Synergistic interaction between choline and aspirin against acute inflammation induced by carrageenan and lipopolysaccharide

Alloferon-1 ameliorates acute inflammatory responses in λ-carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice

Alloferon-1 have been proposed as an effective peptide to enhance antitumoral immunity, antiviral defense and anti-inflammatory activity. This work aimed to assess anti-inflammatory effects of alloferon-1 against acute inflammation and histopathological deformations in λ-carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice. Systemic pretreatment with alloferon-1 (22.0 mg/kg) intraperitoneally injected mice showed a significant reduction in paw thickness and vascular permeability. Alloferon-1 prevented λ-carrageenan-evoked exudation and the neutrophil influx to the mouse pleura and the neutrophil migration into carrageenan-stimulated mouse air pouches based on the histopathological changes in the paw tissues. Administration of alloferon-1 also suppressed the expression of the inflammatory cytokines in the inflamed paw tissues such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), interleukin-5 (IL-5), etc. detected by Luminex liquid chip. Collectively, the present study provides evidences for the marked anti-inflammatory effects of alloferon-1 which might represent new therapeutic options for the treatment of acute inflammatory diseases.

Choline Supplementation Modifies the Effects of Developmental Alcohol Exposure on Immune Responses in Adult Rats

Prenatal alcohol exposure can disrupt the development of numerous systems, including the immune system. Indeed, alterations in cytokine levels may contribute to the neuropathological, behavioral, and cognitive problems, and other adverse outcomes observed in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Importantly, supplementation with the essential nutrient choline can improve performance in hippocampal-dependent behaviors; thus, the present study examined the effects of choline on plasma and hippocampal cytokines in adult rats exposed to ethanol in early development. From postnatal day (PD) 4–9 (third trimester equivalent), pups received ethanol (5.25 g/kg/day) or Sham intubations. Subjects were treated with choline chloride (100 mg/kg/day) or saline from PD10–30. On PD60, plasma and hippocampal tissue was collected before and after an immune challenge (lipopolysaccharide (LPS); 50 ug/kg). Prior to the immune challenge, ethanol-exposed subjects showed an overall increase in hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokines, an effect mitigated by choline supplementation. In contrast, in the plasma, choline reduced LPS-related increases in pro-inflammatory markers, particularly in ethanol-exposed subjects. Thus, early choline supplementation may modify both brain and peripheral inflammation. These results suggest that early choline can mitigate some long-term effects of ethanol exposure on hippocampal inflammation, which may contribute to improved hippocampal function, and could also influence peripheral immune responses that may impact overall health.

Potential roles of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in chronic inflammatory pain and the mechanisms of therapy drugs

Observational findings achieved that gut microbes mediate human metabolic health and disease risk. The types of intestinal microorganisms depend on the intake of food and drugs and are also related to their metabolic level and genetic factors. Recent studies have shown that chronic inflammatory pain is closely related to intestinal microbial homeostasis. Compared with the normal intestinal flora, the composition of intestinal flora in patients with chronic inflammatory pain had significant changes in Actinomycetes, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, etc. At the same time, short-chain fatty acids and amino acids, the metabolites of intestinal microorganisms, can regulate neural signal molecules and signaling pathways, thus affecting the development trend of chronic inflammatory pain. Glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain, the main mechanism is to affect the secretion of inflammatory factors and the abundance of intestinal bacteria. This article reviews the relationship between intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites on chronic inflammatory pain and the possible mechanism.

Phytochemical Profile, Free Radical Scavenging and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Acalypha Indica Root Extract: Evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

In our in vitro and in vivo studies, we used Acalypha indica root methanolic extract (AIRME), and investigated their free radical scavenging/antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Primarily, phytochemical analysis showed rich content of phenols (70.92 mg of gallic acid/g) and flavonoids (16.01 mg of rutin/g) in AIRME. We then performed HR-LC-MS and GC-MS analyses, and identified 101 and 14 phytochemical compounds, respectively. Among them, ramipril glucuronide (1.563%), antimycin A (1.324%), swietenine (1.134%), quinone (1.152%), oxprenolol (1.118%), choline (0.847%), bumetanide (0.847%) and fenofibrate (0.711%) are the predominant phytomolecules. Evidence from in vitro studies revealed that AIRME scavenges DPPH and hydroxyl radicals in a concentration dependent manner (10–50 μg/mL). Similarly, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation were also remarkably inhibited by AIRME as concentration increases (20–100 μg/mL). In vitro antioxidant activity of AIRME was comparable to ascorbic acid treatment. For in vivo studies, carrageenan (1%, sub-plantar) was injected to rats to induce localized inflammation. Acute inflammation was represented by paw-edema, and significantly elevated (p < 0.05) WBC, platelets and C-reactive protein (CRP). However, AIRME pretreatment (150/300 mg/kg bodyweight) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased edema volume. This was accompanied by a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of WBC, platelets and CRP with both doses of AIRME. The decreased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in paw tissue were restored (p < 0.05 / p < 0.01) with AIRME in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, AIRME attenuated carrageenan-induced neutrophil infiltrations and vascular dilation in paw tissue. For the first time, our findings demonstrated the potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of AIRME, which could be considered to develop novel anti-inflammatory drugs.

Tracing the dynamic expression of the Nfκb2 gene during inflammatory processes by in vivo bioluminescence imaging in transgenic mice

Nfκb2(p52/p100) plays essential roles in many chronic inflammatory diseases. Tracing the dynamic expression of Nfκb2 during different biological processes in vivo can provide valuable clues to understand the biological functions of this gene and develop anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, B6-Tg(Nfκb2-luc)^Mlit transgenic mouse line, a mouse model in which the expression of firefly luciferase gene is under the control of a 14.6-kb mouse Nfκb2 promoter, was generated to monitor the expression of p52/p100 in vivo. Bioluminescence imaging was used for tracking the luciferase signal in living mice in a variety of inflammatory processes, including LPS-induced sepsis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The data of in vivo bioluminescence imaging in this mouse model showed that luciferase activity coincided with the endogenous p52/p100 expression. Moreover, dexamethasone or aspirin, two routine anti-inflammatory drugs, could decrease the high-level expression of luciferase induced by LPS. Overall, our results suggest that the B6-Tg(Nfκb2-luc)^Mlit mice represent a valuable reporter mouse model not only to monitor the expression of p52/p100 in physiological or pathological processes but also to evaluate the effects of various anti-inflammatory drug treatments in vivo.

[Choline improves lipopolysaccharide-induced central nervous system inflammatory response and cognitive dysfunction in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of choline in ameliorating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced central nervous system inflammation and cognitive deficits in mice and explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Seventy-two mice were randomized into saline control group, LPS group, choline intervention group and choline control group. In the latter two groups, the mice received pretreatment with intraperitoneal injections of choline (40 mg/kg, 3 times daily for 3 consecutive days) prior to microinjection of LPS into the lateral cerebral ventricle to induce central nervous system inflammation; in saline and LPS groups, the mice were pretreated with saline in the same manner before intraventicular injection of artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Choline treatment was administered in the mice till the end of the experiment. The locomotor activity and spatial learning and memory capacity of the mice were examined. The expressions of Iba1 protein and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-β) I the hippocampal dentate gyrus, and the expressions of α 7nAchR, p38 MAPK and phosphorylated p38 MAPK in the hippocampus of the mice were detected.

RESULTS

Water maze test showed that compared with the saline control group, the mice in LPS group exhibited significantly reduced platform crossings (P<0.05), which was significantly increased by choline pretreatment (P<0.05). The mice pretreated with LPS expressed obviously increased levels of IBA-1 protein, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the hippocampus (P<0.01), and choline pretreatment significantly lowered the expressions of IBA-1 protein and IL-1β (P<0.05). The phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK increased significantly after LPS pretreatment (P<0.05), and was reduced by choline pretreatment (P<0.05); α 7nAchR expression increased significantly in choline intervention group as compared with that in the other 3 groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Choline can probably antagonize LPS-induced hippocampal p38 MAPK phosphorylation in mice via the α 7nAchR signaling pathway to protective against LPS-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in mice.

Deciphering the mechanism of Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Decoction on the treatment of sepsis by formula decomposition and metabolomics: Enhancement of cholinergic pathways and inhibition of HMGB-1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling

Sepsis is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Decoction (HLJDD), a well-known Chinese herb formula, has long been used for the treatment of sepsis. In this investigation, by leaving one herb out each time, the four component herbs of HLJDD were reformulated to four HLJDD variants Form1-4, corresponding to the removal of Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, Scutellariae Radix, Gardeniae Fructu and Coptidis Rhizoma, respectively. Metabolomics approach combined with histological inspection, biochemical measurement and molecular biology was used to investigate the treatment effects of HLJDD and its four variants on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis, which were compared to decipher the formulating principles of HLJDD. Our results showed that HLJDD exhibit the strongest therapeutic effects in the CLP models as compared with the four variants, which could be ascribed to its most significant enhancement of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and inhibition of HMGB-1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Most of all, metabolites changed specifically between groups of HLJDD and its four variants were related with the exceptional treatment effects of HLJDD.