Anti-apoptotic and moderate anti-inflammatory effects of berberine in sulfur mustard exposed keratinocytes

Chloropicrin induced ocular injury: Biomarkers, potential mechanisms, and treatments

Ocular tissue, especially the cornea, is overly sensitive to chemical exposures. The availability and adoption of chemical threat agent chloropicrin (CP) is growing in the United States as a pesticide and fumigant; thereby increasing the risk of its use in warfare, terrorist attacks and non-intentional exposure. Exposure to CP results in immediate ocular, respiratory, and dermal injury; however, we lack knowledge on its mechanism of toxicity as well as of its breakdown products like chlorine and phosgene, and effective therapies are elusive. Herein, we have reviewed the recent findings on exposure route, toxicity and likely mechanisms of CP induced ocular toxicity based on other vesicating chemical warfare agents that cause ocular injury. We have focused on the implication of their toxicity and mechanistic outcomes in the ocular tissue, especially the cornea, which could be useful in the development of broad-spectrum effective therapeutic options. We have discussed on the potential countermeasures, overall hallmarks and challenges involved in studying ocular injuries from chemical threat agent exposures. Finally, we reviewed useful available technologies and methods that can assist in the identification of effective medical countermeasures for chemical threat agents related ocular injuries.

A Systematic Review of Keratinocyte Secretions: A Regenerative Perspective

Cell regenerative therapy is a modern solution for difficult-to-heal wounds. Keratinocytes, the most common cell type in the skin, are difficult to obtain without the creation of another wound. Stem cell differentiation towards keratinocytes is a challenging process, and it is difficult to reproduce in chemically defined media. Nevertheless, a co-culture of keratinocytes with stem cells usually achieves efficient differentiation. This systematic review aims to identify the secretions of normal human keratinocytes reported in the literature and correlate them with the differentiation process. An online search revealed 338 references, of which 100 met the selection criteria. A total of 80 different keratinocyte secretions were reported, which can be grouped mainly into cytokines, growth factors, and antimicrobial peptides. The growth-factor group mostly affects stem cell differentiation into keratinocytes, especially epidermal growth factor and members of the transforming growth factor family. Nevertheless, the reported secretions reflected the nature of the involved studies, as most of them focused on keratinocyte interaction with inflammation. This review highlights the secretory function of keratinocytes, as well as the need for intense investigation to characterize these secretions and evaluate their regenerative capacities.

Bioactive components of Banxia Xiexin Decoction for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases based on flavor-oriented analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXD) was first recorded in a Chinese medical classic, Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases, which was written in the Eastern Han dynasty of China. This ancient prescription consists of seven kinds of Chinese herbal medicine, namely, Pinellia ternata, Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix scutellariae, Rhizoma Zingiberis, Ginseng, Jujube, and Radix Glycyrrhizaepreparata. In clinic practice, its original application in China mainly has focused on the treatment of chronic gastritis for several hundred years. BXD is also effective in treating other gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) in modern medical application. Despite available literature support and clinical experience, the treatment mechanisms or their relationships with the bioactive compounds in BXD responsible for its pharmacological actions, still need further explorations in more diversified channels. According to the analysis based on the five-flavor theory of TCM, BXD is traditionally viewed as the most representative prescription for pungent-dispersion, bitter-purgation and sweet-tonification. Consequently, based on the flavor-oriented analysis, the compositive herbs in BXD can be divided into three flavor groups, namely, the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups, each of which has specific active ingredients that are possibly relevant to GID treatment.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This paper summarized recent literatures on BXD and its bioactive components used in GID treatment, and provided the pharmacological or chemical basis for the further exploration of the ancient prescription and the relative components.

METHOD

ology: Relevant literature was collected from various electronic databases such as Pubmed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Citations were based on peer-reviewed articles published in English or Chinese during the last decade.

RESULTS

Multiple components were found in the pungent, bitter, and sweet groups in BXD. The corresponding bioactive components include gingerol, shogaol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol in the pungent group; berberine, palmatine, coptisine, baicalein, and baicalin in the bitter group; and ginsenosides, polysaccharides, liquiritin, and glycyrrhetinic acid in the sweet group. These components have been found directly or indirectly responsible for the remarkable effects of BXD on GID.

CONCLUSION

This review provided some valuable reference to further clarify BXD treatment for GID and their possible material basis, based on the perspective of the flavor-oriented analysis.

BMSC-derived exosomes ameliorate sulfur mustard-induced acute lung injury by regulating the GPRC5A-YAP axis

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a highly toxic chemical warfare agent that causes acute lung injury (ALI) and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There are no effective therapeutic treatments or antidotes available currently to counteract its toxic effects. Our previous study shows that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) could exert therapeutic effects against SM-induced lung injury. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of BMSC-derived exosomes (BMSC-Exs) against ALI and the underlying mechanisms. ALI was induced in mice by injection of SM (30 mg/kg, sc) at their medial and dorsal surfaces. BMSC-Exs (20 μg/kg in 200 μL PBS, iv) were injected for a 5-day period after SM exposure. We showed that BMSC-Exs administration caused a protective effect against pulmonary edema. Using a lung epithelial cell barrier model, BMSC-Exs (10, 20, 40 μg) dose-dependently inhibited SM-induced cell apoptosis and promoted the recovery of epithelial barrier function by facilitating the expression and relocalization of junction proteins (E-cadherin, claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1). We further demonstrated that BMSC-Exs protected against apoptosis and promoted the restoration of barrier function against SM through upregulating G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 type A (GPRC5A), a retinoic acid target gene predominately expressed in the epithelial cells of the lung. Knockdown of GPRC5A reduced the antiapoptotic and barrier regeneration abilities of BMSC-Exs and diminished their therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo. BMSC-Exs-caused upregulation of GPRC5A promoted the expression of Bcl-2 and junction proteins via regulating the YAP pathway. In summary, BMSC-Exs treatment exerts protective effects against SM-induced ALI by promoting alveolar epithelial barrier repair and may be an alternative approach to stem cell-based therapy.

Medicinal Species of the Genus Berberis: A Review of Their Traditional and Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Discovering new drugs for treating different health problems is one of the basic needs of human societies. There are various strategies to find new lead compounds. One of the most important strategies in this regard is using the knowledge in traditional and folk medicines as a valuable guide. Islamic traditional medicine (ITM) is a well reputed school of medicine with a long history. In the textbooks of this medical system, the properties and applications of many medicinal plants have been described. As a part of an ongoing project on plants used in ITM, in this study we investigated botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Berberis spp. The great genus Berberis (Berberidaceae) consists of 594 species worldwide which have been used in different traditional medicines for a wide range of diseases. In ITM reference books such as Al-Hâwi fi'aṭ-Ṭibbe (Comprehensive Book of Medicine), Kâmel al-Sinâh aṭ-Ṭibbiyah (Complete Book of the Medical Art), Al-Qânun fi' aṭ-Ṭibbe (Canon of Medicine), Ḏakhireh Khârazmshâhi (Treasure of Khârazmshâh), and Makhzan al-Adwyah (Drug Treasure), different parts of B. vulgaris and B. integrimma, known as Zereshk, have been mainly prescribed for skin, liver, stomach, kidney, and eye problems. There are several pharmacological studies reporting beneficial effects of various Berberis plants confirming traditional uses. Most of the activities reported for Berberis is attributed to the presence of an important class of alkaloids namely isoquinolines. Nevertheless, clinical studies are necessary to confirm the therapeutic effects of different species of this genus.

Development of 13-Cys-BBR as an Agent Having Dual Action of Anti-Thrombosis and Anti-Inflammation

Background

There is a correlation between tumor and inflammation. The activity of 13-[CH₂CO-Cys(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) slowing tumor growth is higher than that of BBR. Whether the anti-inflammation activity of 13-Cys-BBR is higher than that of BBR remains unknown. There is a correlation between thrombosis and inflammation. Whether 13-Cys-BBR is an inhibitor of thrombosis remains unknown.

Purpose

The object of this investigation is to compare the activities of 13-Cys-BBR inhibiting thrombosis and inflammation to those of BBR.

Methods

In vivo anti-thrombosis assay was performed on rat model of arterial and venous thrombosis. In vivo anti-inflammation assay was performed on mouse model of xylene induced ear edema.

Results

At oral dose of 66.7 nmol/kg, 13-Cys-BBR, but not BBR, inhibited the rats to form both venous thrombus and arterial thrombus. At oral dose of 2 μmol/kg, 13-Cys-BBR, but not BBR, inhibited the ears of the mice to occur edema.

Conclusion

The anti-venous thrombosis activity, anti-arterial thrombosis activity and anti-inflammation activity of 13-Cys-BBR were significantly higher than those of BBR. 13-Cys-BBR is a promising preclinical candidate.

Validation of automated pipetting systems for cell culture seeding, exposure and bio-analytical assays in sulfur mustard toxicology

In vitro cell culture experiments are highly important techniques to accelerate drug discovery, conduct safety testing and reduce the need for animal studies. Therefore, automatization may help to enhance the technical precision, reduce external (including operator's) influence on the data and thus improve reliability. Prior to application in scientific studies, validation of automated systems is absolutely necessary. In this study we present the validation of two combined automated pipetting systems to conduct toxicity studies in HaCaT cells consisting of cell seeding, noxious agent exposure and several assays to assess cell survival, apoptosis and interleukin production. After initial validation of pipetting accuracy, we compared homogeneity after automated seeding to plates seeded by expert laboratory technicians. Moreover, automated dispensing of a potentially unstable noxious agent was analyzed in terms of speed and consistency. We found a 2 % technical imprecision for the cell survival assay and 4.5-6 % for the other assays, bioluminescent and ELISA techniques. Thus, we could demonstrate the excellent technical precision of our assays. In a final step, we found that intraday variations, though acceptable, were much larger than technical variations and had to assume an intraday biological variability between different wells of the same experimental group.

13-[CH2CO-Cys-(Bzl)-OBzl]-Berberine: Exploring The Correlation Of Anti-Tumor Efficacy With ROS And Apoptosis Protein

Background

The discovery of novel derivative of berberine (BBR) having higher anti-tumor activity in vivo is of clinical importance. In this profile, 13-[CH₂CO-Cys-(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) was prepared for related assays.

Purpose

The object of preparation and evaluation is to show the advantages of 13-Cys-BBR over BBR in both in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor actions, furthermore to correlate the proliferation of cancer cells with ROS formation and anti-apoptosis protein (XIAP) expression inside cancer cells.

Methods

Transwell chamber was used to simulate the intestinal and cell wall for bioavailability evaluation; MTT assay was used to evaluate the in vitro anti-proliferation activity; fluorescein isothiocyanate content was used to represent ROS level in HCT-8 cells; Western blot assay was used to quantify the expression of XIAP, caspase-3, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase in HCT-8 cells; and S180 mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo anti-tumor activity.

Results

In vitro the IC₅₀ values (~15–40 μM) of 13-Cys-BBR against the proliferation of eight cancer cell lines were significantly lower than those of BBR (~25–140 μM); the content of ROS formed inside HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~3.44-folds higher than that inside HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the expression of XIAP in HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~1.21-folds lower than that in HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the tumor weight of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of 13-Cys-BBR (~1.5 g) was significantly lower than that of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of BBR (~2.5 g); and the active pocket of XIAP was more suitable for 13-Cys-BBR than for BBR.

Conclusion

The anti-tumor action correlates with ROS and apoptosis protein, which suggests 13-Cys-BBR is a promising candidate for preclinical study.

A novel berberine-metformin hybrid compound exerts therapeutic effects on obese type 2 diabetic rats

In this study, we investigated the biological activities of a novel berberine-metformin hybrid compound (BMH473) as an anti-diabetic agent. BMH473 exhibited significant anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-hyperlipidaemic effects on T2DM rats. In white adipose tissue, BMH473 reduced the perirenal and epididymal adipose tissue mass and modulated the lesions in perirenal adipose tissue, by inhibiting the protein expressions of PPAR-Ɣ, C/EBP-α and SREBP-1c as well as the mRNA expressions of lipogenic genes. Moreover, BMH473 downregulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in perirenal adipose tissue through the suppression of p-NF-κB. In liver, BMH473 reduced liver ectopic fat accumulation, by regulating the protein expression levels of SREBP-1c and PPAR-α as well as the mRNA expression levels of lipogenic genes. In addition, BMH473 inhibited hepatic gluconeogenesis by promoting the phosphorylation levels of AMPK α and ACC, and down-regulating the mRNA expression levels of FBPase, G6Pase and PEPCK. Furthermore, BMH473 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on lipogenesis and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by modulating the protein expression levels of PPAR-Ɣ, C/EBP-α and SREBP-1 c as well as the mRNA expression levels of lipogenic genes. In conclusion, our results suggest that the newly synthesized BMH473 is beneficial for maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis in type 2 diabetic rats, and exhibits better anti-hyperlipidaemic effects compared to metformin and berberine.

Disentangling the Complexity of a Hexa-Herbal Chinese Medicine Used for Inflammatory Skin Conditions-Predicting the Active Components by Combining LC-MS-Based Metabolite Profiles and in vitro Pharmacology

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of a hexa-herbal Chinese formula (HHCF) using spontaneously immortalized human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT) and to predict the active components by correlating the LC-MS-based metabolite profiles of the HHCF and its 12 varied formulae with their anti-inflammatory activity using partial least-squares regression analysis. Methods: The HHCF comprises the rootstock of Scutellaria baicalensis, Rheum tanguticum, Sophora flavescens, the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus, the bark of Phellodendron chinense, and the fruit of Kochia scoparia in equal proportions. Its 12 varied formulae were developed by uniform design with varied proportions of the component botanical drugs. The decoctions of the HHCF and its 12 varied formulae were profiled using liquid chromatography (LC) combined with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) and their effects on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α -plus-interferon (IFN)-γ-induced C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) production in HaCaT were investigated. Partial least-squares regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between the LC-MS-based metabolite profiles of the decoctions to anti-CCL17 production in HaCaT. Results: Compounds with potential to promote anti-CCL17 production in HaCaT were identified (e.g., berberine, pyrogallol and catechin dimers) as a result of the developed model and their potential to act as anti-inflammatory agents were also supported by relevant literature. Conclusion: This promising approach should assist in the screening process of active components from complex Chinese herbal preparations and will better inform the necessary pharmacological experiments to take forward.

Lipid nanoparticles loading triptolide for transdermal delivery: mechanisms of penetration enhancement and transport properties

Background

In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) including nanostructured lipid carries (NLC) and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) captured an increasing amount of attention in the field of transdermal drug delivery system. However, the mechanisms of penetration enhancement and transdermal transport properties of NPs are not fully understood. Therefore, this work applied different platforms to evaluate the interactions between skin and NPs loading triptolide (TPL, TPL-NLC and TPL-SLN). Besides, NPs labeled with fluorescence probe were tracked after administration to investigate the dynamic penetration process in skin and skin cells. In addition, ELISA assay was applied to verify the in vitro anti-inflammatory effect of TPL-NPs.

Results

Compared with the control group, TPL-NPs could disorder skin structure, increase keratin enthalpy and reduce the SC infrared absorption peak area. Besides, the work found that NPs labeled with fluorescence probe accumulated in hair follicles and distributed throughout the skin after 1 h of administration and were taken into HaCaT cells cytoplasm by transcytosis. Additionally, TPL-NLC could effectively inhibit the expression of IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, and MCP-1 in HaCaT cells, while TPL-SLN and TPL solution can only inhibit the expression of IL-6.

Conclusions

TPL-NLC and TPL-SLN could penetrate into skin in a time-dependent manner and the penetration is done by changing the structure, thermodynamic properties and components of the SC. Furthermore, the significant anti-inflammatory effect of TPL-NPs indicated that nanoparticles containing NLC and SLN could serve as safe prospective agents for transdermal drug delivery system.