1
|
Ali MS, Lee EB, Quah Y, Sayem SAJ, Abbas MA, Suk K, Lee SJ, Park SC. Modulating effects of heat-killed and live Limosilactobacillus reuteri PSC102 on the immune response and gut microbiota of cyclophosphamide-treated rats. Vet Q 2024; 44:1-18. [PMID: 38682319 PMCID: PMC11060015 DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2024.2344765] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the potential immunomodulatory effects of heat-killed (hLR) and live Limosilactobacillus reuteri PSC102 (LR; formerly Lactobacillus reuteri PSC102) in RAW264.7 macrophage cells and Sprague-Dawley rats. RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells were stimulated with hLR and LR for 24 h. Cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with three doses of hLR (L-Low, M-Medium, and H-High) and LR for 3 weeks. The phagocytic capacity, production of nitric oxide (NO), and expression of cytokines in RAW264.7 cells were measured, and the different parameters of immunity in rats were determined. hLR and LR treatments promoted phagocytic activity and induced the production of NO and the expression of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Cox-2 in macrophage cells. In the in vivo experiment, hLR and LR treatments significantly increased the immune organ indices, alleviated the spleen injury, and ameliorated the number of white blood cells, granulocytes, lymphocytes, and mid-range absolute counts in immunosuppressive rats. hLR and LR increased neutrophil migration and phagocytosis, splenocyte proliferation, and T lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+, CD45RA+, and CD28+). The levels of immune factors (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12A, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) in the hLR and LR groups were upregulated compared with those in the CTX-treatment group. hLR and LR treatments could also modulate the gut microbiota composition, thereby increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes but decreasing the level of Proteobacteria. hLR and LR protected against CTX-induced adverse reactions by modulating the immune response and gut microbiota composition. Therefore, they could be used as potential immunomodulatory agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md. Sekendar Ali
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Kumira, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Eon-Bee Lee
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Yixian Quah
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Research Group, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Syed Al Jawad Sayem
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Muhammad Aleem Abbas
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Kyoungho Suk
- Department of Biomedical Science and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jin Lee
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Research Group, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Seung-Chun Park
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee SY, Park SY, Park HJ. Immuno-Enhancing Effects of Galium aparine L. in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressed Animal Models. Nutrients 2024; 16:597. [PMID: 38474724 DOI: 10.3390/nu16050597] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the immunomodulatory potential of Galium aparine L. (GAE) in immunodeficient animals. In this study, animals were categorized into five groups: the normal group, CYP group (cyclophosphamide intraperitoneal injection), GA5 group (cyclophosphamide + 5 μg GAE), GA50 group (cyclophosphamide + 50 μg GAE), and GA500 group (cyclophosphamide + 500 μg GAE). The CYP group exhibited significantly reduced spleen weights compared to the normal group, while the groups obtaining GAE displayed a dose-dependent increase in spleen weight. Furthermore, the GAE demonstrated dose-dependent enhancement of splenocyte proliferating activity, with significant increases observed in both LPS and ConA-induced assays. NK cell activity significantly increased in the GA50 and GA500 groups compared to the CYP group. Cytokine analysis revealed a significant increase in IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in ConA-induced splenocytes treated with GAE. Gene expression analysis identified 2434 DEG genes in the extract groups. Notable genes, such as Entpd1, Pgf, Thdb, Syt7, Sqor, and Rsc1al, displayed substantial differences in individual gene expression levels, suggesting their potential as target genes for immune enhancement. In conclusion, Galium aparine L. extract exhibits immunomodulatory properties. The observed gene expression changes further support the potential of Galium aparine L. extract as a natural agent for immune augmentation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seo-Yeon Lee
- Department Foodservice Management and Nutrition, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Yeon Park
- Department Foodservice Management and Nutrition, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jung Park
- Department Foodservice Management and Nutrition, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ji H, Fan Y, Gao X, Gong Y, Dai K, Wang Z, Xu B, Yu J. The Protective Effects of Water-Soluble Alginic Acid on the N-Terminal of Thymopentin. Molecules 2023; 28:6445. [PMID: 37764221 PMCID: PMC10536172 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186445] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymopentin (TP5) has exhibited strong antitumor and immunomodulatory effects in vivo. However, the polypeptide is rapidly degraded by protease and aminopeptidase within a minute at the N-terminal of TP5, resulting in severe limitations for further practical applications. In this study, the protective effects of water-soluble alginic acid (WSAA) on the N-terminal of TP5 were investigated by establishing an H22 tumor-bearing mice model and determining thymus, spleen, and liver indices, immune cells activities, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 levels, and cell cycle distributions. The results demonstrated that WSAA+TP5 groups exhibited the obvious advantages of the individual treatments and showed superior antitumor effects on H22 tumor-bearing mice by effectively protecting the immune organs, activating CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells, and promoting immune-related cytokines secretions, finally resulting in the high apoptotic rates of H22 cells through arresting them in S phase. These data suggest that WSAA could effectively protect the N-terminal of TP5, thereby improving its antitumor and immunoregulatory activities, which indicates that WSAA has the potential to be applied in patients bearing cancer or immune deficiency diseases as a novel immunologic adjuvant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haiyu Ji
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Yuting Fan
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Xiaoji Gao
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Youshun Gong
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Keyao Dai
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
| | - Zhenhua Wang
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Bo Xu
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Juan Yu
- Center for Mitochondria and Healthy Aging, College of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; (H.J.); (Y.F.); (X.G.); (Y.G.); (Z.W.); (B.X.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Peng SJ, Feng Y, Li X, Wang XX, Wang Y, Zhou BT, Liu Y, Liu T, Wu YC. Thymopentin (TP-5) prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neuron injury by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 119:110109. [PMID: 37121113 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110109] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke, and is accompanied by excessive release of inflammatory cytokines and mediators by activated microglia. Microglial inflammatory response inhibition may be an effective strategy for preventing inflammatory disorders. However, the reciprocal connections between the central nervous system (CNS) and immune system have not been elucidated. Thus far, these links have been proven to mainly involve immuno- and neuropeptides. The pentapeptide thymopentin (TP-5) exerts a significant immunomodulatory effect; however, its antineuroinflammatory effects and underlying mechanism are still unclear. In this study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to establish an inflammation model, and the therapeutic effect of TP-5 was evaluated. Behavioral tests showed that TP-5 treatment could improve the performance of LPS-treated mice in the open field and pole test, but not hanging wire test. TP-5 also attenuated neuronal lesions in the brains of LPS-treated mice. TP-5 reduced cytotoxicity and morphological changes in activated microglia. Label-free quantitative analysis indicated that the expression of multiple proteins and the activation of associated signaling pathways were altered by TP-5. Moreover, TP-5 could inhibit LPS-induced neuroinflammation in the brain and BV2 microglia and the expression of major genes in the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Additionally, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression downregulation was rescued in the LPS + TP-5 group compared with the LPS group. We conclude that TP-5 exerts neuroprotection by alleviating LPS-induced inflammatory damage and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The protective effect of TP-5 may involve the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si-Jia Peng
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Ya Feng
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Xi-Xi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Bu-Tian Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Ye Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China
| | - Te Liu
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Yun-Cheng Wu
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ali MS, Lee EB, Quah Y, Birhanu BT, Suk K, Lim SK, Park SC. Heat-killed Limosilactobacillus reuteri PSC102 Ameliorates Impaired Immunity in Cyclophosphamide-induced Immunosuppressed Mice. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:820838. [PMID: 36033865 PMCID: PMC9413535 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.820838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune functions of heat-killed Limosilactobacillus reuteri PSC102 (hLR) were investigated in cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated immunosuppressed mice. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group, CP group, CP treated with levamisole (positive control group), and CP treated with low- and high-dose hLR. After receiving the samples for 21 days, mice were sacrificed, and different parameters, such as immune organ index, immune blood cells, splenocyte proliferation, lymphocyte subpopulations, cytokines, and immunoglobulins, were analyzed. Results showed that the immune organ (thymus and spleen) indices of hLR treatment groups were significantly increased compared to the CP group (p < 0.05). hLR administration prevented CP-induced reduction in the numbers of white blood cells, lymphocytes, midrange absolute, and granulocytes, providing supporting evidence for hematopoietic activities. Splenocyte proliferation and T-lymphocyte (CD4+ and CD8+) subpopulations were also significantly augmented in mice treated with hLR compared to the CP group (p < 0.05). Moreover, Th1-type [interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α] and Th2-type (IL-4 and IL-10) immune factors and immunoglobulin (IgG) showed significant increasing trends (p < 0.05). Additionally, the other proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) were also significantly elevated (p < 0.05). Taken together, this investigation suggested that orally administered hLR could recover immunosuppression caused by CP and be considered a potential immunostimulatory agent for the treatment of immunosuppressive disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md. Sekendar Ali
- Department of Biomedical Science and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Kumira, Bangladesh
| | - Eon-Bee Lee
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Yixian Quah
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Biruk Tesfaye Birhanu
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Kyoungho Suk
- Department of Biomedical Science and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Suk-Kyung Lim
- Bacterial Disease Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon-si, South Korea
| | - Seung-Chun Park
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Seung-Chun Park,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Preformulation Studies of Thymopentin: Analytical Method Development, Physicochemical Properties, Kinetic Degradation Investigations and Formulation Perspective. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2022; 47:1680-1692. [PMID: 35234086 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2022.2048666] [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] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Thymopentin (TP5) is a synthetic pentapeptide with immunomodulatory properties. Given the previously described poor absorption of TP5, preformulation data is required to support effective formulation development. In this manuscript, an analytical method of TP5 was developed and validated to determine the aqueous solubility, stability, and Log P of TP5. Thermal properties were investigated, and chemical, physical and enzymatic degradation were evaluated. TP5 was informed to load in a microemulsion (ME) system according to the preformulation parameters and characterized for rheological behavior, droplet size, morphology and in vitro drug release. TP5 displayed high aqueous solubility (294.3 mg/mL), low Log P (-4.2) and 2% water content with a melting temperature of 193 °C. TP5 degraded rapidly in alkaline conditions, at elevated temperature, in oxidizing agents, and with UV exposure, however TP5 had a longer half-life in acidic conditions. The fastest enzymatic degradation was with Trypsin (half-life 6.3 hours) compared with other digestive enzymes. The different degradation pathways followed first-order kinetics, and half-lives were obtained from the kinetic studies. The TP5 loaded ME exhibited a droplet size of 143 ± 35 nm with a Higuchi-model fitted sustained release profile for 24 hours. These data justify and support the design of formulations to stabilize and enhance the absorption of TP5, with a ME formulation demonstrated.
Collapse
|
7
|
Ji HY, Liu C, Dai KY, Yu J, Liu AJ, Chen YF. The immunosuppressive effects of low molecular weight chitosan on thymopentin-activated mice bearing H22 solid tumors. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 99:108008. [PMID: 34330058 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, the low molecular weight of chitosan (CS) was prepared and its activity on thymopentin-activated mice bearing H22 solid tumors was further researched. The purity and molecular weight of CS were determined by UV and HPGPC spectra, and its immunosuppressive effects on H22 tumor-bearing mice were evaluated through determination on immune organs, cells and cytokines. Results showed that CS contained little impurities with the average molecular weight of 1.20 × 104 Da. The in vivo antitumor experiments demonstrated that CS facilitated to destroy immune organs (thymuses and spleens), suppress immune cells (lymphocytes, macrophages and NK cells) activities and reduce immune-related cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-4) expressions of H22 tumor-bearing mice even with simultaneous TP5 stimulation. Our data suggested that CS could not be applied to improve immune response in cancer-bearing patients, but might be employed for treatments on autoimmune diseases or organ transplant patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yu Ji
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Chao Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Ke-Yao Dai
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Juan Yu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - An-Jun Liu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
| | - Ye-Fu Chen
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu T, Jing F, Huang P, Geng Z, Xu J, Li J, Chen D, Zhu Y, Wang Z, Huang W, Chen C. Thymopentin alleviates premature ovarian failure in mice by activating YY2/Lin28A and inhibiting the expression of let-7 family microRNAs. Cell Prolif 2021; 54:e13089. [PMID: 34180104 PMCID: PMC8349654 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Thymopentin (5TP) significantly improved typical murine premature ovarian failure (POF) symptoms induced by a high‐fat and high‐sugar (HFHS) diet. However, its effect and mechanism remain unclear. Materials and methods RNA‐Seq was used to detect the differentially expressed genes among each group. HFHS‐induced POF mouse model was generated and injected with siRNA using Poly (lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) as a carrier. Results RNA‐Seq suggested that 5TP promoted the expression of Yin Yang 2 (YY2) in mouse ovarian granulosa cell (mOGC) of HFHS‐POF mice. Luciferase reporter assay indicated that 5TP promoted the binding of YY2 to the specific sequence C(C/T)AT(G/C)(G/T) on the Lin28A promoter and promoted Lin28A transcription and expression. We continuously injected PLGA‐cross‐linked siRNA nanoparticles targeting YY2 into HFHS‐POF mice (siYY2@PLGA), which significantly reduced the therapeutic effect of 5TP. siYY2@PLGA injection also significantly attenuated the upregulation of Lin28a expression in mOGCs induced by 5TP and enhanced the expression of let‐7 family microRNAs, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and division of mOGCs. qPCR results showed that there was a significant difference in the expression levels of exosome‐derived Yy2 mRNAs between POF patients and normal women, and that there was a specific correlation between the expression level of exosome‐derived Yy2 and the peripheral concentrations of the blood hormones pregnenolone, progesterone and oestradiol. Conclusions Thymopentin promotes the transcriptional activation of Lin28A via stimulating transcription factor YY2 expression, inhibits the activity of let‐7 family microRNAs and alleviates the ageing of ovarian granulosa cells, ultimately achieving a therapeutic effect on POF in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Te Liu
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyuan Jing
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Peirong Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Zixiang Geng
- Department of Acupuncture, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianghong Xu
- Department of gynaecology, Jingan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of gynaecology, Jingan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Danping Chen
- Department of gynaecology, Jingan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of gynaecology, Jingan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenxin Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of Zhongshan Hospital and institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Willian Huang
- Hainan Zhonghe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Haikou, China
| | - Chuan Chen
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Chen M, Jiang Y, Cai X, Lu X, Chao H. Combination of Gemcitabine and Thymosin alpha 1 exhibit a better anti-tumor effect on nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 98:107829. [PMID: 34119916 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NNKTL) is an aggressive and poor prognostic malignant tumor along with high-level infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Gemcitabine (Gem) and Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) exert an anti-tumor effect in various cancers. However, the effect of the combination of Gem and Tα1 in NNKTL remains unknown. METHODS SNK6 cells were treated with Gem, Tα1 and Gem plus Tα1 for 48 h. The expression levels of EBV and inflammatory factors were measured by qRT-PCR assay. The effect of Gem and Tα1 on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy was detected by CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, autophagic flux measurement, respectively. Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis and autophagy. In vivo xenograft models were used to further verify the roles of Gem and Tα1. Tumors were removed for weight measurement, H&E and IHC staining. RESULTS We identified that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Gem and Tα1 was 116.5 μmol/ml and 1.334 μmol/ml. Alone or combined administration of Gem and Tα1 dramatically attenuated the EBV viral load and promoted inflammatory factors expression in SNK6 cells, among which the combination of Gem and Tα1 treatment showed the most significant effect. Besides, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 markedly inhibited cell growth and EMT progress, and enhanced apoptosis and autophagy. Similarly, Gem combined with Tα1 suppressed tumor growth, promoted apoptosis and autophagy in vivo. Additionally, combination treatment with Gem and Tα1 inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. CONCLUSION In summary, combination administration of Gem and Tα1 suppressed the progression of NNKTL in vivo and in vitro. Our study provided an effective therapeutic strategy potentially for the clinical treatment of NNKTL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meiyu Chen
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Changzhou Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China.
| | - Yu Jiang
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Changzhou Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China.
| | - Xiaohui Cai
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Changzhou Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China
| | - Xuzhang Lu
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Changzhou Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China
| | - Hongying Chao
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Changzhou Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wei X, Zhang L, Zhang R, Wu R, Petitte JN, Hou Y, Si D, Ahmad B, Guo H, Zhang M, Cheng Q, Tong Y. Targeting the TLR2 Receptor With a Novel Thymopentin-Derived Peptide Modulates Immune Responses. Front Immunol 2021; 12:620494. [PMID: 34122400 PMCID: PMC8191578 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.620494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate and adaptive immune systems act in concert to protect us from infectious agents and other harmful substances. As a state of temporary or permanent immune dysfunction, immunosuppression can make an organism more susceptible to infection, organ injury, and cancer due to damage to the immune system. It takes a long time to develop new immunomodulatory agents to prevent and treat immunosuppressive diseases, with slow progress. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonists have been reported as potential immunomodulatory candidates due to their effective activation of immune responses. It has been demonstrated that thymopentin (TP5) could modulate immunity by binding to the TLR2 receptor. However, the fairly short half-life of TP5 greatly reduces its pharmacological potential for immunosuppression therapy. Although peptide cathelicidin 2 (CATH2) has a long half-life, it shows poor immunomodulatory activity and severe cytotoxicity, which seriously hampers its clinical development. Peptide hybridization is an effective approach for the design and engineering of novel functional peptides because hybrid peptides combine the advantages and benefits of various native peptides. In this study, to overcome all these challenges faced by the parental peptides, six hybrid peptides (CaTP, CbTP, CcTP, TPCa, TPCb, and TPCc) were designed by combining the full-length TP5 with different active fragments of CATH2. CbTP, the most potent TLR2 agonist among the six hybrid peptides, was effectively screened through in silico analysis and in vitro experiments. The CbTP peptide exhibited lower cytotoxicity than either CATH2 or TP5. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory effects of CbTP were confirmed in a CTX-immunosuppressed mouse model, which showed that CbTP has increased immunopotentiating activity and physiological stability compared to the parental peptides. CbTP successfully inhibited immunosuppression and weight loss, increased immune organ indices, and improved CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocyte subsets. In addition, CbTP significantly increased the production of the cytokine TNF-α and IL-6, and the immunoglobulins IgA, IgM, and IgG. The immunoenhancing effects of CbTP were attributed to its TLR2-binding activity, promoting the formation of the TLR2 cluster, the activation of the TLR2 receptor, and thus activation of the downstream MyD88-NF-кB signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xubiao Wei
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lulu Zhang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rijun Zhang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rujuan Wu
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - James N Petitte
- Prestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Yanfei Hou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dayong Si
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Baseer Ahmad
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Henan Guo
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Manyi Zhang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Cheng
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yucui Tong
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhang L, Wei X, Zhang R, Mozdziak PE, Si D, Ahmad B, Cheng Q, Tong Y. Design and Immunological Evaluation of a Hybrid Peptide as a Potent TLR2 Agonist by Structure-Based Virtual Screening. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:620370. [PMID: 33644058 PMCID: PMC7905067 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.620370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunity is a versatile defensive response that is involved in protecting against disease by identifying and destroying self and non-self harmful substances. As a state of temporary or permanent immune dysfunction, immunosuppression can make an organism more susceptible to infection, organ injury, and cancer due to damage to the immune system. It has taken a long time to develop new immunomodulatory agents to prevent and treat immunosuppressive diseases. In recent years, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonists have been reported to have profound effects on the immune system, and they are regarded as potent immunomodulatory candidates. TP5 and LL-37, the potent immunomodulatory agents, have been reported to produce a robust innate immune response by binding to TLR2. However, their development has been weakened by several concerns, such as potential cytotoxicity, weak physiological stability and poor immunomodulatory activity. To overcome these challenges, hybridization has been proposed. Therefore, six hybrid peptides (LTPa, LTPb, LTPc, TPLa, TPLb, and TPLc) were designed by combining the full-length TP5 with a characteristic fragment of LL-37 that included LL-37 (13-36), LL-37 (17-29), and LL-37 (13-31). LTPa, the most potent TLR2 agonist, was simply and effectively screened by molecular docking and in vitro experiments. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory effects of LTPa were confirmed by a CTX-immunosuppressed murine model, which demonstrated that LTPa successfully inhibit immunosuppression, increased immune organ indices, enhanced DC maturation, regulated T lymphocyte subsets, and increased cytokine and Ig contents. Our study also revealed that the immunomodulatory effects of LTPa are associated with binding to TLR2, forming TLR2 clusters, and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xubiao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,Prestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Rijun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Paul E Mozdziak
- Prestage Department of Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Dayong Si
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Baseer Ahmad
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yucui Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang Z, Liu J. The effectiveness and safety of lienal polypeptide combined with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients in real world. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e24272. [PMID: 33530215 PMCID: PMC7850644 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000024272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy are still the fundamental treatment for advanced lung cancers. To reduce side effects and improve life quality, lienal polypeptide (LP) could be used in combine with chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Moreover, LP could regulate immune system and possibly reduce the side effects of chemotherapy drugs.In our study, 1658 lung cancer patients from 10 hospitals were retrospectively analyzed and divided into LP group and non-LP group by whether using LP during their treatment. Kaplan-Meier curves and Log-rank test was used to detect the difference of progression-free survival and overall-survival between the 2 groups. Two-sided P-values of less than .05 indicated statistical significance. All analyses were performed with SAS software (version 9.4 SAS Institute, Cary, NC).Results showed that the number of patients who had progressed diseases in LP group and control group were 532 (64.2%) and 507 (61.2%). Log Rank test showed that median progression-free survival for LP group was 12.1 months and 11.4 months for control group (P = .3478). Statistical analyses revealed significantly difference in overall-survival between LP group and control group (23.6 months vs 18.9 months, P = .0177). The overall adverse effect rates were non-significantly different with 9.9% in the LP group and 9.3% in the non-LP group (P = .6767).In conclusion, our research results indicated that LP used in combination with chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy was a safe and effective treatment for patients of advanced lung cancer. LP could also reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, thereby improving patients' life qualities, and potentially improving prognosis.
Collapse
|
13
|
Zhu X, Liu J, Pan H, Geng Z, Huang W, Liu T, Zhang B. Thymopentin treatment of murine premature ovarian failure via attenuation of immune cell activity and promotion of the BMP4/Smad9 signalling pathway. Int J Med Sci 2021; 18:3544-3555. [PMID: 34522181 PMCID: PMC8436114 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.61975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a typical form of pathological aging with complex pathogenesis and no effective treatment. Meanwhile, recent studies have reported that a high-fat and high-sugar (HFHS) diet adversely affects ovarian function and ovum quality. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effect of thymopentin (TP-5) as a treatment for murine POF derived from HFHS and its target. Pathological examination and hormone assays confirmed that TP-5 significantly improved murine POF symptoms. And, TP-5 could reduce oxidative stress injury and blood lipids in the murine POF derived from HFHS. Flow cytometry and qPCR results suggested that TP-5 attenuated activation of CD3+ T cells and type I macrophages. RNA-Seq results indicated somedifferences in gene transcription between the TP-5 intervention group and the control group. KEGG analysis indicated that the expression of genes involved in the mTOR signaling pathway was the most significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, compared with the control groups, the expression levels of interleukin, NFκB, and TNF families of genes were significantly downregulated in the POF+TP-5 group, whereas expression of the TGFβ/Smad9 genes was significantly upregulated. Finally, immunofluorescence staining and qPCR confirmed that TP-5 promoted the polarization of Mø2 cells in the ovary by activating the expression of the BMP4/Smad9 signalling pathway. Thus, our study confirmed that TP-5 has a significant therapeutic effect on POF by upregulating BMP4/Smad9 signalling pathway so as to promote the balance and polarization of immune cell and reducing the release of inflammatory factors and reduce lipid oxidative stress injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Zhu
- Geriatrics Department, Punan hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Trauma-Emergency & Critical Care Medicine Center, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hao Pan
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zixiang Geng
- Department of Acupuncture, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200086, China
| | - William Huang
- Hainan Zhonghe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Hainan, China
| | - Te Liu
- Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Bimeng Zhang
- Department of Acupuncture, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200086, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Aslam MS, Gull I, Mahmood MS, Iqbal MM, Abbas Z, Tipu I, Ahmed A, Athar MA. High yield expression, characterization, and biological activity of IFNα2-Tα1 fusion protein. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 50:281-291. [PMID: 31718419 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2019.1689509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of interferon α-2 in combination with thymosin α-1 shows higher anti-cancer effect in comparison when both are used individually because of their synergistic effects. In this study we produced an important human interferon α-2-thymosin α-1 (IFNα2-Tα1) fusion protein with probable pharmaceutical properties coupled to its high-level expression, characterization, and study of its biological activity. The IFNα2-Tα1 fusion gene was constructed by over-lap extension PCR and expressed in Escherichia coli expression system. The expression of IFNα2-Tα1 fusion protein was optimized to higher level and its maximum expression was obtained in modified terrific broth medium when lactose was used as inducer. The fusion protein was refolded into its native biologically active form with maximum yield of 83.14% followed by purification with ∼98% purity and 69% final yield. A band of purified IFNα2-Tα1 fusion protein equal to ∼23 kDa was observed on 12 % SDS-PAGE gel. The integrity of IFNα2-Tα1 fusion protein was confirmed by western blot analysis and secondary structure was assessed by CD spectroscopy. When IFNα2-Tα1 fusion protein was subjected to its biological activity analysis it was observed that it exhibits both IFNα2 & Tα1 activities as well as significantly higher anticancer activity as compared to IFNα-2 alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Iram Gull
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Zaigham Abbas
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Imran Tipu
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Aftab Ahmed
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Amin Athar
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Cao Q, Gao X, Lin Y, Yue C, Wang Y, Quan F, Zhang Z, Liu X, Lu Y, Zhan Y, Yang H, Li X, Qin D, Birnbaumer L, Hao K, Yang Y. Thymopentin ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by triggering the production of IL-22 in both innate and adaptive lymphocytes. Theranostics 2019; 9:7490-7505. [PMID: 31695782 PMCID: PMC6831468 DOI: 10.7150/thno.35015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disease, notoriously challenging to treat. Previous studies have found a positive correlation between thymic atrophy and colitis severity. It was, therefore, worthwhile to investigate the effect of thymopentin (TP5), a synthetic pentapeptide corresponding to the active domain of the thymopoietin, on colitis. Methods: Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice were treated with TP5 by subcutaneous injection. Body weight, colon length, colon weight, immune organ index, disease activity index (DAI) score, and the peripheral blood profile were examined. The immune cells of the spleen and colon were analyzed by flow cytometry. Histology was performed on isolated colon tissues for cytokine analysis. Bacterial DNA was extracted from mouse colonic feces to assess the intestinal microbiota. Intestinal lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs), HCT116, CT26, and splenocytes were cultured and treated with TP5. Results: TP5 treatment increased the body weight and colon length, decreased the DAI score, and restored colon architecture of colitic mice. TP5 also decreased the infiltration of immune cells and expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. Importantly, the damaged thymus and compromised lymphocytes in peripheral blood were significantly restored by TP5. Also, the production of IL-22, both in innate and adaptive lymphoid cells, was triggered by TP5. Given the critical role of IL-22 in mucosal host defense, we tested the effect of TP5 on mucus barrier and gut microbiota and found that the number of goblet cells and the level of Mucin-2 expression were restored, and the composition of the gut microbiome was normalized after TP5 treatment. The critical role of IL-22 in the protective effect of TP5 on colitis was further confirmed by administering the anti-IL-22 antibody (αIL-22), which completely abolished the effect of TP5. Furthermore, TP5 significantly increased the expression level of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORγt), a transcription factor for IL-22. Consistent with this, RORγt inhibitor abrogated the upregulation of IL-22 induced by TP5. Conclusion: TP5 exerts a protective effect on DSS-induced colitis by triggering the production of IL-22 in both innate and adaptive lymphocytes. This study delineates TP5 as an immunomodulator that may be a potential drug for the treatment of UC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhua Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Xinghua Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Yanting Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Chongxiu Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Fei Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Zixuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Yanling Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Hongbao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Xianjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| | - Di Qin
- School of Sports and Health, Nanjing sport institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, PR China
| | - Lutz Birnbaumer
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA, and Institute of Biomedical Research (BIOMED), Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires C1107AFF, Argentina
| | - Kun Hao
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, PR China
| | - Yong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
- Center for New Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Costantini C, Bellet MM, Pariano M, Renga G, Stincardini C, Goldstein AL, Garaci E, Romani L. A Reappraisal of Thymosin Alpha1 in Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol 2019; 9:873. [PMID: 31555601 PMCID: PMC6742685 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymosin alpha1 (Tα1), an endogenous peptide first isolated from the thymic tissue in the mid-sixties, has gained considerable attention for its immunostimulatory activity that led to its application to diverse pathological conditions, including cancer. Studies in animal models and human patients have shown promising results in different types of malignancies, especially when Tα1 was used in combination with other chemo- and immune therapies. For this reason, the advancements in our knowledge on the adjuvant role of Tα1 have moved in parallel with the development of novel cancer therapies in a way that Tα1 was integrated to changing paradigms and protocols, and tested for increased efficacy and safety. Cancer immunotherapy has recently experienced a tremendous boost following the development and clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors. By unleashing the full potential of the adaptive immune response, checkpoint inhibitors were expected to be very effective against tumors, but it soon became clear that a widespread and successful application was not straightforward and shortcomings in efficacy and safety clearly emerged. This scenario led to the development of novel concepts in immunotherapy and the design of combination protocols to overcome these limitations, thus opening up novel opportunities for Tα1 application. Herein, we summarize in a historical perspective the use of Tα1 in cancer, with particular reference to melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and lung cancer. We will discuss the current limitations of checkpoint inhibitors in clinical practice and the mechanisms at the basis of a potential application of Tα1 in combination protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Costantini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marina M Bellet
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgia Renga
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Allan L Goldstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele and IRCCS San Raffaele, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Shen X, Wang L, Xu C, Yang J, Peng R, Hu X, Wang F, Zheng H, Lao X. Fusion of thymosin alpha 1 with mutant IgG1 CH3 prolongs half-life and enhances antitumor effects in vivo. Int Immunopharmacol 2019; 74:105662. [PMID: 31220695 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is an immunomodulatory polypeptide secreted from the thymus. Tα1 has a wide range of biological functions, such as immunomodulation and endocrine regulation. Tα1 also displays antiviral and antitumor activities. Tα1 has been successfully used in clinical adjuvant therapy for solid tumors to improve the immune response of patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the half-life of Tα1 in the body is short, so frequent administration is required to maintain efficacy. In order to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of Tα1, we linked the mutated CH3 (mCH3) fragment of IgG1 (human) to the C-terminus of Tα1 to produce a long-acting fusion protein, Tα1-mCH3. The half-life of Tα1-mCH3 (47 h) was substantially increased compared with that of the parent molecule Tα1 (3 h). In vivo studies indicated that mCH3 fusion retained the original biological activity of Tα1, and Tα1-mCH3 showed slightly better immunomodulatory effect than Ta1. In the 4 T1 and B16F10 tumor xenograft models, Tα1-mCH3 induced a greater abundance of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in tumor tissues compared with Ta1. Tα1-mCH3 exhibited better effect in promoting the production of IL-2 and IFN-γ compared with Tα1. Therefore, Tα1-mCH3 more efficiently inhibited the growth of 4 T1 and B16F10 tumors than Tα1. In conclusion, fusion with mCH3 is an attractive strategy to lengthen the half-life and increase the activity of Tα1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xutong Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Liping Wang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, the First City Hospital of Chenzhou, Hunan 423000, PR China
| | - Caoying Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Jiahui Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Renhao Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xinyi Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Fanwen Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zhu G, Gui Z. Effect of silkworm peptide on inducting M1 type polarization and Th1 activation via TLR2-induced MyD88-dependent pathway. Food Sci Nutr 2019; 7:1251-1260. [PMID: 31024698 PMCID: PMC6475741 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore immune activity and molecular mechanism of silkworm peptide. The cell subsets induced by silkworm peptides were detected by flow cytometry. The IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in CD4+ cells were measured by ELISA. TLR2 mRNA expression in mouse CD4+ T cells was detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of MyD88 and p-IκB. The growth rate of Lewis lung cancer xenografts in mice of the medium-dose group was significantly reduced, and the tumor volume was significantly smaller than that of the control group on the 14th day. The relative vitality values of spleen lymphocytes in the medium-dose and high-dose groups were higher than the control group. The IFN-γ levels in the medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly higher than the control group. The levels of IL-4 were no significant change among different groups. Compared with the control group, different doses of silkworm peptide groups could increase the levels of NO, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-1β. Compared with the control group, the protein expression levels of MyD88 and p-IκB in 10 μg/ml group and 20 μg/ml groups were significantly increased compared with the control group. Silkworm peptide could induce Th1 activation and M1 type polarization, which was dose-dependent and was relative to the effect of silkworm peptide on inhibiting tumor growth. Silkworm peptide could directly induce M1 type polarization and Th1 activation via TLR2-induced MyD88-dependent pathway in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guanglai Zhu
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangChina
- Department of Aquatic Science and TechnologyJiangsu Animal Husbandry and Veterinary CollegeTaizhouChina
| | - Zhongzheng Gui
- School of BiotechnologyJiangsu University of Science and TechnologyZhenjiangChina
- Sericultural Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesZhenjiangChina
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Liu T, Tao J, Lin J, Nie X, Huang W, Guo J. Thymopentin promotes ovarian angiogenesis in mice by activating N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification of key factors in the Notch/Tie1 pathway. VASCULAR INVESTIGATION AND THERAPY 2019. [DOI: 10.4103/vit.vit_17_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
|
20
|
Shen X, Li Q, Wang F, Bao J, Dai M, Zheng H, Lao X. Generation of a novel long-acting thymosin alpha1-Fc fusion protein and its efficacy for the inhibition of breast cancer in vivo. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 108:610-617. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
|
21
|
Qi Q, Dong Z, Sun Y, Li S, Zhao Z. Protective Effect of Bergenin against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression by Immunomodulatory Effect and Antioxidation in Balb/c Mice. Molecules 2018; 23:E2668. [PMID: 30336565 PMCID: PMC6222609 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23102668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the aim was to investigate the effect of bergenin on immune function and antioxidation in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppressed mice. Firstly, we estimated its effect on immune organs. Histological analysis and indexes of immune organs showed that cyclophosphamide exhibited spleen and thymus injury compared with the normal control, which was alleviated by bergenin. Secondly, bergenin also enhanced the humoral immune function through increasing the level of IgM and IgG in serum. Thirdly, bergenin also enhanced the cellular immune function. The results indicate that bergenin increased peritoneal macrophage functions, the proliferation of T and B lymphocytes, NK and CTL cell activities, and T (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺) lymphocyte subsets. Besides, bergenin also had the ability to modulate the Th1/Th2 balance. Moreover, bergenin prevented the Cy-induced decrease in numbers of peripheral RBC, WBC and platelets, providing supportive evidence for their anti-leukopenia activities. Finally, bergenin also reversed the Cy-induced decrease in the total antioxidant capacity including activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). In conclusion, bergenin protected against Cy-induced adverse reactions by enhancing humoral and cellular immune functions and augmenting antioxidative activity and could be considered as a potential immunomodulatory agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuchen Qi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
| | - Zhonghua Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
| | - Yueyue Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
| | - Siying Li
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, China.
| | - Zhongxi Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Engineering & Technology Research Center for Jujube Food and Drug, 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mucosal and Transdermal Drug Delivery Technologies, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 989 Xinluo Street, Jinan 250101, Shandong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wang F, Xu C, Peng R, Li B, Shen X, Zheng H, Lao X. Effect of a C-end rule modification on antitumor activity of thymosin α1. Biochimie 2018; 154:99-106. [PMID: 30096371 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Tα1), a hormone containing 28 amino acids, has been approved in several cancer therapies, but the lack of tumor-targeting hinders its full use in tumor treatment. We designed a new peptide by connecting Tα1 and RGDR, generating a product, Tα1-RGDR, where RGDR is located in the C-end with both tumor-homing and cell internalizing properties (C-end rule peptides, a consensus R/KXXR/K motif). This work aimed to study the antitumor and immunological activities of Tα1-RGDR, and its differences compared with the wild-type Tα1. The antitumor and immunological activities of Tα1-RGDR were measured using the B16F10 tumor and immunologic suppression models. Tα1-RGDR treatment led to significant inhibition of tumor growth at a dose at which Tα1 showed a slight effect in the B16F10 tumor growth model. In the immunologic suppression model, Tα1-RGDR shared almost equivalent immunomodulatory effect with Tα1. These results demonstrated the better therapeutic effects after treatment with Tα1-RGDR compared with Tα1. Moreover, both Tα1-RGDR and Tα1 shared a helical conformation in the presence of trifluoroethanol based on CD spectroscopy. Our dock information of Tα1-RGDR when combined with integrin αvβ3 or neuropilin-1 further confirmed previous experimental results. All these findings suggest that Tα1-RGDR might be a useful therapy for tumors by overcoming its wild type limitation of tumor homing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fanwen Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Caoying Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Renhao Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Bin Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xutong Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sulfated polysaccharide of Sepiella Maindroni ink inhibits the migration, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression through suppressing EGFR-mediated p38/MAPK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in SKOV-3 cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 107:349-362. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.08.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
24
|
Wu YP, Deng J, Ouyang SH, Mao ZF, Wang GE, Kurihara H, He RR, Li YF. Immune regulation effect of lienal polypeptides extract in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2017; 243:66-77. [PMID: 29078731 DOI: 10.1177/1535370217737982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Polypeptides extracted from animal immune organs have been proved to exert immunomodulatory activities in previous reports. However, relative experimental data regarding the influence of a polypeptide mixture extracted from healthy calf spleen (lienal polypeptide [LP]) on the immune function in tumor therapy are limited, and the components in LP remain unclear. In the present study, the immune regulatory effect of LP was investigated in normal mice and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX). The components of LP were identified by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and bioinformatic analysis. In LLC-bearing mice, LP showed a synergic antitumor effect with CTX, whereas LP alone did not present direct antitumor activity. Further, LP was found to enhance immune organ indexes, splenocyte number, and T lymphocyte subsets in normal mice and LLC-bearing mice treated with CTX. The decline of white blood cell and platelet counts, splenocyte proliferation activity, and peritoneal macrophage phagocytic function caused by CTX were also significantly suppressed by LP treatment in LLC-bearing mice. Notably, LP treatment significantly decreased the expression of phagocytosis-related proteins including CD47/signal regulatory protein α/Src homology phosphatase-1 in the tumor tissue of LLC-bearing mice treated with CTX. LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics unraveled the main polypeptides in LP with a length from 8 to 25 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis further confirmed the possibility of LP to regulate immunity, especially in phagocytosis-related pathway. Our above findings indicated that LP can relieve the immunosuppression induced by chemotherapy and is a beneficial supplement in cancer therapy. Impact statement The immunomodulatory activities of polypeptides extracted from animal immune organs have incurred people's interests since a long time ago. In this study, we investigated the immune regulation effects of a polypeptide mixture extracted from health calf spleen (lienal polypeptide [LP]) in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-coupled with tandem mass spectrometry-based peptidomics and bioinformatics analysis unraveled the main polypeptides in LP and further confirmed that LP is mainly associated with immune regulating pathway, especially in tumor cell phagocytosis-related pathway. Our study for the first time revealed that polypeptides from spleen can relieve the immunosuppression induced by CTX and is a beneficial supplement in cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ping Wu
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jie Deng
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shu-Hua Ouyang
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhong-Fu Mao
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Guo-En Wang
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hiroshi Kurihara
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Rong-Rong He
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yi-Fang Li
- 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.,2 Anti-Stress and Health Research Center, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Sun B, Meng J, Xiang T, Zhang L, Deng L, Chen Y, Luo H, Yang Z, Chen Z, Zhang S. Effect of the herbal formulation Jianpijiedu on the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire in rats with hepatocellular carcinoma and subjected to food restriction combined with laxative. Exp Ther Med 2016; 11:818-826. [PMID: 26997998 PMCID: PMC4774349 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2015.2955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the Chinese herbal formulation Jianpijiedu (JPJD) in a rat model of orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (OHC). The tumor-bearing rats underwent food restriction combined with laxative (FRL) treatment in order to model the nutritional and digestive symptoms of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, the study aimed to elucidate the effect of JPJD on the T cell receptor Vβ-chain complementarity-determining region 3 (TCRVβCDR3) repertoire and the underlying mechanism. The FRL rat model was established by alternate-day food restriction and the oral administration of Glauber's salt (sodium sulfate), based on which the OHC model was then established. Subsequently, the FRL-OHC induced animals received JPJD or thymopentin-5 (TP5) for 17 days. Differences in the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire in the rat thymus, liver and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Compared with the FRL-OHC model animals without any treatment, those treated with JPJD exhibited significantly inhibited hepatocellular carcinoma growth (P<0.05), reduced weight loss (P<0.01) and stable visceral indices (P<0.05). Furthermore, the JPJD treatment appeared to improve Simpsons diversity index (Ds) values and the quasi-Gaussian distribution rate of the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire in the thymus, liver and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. However, no anti-hepatoma effects were evident in the rats treated with TP5. In addition, TP5 increased the Ds values and the quasi-Gaussian distribution rate of the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues compared with those in the JPJD-treated group. The anti-hepatoma effects of JPJD in FRL-OHC-induced animals may be due to the promotion of the Ds values of the TCRVβCDR3 repertoire.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baoguo Sun
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Jun Meng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Ting Xiang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Liuxiang Deng
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Haoxuan Luo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Zhangbin Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Zexiong Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Shijun Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Hu X, Zhao M, Wang Y, Wang Y, Zhao S, Wu J, Li X, Peng S. Tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxyl-thymopentin: a nano-conjugate for releasing pharmacophores to treat tumor and complications. J Mater Chem B 2015; 4:1384-1397. [PMID: 32263105 DOI: 10.1039/c5tb01930c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
To improve the therapeutic efficacy of cancer patients a novel conjugate of thymopentin (TP5) and (1S,3S)-1-methyl-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTC) was presented. In water and mouse plasma MTCTP5 forms the nanoparticles of 14-139 nm in diameter, the suitable size for delivery in blood circulation. In mouse plasma MTCTP5 releases MTC, while in the presence of trypsin MTCTP5 releases MTC and TP5. On mouse and rat models the MTCTP5 dose dependently slows down the tumor growth, inhibits inflammatory response and blocks thrombosis. The anti-tumor activity as well as the anti-inflammation activity and anti-thrombotic activity of MTCTP5 are 100 fold and 10 fold higher than those of MTC, respectively, which are attributed to the fact that it down-regulates the plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-8 of the treated animals. The immunology enhancing activities in vitro and in vivo of MTCTP5 are similar to those of TP5, which is attributed to the fact that MTCTP5 up-regulates the plasma levels of IL-2 and CD4 as well as down-regulates the plasma level of CD8 of the treated animals. The plasma alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and creatinine assays indicate that MTCTP5 therapy does not injure the liver and the kidney of the animals. The survival time of MTCTP5 treated mice is significantly longer than that of TP5 treated mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Hu
- Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, P. R. China.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Lao X, Li B, Liu M, Chen J, Gao X, Zheng H. Increased antitumor activity of tumor-specific peptide modified thymopentin. Biochimie 2014; 107 Pt B:277-85. [PMID: 25236717 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2014.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Thymopoietin pentapeptide (thymopentin, TP5), an immunomodulatory peptide, has been successfully used as an immune system enhancer for treating immune deficiency, cancer, and infectious diseases. However, poor penetration into tumors remains a key limitation to the efficacy and application of TP5. iRGD (CRGDK/RGPD/EC) has been introduced to certain anticancer agents, and increased specific tumor penetrability of drugs and cell internalization have been observed. In the present study, we fused this iRGD fragment with the C-terminal of TP5 to yield a new product, TP5-iRGD. Cell attachment assay showed that TP5-iRGD exhibits more extensive attachment to the melanoma cell line B16F10 than wild-type TP5. Tumor cell viability assay showed that iRGD conjugation with the TP5 C-terminus increases the basal antiproliferative activity of the pentapeptide against the melanoma cell line B16F10, the human lung cancer cell line H460, and the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Subsequent injections of TP5-iRGD inhibited in vivo melanoma progression more efficiently than the native TP5. Murine spleen lymphocyte proliferation assay also showed that TP5-iRGD and the parent pentapeptide feature nearly identical spleen lymphocyte proliferation activities. We built an integrin αvβ3 and TP5-iRGD computational binding model to investigate the mechanism by which TP5-iRGD promotes increased activity further. Conjugation with iRGD promotes binding to integrin αvβ3, thereby increasing the tumor-homing efficiency of the resultant peptide. These experimental and computational observations of increased TP5-iRGD activity help broaden the usage of TP5 and reflect the great application potential of the peptide as an anticancer agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingzhen Lao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Bin Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Meng Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Jiao Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| | - Heng Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|