Licofelone, a potent COX/5-LOX inhibitor and a novel option for treatment of neurological disorders

Plasma oxylipin profiles reflect Parkinson's disease stage

Derivatives of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), also known as oxylipins, are key participants in regulating inflammation. Neuroinflammation is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. The development of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) facilitated the study of oxylipins on a system level, i.e., the analysis of oxylipin profiles. We analyzed oxylipin profiles in the blood plasma of 36 healthy volunteers (HC) and 73 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), divided into early (L\M, 29 patients) or advanced (H, 44 patients) stages based on the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Among the 40 oxylipins detected, we observed a decrease in the concentration of arachidonic acid (AA) and AA derivatives, including anandamide (AEA) and Leukotriene E4 (LTE4), and an increase in the concentration of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids 19-HETE and 12-HETE (PD vs HC). Correlation analysis of gender, age of PD onset, and disease stages revealed 20 compounds the concentration of which changed depending on disease stage. Comparison of the acquired oxylipin profiles to openly available PD patient brain transcriptome datasets showed that plasma oxylipins do not appear to directly reflect changes in brain metabolism at different disease stages. However, both the L\M and H stages are characterized by their own oxylipin profiles - in patients with the H stage oxylipin synthesis is increased, while in patients with L\M stages oxylipin synthesis decreases compared to HC. This suggests that different therapeutic approaches may be more effective for patients at early versus late stages of PD.

Protective Effects of Plant-Derived Compounds Against Traumatic Brain Injury

Inflammation in the nervous system is one of the key features of many neurodegenerative diseases. It is increasingly being identified as a critical pathophysiological primitive mechanism associated with chronic neurodegenerative diseases following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Phytochemicals have a wide range of clinical properties due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Currently, there are few drugs available for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases other than symptomatic relief. Numerous studies have shown that plant-derived compounds, in particular polyphenols, protect against various neurodegenerative diseases and are safe for consumption. Polyphenols exert protective effects on TBI via restoration of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), and Nod-like receptor family proteins (NLRPs) pathways. In addition, these phytochemicals and their derivatives upregulate the phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathways, which have critical functions in modulating TBI symptoms. There is supporting evidence that medicinal plants and phytochemicals are protective in different TBI models, though future clinical trials are needed to clarify the precise mechanisms and functions of different polyphenolic compounds in TBI.

Dual inhibition of glycolysis and glutaminolysis for synergistic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis (RAFLS) exhibit a pathological aberration of glycolysis and glutaminolysis. Henceforth, we aimed to investigate if dual inhibition of these pathways by phytobiological compound c28MS has the potential of synergistic therapy for arthritis by targeting both glucose and glutamine metabolism.

METHODS

The presence of HK2 and GLS across various cell types and associated gene expression in human synovial cells and a murine model of arthritis was evaluated by scRNA-seq. The metabolic profiling of RAFLS cells was done using H1-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy under glycolytic and glutaminolytic inhibitory conditions by incubating with 3-bromopyruvate, CB839, or dual inhibitor c28MS. FLS functional analysis was conducted under similar conditions. ELISA was employed for the quantification of IL-6, CCL2, and MMP3. K/BxN sera was administered to mice to induce arthritis for in vivo arthritis experiments.

RESULTS

scRNA-seq analysis revealed that many fibroblasts expressed Hk2 along with Gls with several genes including Ptgs2, Hif1a, Timp1, Cxcl5, and Plod2 only associated with double-positive fibroblasts, suggesting that dual inhibition can be an attractive target for fibroblasts. Metabolomic and functional analysis revealed that c28MS decreased the aggressive behavior of RAFLS by targeting both upregulated glycolysis and glutaminolysis. c28MS administered in vivo significantly decreased the severity of arthritis in the K/BxN model.

CONCLUSION

Our findings imply that dual inhibition of glycolysis and glutaminolysis could be an effective approach for the treatment of RA. It also suggests that targeting more than one metabolic pathway can be a novel treatment approach in non-cancer diseases.

Design and Development of COX-II Inhibitors: Current Scenario and Future Perspective

Innate inflammation beyond a threshold is a significant problem involved in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and many other chronic conditions. Cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes are key inflammatory markers as they catalyze prostaglandins production and are crucial for inflammation processes. While COX-I is constitutively expressed and is generally involved in "housekeeping" roles, the expression of the COX-II isoform is induced by the stimulation of different inflammatory cytokines and also promotes the further generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which affect the prognosis of various diseases. Hence, COX-II is considered an important therapeutic target for drug development against inflammation-related illnesses. Several selective COX-II inhibitors with safe gastric safety profiles features that do not cause gastrointestinal complications associated with classic anti-inflammatory drugs have been developed. Nevertheless, there is mounting evidence of cardiovascular side effects from COX-II inhibitors that resulted in the withdrawal of market-approved anti-COX-II drugs. This necessitates the development of COX-II inhibitors that not only exhibit inhibit potency but also are free of side effects. Probing the scaffold diversity of known inhibitors is vital to achieving this goal. A systematic review and discussion on the scaffold diversity of COX inhibitors are still limited. To address this gap, herein we present an overview of chemical structures and inhibitory activity of different scaffolds of known COX-II inhibitors. The insights from this article could be helpful in seeding the development of next-generation COX-II inhibitors.

Novel druggable mechanism of Parkinson's disease: Potential therapeutics and underlying pathogenesis based on ferroptosis

Genetics, age, environmental factors, and oxidative stress have all been implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, a complete understanding of its pathology remains elusive. At present, there is no cure for PD, and currently available therapeutics are insufficient to meet patient needs. Ferroptosis, a distinctive iron-dependent cell death mode characterized by lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, has pathophysiological features similar to those of PD, including iron accumulation, reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Ferroptosis has been identified as a specific pathway of neuronal death and is closely related to the pathogenesis of PD. Despite the similarities in the biological targets involved in PD pathogenesis and ferroptosis, the relationship between novel targets in PD and ferroptosis has been neglected in the literature. In this review, the mechanism of ferroptosis is discussed, and the potential therapeutic targets implicated in both PD and ferroptosis are compared. Furthermore, the anti-PD effects of several ferroptosis inhibitors, as well as clinical studies thereof, and the identification of novel lead compounds for the treatment of PD and the inhibition of ferroptosis are reviewed. It is hoped that this review can promote research to further elucidate the relationship between ferroptosis and PD and provide new strategies for the development of novel ferroptosis-targeting PD therapy.

Factors affecting variability in free oxylipins in mammalian tissues

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

Along with the growing interest in oxylipins is an increasing awareness of multiple sources of variability in oxylipin data. This review summarizes recent findings that highlight the experimental and biological sources of variation in free oxylipins.

RECENT FINDINGS

Experimental factors that affect oxylipin variability include different methods of euthanasia, postmortem changes, cell culture reagents, tissue processing conditions and timing, storage losses, freeze-thaw cycles, sample preparation techniques, ion suppression, matrix effects, use and availability of oxylipin standards, and postanalysis procedures. Biological factors include dietary lipids, fasting, supplemental selenium, vitamin A deficiency, dietary antioxidants and the microbiome. Overt, but also more subtle differences in health affect oxylipin levels, including during resolution of inflammation and long-term recovery from disease. Sex, genetic variation, exposure to air pollution and chemicals found in food packaging and household and personal care products, as well as many pharmaceuticals used to treat health conditions also affect oxylipin levels.

SUMMARY

Experimental sources of oxylipin variability can be minimized with proper analytical procedures and protocol standardization. Fully characterizing study parameters will help delineate biological factors of variability, which are rich sources of information that can be used to probe oxylipin mechanisms of action and to investigate their roles in health.

Neuroaxonal and cellular damage/protection by prostanoid receptor ligands, fatty acid derivatives and associated enzyme inhibitors

Cellular and mitochondrial membrane phospholipids provide the substrate for synthesis and release of prostaglandins in response to certain chemical, mechanical, noxious and other stimuli. Prostaglandin D₂, prostaglandin E₂, prostaglandin F_2α, prostaglandin I₂ and thromboxane-A₂ interact with five major receptors (and their sub-types) to elicit specific downstream cellular and tissue actions. In general, prostaglandins have been associated with pain, inflammation, and edema when they are present at high local concentrations and involved on a chronic basis. However, in acute settings, certain endogenous and exogenous prostaglandins have beneficial effects ranging from mediating muscle contraction/relaxation, providing cellular protection, regulating sleep, and enhancing blood flow, to lowering intraocular pressure to prevent the development of glaucoma, a blinding disease. Several classes of prostaglandins are implicated (or are considered beneficial) in certain central nervous system dysfunctions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis; stroke, traumatic brain injuries and pain) and in ocular disorders (e.g., ocular hypertension and glaucoma; allergy and inflammation; edematous retinal disorders). This review endeavors to address the physiological/pathological roles of prostaglandins in the central nervous system and ocular function in health and disease, and provides insights towards the therapeutic utility of some prostaglandin agonists and antagonists, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cyclooxygenase inhibitors.

Potential role of nutraceuticals via targeting a Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB pathway in treatment of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease due to the aging of the articular cartilage, a post-mitotic tissue that stays functioning until primary homeostatic processes fail. Because of pain and disability, OA significantly influences national healthcare expenses and patient quality of life. It is a whole-joint illness characterized by inflammatory and oxidative signaling pathways and significant epigenetic alterations that cause cartilage extracellular matrix degradation. The canonical Wnt pathway (Wnt/β-catenin pathway) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways may function in joint tissues by modulating the activity of synovial cells, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. However, finding innovative ways to treat osteoarthritis and get the joint back to average balance is still a struggle. Nutraceuticals are dietary supplements that promote joint health by balancing anabolic and catabolic signals. New therapeutic methods for OA treatment have been developed based on many research findings that show nutraceuticals have strong anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-bone resorption, and anabolic properties. For the treatment of osteoarthritis, we explore the possible involvement of nutraceuticals that target the Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB pathways. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In keeping with the aging population, osteoarthritis is becoming more widespread. In this extensive research, we studied the role of the Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB pathway in OA formation and progression. Nutraceuticals that target these OA-related signaling pathways are a viable therapy option. Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathway are inhibited by polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and vitamins from the nutraceutical category, making them possible therapeutic drugs for OA therapy.

Evaluation of 5-[(Z)-(4-nitrobenzylidene)]-2-(thiazol-2-ylimino)-4-thiazolidinone (Les-6222) as Potential Anticonvulsant Agent

It was determined that the studied 5-[(Z)-(4-nitrobenzylidene)]-2-(thiazol-2-ylimino)-4-thiazolidinone (Les-6222) affects the cyclooxygenase pathway of the arachidonic acid cascade, the markers of damage to neurons on models of PTZ kindling. In the model of chronic epileptogenesis in mice (pentylenetetrazole kindling), a 4-thiazolidinone derivative showed high anticonvulsant activity, which is weaker than the effect of sodium valproate and higher than Celecoxib. The mentioned compound has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect in the brain on the background of the PTZ kindling, reliably inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2. The predominant inhibition of COX-2 by 44.5% indicates this enzyme’s high selectivity of Les-6222. According to the molecular docking study results, the studied compound revealed the properties of COX-1/COX-2 inhibitor and especially 5-LOX/FLAP. The decreasing content of 8-isoprostane in the brain of mice of the Les-6222 group indicates a beneficial effect on cell membranes in the background of oxidative stress during the long-term administration of PTZ. In addition, Les-6222 significantly decreased the content of neuron-specific enolase, indicating neuroprotective properties in the background of chronic epileptogenesis. The obtained results experimentally substantiate the feasibility of further developing Les-6222 as a promising anticonvulsant agent.

Novel 5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine-3-thiol derivatives as dual COX-2/5-LOX inhibitors devoid of cardiotoxicity

A novel series of 5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine-3-thiol derivatives were designed, synthesized, and screened for their inhibitory potential against COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes. The compounds from the series have shown moderate to excellent inhibitory potential against both targets. Compound 6k showed the inhibitions against COX-2 (IC₅₀ = 0.33 ± 0.02 μM) and 5-LOX inhibition (IC₅₀ = 4.90 ± 0.22 μM) which was better than the standard celecoxib (IC₅₀ = 1.81 ± 0.13 μM) for COX-2 and zileuton (IC₅₀ = 15.04 ± 0.18 μM) for 5-LOX respectively. Further investigation on the selected derivative 6k in rat paw edema models revealed significant anti-inflammatory efficacy. Compound 6k has also shown negligible ulcerogenic liability as compared to indomethacin. Moreover, in vivo biochemical analysis also established the compound's antioxidant properties. Compounds 6c and 6k were also observed to be devoid of cardiotoxicity post-myocardial infarction in rats. The molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies of the most active derivative 6k affirmed their consentient binding interactions with COX-2 specific ravine and cleft of 5-LOX.

'Mechanistic insights into 5-lipoxygenase inhibition by active principles derived from essential oils of Curcuma species: Molecular docking, ADMET analysis and molecular dynamic simulation study

Inflammation is caused by a cascade of events, one of which is the metabolism of arachidonic acid, that begins with oxidation by the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) plays an important role in the inflammation process by synthesizing leukotrienes and several lipid mediators and has emerged as a possible therapeutic target for treatment of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Most of the existing 5-LOX inhibitors are synthetic and exhibit adverse side effects. In view of this, there is need to search for an alternate source of 5-LOX inhibitor with minimal side effects. The essential oil of several species of Curcuma has received considerable attention in recent times in traditional system of medicine especially for treating various inflammatory disorders. Therefore, the present study was carried out to screen the most potential 5-LOX inhibitors from essential oil components of Curcuma species and elucidate their mechanisms of action through computational biology approaches. Twenty-three phytoconstituents derived from the essential oil of Curcuma species were docked and their predictive binding energies were calculated to select the best possible ligand for 5-LOX. The top 8 ranked compounds from docking was tested for drug-likeness properties, bioactivity score, and toxicity analysis. The phytoconstituents such as α-turmerone, β-turmerone, α-terpineol and dihydrocarveolshowed the best binding affinity with 5-LOX and displayed favorable physicochemical properties. Molecular dynamics simulation in POPC lipid bilayers was carried out to understand the intrinsic dynamics and flexibility of the 5-LOX (apo) and 5-LOX-complex (α-terpineol, α-turmerone, β-turmerone and dihydrocarveol) systems. The molecular dynamic results showed that these 4 phytoconstituents interacted stably with the 5-LOX active site residues and the important bonds that were observed in the initial ligand docked compounds did not alter during the course of simulation. In general, our integrative computational approach demonstrated that the natural compounds like α-turmerone, β-turmerone, α-terpineol, and dihydrocarveol could be considered for designing specific anti-inflammatory drugs using structure-based drug design.

Spectroscopic, Electrochemical, and Biological Assays of Copper-Binding Molecules for Screening of Different Drugs and Plant Extracts against Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders, caused by prone-to-aggregation proteins, such as Alzheimer disease or Huntington disease, share other traits such as disrupted homeostasis of essential metal ions, like copper. In this context, in an attempt to identify Cu²⁺ chelating agents, we study several organic compounds (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, phenylenediamine, metformin, salicylate, and trehalose) and organic extracts obtained from Bacopa monnieri L., which has been used in Ayurvedic therapies and presented a broad spectrum of biological properties. For this purpose, UV-visible spectroscopy analysis and electrochemical measurements were performed. Further, biological assays were performed in Caenorhabditis elegans models of polyQ toxicity, in an attempt to obtain better insights on neurodegenerative disorders.