A new p65 isoform that bind the glucocorticoid hormone and is expressed in inflammation liver diseases and COVID-19

Carbon monoxide potentiates the effect of corticosteroids in suppressing inflammatory responses in cell culture

Inflammation is a pathology implicated in a wide range of human diseases. Recent years have seen tremendous progress in developing new types of anti-inflammatory agents for the treatment of inflammation of various origins. However, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The very fact that there needs to have multiple types of anti-inflammatory agents underlines the complexity of inflammatory diseases and conditions, their molecular origins, and their treatment. Such complexity dictates the need to search for new approaches with improved potency and efficacy as well as reduced side effects. For these reasons, we are interested in exploring the possibility of generating synergy between carbon monoxide (CO), an endogenously produced cytoprotective agent, and known anti-inflammatory agents. Herein, we report the potentiating actions of CO on the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisone and dexamethasone as demonstrated in their ability to suppress the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 induced by either LPS or the S protein of SARS-CoV-2. Such effects are reflected in the substantially increased potency as well efficacy, when the efficacy of the corticosteroid alone does not allow for complete suppression of the expression of these cytokines. Further, increased attenuation of p65 phosphorylation is at least part of the molecular mechanism for the observed potentiating effects. We hope our work will stimulate a high level of activity along the same direction, leading to anti-inflammatory strategies with improved potency and efficacy and reduced side effects.

Fabry Disease and Inflammation: Potential Role of p65 iso5, an Isoform of the NF-κB Complex

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disease, caused by mutations in the GLA gene on the X chromosome, resulting in a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-GAL. This leads to the progressive accumulation of Gb3 in cells, causing multi-systemic effects. FD has been classified as a subgroup of autoinflammatory diseases. NF-κB is a family of ubiquitous and inducible transcription factors that play critical roles in inflammation, in which the p65/p50 heterodimer is the most abundant. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) represents the physiological antagonists in the inflammation process. A novel spliced variant of p65, named p65 iso5, which can bind the dexamethasone, enhancing GR activity, has been found. This study investigates the potential role of p65 iso5 in the inflammation of subjects with FD. We evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), from over 100 FD patients, the p65 iso5 mRNA level, and the protein expression. The results showed significantly lower p65 iso5 mRNA and protein expression levels compared to controls. These findings, along with the ability of p65 iso5 to bind dexamethasone and the regulation of the glucocorticoid response in the opposite way of p65, strongly suggest the involvement of p65 iso5 in the inflammatory response in FD.

Mechanistic Insights into Alternative Gene Splicing in Oxidative Stress and Tissue Injury

Significance: Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation are inducers of tissue injury. Alternative splicing (AS) is an essential regulatory step for diversifying the eukaryotic proteome. Human diseases link AS to OS; however, the underlying mechanisms must be better understood. Recent Advances: Genome‑wide profiling studies identify new differentially expressed genes induced by OS-dependent ischemia/reperfusion injury. Overexpression of RNA-binding protein RBFOX1 protects against inflammation. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α directs polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 to regulate mouse carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (Ceacam1) AS under OS conditions. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L variant 1 contains an RGG/RG motif that coordinates with transcription factors to influence human CEACAM1 AS. Hypoxia intervention involving short interfering RNAs directed to long-noncoding RNA 260 polarizes M2 macrophages toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype and alleviates OS by inhibiting IL-28RA gene AS. Critical Issues: Protective mechanisms that eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important for resolving imbalances that lead to chronic inflammation. Defects in AS can cause ROS generation, cell death regulation, and the activation of innate and adaptive immune factors. We propose that AS pathways link redox regulation to the activation or suppression of the inflammatory response during cellular stress. Future Directions: Emergent studies using molecule-mediated RNA splicing are being conducted to exploit the immunogenicity of AS protein products. Deciphering the mechanisms that connect misspliced OS and pathologies should remain a priority. Controlled release of RNA directly into cells with clinical applications is needed as the demand for innovative nucleic acid delivery systems continues to be demonstrated.

Anti-inflammatory effects of naringenin 8-sulphonate from Parinari excelsa Sabine stem bark and its semi-synthetic derivatives

The inflammatory response is a vital mechanism for repairing damage induced by aberrant health states or external insults; however, persistent activation can be linked to numerous chronic diseases. The nuclear factor kappa β (NF-κB) inflammatory pathway and its associated mediators have emerged as critical targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating inflammation, necessitating ongoing drug development. Previous studies have reported the inhibitory effect of a hydroethanol extract derived from Parinari excelsa Sabine (Chrysobalanaceae) on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), but the phytoconstituents and mechanisms of action remained elusive. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the phytochemical composition of P. excelsa stem bark and its role in the mechanisms underpinning its biological activity. Two compounds were detected via HPLC-DAD-ESI(Ion Trap)-MS2 analysis. The predominant compound was isolated and identified as naringenin-8-sulphonate (1), while the identity of the second compound (compound 2) could not be determined. Both compound 1 and the extract were assessed for anti-inflammatory properties using a cell-based inflammation model, in which THP-1-derived macrophages were stimulated with LPS to examine the treatments' effects on various stages of the NF-κB pathway. Compound 1, whose biological activity is reported here for the first time, demonstrated inhibition of NF-κB activity, reduction in interleukin 6 (IL-6), TNF-α, and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) production, as well as a decrease in p65 nuclear translocation in THP-1 cells, thus highlighting the potential role of sulphur substituents in the activity of naringenin (3). To explore the influence of sulphation on the anti-inflammatory properties of naringenin derivatives, we synthesized naringenin-4'-O-sulphate (4) and naringenin-7-O-sulphate (5) and evaluated their anti-inflammatory effects. Naringenin derivatives 4 and 5 did not display potent anti-inflammatory activities; however, compound 4 reduced IL-1β production, and compound 5 diminished p65 translocation, with both exhibiting the capacity to inhibit TNF-α and IL-6 production. Collectively, the findings demonstrated that the P. excelsa extract was more efficacious than all tested compounds, while providing insights into the role of sulphation in the anti-inflammatory activity of naringenin derivatives.

Targeting the NF-κB pathway enhances responsiveness of mammary tumors to JAK inhibitors

Interactions between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment are critical for tumor growth, progression, and response to therapy. Effective targeting of oncogenic signaling pathways in tumors requires an understanding of how these therapies impact both tumor cells and cells within the tumor microenvironment. One such pathway is the janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator or transcription (STAT) pathway, which is activated in both breast cancer cells and in tumor associated macrophages. This study demonstrates that exposure of macrophages to JAK inhibitors leads to activation of NF-κB signaling, which results in increased expression of genes known to be associated with therapeutic resistance. Furthermore, inhibition of the NF-κB pathway improves the ability of ruxolitinib to reduce mammary tumor growth in vivo. Thus, the impact of the tumor microenvironment is an important consideration in studying breast cancer and understanding such mechanisms of resistance is critical to development of effective targeted therapies.

An integrated in-silico Pharmaco-BioInformatics approaches to identify synergistic effects of COVID-19 to HIV patients

BACKGROUND

With high inflammatory states from both COVID-19 and HIV conditions further result in complications. The ongoing confrontation between these two viral infections can be avoided by adopting suitable management measures.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to figure out the pharmacological mechanism behind apigenin's role in the synergetic effects of COVID-19 to the progression of HIV patients.

METHOD

We employed computer-aided methods to uncover similar biological targets and signaling pathways associated with COVID-19 and HIV, along with bioinformatics and network pharmacology techniques to assess the synergetic effects of apigenin on COVID-19 to the progression of HIV, as well as pharmacokinetics analysis to examine apigenin's safety in the human body.

RESULT

Stress-responsive, membrane receptor, and induction pathways were mostly involved in gene ontology (GO) pathways, whereas apoptosis and inflammatory pathways were significantly associated in the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). The top 20 hub genes were detected utilizing the shortest path ranked by degree method and protein-protein interaction (PPI), as well as molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were performed, revealing apigenin's strong interaction with hub proteins (MAPK3, RELA, MAPK1, EP300, and AKT1). Moreover, the pharmacokinetic features of apigenin revealed that it is an effective therapeutic agent with minimal adverse effects, for instance, hepatoxicity.

CONCLUSION

Synergetic effects of COVID-19 on the progression of HIV may still be a danger to global public health. Consequently, advanced solutions are required to give valid information regarding apigenin as a suitable therapeutic agent for the management of COVID-19 and HIV synergetic effects. However, the findings have yet to be confirmed in patients, suggesting more in vitro and in vivo studies.

Renaissance of glucocorticoids in critical care in the era of COVID-19: ten urging questions

The 40-year-old experience with glucocorticosteroids (GCs) in the context of severe infections is complex and troublesome. Recently, however, a clear indication for GCs in severe COVID-19 has been established. This may constitute a harbinger of a wider use of GCs in critical illnesses. A fundamental prerequisite of such an action is a better understanding of the heterogeneity of critical illness and GCs operationalization within the precision medicine approach. In this perspective, we formulate ten major questions regarding the use of GCs in critical illness. Answering them will likely facilitate a new era of effective and personalized GCs use in modern critical care.

The Role of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) in Development and Treatment of COVID-19: Review

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19), a disease that has affected more than 500 million people worldwide since the end of 2019. Due to its high complications and death rates, there is still a need to find the best therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The dysregulation of the inflammatory response in COVID-19 plays a very important role in disease progression. It has been observed that abnormal activity of Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) is directly associated with, inter alia, increased synthesis of proinflammatory factors. Therefore, this review paper focuses on the functions of NF-κB in the development of SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential application of NF-κB inhibitors in COVID-19 immunotherapy. A comprehensive literature search was performed using the MEDLINE/PubMed database. In the current review, it is highlighted that NF-κB plays important functions in the modulation of an adaptive inflammatory response, including inducing the expression of proinflammatory genes. Increased activation of NF-κB in SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed. The association between NF-κB activation and the expression of SARS-CoV-2 structural and non-structural proteins were also reported. It was observed that modulation of NF-κB using, e.g., traditional Chinese medicine or glucocorticosteroids resulted in decreased synthesis of proinflammatory factors caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarizes the role of NF-κB in COVID-19 and describes its potential immunotherapeutic target in treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, indisputably more studies involving patients with a severe course of COVID-19 are sorely needed.