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Yang YQ, Liu YJ, Qiao WX, Jin W, Zhu SW, Yan YX, Luo Q, Xu Q. Iguratimod suppresses plasma cell differentiation and ameliorates experimental Sjögren's syndrome in mice by promoting TEC kinase degradation. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:1926-1936. [PMID: 38744938 PMCID: PMC11336088 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01288-7] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with an unclear pathogenesis, and there is currently no approved drug for the treatment of this disease. Iguratimod, as a novel clinical anti-rheumatic drug in China and Japan, has shown remarkable efficacy in improving the symptoms of patients with pSS in clinical studies. In this study we investigated the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of iguratimod in the treatment of pSS. Experimental Sjögren's syndrome (ESS) model was established in female mice by immunizing with salivary gland protein. After immunization, ESS mice were orally treated with iguratimod (10, 30, 100 mg·kg-1·d-1) or hydroxychloroquine (50 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 70 days. We showed that iguratimod administration dose-dependently increased saliva secretion, and ameliorated ESS development by predominantly inhibiting B cells activation and plasma cell differentiation. Iguratimod (30 and 100 mg·kg-1·d-1) was more effective than hydroxychloroquine (50 mg·kg-1·d-1). When the potential target of iguratimod was searched, we found that iguratimod bound to TEC kinase and promoted its degradation through the autophagy-lysosome pathway in BAFF-activated B cells, thereby directly inhibiting TEC-regulated B cells function, suggesting that the action mode of iguratimod on TEC was different from that of conventional kinase inhibitors. In addition, we found a crucial role of TEC overexpression in plasma cells of patients with pSS. Together, we demonstrate that iguratimod effectively ameliorates ESS via its unique suppression of TEC function, which will be helpful for its clinical application. Targeting TEC kinase, a new regulatory factor for B cells, may be a promising therapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yi-Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wen-Xuan Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wei Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shun-Wei Zhu
- Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nanjing, 210042, China
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, 210042, China
| | - Yu-Xi Yan
- Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nanjing, 210042, China
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, 210042, China
| | - Qiong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Li C, Zhu H, Zhang S, Meng F, Li S, Li G, Zha J, Wu S, Zhu L, Dai A. Astragaloside IV ameliorates pulmonary vascular remodeling in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension by restraining the T follicular helper cell response and expanding T follicular regulatory cell response. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 102:154171. [PMID: 35636165 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder lacking a validated and effective therapy which characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling and eventual death. FDA approved sildenafil is being used as a first-line drug for PH, however, neither survival rates nor quality of life have been improved because of side effects and patient noncompliance. Thus, the exploration of novel therapeutic drugs is urgently needed. Astragaloside IV (ASIV) exhibits a protective effect on HPH, but its mechanisms of action is unclear. HYPOTHESIS CD4+T cell subsets, Tfh and Tfr cells, may contribute to the development of chronic hypoxia-induced PH (HPH). We hypothesized that ASIV could effectively ameliorates pulmonary vascular remodeling of HPH by restraining the Tfh cell response and expanding Tfr cell response. METHODS AND RESULTS HPH mice model was established by exposure to chronic hypoxia for 21 days. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups: NaCl group, model group, SN group (100 mg/kg of sildenafil), low-dose group (20 mg/kg of ASIV), medium-dose group (40 mg/kg of ASIV) and high-dose group (80 mg/kg of ASIV). Primary culture and identification of distal pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in mice were established. Here, we demonstrated that ASIV treatment could significantly ameliorate the increase of mean PAP, RV/ (LV+S) ratio and PAMT in HPH mice. ASIV inhibited Tfh cell differentiation and IL-21 production, but promoted Tfr cell differentiation and TGF-β, IL-10 production. Chronic hypoxia promoted germinal center B cell responses, which inhibited by ASIV. ASIV regulated Tfh and Tfr cell differentiation by inhibiting the phosphorylation of mTOR signaling pathway, and the effect of ASIV-H was better than that observed in the SN group. ASIV inhibited the proliferation, migration and adhesion of PASMCs in vitro. Moreover, ASIV significantly downregulated the protein level of RhoA and upregulated the protein level of p27 in PASMCs under hypoxic condition. CONCLUSION Collectively, ASIV may regulate Tfh and Tfr cell responses to subsequently repress pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - Hao Zhu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - Shaoze Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - Fang Meng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - San Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - Guang Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China
| | - Jun Zha
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, PR China
| | - Shangjie Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, PR China
| | - Liming Zhu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China.
| | - Aiguo Dai
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital/The First Affiliated Hospital of HunanNormal University, Changsha, Hunan 410016, PR China; Department of Respiratory Diseases, Medical School, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, PR China.
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