Screening of Inhibitors Targeting Heat Shock Protein 47 Involved in the Development of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Targeting HSP47 for cancer treatment

Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) serves as an endoplasmic reticulum residing collagen-specific chaperone and plays an important role in collagen biosynthesis and structural assembly. HSP47 is encoded by the SERPINH1 gene, which is located on chromosome 11q13.5, one of the most frequently amplified regions in human cancers. The expression of HSP47 is regulated by multiple cellular factors, including cytokines, transcription factors, microRNAs, and circular RNAs. HSP47 is frequently upregulated in a variety of cancers and plays an important role in tumor progression. HSP47 promotes tumor stemness, angiogenesis, growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastatic capacity. HSP47 also regulates the efficacy of tumor therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Inhibition of HSP47 expression has antitumor effects, suggesting that targeting HSP47 is a feasible strategy for cancer treatment. In this review, we highlight the function and expression of regulatory mechanisms of HSP47 in cancer progression and point out the potential development of therapeutic strategies in targeting HSP47 in the future.

Efficacy and Mechanisms of Natural Products as Therapeutic Interventions for Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases are long-term conditions affecting the airways and other lung components that are characterized by a high prevalence, disability rate, and mortality rate. Further optimization of their treatment is required. Natural products, primarily extracted from organisms, possess specific molecular and structural formulas as well as distinct chemical and physical properties. These characteristics grant them the advantages of safety, gentleness, accessibility, and minimal side effects. The numerous advances in the use of natural products for treating chronic respiratory diseases have provided a steady source of motivation for new drug research and development. In this paper, we introduced the pathogenesis of chronic respiratory diseases and natural products. Furthermore, we classified natural products according to their mechanism for treating chronic respiratory diseases and describe the ways in which these products can alleviate the pathological symptoms. Simultaneously, we elaborate on the signal transduction pathways and biological impacts of natural products' targeting. Additionally, we present future prospects for natural products, considering their combination treatment approaches and administration methods. The significance of this review extends to both the research on preventing and treating chronic respiratory diseases, as well as the advancement of novel drug development in this field.

HSP47: A Therapeutic Target in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease characterized by a progressive decline in lung function and poor prognosis. The deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by myofibroblasts contributes to the stiffening of lung tissue and impaired oxygen exchange in IPF. Type I collagen is the major ECM component and predominant collagen protein deposited in chronic fibrosis, suggesting that type I collagen could be a target of drugs for fibrosis treatment. Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), encoded by the serpin peptidase inhibitor clade H, member 1 gene, is a stress-inducible collagen-binding protein. It is an endoplasmic reticulum-resident molecular chaperone essential for the correct folding of procollagen. HSP47 expression is increased in cellular and animal models of pulmonary fibrosis and correlates with pathological manifestations in human interstitial lung diseases. Various factors affect HSP47 expression directly or indirectly in pulmonary fibrosis models. Overall, understanding the relationship between HSP47 expression and pulmonary fibrosis may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Green Tea Polyphenol (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG): A Time for a New Player in the Treatment of Respiratory Diseases?

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major polyphenol of green tea that possesses a wide variety of actions. EGCG acts as a strong antioxidant which effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibits pro-oxidant enzymes including NADPH oxidase, activates antioxidant systems including superoxide dismutase, catalase, or glutathione, and reduces abundant production of nitric oxide metabolites by inducible nitric oxide synthase. ECGC also exerts potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, pro-apoptotic, anti-tumorous, and metabolic effects via modulation of a variety of intracellular signaling cascades. Based on this knowledge, the use of EGCG could be of benefit in respiratory diseases with acute or chronic inflammatory, oxidative, and fibrotizing processes in their pathogenesis. This article reviews current information on the biological effects of EGCG in those respiratory diseases or animal models in which EGCG has been administered, i.e., acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory infections, COVID-19, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung fibrosis, silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, and lung embolism, and critically discusses effectiveness of EGCG administration in these respiratory disorders. For this review, articles in English language from the PubMed database were used.