Overexpression of heparanase enhances T lymphocyte activities and intensifies the inflammatory response in a model of murine rheumatoid arthritis

Endothelial Dysfunction and Hemostatic System Activation in Relation to Shift Workers, Social Jetlag, and Chronotype in Female Nurses

Circadian misalignment, due to shiftwork and/or individual chronotype and/or social jetlag (SJL), quantified as the difference between internal and social timing, may contribute to cardiovascular disease. Markers of endothelial dysfunction and activation of the coagulation system may predict cardiovascular pathology. The present study aim was to investigate the effects of shift work, SJL, and chronotype on endothelial function and coagulation parameters. One hundred female nurses underwent endothelial function testing using the EndoPAT and blood sampling for coagulation markers, repeated at 06:00-9:00 and 18:00-21:00. We found that compared with day workers, endothelial function and fibrinogen levels were lower (p = 0.001, p = 0.005, respectively) and the procoagulant parameters of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and heparanase level and activity were higher amongst shift workers (p = 0.009, p = 0.03, p = 0.029, respectively). High SJL was associated with lower endothelial function (p = 0.002) and higher PAI-1, heparanase procoagulant activity, heparanase level, and D-Dimer level (p = 0.004, p = 0.003, p = 0.021, p = 0.006, respectively). In the late chronotype, PAI-1 and heparanase procoagulant activity were higher than in the early chronotype (p = 0.009, p = 0.007, respectively). Diurnal variation was found for PAI-1, von-Willebrand factor (vWF), heparanase, and heparan-sulfate with higher levels in the mornings. The correlation between shift/day workers and SJL or chronotype was moderately strong, indicating that SJL and chronotype are independent factors. In conclusion, findings suggest endothelial impairment and increased thrombotic risk in nurses working in shifts or with high SJL or late chronotype. The thrombotic risk is increased in the morning independent of circadian misalignment cause. These findings strengthen the importance of the alliance to the biological daily rhythm in daily life. Further research is needed to evaluate inhibitors of heparanase to attenuate the thrombotic risk in individuals with circadian misalignment.

Association of interleukin-17F (rs763780) single nucleotide polymorphism with multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis

IL-17F single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) can affect IL-17F expression and activity and this can lead to the increased susceptibility to several autoimmune diseases. The aim was to investigate the association of IL-17F (rs763780) SNP with the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a cohort of Egyptian patients and to evaluate the effect of this polymorphism on the disease course. IL-17F (rs763780) gene polymorphisms was typed by TaqMan genotyping assay for 231 Egyptians divided into 102 MS patients and 129 healthy controls with matched age and sex. The IL-17F rs763780 C containing genotypes (CT+CC) and C allele have statistically significant increased frequency in MS patients when compared with controls (p = 0.005 and 0.004 respectively) especially in females' patients (p = 0.005 and 0.006 respectively). The heterozygous CT genotype was associated with the presence of optic neuritis (p = 0.038). The multivariable regression analysis revealed significant associations between smoking, the higher frequency of attacks and the prediction of higher EDSS score (p = 0.032, 0.049 respectively). It can be concluded that the IL-17F rs763780 C containing genotypes (CT and CC) and C allele may be risk factors for the development of MS in the studied Egyptian cohort by a gender-dependent mechanism that contributes to tendency for predisposition in females and optic neuritis is more common in patients carrying the CT heterozygous genotype.

Phytoceramide Alleviates the Carrageenan/Kaolin-Induced Arthritic Symptoms by Modulation of Inflammation

Phytoceramide (Pcer) is found mainly in plants and yeast. It can be neuroprotective and immunostimulatory on various cell types. In this study, the therapeutic effect of Pcer was explored using the carrageenan/kaolin (C/K)-induced arthritis rat model and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Pcer treatment (1, 10, and 30 mg/kg/day) were given to the arthritic rats for 6 days after disease induction. Weight distribution ration (WDR), knee thickness, squeaking score, serum levels of proinflammatory mediators, and histological analysis were measured and performed to evaluate arthritic symptoms in the rat model. In interleukin (IL)‑1β‑stimulated FLS, proinflammatory mediators were measured after Pcer (1-30 μM) treatment. Arthritic symptoms in rats with Pcer treatment were significantly decreased at days 4 to 6 after C/K arthritis induction. Inflammation in the knee joints were also significantly decreased in rats with Pcer treatment. Furthermore, in IL-1β‑stimulated FLS, the expressions of proinflammatory mediators were also inhibited by Pcer. As shown by the results, Pcer has anti-arthritic effects in the C/K rat model and in synovial cells, suggesting that Pcer has the potential to be a useful agent in arthritis treatment.

Complex Inhibitory Mechanism of Glycomimetics with Heparanase

Heparanase (HPSE) is the only mammalian endo-β-glucuronidase known to catalyze the degradation of heparan sulfate. Dysfunction of HPSE activity has been linked to several disease states, resulting in HPSE becoming the target of numerous therapeutic programs, yet no drug has passed clinical trials to date. Pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) is a heterogeneous, FDA-approved drug for the treatment of interstitial cystitis and a known HPSE inhibitor. However, due to its heterogeneity, characterization of its mechanism of HPSE inhibition is challenging. Here, we show that inhibition of HPSE by PPS is complex, involving multiple overlapping binding events, each influenced by factors such as oligosaccharide length and inhibitor-induced changes in the protein secondary structure. The present work advances our molecular understanding of the inhibition of HPSE and will aid in the development of therapeutics for the treatment of a broad range of pathologies associated with enzyme dysfunction, including cancer, inflammatory disease, and viral infections.

Role of heparanase in ARDS through autophagy and exosome pathway (review)

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most common respiratory disease in ICU. Although there are many treatment and support methods, the mortality rate is still high. The main pathological feature of ARDS is the damage of pulmonary microvascular endothelium and alveolar epithelium caused by inflammatory reaction, which may lead to coagulation system disorder and pulmonary fibrosis. Heparanase (HPA) plays an significant role in inflammation, coagulation, fibrosis. It is reported that HPA degrades a large amount of HS in ARDS, leading to the damage of endothelial glycocalyx and inflammatory factors are released in large quantities. HPA can aggrandize the release of exosomes through syndecan-syntenin-Alix pathway, leading to a series of pathological reactions; at the same time, HPA can cause abnormal expression of autophagy. Therefore, we speculate that HPA promotes the occurrence and development of ARDS through exosomes and autophagy, which leads to a large amount of release of inflammatory factors, coagulation disorder and pulmonary fibrosis. This article mainly describes the mechanism of HPA on ARDS.

CAR-T Cells in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: A Promising Cell Therapy

Ovarian cancer (OC) is among the most common gynecologic malignancies with a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage (stage III or IV), with 5-year survival rates ranging from 25% to 47% worldwide. Surgical resection and first-line chemotherapy are the main treatment modalities for OC. However, patients usually relapse within a few years of initial treatment due to resistance to chemotherapy. Cell-based therapies, particularly adoptive T-cell therapy and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, represent an alternative immunotherapy approach with great potential for hematologic malignancies. However, the use of CAR-T-cell therapy for the treatment of OC is still associated with several difficulties. In this review, we comprehensively discuss recent innovations in CAR-T-cell engineering to improve clinical efficacy, as well as strategies to overcome the limitations of CAR-T-cell therapy in OC.

Heparanase is the possible link between monkeypox and Covid-19: robust candidature in the mystic and present perspective

Heparanase (HPSE) is an endoglycosidase cleaves heparan sulfate (HS) and this contributes to the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. HS cleaved by HPSE induces activation of autophagy and formation of autophagosommes which facilitate binding of HPSE to the HS and subsequent release of growth factors. The interaction between HPSE and HS triggers releases of chemokines and cytokines which affect inflammatory response and cell signaling pathways with development of hyperinflammation, cytokine storm (CS) and coagulopathy. HPSE expression is induced by both SARS-CoV-2 and monkeypox virus (MPXV) leading to induction release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, endothelial dysfunction and thrombotic events. Co-infection of MPX with SARS-CoV-2 may occur as we facing many outbreaks of MPX cases during Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, targeting of HPSE by specific inhibitors may reduce the risk of complications in both SARS-CoV-2 and MPXV infections. Taken together, HPSE could be a potential link between MPX with SARS-CoV-2 in Covid-19 era.

Heparanase: A Novel Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and its management places a huge burden on healthcare systems through hospitalisation and treatment. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall resulting in the formation of lipid-rich, fibrotic plaques under the subendothelium and is a key contributor to the development of CVD. As such, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of atherosclerosis is urgently required for more effective disease treatment and prevention strategies. Heparanase is the only mammalian enzyme known to cleave heparan sulfate of heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which is a key component of the extracellular matrix and basement membrane. By cleaving heparan sulfate, heparanase contributes to the regulation of numerous physiological and pathological processes such as wound healing, inflammation, tumour angiogenesis, and cell migration. Recent evidence suggests a multifactorial role for heparanase in atherosclerosis by promoting underlying inflammatory processes giving rise to plaque formation, as well as regulating lesion stability. This review provides an up-to-date overview of the role of heparanase in physiological and pathological processes with a focus on the emerging role of the enzyme in atherosclerosis.

Serum Heparanase: A New Clinical Biomarker Involved in Senile Metabolic Inflammatory Syndrome

AIM

Metabolic inflammation syndrome (MIS) can lead to a series of complications, but its exact inflammatory mechanism is still unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between heparanase (HPA) and MIS, and the close relationship between HPA and other chronic low-grade inflammation index, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

METHODS

A total of 105 patients with MIS in the physical examination population of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from May to June 2018 were selected as the MIS group, and 52 patients who were relatively healthy during the same period were used as the control group. The basic clinical data of the selected candidates were collected, the levels of serum HPA, CRP and IL-6 were measured by ELISA, and the levels of blood glucose and blood lipids were also detected.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the levels of HPA, CRP, IL-6, FBG, HbA_1C, and TG of MIS group were all significantly elevated (all P<0.05), and HDL-C levels were considerably reduced (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that there was a noticeably positive correlation between serum HPA level and CRP, IL-6 levels (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Higher HPA levels might play a certain role in the occurrence and development of MIS. There was a certain close correlation between serum HPA level and CRP and IL-6 levels, and which indicated that HPA was involved in the chronic low-grade inflammatory reaction process of MIS.

Heparanase Deficiency Is Associated with Disruption, Detachment, and Folding of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium

PURPOSE

Pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS; Elmiron) is a FDA-approved heparanase inhibitor for the treatment of bladder pain and interstitial cystitis. The chronic use of PPS has been associated with a novel pigmentary maculopathy, associated with discrete vitelliform deposits that exhibit hyperfluorescence, macular hyper-pigmentary spots, and foci of nodular RPE enlargement. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the retinal morphology of heparanase knockout mice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The retinal morphology of heparanase knock-out and age-matched control wild type mice of 3-, 9- and 15-weeks old was characterized by means of histological evaluation. Immuno-histological stains for RPE65, F4/80 and Ki67 were performed for investigating the RPE, inflammatory and proliferating cells, respectively.

RESULTS

Histological analysis showed no changes in age-matched wild-type controls, whereas the eyes of heparanase null mice were characterized by alterations in RPE and neural retina, as manifest by RPE folds and choroidal thickening, detached RPE cells, thickening of the photoreceptor layer and retinal disorganization. The presence of discrete hyperfluorescent foci, however, was absent. The prevalence of the RPE/choroidal changes or protrusions seemed to progress over time and were correlated with more RPE65 signal rather than influx of F4/80- or Ki67-positive cells. These results indicate that the subretinal alterations were mostly RPE driven, without influx of inflammatory or proliferating cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that heparanase deficiency in the mice leads to RPE folds, choroidal thickening, and retinal disorganization. The presence of discrete hyperfluorescent foci, a key characteristic of the human disease, was not observed. However, it can be concluded that some of the observations in mice are similar to those seen after chronic use of PPS in humans. These findings indicate that the toxicity observed in the presence of heparanase inhibitors is target-related and will preclude the clinical use of heparanase inhibition as a therapeutic intervention.

Significance of host heparanase in promoting tumor growth and metastasis

Heparanase, the sole heparan sulfate degrading endoglycosidase, regulates multiple biological activities that enhance tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. Much of the impact of heparanase on tumor progression is related to its function in mediating tumor-host crosstalk, priming the tumor microenvironment to better support tumor growth and metastasis. We have utilized mice over-expressing (Hpa-tg) heparanase to reveal the role of host heparanase in tumor initiation, growth and metastasis. While in wild type mice tumor development in response to DMBA carcinogenesis was restricted to the mammary gland, Hpa-tg mice developed tumors also in their lungs and liver, associating with reduced survival of the tumor-bearing mice. Consistently, xenograft tumors (lymphoma, melanoma, lung carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma) transplanted in Hpa-tg mice exhibited accelerated tumor growth and shorter survival of the tumor-bearing mice compared with wild type mice. Hpa-tg mice were also more prone to the development of metastases following intravenous or subcutaneous injection of tumor cells. In some models, the growth advantage was associated with infiltration of heparanase-high host cells into the tumors. However, in other models, heparanase-high host cells were not detected in the primary tumor, implying that the growth advantage in Hpa-tg mice is due to systemic factors. Indeed, we found that plasma from Hpa-tg mice enhanced tumor cell migration and invasion attributed to increased levels of pro-tumorigenic factors (i.e., RANKL, SPARC, MIP-2) in the plasma of Hpa-Tg vs. wild type mice. Furthermore, tumor aggressiveness and short survival time were demonstrated in wild type mice transplanted with bone marrow derived from Hpa-tg but not wild type mice. These results were attributed, among other factors, to upregulation of pro-tumorigenic (i.e., IL35+) and downregulation of anti-tumorigenic (i.e., IFN-γ+) T-cell subpopulations in the spleen, lymph nodes and blood of Hpa-tg vs. wild type mice and their increased infiltration into the primary tumor. Collectively, our results emphasize the significance of host heparanase in mediating the pro-tumorigenic and pro-metastatic interactions between the tumor cells and the host tumor microenvironment, immune cells and systemic factors.

Innovative CAR-T Cell Therapy for Solid Tumor; Current Duel between CAR-T Spear and Tumor Shield

Novel engineered T cells containing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T cells) that combine the benefits of antigen recognition and T cell response have been developed, and their effect in the anti-tumor immunotherapy of patients with relapsed/refractory leukemia has been dramatic. Thus, CAR-T cell immunotherapy is rapidly emerging as a new therapy. However, it has limitations that prevent consistency in therapeutic effects in solid tumors, which accounts for over 90% of all cancer patients. Here, we review the literature regarding various obstacles to CAR-T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors, including those that cause CAR-T cell dysfunction in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, such as reactive oxygen species, pH, O₂, immunosuppressive cells, cytokines, and metabolites, as well as those that impair cell trafficking into the tumor microenvironment. Next-generation CAR-T cell therapy is currently undergoing clinical trials to overcome these challenges. Therefore, novel approaches to address the challenges faced by CAR-T cell immunotherapy in solid tumors are also discussed here.

Benzylideneacetophenone Derivative Alleviates Arthritic Symptoms via Modulation of the MAPK Signaling Pathway

The benzylideneacetophenone derivative 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)-1-{3-[1]-phenyl}-propenone (JC3 dimer) was synthesized through the dimerization of JC3. To investigate the inhibitory effects of JC3 dimer, the carrageenan/kaolin (C/K)-induced knee arthritis rat model was used in vivo and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient-derived fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were used in vitro. In the C/K rat model, JC3 dimer was given after arthritis induction for 6 days at the concentrations of 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg/day. Manifestation of arthritis was evaluated using knee thickness, weight distribution ratio (WDR), and squeaking test. The levels of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the serum of JC3 dimer-treated arthritic rats were also analyzed. Histological examination of the knee joints was also done. For the FLS, the cells were stimulated using IL-1β and concentrations of 1, 5, and 10 μg/mL JC3 dimer were used. The levels of IL-8, IL-6, and PGE₂ were measured in stimulated FLS treated with JC3 dimer. At days 5 to 6 after arthritis induction, JC3 dimer treatment significantly decreased arthritic symptoms and reduced the inflammation in the knee joints in the histology of knee tissues in C/K-arthritic rats. In stimulated FLS, JC3 dimer suppressed the increase of IL-8, IL-6, and PGE₂. These findings suggest that JC3 dimer has suppressive effects on arthritis, and that JC3 dimer can be a potential agent for arthritis therapy.

HS and Inflammation: A Potential Playground for the Sulfs?

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a complex polysaccharide abundantly found in extracellular matrices and cell surfaces. HS participates in major cellular processes, through its ability to bind and modulate a wide array of signaling proteins. HS/ligand interactions involve saccharide domains of specific sulfation pattern. Assembly of such domains is orchestrated by a complex biosynthesis machinery and their structure is further regulated at the cell surface by post-synthetic modifying enzymes. Amongst them, extracellular sulfatases of the Sulf family catalyze the selective removal of 6-O-sulfate groups, which participate in the binding of many proteins. As such, increasing interest arose on the regulation of HS biological properties by the Sulfs. However, studies of the Sulfs have so far been essentially restricted to the fields of development and tumor progression. The aim of this review is to survey recent data of the literature on the still poorly documented role of the Sulfs during inflammation, and to widen the perspectives for the study of this intriguing regulatory mechanism toward new physiopathological processes.

The Heparan Sulfate Mimetic PG545 Modulates T Cell Responses and Prevents Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity

The heparan sulfate mimetic PG545 (pixatimod) is under evaluation as an inhibitor of angiogenesis and metastasis including in human clinical trials. We have examined the effects of PG545 on lymphocyte phenotypes and function. We report that PG545 treatment suppresses effector T cell activation and polarizes T cells away from Th17 and Th1 and toward Foxp3+ regulatory T cell subsets in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PG545 inhibits Erk1/2 signaling, a pathway known to affect both T cell activation and subset polarization. Interestingly, these effects are also observed in heparanase-deficient T cells, indicating that PG545 has effects that are independent of its role in heparanase inhibition. Consistent with these findings, administration of PG545 in a Th1/Th17-dependent mouse model of a delayed-type hypersensitivity led to reduced footpad inflammation, reduced Th17 memory cells, and an increase in FoxP3+ Treg proliferation. PG545 also promoted Foxp3+ Treg induction by human T cells. Finally, we examined the effects of other heparan sulfate mimetics PI-88 and PG562 on lymphocyte polarization and found that these likewise induced Foxp3+ Treg in vitro but did not reduce Th17 numbers or improve delayed-type hypersensitivity in this model. Together, these data indicate that PG545 is a potent inhibitor of Th1/Th17 effector functions and inducer of FoxP3+ Treg. These findings may inform the adaptation of PG545 for clinical applications including in inflammatory pathologies associated with type IV hypersensitivity responses.

Autoreactive CD8+ T cell exhaustion distinguishes subjects with slow type 1 diabetes progression

Although most patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) retain some functional insulin-producing islet β cells at the time of diagnosis, the rate of further β cell loss varies across individuals. It is not clear what drives this differential progression rate. CD8+ T cells have been implicated in the autoimmune destruction of β cells. Here, we addressed whether the phenotype and function of autoreactive CD8+ T cells influence disease progression. We identified islet-specific CD8+ T cells using high-content, single-cell mass cytometry in combination with peptide-loaded MHC tetramer staining. We applied a new analytical method, DISCOV-R, to characterize these rare subsets. Autoreactive T cells were phenotypically heterogeneous, and their phenotype differed by rate of disease progression. Activated islet-specific CD8+ memory T cells were prevalent in subjects with T1D who experienced rapid loss of C-peptide; in contrast, slow disease progression was associated with an exhaustion-like profile, with expression of multiple inhibitory receptors, limited cytokine production, and reduced proliferative capacity. This relationship between properties of autoreactive CD8+ T cells and the rate of T1D disease progression after onset make these phenotypes attractive putative biomarkers of disease trajectory and treatment response and reveal potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

New insights into different adipokines in linking the pathophysiology of obesity and psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, hyper-proliferative immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. The results of epidemiological investigations have shown that psoriasis affects around 2% of the general population worldwide, and the total number of psoriasis patients is more than 6 million in China. Apart from the skin manifestations, psoriasis has been verified to associate with several metabolic comorbidities, such as insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity. However, the underlying mechanism is still not elucidated. Adipocytes, considered as the active endocrine cells, are dysfunctional in obesity which displays increased synthesis and secretion of adipokines with other modified metabolic properties. Currently, growing evidence has pointed to the central role of adipokines in adipose tissue and the immune system, providing new insights into the effect of adipokines in linking the pathophysiology of obesity and psoriasis. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the pathological role of adipokines and the potential mechanisms whereby different adipokines link obesity and psoriasis. Furthermore, we also provide evidence which identifies a potential therapeutic target aiming at adipokines for the management of these two diseases.

Kinetics of immune cell responses in the multiple low-dose streptozotocin mouse model of type 1 diabetes

In type 1 diabetes (T1D), the insulin-producing β cells are destructed by immune mechanisms. It has been hypothesized that the very first immune response in T1D onset comes from innate immune cells, which further activates the adaptive immune cells to attack the islets. Despite intensive research on characterization of islet-infiltrating immune cells, the kinetics of different immune cells in multiple low-dose streptozotocin (MLDSTZ)-induced T1D mouse model is still much unclear. Therefore, we investigated the proportions of innate immune cells such as neutrophils, dendritic cells (DCs), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and adaptive immune cells (T and B lymphocytes) in thymi, pancreatic-draining lymph nodes, and spleens of MLDSTZ mice on days 3, 7, 10, and 21 after the first injection of STZ by flow cytometry. The proportions of DCs and B cells were increased from day 3, while the proportions of B-1a lymphocytes and interferon-γ+ cells among NK cells were increased, but NK cells were decreased on day 10 in MLDSTZ-treated mice, illustrating that the initial immune response is induced by DCs and B cells. Later, the proportions of T helper 1 and cytotoxic T cells were increased from day 7, suggesting that the innate immune cells precede adaptive immune cell response in MLDSTZ mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate a possible sequence of events regarding the involvement of DCs, pDCs, NK cells, B-1a lymphocytes, B, and T cells at the early stage of T1D development.

Role of heparanase in tumor progression: Molecular aspects and therapeutic options

Heparanase (HPSE) is an endoglycosidase that catalyses the cutting of the side chains of heparan-sulphate proteoglycans (HS), thus determining the remodelling of the extracellular matrix and basement membranes, as well as promoting the release of different HS-related molecules as growth factors, cytokines and enzymes. Ever since the HPSE was identified in the late 1980s, several experimental studies have shown that its overexpression was instrumental in increasing tumor growth, metastatic dissemination, angiogenesis and inflammation. More recently, HPSE involvment has also been demonstrated in mediating tumor-host crosstalk, in inducing gene transcription, in the activation of signaling pathways and in the formation of exosomes and in autophagy. All of these activities (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) together make heparanase a multifunctional molecule that increases the aggressiveness and chemo-resistance of tumor cells. Conversely, heparanase gene-silencing or tumor treatment with compounds that inhibit heparanase activity have been shown to significantly attenuate tumor progression in different animal models of tumorigenesis, further emphasizing the therapeutic potential of anti-heparanase therapy for several types of neoplasms. This review focuses on present knowledge and recent development in the study of heparanase in cancer progression as well as on novel mechanisms by which heparanase regulates tumor metastasis and chemo-resistance. Moreover, recent advances in strategies for its inhibition as a potential therapeutic option will be discussed.

Targeting Heparanase in Cancer: Inhibition by Synthetic, Chemically Modified, and Natural Compounds

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase involved in remodeling the extracellular matrix and thereby in regulating multiple cellular processes and biological activities. It cleaves heparan sulfate (HS) side chains of HS proteoglycans into smaller fragments and hence regulates tissue morphogenesis, differentiation, and homeostasis. Heparanase is overexpressed in various carcinomas, sarcomas, and hematological malignancies, and its upregulation correlates with increased tumor size, tumor angiogenesis, enhanced metastasis, and poor prognosis. In contrast, knockdown or inhibition of heparanase markedly attenuates tumor progression, further underscoring the potential of anti-heparanase therapy. Heparanase inhibitors were employed to interfere with tumor progression in preclinical studies, and selected heparin mimetics are being examined in clinical trials. However, despite tremendous efforts, the discovery of heparanase inhibitors with high clinical benefit and minimal adverse effects remains a therapeutic challenge. This review discusses the key roles of heparanase in cancer progression focusing on the status of natural, chemically modified, and synthetic heparanase inhibitors in various types of malignancies.

Leukocyte Heparanase: A Double-Edged Sword in Tumor Progression

Heparanase is a β-D-endoglucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate, a complex glycosaminoglycan found ubiquitously throughout mammalian cells and tissues. Heparanase has been strongly associated with important pathological processes including inflammatory disease and tumor metastasis, through its ability to promote various cellular functions such as cell migration, invasion, adhesion, and cytokine release. A number of cell types express heparanase including leukocytes, cells of the vasculature as well as tumor cells. However, the relative contribution of heparanase from these different cell sources to these processes is poorly defined. It is now well-established that the immune system plays a critical role in shaping tumor progression. Intriguingly, leukocyte-derived heparanase has been shown to either assist or impede tumor progression, depending on the setting. This review covers our current knowledge of heparanase in immune regulation of tumor progression, as well as the potential applications and implications of exploiting or inhibiting heparanase in cancer therapy.

Novel Insights Into the Role of Glycans in the Pathophysiology of Glomerular Endotheliosis in Preeclampsia

The polysaccharide heparan sulfate is ubiquitously expressed as a proteoglycan in extracellular matrices and on cell surfaces. In the glomerular filtration barrier, the action of the heparan sulfate is directly related to the function of glomerular filtration, mostly attributed to the sulfated domains that occur along the polysaccharide chain, as evidenced by fact that release of fragments of heparan sulfate by heparanase significantly increases the permeability of albumin passage through the glomerular endothelium, event that originates proteinuria. This review aims to show the importance of the structural domains of heparan sulfate in the process of selective permeability and to demonstrate how these domains may be altered during the glomerular inflammation processes that occur in preeclampsia.

Prospects for chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell therapy for solid tumors

The potential for adoptive cell immunotherapy as a treatment against cancers has been demonstrated by the remarkable response in some patients with hematological malignancies using autologous T cells endowed with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) specific for CD19. Clinical efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of solid tumors, however, is rare due to physical and biochemical factors. This review focuses on different aspects of multiple mechanisms of immunosuppression in solid tumors. We characterize the current state of CAR-modified T cell therapy and summarize the various strategies to combat the immunosuppressive microenvironment of solid tumors, with the aim of promoting T cell cytotoxicity and enhancing tumor cell eradication.

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans as Relays of Neuroinflammation

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are implicated as inflammatory mediators in a variety of settings, including chemokine activation, which is required to recruit circulating leukocytes to infection sites. Heparan sulfate (HS) polysaccharide chains are highly interactive and serve co-receptor roles in multiple ligand:receptor interactions. HS may also serve as a storage depot, sequestering ligands such as cytokines and restricting their access to binding partners. Heparanase, through its ability to fragment HS chains, is a key regulator of HS function and has featured prominently in studies of HS's involvement in inflammatory processes. This review focuses on recent discoveries regarding the role of HSPGs, HS, and heparanase during inflammation, with particular focus on the brain. HS chains emerge as critical go-betweens in multiple aspects of the inflammatory response-relaying signals between receptors and cells. The molecular interactions proposed to occur between HSPGs and the pathogen receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are discussed, and we summarize some of the contrasting roles that HS and heparanase have been assigned in diseases associated with chronic inflammatory states, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). We conclude by briefly discussing how current knowledge could potentially be applied to augment HS-mediated events during sustained neuroinflammation, which contributes to neurodegeneration in AD.

Amelioration of collagen-induced arthritis using antigen-loaded dendritic cells modified with NF-κB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in the initiation of autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); therefore, the use of DCs needs to be explored to develop new therapeutic approaches for RA. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effect of bovine type II collagen (BIIC)-loaded DCs modified with NF-κB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats and explored the underlying mechanisms. DCs treated with BIIC and NF-κB decoy ODNs exhibited features of immature DCs with low levels of costimulatory molecule (CD80 and CD86) expression. The development of arthritis in rats with CIA injected with BIIC + NF-κB decoy ODN-propagated DCs (BIIC-decoy DCs) was significantly ameliorated compared to that in rats injected with BIIC-propagated DCs or phosphate-buffered saline. We also found that the BIIC-decoy DCs exerted antiarthritis effects by inhibiting self-lymphocyte proliferative response and suppressing IFN-γ and anti-BIIC antibody production and inducing IL-10 antibody production. Additionally, antihuman serum antibodies were successfully produced in the rats treated with BIIC-decoy DCs but not in those treated with NF-κB decoy ODN-propagated DCs; moreover, the BIIC-decoy DCs did not affect immune function in the normal rats. These findings suggested that NF-κB decoy ODN-modified DCs loaded with a specific antigen might offer a practical method for the treatment of human RA.