Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) contributes to phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and suppression of TNF-α signalling in the intestinal epithelial cells

Ruxolitinib attenuates microglial inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway

Neuroinflammation is involved in the physiological and pathological processes of numerous neurological diseases, and its inhibition seems to be a promising therapeutic direction for these diseases. Ruxolitinib is a classical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that is oral, highly potent and bioavailable, which has recently gained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. The potential inhibitory effect of ruxolitinib on neuroinflammation has not been fully studied. In the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced neuroinflammatory cell model, we observed that ruxolitinib reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression, and neuroinflammation by inhibiting the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase/Nuclear factor-κ B (MAPK/NF-κB) signaling pathway. Similarly, mice injected intracerebroventricular with ruxolitinib exhibited significantly reduced LPS-stimulated activation of microglia and astrocytes, and expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6. These results demonstrate that ruxolitinib attenuates the neuroinflammatory responses both in vivo and in vitro, at least in part by inhibiting MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that ruxolitinib may serve as a potential drug for the treatment of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation.

Cholesterol-induced HRD1 reduction accelerates vascular smooth muscle cell senescence via stimulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced reactive oxygen species

Senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a key contributor to plaque vulnerability in atherosclerosis (AS), which is affected by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, the crosstalk between ER stress and ROS production in the pathogenesis of VSMC senescence remains to be elucidated. ER-associated degradation (ERAD) is a complex process that clears unfolded or misfolded proteins to maintain ER homeostasis. HRD1 is the major E3 ligase in mammalian ERAD machineries that catalyzes ubiquitin conjugation to the unfolded or misfolded proteins for degradation. Our results showed that HRD1 protein levels were reduced in human AS plaques and aortic roots from ApoE-/- mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD), along with the increased ER stress response. Exposure to cholesterol in VSMCs activated inflammatory signaling and induced senescence, while reduced HRD1 protein expression. CRISPR Cas9-mediated HRD1 knockout (KO) exacerbated cholesterol- and thapsigargin-induced cell senescence. Inhibiting ER stress with 4-PBA (4-Phenylbutyric acid) partially reversed the ROS production and cell senescence induced by HRD1 deficiency in VSMCs, suggesting that ER stress alone could be sufficient to induce ROS production and senescence in VSMCs. Besides, HRD1 deficiency led to mitochondrial dysfunction, and reducing ROS production from impaired mitochondria partly reversed HRD1 deficiency-induced cell senescence. Finally, we showed that the overexpression of HDR1 reversed cholesterol-induced ER stress, ROS production, and cellular senescence in VSMCs. Our findings indicate that HRD1 protects against senescence by maintaining ER homeostasis and mitochondrial functionality. Thus, targeting HRD1 function may help to mitigate VSMC senescence and prevent vascular aging related diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: A real-world study based on the discussion of primary and secondary prevention strategies for coronary heart disease, URL:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov, the trial registration number is [2022]-02-121-01.

Role of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Intestinal Epithelial Homeostasis: Insights for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is an intestinal disorder that causes prolonged inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, the etiology of IBD is not fully understood and treatments are insufficient to completely cure the disease. In addition to absorbing essential nutrients, intestinal epithelial cells prevent the entry of foreign antigens (micro-organisms and undigested food) through mucus secretion and epithelial barrier formation. Disruption of the intestinal epithelial homeostasis exacerbates inflammation. Thus, the maintenance and reinforcement of epithelial function may have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of IBD. Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are G protein-coupled receptors for acetylcholine that are expressed in intestinal epithelial cells. Recent studies have revealed the role of mAChRs in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial homeostasis. The importance of non-neuronal acetylcholine in mAChR activation in epithelial cells has also been recognized. This review aimed to summarize recent advances in research on mAChRs for intestinal epithelial homeostasis and the involvement of non-neuronal acetylcholine systems, and highlight their potential as targets for IBD therapy.

Prenatal stress induces changes in PAR2- and M3-dependent regulation of colon primitive cells

Prenatal stress is associated with a high risk of developing adult intestinal pathologies, such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic inflammation, and cancer. Although epithelial stem cells and progenitors have been implicated in intestinal pathophysiology, how prenatal stress could impact their functions is still unknown. We have investigated the proliferative and differentiation capacities of primitive cells using epithelial crypts isolated from colons of adult male and female mice whose mothers have been stressed during late gestation. Our results show that stem cell/progenitor proliferation and differentiation in vitro are negatively impacted by prenatal stress in male progeny. This is promoted by a reinforcement of the negative proliferative/differentiation control by the protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) and the muscarinic receptor 3 (M3), two G protein-coupled receptors present in the crypt. Conversely, prenatal stress does not change in vitro proliferation of colon primitive cells in female progeny. Importantly, this maintenance is associated with a functional switch in the M3 negative control of colonoid growth, becoming proliferative after prenatal stress. In addition, the proliferative role of PAR2 specific to females is maintained under prenatal stress, even though PAR2-targeted stress signals Dusp6 and activated GSK3β are increased, reaching the levels of males. An epithelial serine protease could play a critical role in the activation of the survival kinase GSK3β in colonoids from prenatally stressed female progeny. Altogether, our results show that following prenatal stress, colon primitive cells cope with stress through sexually dimorphic mechanisms that could pave the way to dysregulated crypt regeneration and intestinal pathologies.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Primitive cells isolated from mouse colon following prenatal stress and exposed to additional stress conditions such as in vitro culture, present sexually dimorphic mechanisms based on PAR2- and M3-dependent regulation of proliferation and differentiation. Whereas prenatal stress reinforces the physiological negative control exerted by PAR2 and M3 in crypts from males, in females, it induces a switch in M3- and PAR2-dependent regulation leading to a resistant and proliferative phenotype of progenitor.

Function and therapeutic potential of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 in fibrosis

The transient receptor potential (TRP) protein superfamily is a special group of cation channels expressed in different cell types and signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on TRPA1 (transient receptor potential ankyrin 1), an ion channel in this family that exists in the cell membrane and shows a different function from other TRP channels. TRPA1 usually has a special activation effect that can induce cation ions, especially calcium ions, to flow into activated cells. In this paper, we review the role of TRPA1 in fibroblasts. To clarify the relationship between fibroblasts and TRPA1, we have also paid special attention to the interactions between TRPA1 and inflammatory factors leading to fibroblast activation. TRPA1 has different functions in the fibrosis process in different organs, and there have also been interesting discussions of the mechanism of TRPA1 in fibroblasts. Therefore, this review aims to describe the function of TRP channels in controlling fibrosis through fibroblasts in different organ inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases. We attempt to prove that TRPA1 is a target for fibrosis. In fact, some clinical trials have already proven that TRPA1 is a potential adjuvant therapy for treating fibrosis.

Molecular Mechanism of Biofilm Locator Protein Kinase Dbf2p-related kinase 1 in Regulating Innate Immune Response to Interleukin 17-induced Viral Pneumonia

It focused on the antiviral immune regulation of biofilm-localized protein kinase Dbf2p-related kinase 1 (NDR1) in viral pneumonia. Mouse alveolar monocyte RAW264.7 was used as blank control, and viral pneumonia cell model was prepared by infecting cells with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). NDR1 overexpression vector and siRNA interference sequences were synthesized, and overexpression/silence NDR1 cell model was fabricated. About 50 ng/mL interleukin 17 (IL-17) was given to stimulate. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qRCR), and Western blot were performed to detect cytokines and chemokines, mRNA of inflammatory factors, and signal molecule protein expression. Notably, RSV infection increased RSV-F mRNA in RAW264.7 cells and reduced NDR1 mRNA and protein. Secretion levels of IL-6, interferon β (IFN-β), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL20) increased in the model group versus blank control (P< 0.05). IL-6, IFN-β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) mRNA were up-regulated (P < 0.05). Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), p38 protein phosphorylation, human recombinant 1 (TBK1), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) protein levels increased (P < 0.05). After overexpression of NDR1, the secretion levels of cytokines and chemokines, inflammatory factors mRNA, and signal molecule protein increased significantly. After NDR1 was silenced, cytokines and chemokines, inflammatory factors mRNA, and signal molecule protein were not significantly different versus blank control group (P > 0.05). In short, NDR1 regulated innate immune response to viral pneumonia induced by IL-17, which can be used as a new target for the treatment of IL-17-induced inflammatory response and autoimmune diseases.