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Buonvicino D, Pratesi S, Ranieri G, Pistolesi A, Guasti D, Chiarugi A. The mitochondriogenic but not the immunosuppressant effects of mTOR inhibitors prompt neuroprotection and delay disease evolution in a mouse model of progressive multiple sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 191:106387. [PMID: 38142841 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106387] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Purportedly, the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs when neurodegenerative processes due to derangement of axonal bioenergetics take over the autoimmune response. However, a clear picture of the causative interrelationship between autoimmunity and axonal mitochondrial dysfunction in progressive MS (PMS) pathogenesis waits to be provided. METHODS In the present study, by adopting the NOD mouse model of PMS, we compared the pharmacological effects of the immunosuppressants dexamethasone and fingolimod with those of mTOR inhibitors rapamycin and everolimus that, in addition to immunosuppression, also regulate mitochondrial functioning. Female Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice were immunized with MOG35-55 and treated with drugs to evaluate functional, immune and mitochondrial parameters during disease evolution. RESULTS We found that dexamethasone and fingolimod did not affect the pattern of progression as well as survival. Conversely, mTOR inhibitors rapamycin and everolimus delayed disease progression and robustly extended survival of immunized mice. The same effects were obtained when treatment was delayed by 30 days after immunization. Remarkably, dexamethasone and fingolimod prompted the same degree of immunosuppression of rapamycin within both spleen and spinal cord of mice. However, only rapamycin prompted mitochondriogenesis by increasing mitochondrial content, and expression of several mitochondrial respiratory complex subunits, thereby preventing mtDNA reduction in the spinal cords of immunized mice. These pharmacodynamic effects were not reproduced in healthy NOD mice, suggesting a disease context-dependent pharmacodynamic effect. DISCUSSION Data corroborate the key role of mitochondriogenesis to treatment of MS progression, and for the first time disclose the translational potential of mTOR inhibitors in PMS therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Buonvicino
- Department of Health Sciences, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Sara Pratesi
- Centre of Immunological Research DENOTHE, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ranieri
- Department of Health Sciences, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pistolesi
- Department of Health Sciences, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Daniele Guasti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Research Unit of Histology & Embryology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alberto Chiarugi
- Department of Health Sciences, Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Bao H, Wang Y, Xiong H, Xia Y, Cui Z, Liu L. Mechanism of Iron Ion Homeostasis in Intestinal Immunity and Gut Microbiota Remodeling. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:727. [PMID: 38255801 PMCID: PMC10815743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020727] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Iron is a vital trace element that plays an important role in humans and other organisms. It plays an active role in the growth, development, and reproduction of bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria. Iron deficiency or excess can negatively affect bacterial hosts. Studies have reported a major role of iron in the human intestine, which is necessary for maintaining body homeostasis and intestinal barrier function. Organisms can maintain their normal activities and regulate some cancer cells in the body by regulating iron excretion and iron-dependent ferroptosis. In addition, iron can modify the interaction between hosts and microorganisms by altering their growth and virulence or by affecting the immune system of the host. Lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus), and Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) were reported to increase trace elements, protect the host intestinal barrier, mitigate intestinal inflammation, and regulate immune function. This review article focuses on the two aspects of the iron and gut and generally summarizes the mechanistic role of iron ions in intestinal immunity and the remodeling of gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Zhifu Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (H.B.); (Y.W.); (H.X.); (Y.X.)
| | - Lingbin Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (H.B.); (Y.W.); (H.X.); (Y.X.)
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Li X, Peng X, Zoulikha M, Boafo GF, Magar KT, Ju Y, He W. Multifunctional nanoparticle-mediated combining therapy for human diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:1. [PMID: 38161204 PMCID: PMC10758001 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01668-1] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Combining existing drug therapy is essential in developing new therapeutic agents in disease prevention and treatment. In preclinical investigations, combined effect of certain known drugs has been well established in treating extensive human diseases. Attributed to synergistic effects by targeting various disease pathways and advantages, such as reduced administration dose, decreased toxicity, and alleviated drug resistance, combinatorial treatment is now being pursued by delivering therapeutic agents to combat major clinical illnesses, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, myocarditis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Combinatorial therapy involves combining or co-delivering two or more drugs for treating a specific disease. Nanoparticle (NP)-mediated drug delivery systems, i.e., liposomal NPs, polymeric NPs and nanocrystals, are of great interest in combinatorial therapy for a wide range of disorders due to targeted drug delivery, extended drug release, and higher drug stability to avoid rapid clearance at infected areas. This review summarizes various targets of diseases, preclinical or clinically approved drug combinations and the development of multifunctional NPs for combining therapy and emphasizes combinatorial therapeutic strategies based on drug delivery for treating severe clinical diseases. Ultimately, we discuss the challenging of developing NP-codelivery and translation and provide potential approaches to address the limitations. This review offers a comprehensive overview for recent cutting-edge and challenging in developing NP-mediated combination therapy for human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Li
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 2111198, PR China
| | - Xiuju Peng
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 2111198, PR China
| | - Makhloufi Zoulikha
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 2111198, PR China
| | - George Frimpong Boafo
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China
| | - Kosheli Thapa Magar
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 2111198, PR China
| | - Yanmin Ju
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 2111198, PR China.
| | - Wei He
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200443, China.
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Ye J, Zhang J, Zhu Y, Wang L, Jiang X, Liu B, He G. Targeting autophagy and beyond: Deconvoluting the complexity of Beclin-1 from biological function to cancer therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4688-4714. [PMID: 38045051 PMCID: PMC10692397 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Beclin-1 is the firstly-identified mammalian protein of the autophagy machinery, which functions as a molecular scaffold for the assembly of PI3KC3 (class III phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase) complex, thus controlling autophagy induction and other cellular trafficking events. Notably, there is mounting evidence establishing the implications of Beclin-1 in diverse tumorigenesis processes, including tumor suppression and progression as well as resistance to cancer therapeutics and CSC (cancer stem-like cell) maintenance. More importantly, Beclin-1 has been confirmed as a potential target for the treatment of multiple cancers. In this review, we provide a comprehensive survey of the structure, functions, and regulations of Beclin-1, and we discuss recent advances in understanding the controversial roles of Beclin-1 in oncology. Moreover, we focus on summarizing the targeted Beclin-1-regulating strategies in cancer therapy, providing novel insights into a promising strategy for regulating Beclin-1 to improve cancer therapeutics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ye
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yanghui Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease Related Molecular Network, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xian Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease Related Molecular Network, Chengdu 610041, China
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Torres-López L, Dobrovinskaya O. Dissecting the Role of Autophagy-Related Proteins in Cancer Metabolism and Plasticity. Cells 2023; 12:2486. [PMID: 37887330 PMCID: PMC10605719 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202486] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Modulation of autophagy as an anticancer strategy has been widely studied and evaluated in several cell models. However, little attention has been paid to the metabolic changes that occur in a cancer cell when autophagy is inhibited or induced. In this review, we describe how the expression and regulation of various autophagy-related (ATGs) genes and proteins are associated with cancer progression and cancer plasticity. We present a comprehensive review of how deregulation of ATGs affects cancer cell metabolism, where inhibition of autophagy is mainly reflected in the enhancement of the Warburg effect. The importance of metabolic changes, which largely depend on the cancer type and form part of a cancer cell's escape strategy after autophagy modulation, is emphasized. Consequently, pharmacological strategies based on a dual inhibition of metabolic and autophagy pathways emerged and are reviewed critically here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Torres-López
- Laboratory of Immunology and Ionic Transport Regulation, Biomedical Research Centre, University of Colima, Av. 25 de Julio #965, Villas de San Sebastián, Colima 28045, Mexico;
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Zhu Q, Song J, Chen J, Yuan Z, Liu L, Xie L, Liao Q, Ye RD, Chen X, Yan Y, Tan J, Heng Tan CS, Li M, Lu J. Corynoxine B targets at HMGB1/2 to enhance autophagy for alpha-synuclein clearance in fly and rodent models of Parkinson’s disease. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
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Huang T, Gu W, Liu E, Wang B, Wang G, Dong F, Guo F, Jiao W, Sun Y, Wang X, Li S, Xu G. miR-301b-5p and its target gene nfatc2ip regulate inflammatory responses in the liver of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) under high temperature stress. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113915. [PMID: 35901591 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a typical cold-water aquaculture fish and a high-end aquatic product. When water temperature exceeds its optimal range of 12-18 °C, the immune system of rainbow trout becomes weakened and unbalanced. High temperature in summer and global warming severely impact rainbow trout industry. The focus of this study was to explore the mechanisms regulating the immune response of rainbow trout under high temperature stress and identify molecular elements that account for resistance to high temperature. In this study, individual fish were screened in a high temperature stress experiment and divided into resistant (R) and sensitive (S) groups. The hepatic transcriptome sequencing and analysis of mRNAs and microRNAs of the R, S, and control groups showed that the number of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the S group (9259) was higher than that in the R group (5313). Furthermore, the 1233 genes differentially expressed between S and R groups were mainly enriched in immune-related pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, TNF signaling and IL-17 signaling. Among these DEGs were miR-301b-5p and its target gene that encodes nuclear factor of activated T cells two interacting protein (nfatc2ip). The dual-luciferase reporter system and immunofluorescence experiments verified the relationship between miR-301b-5p and nfatc2ip. We also showed that expression levels of miR-301b-5p and nfatc2ip significantly negatively correlated in the liver of rainbow trout under high temperature stress. By performing functional experiments, we showed that activation of miR-301b-5p expression or inhibition of nfatc2ip expression stimulated the phosphorylation of p65, p38, and JNK in the classical nuclear factor kappa-B and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways under high temperature stress. These manipulations initially promoted the secretion of the pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β and then increased the levels of IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α. In addition, activation of miR-301b-5p expression or inhibition of nfatc2ip expression stimulated the repair of the hepatic ultrastructural damage caused by high temperature stress by activating the inflammatory response in rainbow trout liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqing Huang
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Wei Gu
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Enhui Liu
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Bingqian Wang
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Gaochao Wang
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Fulin Dong
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Fuyuan Guo
- Yantai Jinghai Marine Fishery Co Ltd, Yantai, PR China
| | - Wenlong Jiao
- Gansu Fisheries Research Institute, Lanzhou, PR China
| | - Yanchun Sun
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xiance Wang
- Hangzhou Qiandaohu Xun Long Sci-tech CO., LTD, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Shanwei Li
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Gefeng Xu
- Cold Water Fish Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, PR China.
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Zou L, Liao M, Zhen Y, Zhu S, Chen X, Zhang J, Hao Y, Liu B. Autophagy and beyond: Unraveling the complexity of UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) from biological functions to therapeutic implications. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3743-3782. [PMID: 36213540 PMCID: PMC9532564 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), as a serine/threonine kinase, is an autophagic initiator in mammals and a homologous protein of autophagy related protein (Atg) 1 in yeast and of UNC-51 in Caenorhabditis elegans. ULK1 is well-known for autophagy activation, which is evolutionarily conserved in protein transport and indispensable to maintain cell homeostasis. As the direct target of energy and nutrition-sensing kinase, ULK1 may contribute to the distribution and utilization of cellular resources in response to metabolism and is closely associated with multiple pathophysiological processes. Moreover, ULK1 has been widely reported to play a crucial role in human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and infections, and subsequently targeted small-molecule inhibitors or activators are also demonstrated. Interestingly, the non-autophagy function of ULK1 has been emerging, indicating that non-autophagy-relevant ULK1 signaling network is also linked with diseases under some specific contexts. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the structure and functions of ULK1 as an autophagic initiator, with a focus on some new approaches, and further elucidated the key roles of ULK1 in autophagy and non-autophagy. Additionally, we also discussed the relationships between ULK1 and human diseases, as well as illustrated a rapid progress for better understanding of the discovery of more candidate small-molecule drugs targeting ULK1, which will provide a clue on novel ULK1-targeted therapeutics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Minru Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yongqi Zhen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shiou Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiya Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Yue Hao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
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Postoperative Ileus with the Topical Application of Tongfu Decoction Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:2347419. [PMID: 35388311 PMCID: PMC8979687 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2347419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common and important complication of surgery. This study aimed to explore the key pharmacological mechanisms of Tongfu decoction in treating postoperative ileus (POI). Methods The active ingredients of Tongfu decoction and their targets were screened using the TCMSP database and STITCH and SwissTargetPrediction databases, respectively. The GeneCards and DisGeNET databases were used to obtain POI dysfunction-related therapeutic targets. After screening, a drug-active-ingredient-therapeutic target network was constructed and the key target functional enrichment analysis was carried out. The Sprague–Dawley rats with POI were used for in vivo experimental verification. The serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, and MCP-1 were measured after surgery using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression of key proteins of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in colon tissues. Results An interaction network was constructed containing 7 Chinese medicine components, 36 compounds, and 85 target proteins. The functional enrichment analysis showed that the target proteins mainly acted on the POI through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In in vivo experiments, Tongfu decoction had a promoting effect on the serum level of IL-10, an inhibitory effect on the serum levels of IL-1β and CCL2, and an inhibitory effect on the local expression of PI3K, pAkt, and mTOR in colon tissue. In addition, the Tongfu decoction increased the intestinal ink advancing rate. Conclusion Nonoral Tongfu decoction can also be used to treat POI; its mechanism is affected by IL-10 and IL-1β.The inhibition of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway affected the treatment with Tongfu decoction by inducing an immune-inflammatory storm in POI.
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Curcumin ameliorates H2O2‑induced inflammatory response in chondrocytes by inducing autophagy activation. Exp Ther Med 2022; 23:272. [PMID: 35251338 PMCID: PMC8892606 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a clinical disease characterized by inflammation of cartilage tissue and chondrocytes. The principal curcuminoid curcumin is the most active component in turmeric and has been reported to have a chondroprotective effect, including anti-inflammatory activity, which is vitally important for mitigating RP symptoms and prognosis. However, the mechanisms underlying these actions have remained to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the chondroprotective mechanisms of curcumin on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated primary chondrocytes were examined in vitro. The viability of chondrocytes treated with H2O2 was significantly reduced in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cotreatment of curcumin with H2O2 significantly decreased growth inhibition. It was observed that curcumin inhibited the expression levels of the inflammatory mediators interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase and induced autophagy activation. Curcumin increased the protein levels of the autophagy marker beclin-1 and light chain 3-II and decreased the expression levels of P62 in H2O2-treated chondrocytes. The curcumin-induced anti-inflammatory effects were markedly abrogated by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. In conclusion, the present study suggested that curcumin regulates inflammatory factors by activating autophagy in chondrocytes. The protective role of curcumin in chondrocytes was demonstrated, suggesting that it should be explored for the prophylactic treatment of RP in the clinic in the future.
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