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Talevi A, Bellera C. An update on the novel methods for the discovery of antiseizure and antiepileptogenic medications: where are we in 2024? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38963148 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2373165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the availability of around 30 antiseizure medications, 1/3 of patients with epilepsy fail to become seizure-free upon pharmacological treatment. Available medications provide adequate symptomatic control in two-thirds of patients, but disease-modifying drugs are still scarce. Recently, though, new paradigms have been explored. AREAS COVERED Three areas are reviewed in which a high degree of innovation in the search for novel antiseizure and antiepileptogenic medications has been implemented: development of novel screening approaches, search for novel therapeutic targets, and adoption of new drug discovery paradigms aligned with a systems pharmacology perspective. EXPERT OPINION In the past, worldwide leaders in epilepsy have reiteratively stated that the lack of progress in the field may be explained by the recurrent use of the same molecular targets and screening procedures to identify novel medications. This landscape has changed recently, as reflected by the new Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program and the introduction of many in vitro and in vivo models that could possibly improve our chances of identifying first-in-class medications that may control drug-resistant epilepsy or modify the course of disease. Other milestones include the study of new molecular targets for disease-modifying drugs and exploration of a systems pharmacology perspective to design new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Talevi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Carolina Bellera
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compound Research and Development (LIDeB), Faculty of Exact Sciences, University of La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CCT La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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2
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Wu X, Liu C, Wang J, Zhang Y, Li Y, Wang Y, Song L, Qin L, Zhang T, He Q. The role of TrkB signaling-mediated synaptic plasticity in the antidepressant properties of catalpol, the main active compound of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 333:118448. [PMID: 38871009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. (RGL) is a famous ethnic medicine contained in antidepressant Chinese Medicine formulas and is traditionally clinically used for depression. We have recently confirmed that RGL enhanced synaptic plasticity in a mouse model of Chinese medical syndrome and that catalpol may be the representatively pharmacological component responsible for its improvement in synaptic plasticity and treatment of depression. Impaired synaptic plasticity is closely linked to major depression. Tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling has recently been discovered as a key pathway for synaptic plasticity improvement and antidepressant discovery. However, to date, it is unknown whether the target of catalpol to improve synaptic plasticity involves TrkB and whether its antidepressant mechanism involves synaptic plasticity mediated by TrkB signaling. AIM OF STUDY This study aims to uncover the antidepressant targets and mechanisms of catalpol, the main active compound of RGL, based on TrkB signaling-mediated synaptic plasticity. MATERIALS AND METHODS We have recently predicted through molecular networking strategy (including network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation) that catalpol may exert its antidepressant effects by regulating TrkB signaling and thus modulating essential synaptic plasticity proteins. Then, this study used classic behavioral tests, targeted diagnostic reagents, Nissl and Golgi staining, immunohistochemical analysis, immunofluorescence analysis, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and quantitative PCR to confirm the target and signaling of catalpol to improve synaptic plasticity for the treatment of depression. RESULTS The data showed that catalpol could improve synaptic plasticity and depressive behaviors, and its action pathway was predicted to involve TrkB signaling. Subsequently, the blockade of TrkB abolished the improvement of synaptic plasticity by catalpol and its antidepressant properties, which validated that TrkB signaling was the key pathway for catalpol to improve synaptic plasticity and exert antidepressant properties. Inhibition of COX-2 was likely to be a necessary facilitator for the antidepressant efficacy of catalpol via the TrkB target and TrkB-mediated synaptic plasticity. CONCLUSION TrkB signaling-mediated synaptic plasticity plays a key role in the antidepressant properties of catalpol. This study provides critical information for the development of new and targeted antidepressant therapies or treatment strategies by catalpol. However, considering the existence of sex differences in depression (female depression is 2-3 times than that of males) and not exploring the antidepressant sex specificity of catalpol is a limitation, we will investigate the sex specificity of the antidepressant effects and molecular mechanisms of catalpol on sex-specific animals in the future, to provide a preclinical basis for more accurate and targeted medication of catalpol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Chen Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Junming Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;; Collaborative Innovation Center of Research and Development on the Whole Industry Chain of Yu-Yao, Henan Province; Co-construction Collaborative Innovation Center for Chinese Medicine and Respiratory Diseases by Henan & Education Ministry of P.R. China, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Yueyue Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Yamin Li
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Yanmei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Lingling Song
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Lingyu Qin
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Tianzhu Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
| | - Qingwen He
- College of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046, China;.
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3
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Wu W, Song W, Zhao J, Guo S, Hong M, Zheng J, Hua Y, Cao P, Liu R, Duan JA. Saiga antelope horn suppresses febrile seizures in rats by regulating neurotransmitters and the arachidonic acid pathway. Chin Med 2024; 19:78. [PMID: 38831318 PMCID: PMC11149251 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-024-00949-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Saiga antelope horn (SAH) is a traditional Chinese medicine for treating febrile seizure (FS) with precise efficacy, but its mechanism of action and functional substances are still unclear. Given the need for further research on SAH, our group conducted studies to elucidate its mechanisms and active substances. METHODS An FS rat pup model was constructed through intraperitoneal injection of LPS and hyperthermia induction. Behavioural indicators of seizures, hippocampal histopathological alterations, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and hippocampal levels of neurotransmitters were observed and measured to investigate the effects of SAH on FS model rats. Hippocampal metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses were conducted to reveal the differential metabolites, key peptides and pathways involved in the suppression of FS by SAH. RESULTS SAH suppressed FS, decreased the inflammatory response and regulated the Glu-GABA balance. Metabolomic analysis revealed 13 biomarkers of FS, of which SAH improved the levels of 8 differential metabolites. Combined with network pharmacology, a "biomarker-core target-key peptide" network was constructed. The peptides of SAH, such as YGQL and LTGGF, could exert therapeutic effects via the arachidonic acid pathway. Molecular docking and ELISA results indicated that functional peptides of SAH could bind to PTGS2 target, inhibiting the generation of AA and its metabolites in hippocampal samples. CONCLUSION In summary, the functional peptides contained in SAH are the main material basis for the treatment of FS, potentially acting through neurotransmitter regulation and the arachidonic acid pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxing Wu
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Animal-Derived Chinese Medicine and Functional Peptides International Collaboration Joint Laboratory, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wencong Song
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Sheng Guo
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Min Hong
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yongqing Hua
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Peng Cao
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Animal-Derived Chinese Medicine and Functional Peptides International Collaboration Joint Laboratory, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Rui Liu
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- Animal-Derived Chinese Medicine and Functional Peptides International Collaboration Joint Laboratory, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Jin-Ao Duan
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- Animal-Derived Chinese Medicine and Functional Peptides International Collaboration Joint Laboratory, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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4
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Zhou C, Satpute V, Yip KL, Anderson LL, Hawkins N, Kearney J, Arnold JC. A high seizure burden increases several prostaglandin species in the hippocampus of a Scn1a +/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2024; 172:106836. [PMID: 38599513 DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2024.106836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is an intractable epilepsy with a high seizure burden that is resistant to current anti-seizure medications. There is evidence that neuroinflammation plays a role in epilepsy and seizures, however few studies have specifically examined neuroinflammation in Dravet syndrome under conditions of a higher seizure burden. Here we used an established genetic mouse model of Dravet syndrome (Scn1a+/- mice), to examine whether a higher seizure burden impacts the number and morphology of microglia in the hippocampus. Moreover, we examined whether a high seizure burden influences classical inflammatory mediators in this brain region. Scn1a+/- mice with a high seizure burden induced by thermal priming displayed a localised reduction in microglial cell density in the granule cell layer and subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, regions important to postnatal neurogenesis. However, microglial cell number and morphology remained unchanged in other hippocampal subfields. The high seizure burden in Scn1a+/- mice did not affect hippocampal mRNA expression of classical inflammatory mediators such as interleukin 1β and tumour necrosis factor α, but increased cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression. We then quantified hippocampal levels of prostanoids that arise from COX-2 mediated metabolism of fatty acids and found that Scn1a+/- mice with a high seizure burden displayed increased hippocampal concentrations of numerous prostaglandins, notably PGF2α, PGE2, PGD2, and 6-K-PGF1A, compared to Scn1a+/- mice with a low seizure burden. In conclusion, a high seizure burden increased hippocampal concentrations of various prostaglandin mediators in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Future studies could interrogate the prostaglandin pathways to further better understand their role in the pathophysiology of Dravet syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cilla Zhou
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, IL 60611, USA
| | - Vaishali Satpute
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Ka Lai Yip
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Lyndsey L Anderson
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Nicole Hawkins
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jennifer Kearney
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jonathon C Arnold
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia.
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5
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AlRuwaili R, Al-Kuraishy HM, Al-Gareeb AI, Ali NH, Alexiou A, Papadakis M, Saad HM, Batiha GES. The Possible Role of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor in Epilepsy. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:533-547. [PMID: 38006577 PMCID: PMC10884085 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04064-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by repeated seizures. Despite of that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is implicated in the pathogenesis of epileptogenesis and epilepsy, BDNF may have a neuroprotective effect against epilepsy. Thus, the goal of the present review was to highlight the protective and detrimental roles of BDNF in epilepsy. In this review, we also try to find the relation of BDNF with other signaling pathways and cellular processes including autophagy, mTOR pathway, progranulin (PGN), and α-Synuclein (α-Syn) which negatively and positively regulate BDNF/tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) signaling pathway. Therefore, the assessment of BDNF levels in epilepsy should be related to other neuronal signaling pathways and types of epilepsy in both preclinical and clinical studies. In conclusion, there is a strong controversy concerning the potential role of BDNF in epilepsy. Therefore, preclinical, molecular, and clinical studies are warranted in this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raed AlRuwaili
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hayder M Al-Kuraishy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, ALmustansiriyia University, P.O. Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ali I Al-Gareeb
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, ALmustansiriyia University, P.O. Box 14132, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Naif H Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Athanasios Alexiou
- University Centre for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Chandigarh-Ludhiana Highway, Mohali, Punjab, India
- Department of Research & Development, Funogen, Athens, Greece
- Department of Research & Development, AFNP Med, Wien, 1030, Austria
- Department of Science and Engineering, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, NSW, 2770, Australia
| | - Marios Papadakis
- Department of Surgery II, University Hospital Witten-Herdecke, University of Witten-Herdecke, Heusnerstrasse 40, 42283, Wuppertal, Germany.
| | - Hebatallah M Saad
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Matrouh University, Matrouh, 51744, Egypt.
| | - Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, AlBeheira, 22511, Egypt.
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6
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Li W, Wu J, Zeng Y, Zheng W. Neuroinflammation in epileptogenesis: from pathophysiology to therapeutic strategies. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1269241. [PMID: 38187384 PMCID: PMC10771847 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1269241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a group of enduring neurological disorder characterized by spontaneous and recurrent seizures with heterogeneous etiology, clinical expression, severity, and prognosis. Growing body of research investigates that epileptic seizures are originated from neuronal synchronized and excessive electrical activity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis have not yet been fully elucidated and 30% of epileptic patients still are resistant to the currently available pharmacological treatments with recurrent seizures throughout life. Over the past two decades years accumulated evidences provide strong support to the hypothesis that neuroinflammation, including microglia and astrocytes activation, a cascade of inflammatory mediator releasing, and peripheral immune cells infiltration from blood into brain, is associated with epileptogenesis. Meanwhile, an increasing body of preclinical researches reveal that the anti-inflammatory therapeutics targeting crucial inflammatory components are effective and promising in the treatment of epilepsy. The aim of the present study is to highlight the current understanding of the potential neuroinflammatory mechanisms in epileptogenesis and the potential therapeutic targets against epileptic seizures.
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7
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Sluter MN, Li Q, Yasmen N, Chen Y, Li L, Hou R, Yu Y, Yang CY, Meibohm B, Jiang J. The inducible prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES-1) in neuroinflammatory disorders. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2023; 248:811-819. [PMID: 37515545 PMCID: PMC10468642 DOI: 10.1177/15353702231179926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The cyclooxygenase (COX)/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling pathway has emerged as a critical target for anti-inflammatory therapeutic development in neurological diseases. However, medical use of COX inhibitors in the treatment of various neurological disorders has been limited due to well-documented cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. It has been widely proposed that modulation of downstream microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) enzyme may provide more specificity for inhibiting PGE2-elicited neuroinflammation. Heightened levels of mPGES-1 have been detected in a variety of brain diseases such as epilepsy, stroke, glioma, and neurodegenerative diseases. Subsequently, elevated levels of PGE2, the enzymatic product of mPGES-1, have been demonstrated to modulate a multitude of deleterious effects. In epilepsy, PGE2 participates in retrograde signaling to augment glutamate release at the synapse leading to neuronal death. The excitotoxic demise of neurons incites the activation of microglia, which can become overactive upon further stimulation by PGE2. A selective mPGES-1 inhibitor was able to reduce gliosis and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus following status epilepticus. A similar mechanism has also been observed in stroke, where the overactivation of microglia by PGE2 upregulated the expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. This intense activation of neuroinflammatory processes triggered the secondary injury commonly observed in stroke, and blockade of mPGES-1 reduced infarction size and edema, suppressed induction of proinflammatory cytokines, and improved post-stroke well-being and cognition. Furthermore, elevated levels of PGE2 have been shown to intensify the proliferation of glioma cells, mediate P-glycoprotein expression at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and facilitate breakdown of the BBB. For these reasons, targeting mPGES-1, the central and inducible enzyme of the COX cascade, may provide a more specific therapeutic strategy for treating neuroinflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ruida Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Chao-Yie Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Bernd Meibohm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
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Sluter M, Bhuniya R, Yuan X, Ramaraju A, Chen Y, Yu Y, Parmar KR, Temrikar ZH, Srivastava A, Meibohm B, Jiang J, Yang CY. Novel, Brain-Permeable, Cross-Species Benzothiazole Inhibitors of Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 (mPGES-1) Dampen Neuroinflammation In Vitro and In Vivo. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:587-599. [PMID: 37082746 PMCID: PMC10111624 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is an inducible enzyme of the cyclooxygenase (COX) cascade that generates prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during inflammatory conditions. PGE2 is known to be a potent immune signaling molecule that mediates both peripheral and central inflammations. Inhibition of mPGES-1, rather than COX, may overcome the cardiovascular side effects associated with long-term COX inhibition by providing a more specific strategy to target inflammation. However, mPGES-1 inhibitor development is hampered by the large differences in cross-species activity due to the structural differences between the human and murine mPGES-1. Here, we report that our thiazole-based mPGES-1 inhibitors, compounds 11 (UT-11) and 19 derived from two novel scaffolds, were able to suppress PGE2 production in human (SK-N-AS) and murine (BV2) cells. The IC50 values of inhibiting PGE2 production in human and murine cells were 0.10 and 2.00 μM for UT-11 and 0.43 and 1.55 μM for compound 19, respectively. Based on in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic data, we selected UT-11 for evaluation in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model. We found that our compound significantly suppressed proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the hippocampus but not in the kidney. Taken together, we demonstrated the potential of UT-11 in treating neuroinflammatory conditions, including epilepsy and stroke, and warrant further optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison
N. Sluter
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
- College
of Graduate Health Sciences, University
of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Rajib Bhuniya
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Xinrui Yuan
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Andhavaram Ramaraju
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Yu Chen
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ying Yu
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Keyur R. Parmar
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Zaid H. Temrikar
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ashish Srivastava
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Bernd Meibohm
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Chao-Yie Yang
- Departments
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
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9
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Chen Y, Nagib MM, Yasmen N, Sluter MN, Littlejohn TL, Yu Y, Jiang J. Neuroinflammatory mediators in acquired epilepsy: an update. Inflamm Res 2023; 72:683-701. [PMID: 36745211 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-023-01700-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a group of chronic neurological disorders that have diverse etiologies but are commonly characterized by spontaneous seizures and behavioral comorbidities. Although the mechanisms underlying the epileptic seizures mostly remain poorly understood and the causes often can be idiopathic, a considerable portion of cases are known as acquired epilepsy. This form of epilepsy is typically associated with prior neurological insults, which lead to the initiation and progression of epileptogenesis, eventually resulting in unprovoked seizures. A convergence of evidence in the past two decades suggests that inflammation within the brain may be a major contributing factor to acquired epileptogenesis. As evidenced in mounting preclinical and human studies, neuroinflammatory processes, such as activation and proliferation of microglia and astrocytes, elevated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, blood-brain barrier breakdown, and upregulation of inflammatory signaling pathways, are commonly observed after seizure-precipitating events. An increased knowledge of these neuroinflammatory processes in the epileptic brain has led to a growing list of inflammatory mediators that can be leveraged as potential targets for new therapies of epilepsy and/or biomarkers that may provide valued information for the diagnosis and prognosis of the otherwise unpredictable seizures. In this review, we mainly focus on the most recent progress in understanding the roles of these inflammatory molecules in acquired epilepsy and highlight the emerging evidence supporting their candidacy as novel molecular targets for new pharmacotherapies of acquired epilepsy and the associated behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Marwa M Nagib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Misr International University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nelufar Yasmen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Madison N Sluter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Taylor L Littlejohn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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10
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Yasmen N, Sluter MN, Li L, Yu Y, Jiang J. Transient inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 after status epilepticus blunts brain inflammation and is neuroprotective. Mol Brain 2023; 16:14. [PMID: 36694204 PMCID: PMC9875432 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01008-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Status epilepticus (SE) in humans is characterized by prolonged convulsive seizures that are generalized and often difficult to control. The current antiseizure drugs (ASDs) aim to stop seizures quickly enough to prevent the SE-induced brain inflammation, injury, and long-term sequelae. However, sole reliance on acute therapies is imprudent because prompt treatment may not always be possible under certain circumstances. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the devastating consequences of SE are presumably associated with neuroinflammatory reactions, where prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays a pivotal role. As the terminal synthase for pathogenic PGE2, the microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is rapidly and robustly induced by prolonged seizures. Congenital deletion of mPGES-1 in mice is neuroprotective and blunts gliosis following chemoconvulsant seizures, suggesting the feasibility of mPGES-1 as a potential antiepileptic target. Herein, we investigated the effects of a dual species mPGES-1 inhibitor in a mouse pilocarpine model of SE. Treatment with the mPGES-1 inhibitor in mice after SE that was terminated by diazepam, a fast-acting benzodiazepine, time-dependently abolished the SE-induced PGE2 within the brain. Its negligible effects on cyclooxygenases, the enzymes responsible for the initial step of PGE2 biosynthesis, validated its specificity to mPGES-1. Post-SE inhibition of mPGES-1 also blunted proinflammatory cytokines and reactive gliosis in the hippocampus and broadly prevented neuronal damage in a number of brain areas. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of mPGES-1 by small-molecule inhibitors might provide an adjunctive strategy that can be implemented hours after SE, together with first-line ASDs, to reduce SE-provoked brain inflammation and injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelufar Yasmen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Madison N Sluter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Lexiao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.
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11
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Hou R, Yu Y, Jiang J. Prostaglandin E2 in neuroblastoma: Targeting synthesis or signaling? Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 156:113966. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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12
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Maurer-Morelli CV, de Vasconcellos JF, Bruxel EM, Rocha CS, do Canto AM, Tedeschi H, Yasuda CL, Cendes F, Lopes-Cendes I. Gene expression profile suggests different mechanisms underlying sporadic and familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2022; 247:2233-2250. [PMID: 36259630 PMCID: PMC9899983 DOI: 10.1177/15353702221126666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Most patients with pharmacoresistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) have hippocampal sclerosis on the postoperative histopathological examination. Although most patients with MTLE do not refer to a family history of the disease, familial forms of MTLE have been reported. We studied surgical specimens from patients with MTLE who had epilepsy surgery for medically intractable seizures. We assessed and compared gene expression profiles of the tissue lesion found in patients with familial MTLE (n = 3) and sporadic MTLE (n = 5). In addition, we used data from control hippocampi obtained from a public database (n = 7). We obtained expression profiles using the Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 (Affymetrix) microarray platform. Overall, the molecular profile identified in familial MTLE differed from that in sporadic MTLE. In the tissue of patients with familial MTLE, we found an over-representation of the biological pathways related to protein response, mRNA processing, and synaptic plasticity and function. In sporadic MTLE, the gene expression profile suggests that the inflammatory response is highly activated. In addition, we found enrichment of gene sets involved in inflammatory cytokines and mediators and chemokine receptor pathways in both groups. However, in sporadic MTLE, we also found enrichment of epidermal growth factor signaling, prostaglandin synthesis and regulation, and microglia pathogen phagocytosis pathways. Furthermore, based on the gene expression signatures, we identified different potential compounds to treat patients with familial and sporadic MTLE. To our knowledge, this is the first study assessing the mRNA profile in surgical tissue obtained from patients with familial MTLE and comparing it with sporadic MTLE. Our results clearly show that, despite phenotypic similarities, both forms of MTLE present distinct molecular signatures, thus suggesting different underlying molecular mechanisms that may require distinct therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia V Maurer-Morelli
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil
| | - Jaira F de Vasconcellos
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Department of Biology, James Madison
University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Estela M Bruxel
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil
| | - Cristiane S Rocha
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil
| | - Amanda M do Canto
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil
| | - Helder Tedeschi
- Department of Neurology, School of
Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Clarissa L Yasuda
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil,Department of Neurology, School of
Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil,Department of Neurology, School of
Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Iscia Lopes-Cendes
- Department of Translational Medicine,
School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-888,
Brazil,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and
Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas 13083-888, Brazil,Iscia Lopes-Cendes.
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13
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Jiang J, Santhakumar V, Zhu X. Editorial: Neuroinflammation in acquired epilepsy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1074537. [PMID: 36420137 PMCID: PMC9677101 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1074537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Xinjian Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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14
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Yu Y, Li W, Jiang J. TRPC channels as emerging targets for seizure disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:787-798. [PMID: 35840362 PMCID: PMC9378536 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is characterized by seizures of diverse types that affect about 1-2% of the population worldwide. Current antiseizure medications are unsatisfactory, as they merely provide symptomatic relief, are ineffective in about one-third of patients, and cause unbearable adverse effects. Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels are a group of nonselective cation channels involved in many physiological functions. In this review, we provide an overview of recent preclinical studies using both genetic and pharmacological strategies that reveal these receptor-operated calcium-permeable channels may also play fundamental roles in many aspects of epileptic seizures. We also propose that TRPC channels represent appealing targets for epilepsy treatment, with a goal of helping to advance the discovery and development of new antiseizure and/or antiepileptogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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15
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Chronic neuroinflammation regulates cAMP response element-binding protein in the formation of drug-resistant epilepsy by activating glial cells. JOURNAL OF NEURORESTORATOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnrt.2022.100006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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16
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Rawat V, Banik A, Amaradhi R, Rojas A, Taval S, Nagy T, Dingledine R, Ganesh T. Pharmacological antagonism of EP2 receptor does not modify basal cardiovascular and respiratory function, blood cell counts, and bone morphology in animal models. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 147:112646. [PMID: 35091236 PMCID: PMC8854338 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The EP2 receptor has emerged as a therapeutic target with exacerbating role in disease pathology for a variety of peripheral and central nervous system disorders. We and others have recently demonstrated beneficial effects of EP2 antagonists in preclinical models of neuroinflammation and peripheral inflammation. However, it was earlier reported that mice with global EP2 knockout (KO) display adverse phenotypes on fertility and blood pressure. Other studies indicated that EP2 activation with an agonist has a beneficial effect of healing fractured bone in animal models. These results impeded the development of EP2 antagonists, and EP2 antagonism as therapeutic strategy. To determine whether treatment with EP2 antagonist mimics the adverse phenotypes of the EP2 global KO mouse, we tested two EP2 antagonists TG11-77. HCl and TG6-10-1 in mice and rats while they are on normal or high-salt diet, and by two different administration protocols (acute and chronic). There were no adverse effects of the antagonists on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory function in mice and rats regardless of rodents being on a regular or high salt diet. Furthermore, chronic exposure to TG11-77. HCl produced no adverse effects on blood cell counts, bone-volume and bone-mineral density in mice. Our findings argue against adverse effects on cardiovascular and respiratory systems, blood counts and bone structure in healthy rodents from the use of small molecule reversible antagonists for EP2, in contrast to the genetic ablation model. This study paves the way for advancing therapeutic applications of EP2 antagonists against diseases involving EP2 dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Rawat
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Avijit Banik
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Radhika Amaradhi
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Asheebo Rojas
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | | | - Tamas Nagy
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA 30602
| | - Raymond Dingledine
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Thota Ganesh
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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17
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Aygun H, Akin AT, Kızılaslan N, Sumbul O, Karabulut D. Probiotic supplementation alleviates absence seizures and anxiety- and depression-like behavior in WAG/Rij rat by increasing neurotrophic factors and decreasing proinflammatory cytokines. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 128:108588. [PMID: 35152169 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
AIM Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic brain disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. In the present study, we investigated the effects of probiotic supplementation on absence epilepsy and anxiety-and depression-like behavior in WAG/Rij rats. MATERIAL AND METHOD Fourteen male WAG/Rij rats (absence-epileptic) and seven male Wistar rats (nonepileptic) were used. The effects of probiotic VSL#3 (12.86 bn living bacteria/kg/day for 30 day/gavage) on absence seizures, and related psychiatric comorbidities were evaluated in WAG/Rij rats. Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated by the open-field test and depression-like behavior by the forced swimming test. In addition, the brain tissues of rats were evaluated histopathologically for nerve growth factor [NGF], brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], SRY sex-determining region Y-box 2 [SOX2] and biochemically for nitric oxide [NO], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α] ,and Interleukin-6 [IL-6]. RESULTS Compared to Wistar rats, WAG/Rij rats exhibited anxiety- and depression-like behavior, and had lower BDNF, NGF and SOX2 immunoreactivity, and higher TNF-α, IL-6 levels in brain tissue. VSL#3 supplementation reduced the duration and number of spike-wave discharges (SWDs) and exhibited anxiolytic or anti-depressive effect. VSL#3 supplement also increased the NGF immunoreactivity while decreasing IL-6, TNF-α and NO levels in WAG/Rij rat brain. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study showed that neurotrophins, SOX2 deficiency, and pro-inflammatory cytokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of absence epilepsy. Our data support the hypothesis that the probiotics have anti-inflammatory effect. The present study is the first to show the positive effects of probiotic bacteria on absence seizures and anxiety- and depression-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Aygun
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokat Gaziosmanpasa, Tokat, Turkey.
| | - Ali Tugrul Akin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Literature, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Nildem Kızılaslan
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tokat Gaziosmanpasa Tokat, Turkey
| | - Orhan Sumbul
- Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine University of Tokat Gaziosmanpasa, Tokat, Turkey
| | - Derya Karabulut
- Department of Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey
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18
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Nagib MM, Zhang S, Yasmen N, Li L, Hou R, Yu Y, Boda VK, Wu Z, Li W, Jiang J. Inhibition of TRPC3 channels by a novel pyrazole compound confers antiseizure effects. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1003-1015. [PMID: 35179226 PMCID: PMC9007831 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE As a key member of the transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily, TRP canonical 3 (TRPC3) regulates calcium homeostasis and contributes to neuronal excitability. Ablation of TRPC3 lessens pilocarpine-induced seizures in mice, suggesting that TRPC3 inhibition might represent a novel antiseizure strategy. Among current TRPC3 inhibitors, pyrazole 3 (Pyr3) is most selective and potent. However, Pyr3 only provides limited benefits in pilocarpine-treated mice, likely due to its low metabolic stability and potential toxicity. We recently reported a modified pyrazole compound 20 (or JW-65) that has improved stability and safety. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of TRPC3 inhibition by our current lead compound JW-65 on seizure susceptibility. METHODS We first examined the pharmacokinetic properties including plasma half-life and brain to plasma ratio of JW-65 after systemic administration in mice. We then investigated the effects of TRPC3 inhibition by JW-65 on behavioral and electrographic seizures in mice treated with pilocarpine. To ensure our findings are not model specific, we assessed the susceptibility of JW-65-treated mice to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures with phenytoin as a comparator. RESULTS JW-65 showed adequate half-life and brain penetration in mice, justifying its use for central nervous system conditions. Systemic treatment with JW-65 before pilocarpine injection in mice markedly impaired the initiation of behavioral seizures. This antiseizure action was recapitulated when JW-65 was administered after pilocarpine-induced behavioral seizures were well established and was confirmed by time-locked electroencephalographic monitoring and synchronized video. Moreover, JW-65-treated mice showed substantially decreased susceptibility to PTZ-induced seizures in a dose-dependent manner. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that pharmacological inhibition of the TRPC3 channels by our novel compound JW-65 might represent a new antiseizure strategy engaging a previously undrugged mechanism of action. Hence, this proof-of-concept study establishes TRPC3 as a novel feasible therapeutic target for the treatment of some forms of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa M Nagib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sicheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nelufar Yasmen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lexiao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ruida Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Vijay K Boda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Zhongzhi Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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19
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Lee D, Jo H, Go C, Jang Y, Chu N, Bae S, Kang D, Kim Y, Kang JS. The Roles of IL-22 and Its Receptor in the Regulation of Inflammatory Responses in the Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:757. [PMID: 35054942 PMCID: PMC8775345 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-22 is a potent mediator of inflammatory responses. The IL-22 receptor consists of the IL-22Rα and IL-10Rβ subunits. Previous studies have shown that IL-22Rα expression is restricted to non-hematopoietic cells in the skin, pancreas, intestine, liver, lung, and kidney. Although IL-22 is involved in the development of inflammatory responses, there have been no reports of its role in brain inflammation. Here, we used RT-PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, immunohistochemical, and microarray analyses to examine the role of IL-22 and expression of IL-22Rα in the brain, using the microglial cell line, hippocampal neuronal cell line, and inflamed mouse brain tissue. Treatment of BV2 and HT22 cells with recombinant IL-22 increased the expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin E2. We also found that the JNK and STAT3 signaling pathways play an important role in IL-22-mediated increases in inflammatory mediators. Microarray analyses revealed upregulated expression of inflammation-related genes in IL-22-treated HT22 cells. Finally, we found that IL-22Rα is spontaneously expressed in the brain and is upregulated in inflamed mouse brain. Overall, our results demonstrate that interaction of IL-22 with IL-22Rα plays a role in the development of inflammatory responses in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahae Lee
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
| | - Hyejung Jo
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
| | - Cheolhyeon Go
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
| | - Yoojin Jang
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
| | - Naghyung Chu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
| | - Suhyun Bae
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
| | - Dongmin Kang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA;
| | - Yejin Kim
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
- Medical Research Center, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Jae Seung Kang
- Laboratory of Vitamin C and Antioxidant Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea; (D.L.); (H.J.); (C.G.); (Y.J.); (S.B.)
- Medical Research Center, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Korea
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20
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Li L, Yasmen N, Hou R, Yang S, Lee JY, Hao J, Yu Y, Jiang J. Inducible Prostaglandin E Synthase as a Pharmacological Target for Ischemic Stroke. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:366-385. [PMID: 35099767 PMCID: PMC9130433 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01191-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
As the inducible terminal enzyme for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis, microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1) contributes to neuroinflammation and secondary brain injury after cerebral ischemia via producing excessive PGE2. However, a proof of concept that mPGES-1 is a therapeutic target for ischemic stroke has not been established by a pharmacological strategy mainly due to the lack of drug-like mPGES-1 inhibitors that can be used in relevant rodent models. To this end, we recently developed a series of novel small-molecule compounds that can inhibit both human and rodent mPGES-1. In this study, blockade of mPGES-1 by our several novel compounds abolished the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PGE2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in mouse primary brain microglia. Inhibition of mPGES-1 also decreased PGE2 produced by neuronal cells under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) stress. Among the five enzymes for PGE2 biosynthesis, mPGES-1 was the most induced one in cerebral ischemic lesions. Systemic treatment with our lead compound MPO-0063 (5 or 10 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) improved post-stroke well-being, decreased infarction and edema, suppressed induction of brain cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), alleviated locomotor dysfunction and anxiety-like behavior, and reduced the long-term cognitive impairments. The therapeutic effects of MPO-0063 in this proof-of-concept study provide the first pharmacological evidence that mPGES-1 represents a feasible target for delayed, adjunct treatment - along with reperfusion therapies - for acute brain ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexiao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Nelufar Yasmen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Ruida Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Seyoung Yang
- Research Institute for Basic Sciences and Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yeol Lee
- Research Institute for Basic Sciences and Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiukuan Hao
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.
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Al Mamun A, Matsuzaki K, Islam R, Hossain S, Hossain ME, Katakura M, Arai H, Shido O, Hashimoto M. Chronic Administration of Thymoquinone Enhances Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Improves Memory in Rats Via Regulating the BDNF Signaling Pathway. Neurochem Res 2021; 47:933-951. [PMID: 34855048 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03495-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Thymoquinone is a pharmacologically active component of Nigella sativa Linn. seeds. Despite the diverse neuropharmacological attributes of TQ, limited reports related to adult neurogenesis and memory research are available. In this study, we investigated the effects of TQ on the proliferation and neural differentiation of cultured neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs). We also investigated the effect of TQ chronic administration on neurogenesis and memory in adult rats. Under proliferation conditions, TQ (0.05-0.3 μM) significantly increased NSCs/NPCs viability, neurosphere diameter, and cell count. TQ treatment under differentiation conditions increased the proportion of cells positive for Tuj1 (a neuronal marker). Furthermore, chronic oral administration of TQ (25 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks) to adult rats increased the number of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-immunopositive cells double-stained with a mature neuronal marker, neuronal nuclei (NeuN), and a proliferation marker, doublecortin (Dcx), in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. TQ-administered rats showed a profound beneficial effect on avoidance-related learning ability, associated with an increase in the hippocampal mRNA and protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as measured by both real-time PCR and ELISA. Western blot analysis revealed that TQ stimulates the phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), the upstream signaling molecule in the BDNF pathway. Furthermore, chronic administration of TQ decreased lipid peroxide and reactive oxygen species levels in the hippocampus. Taken together, our results suggest that TQ plays a role in memory improvement in adult rats and that the CREB/BDNF signaling pathways are involved in mediating the actions of TQ in hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Al Mamun
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kentaro Matsuzaki
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan
| | - Rafiad Islam
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Shahdat Hossain
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Md Emon Hossain
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Masanori Katakura
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Nutritional Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Sakado, 350-0295, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Arai
- Department of Geriatrics & Gerontology Division of Brain Science Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Osamu Shido
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan
| | - Michio Hashimoto
- Department of Environmental Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Enya-cho, Izumo, Japan.
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22
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Sluter MN, Hou R, Li L, Yasmen N, Yu Y, Liu J, Jiang J. EP2 Antagonists (2011-2021): A Decade's Journey from Discovery to Therapeutics. J Med Chem 2021; 64:11816-11836. [PMID: 34352171 PMCID: PMC8455147 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In the wake of health disasters associated with the chronic use of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor drugs, it has been widely proposed that modulation of downstream prostanoid synthases or receptors might provide more specificity than simply shutting down the entire COX cascade for anti-inflammatory benefits. The pathogenic actions of COX-2 have long been thought attributable to the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) signaling through its Gαs-coupled EP2 receptor subtype; however, the truly selective EP2 antagonists did not emerge until 2011. These small molecules provide game-changing tools to better understand the EP2 receptor in inflammation-associated conditions. Their applications in preclinical models also reshape our knowledge of PGE2/EP2 signaling as a node of inflammation in health and disease. As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of this breakthrough, the exploration of their potential as drug candidates for next-generation anti-inflammatory therapies has just begun. The first decade of EP2 antagonists passes, while their future looks brighter than ever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison N Sluter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ruida Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Lexiao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Nelufar Yasmen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Jiawang Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
- Medicinal Chemistry Core, Office of Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
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23
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Galanopoulou AS, Zhou D. An interview with Ying Yu, 2021 Epilepsia Open Prize Winner for Basic Science Research. Epilepsia Open 2021; 6:464-465. [PMID: 34137214 PMCID: PMC8408585 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dong Zhou
- Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, China
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Marchi
- Cerebrovascular and Glia Research Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (University of Montpellier, CNRS UMR5203, INSERM U1191) Montpellier France
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25
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Zhang C, Xing Z, Tan M, Wu Y, Zeng W. Roflumilast Ameliorates Isoflurane-Induced Inflammation in Astrocytes via the CREB/BDNF Signaling Pathway. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:4167-4174. [PMID: 33644540 PMCID: PMC7906587 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Background and purpose: Astrocyte-mediated neuroinflammation plays an important role in anesthetic isoflurane-induced cognitive impairment. Roflumilast, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has displayed a wide range of anti-inflammatory capacity in different types of cells and tissues. In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether roflumilast possesses a protective effect against isoflurane-induced insults in mouse primary astrocytes. Methods: Primary astrocytes were isolated from the cerebral cortices of immature rats. The production of NO was determined using DAF-FM DA staining assay. QRT-PCR and western blot were used to evaluate the expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, and BDNF in the astrocytes treated with different therapies. The gene expressions and concentrations of IL-6 and MCP-1 released by the astrocytes were detected using qRT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The expression levels of phosphorylated CREB and PGE2 were determined using western blot and ELISA, respectively. H89 was introduced to evaluate the function of CREB. Recombinant human BDNF and ANA-12 were used to verify the role of BDNF. Results: The upregulated iNOS, excessive production of NO, IL-6, and MCP-1, and activated COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathways in the astrocytes induced by isoflurane were significantly reversed by the introduction of roflumilast, in a dose-dependent manner. Subsequently, we found that BDNF could be upregulated by roflumilast, which was verified to be related to the activation of CREB and blocked by H89 (a CREB inhibitor). In addition, the COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway activated by isoflurane can be inactivated by recombinant human BDNF. Finally, the regulatory effect of roflumilast against the isoflurane-activated COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway was significantly blocked by ANA-12, which is a BDNF inhibitor. Conclusion: Roflumilast might ameliorate isoflurane-induced inflammation in astrocytes via the CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.
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26
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Gao MM, Huang HY, Chen SY, Tang HL, He N, Feng WC, Lu P, Hu F, Yan HJ, Long YS. The ALOXE3 gene variants from patients with Dravet syndrome decrease gene expression and enzyme activity. Brain Res Bull 2021; 170:81-89. [PMID: 33581311 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant expression or dysfunction of a number of genes in the brain contributes to epilepsy, a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Local overexpression of arachidonate lipoxygenase 3 (ALOXE3), a key enzyme for arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic pathway, alleviates seizure severities. However, the relationship between the ALOXE3 gene mutation and epilepsy has not been reported until now. Here we firstly characterized the promoter of human ALOXE3 gene and found that the ALOXE3 promoter could drive luciferase gene expression in the human HEK-293 and SH-SY5Y cells. We then screened the ALOXE3 promoter region and all coding exons from those patients with Dravet syndrome and identified 5 variants c.-163T > C, c.-50C > G, c.-37G > A, c. + 228G > A and c. + 290G > T in the promoter region and one missense variant c.1939A > G (p.I647 V) in the exon. Of these variants in the promoter region, only -50C > G was a novel variant located on the transcriptional factor NFII-I binding element. Luciferase reporter gene analyses indicated that the c.-50C > G could decrease gene expression by preventing the TFII-I's binding. In addition, the variant p.I647 V was conserved among all analyzed species and located within the ALOXE3 functional domain for catalyzing its substrate. In cultured cell lines, overexpression of ALOXE3 significantly decreased the cellular AA levels and overexpression of ALOXE3-I647 V could restore the AA levels, suggesting that the p.I647 V mutant led to a decrease in enzyme activity. Taken together, the present study proposes that the identified ALOXE3 variants potentially contribute to the AA-pathway-mediated epileptogenesis, which should provide a novel avenue for clinical diagnosis of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Mei Gao
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Hao-Ying Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Si-Yu Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Hui-Ling Tang
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Na He
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Wen-Cai Feng
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Ping Lu
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Fei Hu
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Hua-Juan Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Yue-Sheng Long
- Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, 250 Changang East Road, Guangzhou, 510260, China.
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27
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Hou R, Yu Y, Jiang J. PGE2 receptors in detrusor muscle: Drugging the undruggable for urgency. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 184:114363. [PMID: 33309520 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is a prevalent condition of the lower urinary tract that causes symptoms, such as urinary frequency, urinary urgency, urge incontinence, and nocturia, and disproportionately affects women and the elderly. Current medications for OAB merely provide symptomatic relief with considerable limitations, as they are no more than moderately effective, not to mention that they may cause substantial adverse effects. Identifying novel molecular targets to facilitate the development of new medical therapies with higher efficacy and safety for OAB is in an urgent unmet need. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of OAB largely remain elusive and are likely multifactorial, mounting evidence from preclinical studies over the past decade reveals that the pro-inflammatory pathways engaging cyclooxygenases and their prostanoid products, particularly the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), may play essential roles in the progression of OAB. The goals of this review are to summarize recent progresses in our knowledge on the pathogenic roles of PGE2 in the OAB and to provide new mechanistic insights into the signaling pathways transduced by its four G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), i.e., EP1-EP4, in the overactive detrusor smooth muscle. We also discuss the feasibility of targeting these GPCRs as an emerging strategy to treat OAB with better therapeutic specificity than the current medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruida Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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28
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Insights into Potential Targets for Therapeutic Intervention in Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228573. [PMID: 33202963 PMCID: PMC7697405 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease that affects approximately 65 million people worldwide. However, despite the continuous development of antiepileptic drugs, over 30% patients with epilepsy progress to drug-resistant epilepsy. For this reason, it is a high priority objective in preclinical research to find novel therapeutic targets and to develop effective drugs that prevent or reverse the molecular mechanisms underlying epilepsy progression. Among these potential therapeutic targets, we highlight currently available information involving signaling pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and zinc signaling), enzymes (carbonic anhydrase), proteins (erythropoietin, copine 6 and complement system), channels (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1 (TRPV1) channel) and receptors (galanin and melatonin receptors). All of them have demonstrated a certain degree of efficacy not only in controlling seizures but also in displaying neuroprotective activity and in modifying the progression of epilepsy. Although some research with these specific targets has been done in relation with epilepsy, they have not been fully explored as potential therapeutic targets that could help address the unsolved issue of drug-resistant epilepsy and develop new antiseizure therapies for the treatment of epilepsy.
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29
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Jiang J, Yu Y. Small molecules targeting cyclooxygenase/prostanoid cascade in experimental brain ischemia: Do they translate? Med Res Rev 2020; 41:828-857. [PMID: 33094540 DOI: 10.1002/med.21744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acute brain ischemia accounts for most of stroke cases and constitutes a leading cause of deaths among adults and permanent disabilities in survivors. Currently, the intravenous thrombolysis is the only available medication for ischemic stroke; mechanical thrombectomy is an emerging alternative treatment for occlusion of large arteries and has shown some promise in selected subsets of patients. However, the overall narrow treatment window and potential risks largely limit the patient eligibility. New druggable targets are needed to innovate the treatment of brain ischemia. As the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosyntheses of prostanoids, cyclooxygenase (COX), particularly the inducible isoform COX-2, has long been implicated in mechanisms of acute stroke-induced brain injury and inflammation. However, the notion of therapeutically targeting COX has been diminished over the past two decades due to significant complications of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems caused by long-term use of COX-2 inhibitor drugs. New treatment strategies targeting the downstream prostanoid signaling receptors regulating the deleterious effects of COX cascade have been proposed. As such, a large number of selective small molecules that negatively or positively modulate these important inflammatory regulators have been evaluated for neuroprotection and other beneficial effects in various animal models of brain ischemia. These timely preclinical studies, though not yet led to clinical innovation, provided new insights into the regulation of inflammatory reactions in the ischemic brain and could guide drug discovery efforts aiming for novel adjunctive strategies, along with current reperfusion therapy, to treat acute brain ischemia with higher specificity and longer therapeutic window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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30
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Li L, Sluter MN, Yu Y, Jiang J. Prostaglandin E receptors as targets for ischemic stroke: Novel evidence and molecular mechanisms of efficacy. Pharmacol Res 2020; 163:105238. [PMID: 33053444 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the past two decades the interest has waned in therapeutically targeting cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) due to growing concerns over the potential cardiovascular and cerebrovascular toxicities of the long-term use of COX-2 inhibitors. Attention thus has recently been shifted downstream to the prostaglandin signaling pathways for new druggable anti-inflammatory targets aiming for higher therapeutic specificity. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is robustly synthesized in the ischemic cortex by quickly induced COX-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) following cerebral ischemia. The elevated PGE2, in turn, divergently regulates the excitotoxic injury and neuroinflammation by acting on four membrane-bound G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), namely, EP1-EP4. Markedly, all four EP receptors have been implicated in the excitotoxicity-associated brain inflammation and injury in animal models of cerebral ischemia. However promising, these preclinical studies have not yet led to a clinical trial targeting any PGE2 receptor for ischemic stroke. The goal of this article is to review the recent progress in understanding the pathogenic roles of PGE2 in cerebral ischemia as well as to provide new mechanistic insights into the PGE2 signaling via these four GPCRs in neuronal excitotoxicity and inflammation. We also discuss the feasibility of targeting EP1-EP4 receptors as an emerging delayed treatment, together with the first-line reperfusion strategy, to manage acute ischemic stroke with potentially extended window as well as improved specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexiao Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Madison N Sluter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ying Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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31
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Li L, Yu Y, Hou R, Hao J, Jiang J. Inhibiting the PGE 2 Receptor EP2 Mitigates Excitotoxicity and Ischemic Injury. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2020; 3:635-643. [PMID: 32832866 PMCID: PMC7432651 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is elevated in the brain by excitotoxic insults and, in turn, aggravates the neurotoxicity mainly through acting on its Gαs-coupled receptor EP2, inspiring a therapeutic strategy of targeting this key proinflammatory pathway. Herein, we investigated the effects of several highly potent and selective small-molecule antagonists of the EP2 receptor on neuronal excitotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo. EP2 inhibition by these novel compounds largely decreased the neuronal injury in rat primary hippocampal cultures containing both neurons and glia that were treated with N-methyl-d-aspartate and glycine. Using a bioavailable and brain-permeant analogue TG6-10-1 that we recently developed to target the central EP2 receptor, we found that the poststroke EP2 inhibition in mice decreased the neurological deficits and infarct volumes as well as downregulated the prototypic inflammatory cytokines in the brain after a transient ischemia. Our preclinical findings together reinforced the notion that targeting the EP2 receptor represents an emerging therapeutic strategy to prevent the neuronal injury and inflammation following ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexiao Li
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ying Yu
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Ruida Hou
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Jiukuan Hao
- Department
of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Jianxiong Jiang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
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