCLUSION

This network pharmacological and experimental study indicated that NTF, as a therapeutic candidate for the management of CIRI following ischemic stroke, may exert a protective effect through the STAT3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.