1
|
Li SH, Li QP, Chen WJ, Zhong YY, Sun J, Wu JF, Cao YX, Dong JC. Psoralen attenuates cigarette smoke extract-induced inflammation by modulating CD8 + T lymphocyte recruitment and chemokines via the JAK2/STAT1 signaling pathway. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32351. [PMID: 38988534 PMCID: PMC11233870 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory inflammatory disease. Psoralen (PSO) is the main pharmacological component identified from Bu-Shen-Fang-Chuan formula which has been traditionally used in treatment of COPD, yet its efficacy in COPD inflammation were unreported. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory potential of PSO in COPD and unravel the underlying mechanisms, focusing on T lymphocyte recruitment and the modulation of chemokines, namely monokine induced by interferon-gamma (CXCL9), interferon inducible protein 10 (CXCL10), and interferon inducible T-Cell alpha chemoattractant (CXCL11). In vitro, RAW264.7 was stimulated by interferon (IFN)-γ + cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and were treated with PSO (2.5, 5, 10 μM), then the levels of chemokines and the activation of Janus kinase (JAK)/Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway were analyzed by real time PCR and western blot. In vivo, a murine model was established by intraperitoneal injection of CSE on day 1, 8, 15, and 22, then treated with PSO (10 mg/kg). Our experiments in vitro illustrated that PSO reduced the levels of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11, and decreased the protein phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT1. Additionally, PSO effectively improved inflammatory infiltration and decreased the proportion of CD8+ T cells in CSE-exposed mice. Furthermore, PSO reduced the levels of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue, and decreased the protein phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT1. In conclusion, our results revealed the therapeutic potential of PSO for COPD inflammation, possibly mediated through the regulation of CD8+ T cell recruitment and chemokines via the JAK2/STAT1 signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shi-huan Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qiu-ping Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Wen-jing Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yuan-yuan Zhong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jin-feng Wu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yu-xue Cao
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jing-cheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu S, Zhang Y, Zhu X, He S, Liu X, Lv X, Zuo F, Wu J. Huang Lian Jie Du Decoction enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors by activating TLR7/8 signalling in melanoma. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024; 24:156. [PMID: 38605368 PMCID: PMC11007990 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04444-y] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is limited by their drug resistance, necessitating the development of ICI sensitizers to improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes. Huang Lian Jie Du Decoction (HLJD, Oren-gedoku-to in Japanese, Hwangryunhaedok-tang in Korean), a famous traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, has exhibited potential in the field of cancer treatment. This study aims to investigate the impact of HLJD on the efficacy of ICIs in melanoma and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS The potential synergistic effects of HLJD and ICIs were investigated on the tumor-bearing mice model of B16F10 melanoma, and the tumor infiltration of immune cells was tested by flow cytometry. The differential gene expression in tumors between HLJD and ICIs group and ICIs alone group were analyzed by RNA-seq. The effects of HLJD on oxidative stress, TLR7/8, and type I interferons (IFN-Is) signaling were further validated by immunofluorescence, PCR array, and immunochemistry in tumor tissue. RESULTS HLJD enhanced the anti-tumor effect of ICIs, significantly inhibited tumor growth, and prolonged the survival duration in melanoma. HLJD increased the tumor infiltration of anti-tumor immune cells, especially DCs, CD4+ T cells and CD8+T cells. Mechanically, HLJD activated the oxidative stress and TLR7/8 signaling pathway and IFN-Is-related genes in tumors. CONCLUSIONS HLJD enhanced the therapeutic benefits of ICIs in melanoma, through increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), promoting the TLR7/8 pathway, and activating IFN-Is signaling, which in turn activated DCs and T cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suqing Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yaohua Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
- Worldwide Medical Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xiaohua Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Shan He
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xiang Lv
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Fuguo Zuo
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang M, Song J, Yang H, Wu X, Zhang J, Wang S. Gut microbiota was highly related to the immune status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:3241-3256. [PMID: 38349864 PMCID: PMC10929793 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205532] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the profile of gut microbiota and immunological state in COPD patients. 80 fecal and blood samples were collected from 40 COPD patients and 40 healthy controls (HC) and analyzed with 16s-rRNA gene sequencing and immunofactor omics analysis to investigate the profile of gut microbiota and immunologic factors (IFs). The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LefSe) was used to determine the biomarker's taxa. The random forest and LASSO regression analysis were executed to screen IFs and develop an IFscore model. The correlation between gut microbiota and IFs, along with the IFscore and the diversity of gut microbiota, was evaluated with the Spearman analysis. The α and β diversity showed that the composition and distribution of gut microbiota in the COPD group differed from that of the HC group. 7 differential taxa at the phylum level and 17 differential taxa at the genus level were found. LefSe analysis screened out 5 biomarker's taxa. 32 differential IFs (up-regulated 27 IFs and down-regulated 5 IFs) were identified between two groups, and 5 IFs (CCL3, CXCL9, CCL7, IL2, IL4) were used to construct an IFscore model. The Spearman analysis revealed that 29 IFs were highly related to 5 biomarker's taxa and enriched in 16 pathways. Furthermore, the relationship between the IFscore and gut microbiota diversity was very close. The gut microbiota and IFs profile in COPD patients differed from that in healthy individuals. Gut microbiota was highly related to the immune status in COPD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wang
- Department of Respiratory, Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Cancer Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Song
- Department of Respiratory, Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Cancer Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huizhen Yang
- Department of Respiratory, Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Cancer Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wu
- Department of Respiratory, Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Cancer Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Jinhua Second People’s Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Respiratory, Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Cancer Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li DY, Chen L, Miao SY, Zhou M, Wu JH, Sun SW, Liu LL, Qi C, Xiong XZ. Inducible Costimulator-C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 3 Signaling is Involved in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Pathogenesis. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2022; 17:1847-1861. [PMID: 35991707 PMCID: PMC9386059 DOI: 10.2147/copd.s371801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The role of inducible costimulator (ICOS) signaling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been fully elucidated. Methods We compared the percentages of ICOS+ T cells and ICOS+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in CD4+ T cells and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs, respectively, in the peripheral blood of smokers with or without COPD to those in healthy controls. We further characterized their phenotypes using flow cytometry. To investigate the influence of ICOS signaling on C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) expression in COPD, we evaluated the expression levels of ICOS and CXCR3 in vivo and in vitro. Results ICOS expression was elevated on peripheral CD4+ T cells and CD4+ Tregs of COPD patients, which positively correlated with the severity of lung function impairment in patients with stable COPD (SCOPD), but not in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). ICOS+CD4+ Tregs in patients with SCOPD expressed higher levels of coinhibitors, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT), than ICOS−CD4+ Tregs, whereas ICOS+CD4+ T cells mostly exhibited a central memory (CD45RA−CCR7+) or effector memory (CD45RA−CCR7−) phenotype, ensuring their superior potential to respond potently and quickly to pathogen invasion. Furthermore, increased percentages of CXCR3+CD4+ T cells and CXCR3+CD4+ Tregs were observed in the peripheral blood of patients with SCOPD, and the expression level of CXCR3 was higher in ICOS+CD4+ T cells than in ICOS−CD4+ T cells. The percentage of CXCR3+CD4+ T cells was even higher in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid than in matched peripheral blood in SCOPD group. Lastly, in vitro experiments showed that ICOS induced CXCR3 expression on CD4+ T cells. Conclusions ICOS signaling is upregulated in COPD, which induces CXCR3 expression. This may contribute to increased numbers of CXCR3+ Th1 cells in the lungs of patients with COPD, causing inflammation and tissue damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Yang Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai-Ying Miao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China.,Department of Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Pingmei Shenma Medical Group, Pingdingshan, 467000, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Zhou
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang-Hua Wu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Wen Sun
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan-Lan Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Chang Qi
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xian-Zhi Xiong
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Du W, Zhang T, Yang F, Gul A, Tang Z, Zhang H, Jiang S, Wang S, Dong J. Endocannabinoid signalling/cannabinoid receptor 2 is involved in icariin-mediated protective effects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 103:154187. [PMID: 35667261 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic disease of unknown aetiology with limited effective treatment options. It is important to explore novel therapeutic targets and develop potential drugs for IPF. PURPOSE The aim of the present study was to analyse nontargeted plasma metabolites in patients with IPF and investigate whether cannabinoid receptor (CB2) activation mediates the antifibrotic effect of icariin (ICA). METHODS We used an untargeted metabolomics method to detect the global metabolic profiles in the plasma of stable IPF patients and patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as healthy subjects. The untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis revealed that IPF showed differential metabolites and perturbed signalling pathways. ICA is pharmacologically bioactive and possesses extensive therapeutic capacities such as osteoprotective, neuroprotective, cardiovascular protective, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and reproductive function. Therefore, ICA was administered to a pulmonary fibrosis rat model for 4 weeks and then the effect of ICA on pulmonary fibrosis was examined by dissection and histology. RESULTS The metabolites in the plasma were determined by untargeted LC-MS. An unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) was used to observe the distribution of each sample, and a supervised partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) results showed that there was significant separation between any two groups. ROC curve analyses revealed that 8 metabolites with high AUCs above 0.7 between the three groups of plasma samples. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that 3 metabolites are involved in retrograde endocannabinoid signalling. Meanwhile, Retrograde endocannabinoid signalling was identified significantly different in IPF group from other groups by Kyoto encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and then we further confirmed the endocannabinoid signalling by detecting the expression of the main receptors in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, COPD rat model and normal rats. Consistent with previous studies, we found that the elevation of CB1 and CB2 in the lung tissues could be a signature of the pulmonary fibrosis rat model. Importantly, ICA may alleviate bleomycin-induced lung injury by decreasing CB1 and CB2 expression in the bleomycin-induced rat model. CONCLUSION Taken together, we measured the global metabolic profile of IPF patients and identified CB2 as a novel potential target. ICA treatment demonstrated outstanding therapeutic effects on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and targeting on CB2 may be the main underlying mechanism. ICA is a promising drug candidate to cure pulmonary fibrosis and mediate antagonists of the CB2 receptor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Du
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyong Yang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Aman Gul
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Tang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hu Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqiang Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li H, Wu M, Zhao X. Role of chemokine systems in cancer and inflammatory diseases. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e147. [PMID: 35702353 PMCID: PMC9175564 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines are a large family of small secreted proteins that have fundamental roles in organ development, normal physiology, and immune responses upon binding to their corresponding receptors. The primary functions of chemokines are to coordinate and recruit immune cells to and from tissues and to participate in regulating interactions between immune cells. In addition to the generally recognized antimicrobial immunity, the chemokine/chemokine receptor axis also exerts a tumorigenic function in many different cancer models and is involved in the formation of immunosuppressive and protective tumor microenvironment (TME), making them potential prognostic markers for various hematologic and solid tumors. In fact, apart from its vital role in tumors, almost all inflammatory diseases involve chemokines and their receptors in one way or another. Modulating the expression of chemokines and/or their corresponding receptors on tumor cells or immune cells provides the basis for the exploitation of new drugs for clinical evaluation in the treatment of related diseases. Here, we summarize recent advances of chemokine systems in protumor and antitumor immune responses and discuss the prevailing understanding of how the chemokine system operates in inflammatory diseases. In this review, we also emphatically highlight the complexity of the chemokine system and explore its potential to guide the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyi Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of EducationWest China Second HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of North DakotaGrand ForksNorth DakotaUSA
| | - Xia Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of EducationWest China Second HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li Q, Sun J, Cao Y, Liu B, Zhao Z, Hu L, Zhang H, Kong Q, Wu J, Dong J. Icaritin inhibited cigarette smoke extract-induced CD8 + T cell chemotaxis enhancement by targeting the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis and TGF-β/Smad2 signaling. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 96:153907. [PMID: 35026517 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disabling/fatal disease characterized by progressive pulmonary function decline, and there are currently few drugs that can effectively reverse the decline in lung function; therefore, it is necessary to find novel drug targets. CD8+ T cells might be a new therapeutic target for alleviating lung tissue destruction and improving pulmonary function in COPD. The CXCL10/CXCR3 axis is a pivotal chemotactic axis involved in the abnormal infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the lung tissue of COPD; thus, inhibition of this axis might be a potential method to suppress CD8+ T cell-mediated lung tissue destruction in COPD. However, few drugs have been reported to target CD8+ T cells and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis. Icaritin (ICT), one of the major components of Epimedii Folium, has been reported to have antioxidative effects in a COPD model in vitro. Whether ICT also has effects on CD8+ T cells and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis in COPD has never been investigated. PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the effects of ICT on CD8+ T cell chemotaxis and the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis in interferon (IFN)-γ + cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages, which simulated the pulmonary microenvironment of COPD, and then to determine the mechanisms. METHODS The effects of ICT on the expression and secretion of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in THP-1-derived macrophages were measured by qRT-PCR and ELISA, and the effects of the supernatant of THP-1-derived macrophages treated with or without ICT on CD8+ T cell chemotaxis were also evaluated. Subsequently, the effects of ICT on the apoptosis and proliferation of CD8+ T cells were also assessed by EdU-488 assays and Annexin V/PI staining, respectively. Moreover, the mechanisms by which ICT inhibits the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis were investigated by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS The present study showed that ICT (5 μM) significantly suppressed the expression and secretion of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in THP-1-derived macrophages after stimulation with IFN-γ + CSE and indirectly inhibited CD8+ T cell chemotaxis by reducing the secretion of the above chemokines. In addition, this study found that ICT had no significant effect on the proliferation of CD8+ T cells, and neither led to apoptosis. The results of the RNA-seq analysis illustrated that the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway was significantly downregulated after ICT intervention, and subsequent qRT-PCR and western blotting showed that ICT could significantly downregulate the TGF-β-Smad2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS ICT reduced CD8+ T cell chemotaxis by inhibiting the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis, and these effects might be achieved by suppressing the TGF-β-Smad2 signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuping Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Guangdong Provincial Geriatrics Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yuxue Cao
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Baojun Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zhengxiao Zhao
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Lingli Hu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Hu Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Qing Kong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu S, Yang Q, Dong B, Qi C, Yang T, Li M, He S, Liu B, Wu J. Gypenosides Attenuate Pulmonary Fibrosis by Inhibiting the AKT/mTOR/c-Myc Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:806312. [PMID: 35095515 PMCID: PMC8795913 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.806312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gypenosides (Gyps), the major active constituents isolated from Gynostemma pentaphyllum, possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Previous studies have demonstrated that Gyps displayed potent ameliorative effects on liver fibrosis and renal fibrosis. In this study, we found that Gyps significantly reduced the mortality of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice (40% mortality rate of mice in the model group versus 0% in the treatment group). Masson staining showed that Gyps could reduce the content of collagen in the lung tissue of pulmonary fibrosis mice Masson staining and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the expression of the collagen gene α-SMA and fibrosis gene Col1 markedly decreased after Gyps treatment. The active mitosis of fibroblasts is one of the key processes in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases. RNA-seq showed that Gyps significantly inhibited mitosis and induced the G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. The mTOR/c-Myc axis plays an important role in the pathological process of pulmonary fibrosis. RNA-seq also demonstrated that Gyps inhibited the mTOR and c-Myc signaling in pulmonary fibrosis mice, which was further validated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. AKT functions as an upstream molecule that regulates mTOR. Our western blot data showed that Gyps could suppress the activation of AKT. In conclusion, Gyps exerted anti-pulmonary fibrosis activity by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR/c-Myc pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suqing Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Binbin Dong
- Department of Pediatrics, Huashan Hospital North, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunhui Qi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Qingpu District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Institute of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan He
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Baojun Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
He S, Wang S, Liu S, Li Z, Liu X, Wu J. Baicalein Potentiated M1 Macrophage Polarization in Cancer Through Targeting PI3Kγ/ NF-κB Signaling. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:743837. [PMID: 34512367 PMCID: PMC8423900 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.743837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Baicalein is one of the bioactive compounds extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis. Recent studies indicated the antitumor effects of baicalein, however, the underlying mechanisms are needed to be further determined. In this study, we found that baicalein could inhibit the tumor growth in mice models of breast cancer and melanoma and worked as an immunomodulator to promote the infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and skew the TAMs towards the M1-like phenotype. Baicalein also induced M1-like phenotype polarization in THP-1-derived macrophages. Meanwhile, the expression of pro-inflammatory factors associated with M1 macrophages, including TNF-α, IL-1β, CXCL9 and CXCL10, were increased after baicalein treatment. Mechanistically, the RNA-seq data suggested that baicalein potentiated the M1 macrophage polarization via the NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway. ELISA and confocal microscopy assay confirmed that baicalein significantly induced the production of TNF-α and the activation of NF-κB, while TNF-α neutralization inhibited baicalein-induced macrophage polarization toward M1, and NF-κB P65 knock-down suppressed baicalein-induced TNF-α production in THP-1-derived macrophages. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3k) γ has been reported as a key molecule in macrophage polarization, and inhibition of PI3Kγ activates the NF-κB-related inflammatory signals. Our pharmacological network analysis predicted that PI3Kγ might be one of the major targets of baicalein. The results from the docking program and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) confirmed that baicalein displayed good binding activity to PI3Kγ. We further found that baicalein not only exhibited a direct inhibitory effect on the protein kinase activity of PI3Kγ, but also reduced the mRNA and protein expression of PI3Kγ, indicating that baicalein might be a novel PI3Kγ inhibitor. In summary, baicalein mediated the TAMs skewing to M1-TAMs, and then retarded tumor growth. These effects, at least in part, were linked to the PI3Kγ/NF-κB signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shangshang Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Suqing Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhang H, Ji W, Li X, Feng Y, Wang J, Liu H, Bao J. Immunosuppression, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in pig kidney caused by ammonia: Application of transcriptome analysis in risk assessment of ammonia exposure. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 428:115675. [PMID: 34389318 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia (NH3) is a recognized environmental contaminant around the world and has adverse effects on animal and human health. However, the mechanism of the renal toxicity of NH3 is not well understood. Pigs are considered an ideal model for biomedical and toxicological research because of the similarity to humans in physiological and biochemical basis. Therefore, in this study, twelve pigs were selected as research objects and randomly divided into two groups, namely the control group and the NH3 group. The formal experiment lasted 30 days. The effects of excessive NH3 inhalation on the kidney of fattening pig were evaluated by chemical analysis, ELISA, transcriptome analysis and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) from the renal antioxidant level, renal function, blood ammonia content and gene level. Our results showed that excessive NH3 exposure could cause an increase in blood NH3 content, a reduction in renal GSH-Px, SOD and GSH, as well as an increase in MDA levels and an increase in serum creatinine, urea and uric acid levels. In addition, transcriptome analysis showed that NH3 exposure caused changes in 335 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (including 126 up-regulated DEGs and 109 down-regulated DEGs). Some highly expressed DEGs were enriched into GO terms associated with immune function, oxidative stress, and apoptosis and were verified by qRT-PCR. The qRT-PCR results were comsistent with the transcriptome results. Our results indicated that NH3 exposure could cause changes in renal transcriptional profiles and kidney function, and induce kidney damage in the fattening pigs through oxidative stress, immune dysfunction and apoptosis. Our present study provides novel insights into the immunotoxicity mechanism of NH3 on kidney.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hengyi Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Wenbo Ji
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Xin Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Yanru Feng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Jing Wang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Honggui Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Swine Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, PR China.
| | - Jun Bao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Swine Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Li Q, Wang G, Xiong SH, Cao Y, Liu B, Sun J, Li L, Mohammadtursun N, Yu H, Dong J, Wu J. Bu-Shen-Fang-Chuan formula attenuates cigarette smoke-induced inflammation by modulating the PI3K/Akt-Nrf2 and NF-κB signalling pathways. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2020; 261:113095. [PMID: 32531410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory inflammatory disease. Unlike asthma, COPD is insensitive to glucocorticoid treatment; thus, it is of great importance to find alternative medications, including Chinese medicine, to suppress inflammation. Bu-Shen-Fang-Chuan formula (BSFCF) is commonly used for the treatment of COPD in China. However, the mechanisms of BSFCF in COPD treatment are still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY To verify the anti-inflammatory efficacy of BSFCF in COPD and to explore the possible mechanisms underlying its anti-inflammatory efficacy based on the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)-Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Nuclear factor (NF)-κB signalling pathways. MATERIALS AND METHODS A rat model of COPD was established by chronic exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) for 6 months. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood were obtained to detect inflammatory cytokines. Lung samples were harvested, and part of each sample was fixed for subsequent H&E staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. The remaining lung tissues were used for RNA sequencing analysis and western blotting. RESULTS BSFCF significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration in the lungs of CS-exposed rats and decreased the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 in both the BALF and serum. Additionally, BSFCF evidently attenuated NF-κB activation and downregulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) caused by CS. Furthermore, BSFCF increased the activation of PI3K/Akt-Nrf2 signalling in response to CS. CONCLUSIONS BSFCF attenuated CS-induced inflammation in COPD, which was partially achieved through the PI3K/Akt-Nrf2 and NF-κB signalling pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuping Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Guifang Wang
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Shi Hang Xiong
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Yuxue Cao
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Baojun Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Lulu Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Nabijan Mohammadtursun
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Jingcheng Dong
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China; Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang L, Meng J, Wang C, Yang C, Wang Y, Li Y, Li Y. Hydrogen sulfide alleviates cigarette smoke-induced COPD through inhibition of the TGF- β1/smad pathway. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 245:190-200. [PMID: 32008357 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220904342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoking has become a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through weakening of the respiratory mucus-ciliary transport system, impairing cough reflex sensitivity, and inducing inflammation. Recent researches have indicated that hydrogen sulfide is essential in the development of various lung diseases. However, the effect and mechanism of hydrogen sulfide on cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have not been reported. In this study, rats were treated with cigarette smoke to create a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease model followed by treatment with a low concentration of hydrogen sulfide. Pulmonary function, histopathological appearance, lung edema, permeability, airway remodeling indicators, oxidative products/antioxidases levels, inflammatory factors in lung, cell classification in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured to examine the effect of hydrogen sulfide on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease model. The results showed that hydrogen sulfide effectively improved pulmonary function and reduced histopathological changes, lung edema, and permeability. Airway remodeling, oxidative stress, and inflammation were also reduced by hydrogen sulfide treatment. To understand the mechanisms, we measured the expression of TGF-β1, TGF-βIand TGF-βII receptors and Smad7 and phosphorylation of Smad2/Smad3. The results indicated that the TGF-β1 and Smad were activated in cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease model, but inhibited by hydrogen sulfide. In conclusion, this study showed that hydrogen sulfide treatment alleviated cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smad pathway. Impact statement COPD has become a severe public health issue in the world and smoking has become a major cause of COPD. As a result, it is a demandingly needed to explore new potential therapy for cigarette smoke-associated COPD. The present study suggested that H2S treatment improved pulmonary function and reduced histopathological changes, lung edema, permeability, inflammation, airway remodeling and oxidative injury in a COPD model induced by cigarette smoke. Although additional studies are required to elucidate the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacology of H2S in the cigarette smoke-associated COPD, our findings provide an experimental basis for the potential clinical application of H2S in COPD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| | - Jing Meng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| | - Caicai Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Department of Gynecology, Shijiazhuang Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050048, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| | - Yamei Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| | - Yujing Li
- Department of Laboratory, Hebei Chest Hospital, Hebei 050048, China
| |
Collapse
|