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Zhai G, Fu W, Yuan S, Sun P, Zhu C, Zhao C, Zhang X, Xu J. A fusion protein approach to integrate antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities for developing new therapeutics against influenza A virus infection. Antiviral Res 2024; 228:105924. [PMID: 38862076 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105924] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Human interferon α2 (IFNα2) is a cytokine with broad-spectrum antiviral activity, and its engineered forms are widely used to treat viral infections. However, IFNα2 may trigger proinflammatory responses and underlying side effects during treatment. Trefoil factor 2 (TFF2) is a secreted protein with anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we explored whether coupling IFNα2 to TFF2 in a two-in-one fusion form could combine the beneficial effects of both molecules on viral infections toward a more desirable treatment outcome. We engineered two forms of human IFNα2 and TFF2 fusion proteins, IFNα2-TFF2-Fc (ITF) and TFF2-IFNα2-Fc (TIF), and examined their properties in vitro in comparison to IFNα2 and TFF2 alone. RNA-Seq was further used to explore such comparison on dynamic gene regulation at transriptomic level. These in vitro assessments collectively indicated that TIF largely retained the antiviral activity of IFNα2 while being a weaker inflammation inducer, consistent with the presence of TFF2 activity. We further demonstrated the superiority of TIF over IFNα2 or TFF2 alone in treating influenza infection using a mouse infection model. Together, our study provided evidence supporting that, by possessing antiviral activity conferred by IFNα2 with complementation from TFF2 in suppressing the inflammatory side effects, the fusion proteins, particularly TIF, represent more effective agents against influenza and other respiratory viral infections than IFNα2 or TFF2 alone. It implies that merging two molecules with complementary functions holds potential for developing novel therapeutics against viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanxing Zhai
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Weihui Fu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Songhua Yuan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Cuisong Zhu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jianqing Xu
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Ji L, Li T, Chen H, Yang Y, Lu E, Liu J, Qiao W, Chen H. The crucial regulatory role of type I interferon in inflammatory diseases. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:230. [PMID: 38124132 PMCID: PMC10734085 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01188-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Type I interferon (IFN-I) plays crucial roles in the regulation of inflammation and it is associated with various inflammatory diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and periodontitis, impacting people's health and quality of life. It is well-established that IFN-Is affect immune responses and inflammatory factors by regulating some signaling. However, currently, there is no comprehensive overview of the crucial regulatory role of IFN-I in distinctive pathways as well as associated inflammatory diseases. This review aims to provide a narrative of the involvement of IFN-I in different signaling pathways, mainly mediating the related key factors with specific targets in the pathways and signaling cascades to influence the progression of inflammatory diseases. As such, we suggested that IFN-Is induce inflammatory regulation through the stimulation of certain factors in signaling pathways, which displays possible efficient treatment methods and provides a reference for the precise control of inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ji
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianle Li
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqi Yang
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
- Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Eryi Lu
- Department of Stomatology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Jieying Liu
- Department of Medical Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Qiao
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Applied Oral Sciences & Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Level 3, 34 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hui Chen
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Level 3, 34 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
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Wu F, Zhang X, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Feng Y, Jiang Z, Shi Y, Zhang S, Tu W. Construction of an immune-related lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in radiation-induced esophageal injury in rats. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 122:110606. [PMID: 37423154 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Radiation-induced esophageal injury (RIEI) is an adverse reaction of radiation therapy in patients with esophageal cancer, lung cancer and other malignant tumors. Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network is known to play a significant role in the onset and progression of many diseases, but the exact mechanism of ceRNA in RIEI has not been fully elucidated. In this study, rat esophaguses were obtained after conducting irradiation under different doses (0 Gy, 25 Gy, 35 Gy). Total RNA was extracted and mRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, and miRNA sequencing was performed. Multiple dose-dependent differentially expressed RNAs (dd-DERs), including 870 lncRNAs, 82 miRNAs, 2478 mRNAs, were obtained through the integration of differential expression analysis and dose-dependent screening (35 Gy ≥ 25 Gy > 0 Gy, or 35 Gy ≤ 25 Gy < 0 Gy). Co-expression analysis and prediction of the binding site in dd-DER were conducted and 27 lncRNAs, 20 miRNAs, and 168 mRNAs were selected to construct a ceRNA network. As the immune microenvironment is crucial for RIEI progression, we constructed an immune-related ceRNA network consisting of 11 lncRNAs, 9 miRNAs, and 9 mRNAs. The expression levels of these immune-related RNAs were verified by RT-qPCR. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the RNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network were mainly associated with the proportion of monocytes, M2 macrophages, activated NK cells, and activated CD4+ memory T cells. Drug sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the expression levels of mRNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network, and small molecule drugs with preventive and therapeutic effects on RIEI were identified. In summary, an immune-related ceRNA network associated with RIEI progression was constructed in this study. The findings provide useful information on new potential targets for the prevention and treatment of RIEI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengping Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Shuaijun Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuehua Zhang
- Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yahui Feng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China
| | - Zhiqiang Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Yuhong Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China
| | - Shuyu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Radiation Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China.
| | - Wenling Tu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu 610051, China; School of Bioscience and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, China.
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Xie M, Xie R, Huang P, Yap DYH, Wu P. GADD45A and GADD45B as Novel Biomarkers Associated with Chromatin Regulators in Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11304. [PMID: 37511062 PMCID: PMC10379085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411304] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin regulators (CRs) are essential upstream regulatory factors of epigenetic modification. The role of CRs in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains unclear. We analyzed a bioinformatic analysis on the differentially expressed chromatin regulator genes in renal IRI patients using data from public domains. The hub CRs identified were used to develop a risk prediction model for renal IRI, and their expressions were also validated using Western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry in a murine renal IRI model. We also examined the relationships between hub CRs and infiltrating immune cells in renal IRI and used network analysis to explore drugs that target hub CRs and their relevant downstream microRNAs. The results of machine learning methods showed that five genes (DUSP1, GADD45A, GADD45B, GADD45G, HSPA1A) were upregulated in renal IRI, with key roles in the cell cycle, p38 MAPK signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, and NF-κB signaling pathway. Two genes from the network, GADD45A and GADD45B (growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 45 alpha and beta), were chosen for the renal IRI risk prediction model. They all showed good performance in the testing and validation cohorts. Mice with renal IRI showed significantly upregulated GADD45A and GADD45B expression within kidneys compared to sham-operated mice. GADD45A and GADD45B showed correlations with plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in infiltrating immune cell analysis and enrichment in the MAPK pathway based on the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method. Candidate drugs that target GADD45A and GADD45B include beta-escin, sertraline, primaquine, pimozide, and azacyclonol. The dysregulation of GADD45A and GADD45B is related to renal IRI and the infiltration of pDCs, and drugs that target GADD45A and GADD45B may have therapeutic potential for renal IRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Xie
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ruiyan Xie
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Pengcheng Huang
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Desmond Y H Yap
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Peng Wu
- Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Imidazonaphthyridine effects on Chikungunya virus replication: Antiviral activity by dependent and independent of interferon type 1 pathways. Virus Res 2023; 324:199029. [PMID: 36565816 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.199029] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes Chikungunya fever, a disease characterized by symptoms such as arthralgia/polyarthralgia. Currently, there are no antivirals approved against CHIKV, emphasizing the need to develop novel therapies. The imidazonaphthyridine compound (RO8191), an interferon-α (IFN-α) agonist, was reported as a potent inhibitor of HCV. Here RO8191 was investigated for its potential to inhibit CHIKV replication in vitro. RO8191 inhibited CHIKV infection in BHK-21 and Vero-E6 cells with a selectivity index (SI) of 12.3 and 37.3, respectively. Additionally, RO8191 was capable to protect cells against CHIKV infection, inhibit entry by virucidal activity, and strongly impair post-entry steps of viral replication. An effect of RO8191 on CHIKV replication was demonstrated in BHK-21 through type-1 IFN production mechanism and in Vero-E6 cells which has a defective type-1 IFN production, also suggesting a type-1 IFN independent mode of action. Molecular docking calculations demonstrated interactions of RO8191 with the CHIKV E proteins, corroborated by the ATR-FTIR assay, and with non-structural proteins, supported by the CHIKV-subgenomic replicon cells assay.
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