Effect of nintedanib on airway inflammation in a mouse model of acute asthma

Inhibitory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cunila spicata Benth. on phlogistic agents-induced cellular migration in the airways of mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cunila spicata Benth. Is a creeping and aromatic plant that has an ethnopharmacological indication in the southern region of Brazil, in the Araucaria Forest biome. It's used as an alternative therapy for respiratory diseases for men and animals since the "tropeirista" movement in colonial Brazil.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Investigate the influence of oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract of C. spicata (HECS) on cellular inflammatory processes in the airways of mice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The HECS was obtained by the ultrasound-assisted technique. Phytochemical analysis of the volatile compounds was performed using gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry. To investigate the biological activity of HECS, the animals were pre-treated with HECS orally 1 h before and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) model was used, in which the animals were subjected to inhalation of different pro-inflammatory agents such as carrageenan (CAR), histamine (HIST), capsaicin (CAP), bradykinin (BK), and 48/80 compound (C48/80). After sacrifice, BAL sample was collected from the bronchi and was analyzed for total and differential white blood cell counts, compared with control groups.

RESULTS

Fourteen volatile phytocompounds were identified in the HECS, the main ones being 2-bornanone, menthofuran and camphene. Among the HECS treated animals, all showed significant maximal inhibition (MI) when challenged with pro-inflammatory agents by nebulization. In the group of animals that received CAR, the MI was 72.77 ± 3.88%, compared to the negative control (NC). There was a predominance of lymphocytes (59.18 ± 4.07%). For the HIST group, MI was 64.03 ± 4.33%, in relation to the NC, with predominance in macrophages number (76.53 ± 2.78%). In the CAP group, the MI obtained was 38.90 ± 11.31%, with greater macrophage migration occurring (80.98 ± 3.44%) in the higher dose. For animals subjected to BK inhalation, the MI was 48.63 ± 3.95% with macrophages predominance (64.33 ± 10.04%). In the group that received C48/80 inhalation, the MI was 40.25 ± 5.30% (100 mg kg^-1), with higher occurrence of macrophages (72.97 ± 4.23%).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that HECS had a non-specific inhibitory effect on cellular migration induced by different pro-inflammatory agents, reducing inflammation in airways of mice. These effects coincide and support its ethnopharmacological use as an alternative medicine for respiratory diseases in regions where the plant is prevalent.

Effect of Nintedanib Nanothermoreversible Hydrogel on Neovascularization in an Ocular Alkali Burn Rat Model

PURPOSE

To compare the therapeutic effects of different forms of nintedanib ophthalmic preparations on neovascularization corneal alkali burns in rats.

METHODS

Forty rat models of left eye corneal alkali burns were constructed, and the five groups (N = 8) were treated with normal saline, dexamethasone ointment (dexamethasone), 0.2% nintedanib aqueous solution and nintedanib nano thermoreversible hydrogel (NNTH). A slit lamp microscope was used to observe the area of neovascularization. The levels of the inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA. HE staining was performed on the rat corneas. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA) was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of corneal VEGFA and CD31 was detected by western blotting. An MTT assay was performed to detect the cytotoxicity of nintedanib on human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Cell migration was detected by a cell scratch assay, and the proportion of apoptotic cells was detected by Annexin/PI double staining. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were performed to detect the protein expression of VEGFA and CD31.

RESULTS

NNTH had a stronger inhibitory effect on corneal neovascularization (CNV) in alkali-burned rats while reducing the level of inflammatory factors. NNTH had a longer drug duration of release than nanoformulations in vitro. Nintedanib at low concentrations (<8 μM) had no significant cytotoxicity to HCECs but significantly induced apoptosis and inhibited the expression of VEGFA and CD31 and the migration of HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONS

Nanomorphic thermoreversible hydrogel is superior among the nintedanib ophthalmic preparations, showing better inhibition of CNV in alkali-burned eyeballs and it blocked the migration and proangiogenic ability of HUVECs.

The anti-fibrotic agent nintedanib protects chondrocytes against tumor necrosis factor-ɑ (TNF-ɑ)-induced extracellular matrix degradation

Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease of the musculoskeletal system characterized by damaged articular cartilage. Nintedanib is an oral triple kinase inhibitor with anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, we hypothesized that nintedanib might exert a protective effect in chondrocytes and it could be meaningful to repurpose the drug for osteoarthritis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential effects of nintedanib on TNF-α-induced cellular injury in CHON-001 chondrocytes. The results show that nintedanib ameliorated TNF-α-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and reduced glutathione (GSH) decrease. Nintedanib reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in TNF-α-induced CHON-001 chondrocytes. Nintedanib restored TNF-α caused decreased expression levels of Col II and sry-type high-mobility-group box-9 (SOX-9) in CHON-001 chondrocytes. Moreover, nintedanib ameliorated the TNF-α-caused impairment of protein kinase A/cAMP-response element-binding protein (PKA/CREB) signaling pathway as revealed by the decreased PKA RI expression and increased p-CREB in CHON-001 cells. Inhibition of PKA by H89 abolished the effects of nintedanib on SOX-9 and Col II expression. Taken together, nintedanib presented protective effects on TNF-α-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and ECM damage in CHON-001 chondrocytes. Mechanically, the effect of nintedanib is associated with the PKA/CREB pathway. These data imply that the anti-fibrotic agent nintedanib may have a potential therapeutic application for osteoarthritis.

Nintedanib ameliorates animal model of dermatitis

Nintedanib, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor has been developed as therapeutics for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and non-small lung cancer. We found that the expression levels of RTK, especially VEGFR1 is increased in skin biopsies of dermatitis patients from multiple independent datasets. Moreover, VEGFR1 is highly expressed by infiltrated cells in dermis from oxazolone (OXA) treated mice. Interestingly, nintedanib alleviates dermatitis symptom in OXA-induced animal model. Especially, levels of epidermis thickness, infiltrated immune cells including mast cells and eosinophils were decreased from mice cotreated with nintedanib and OXA compared with OXA treated mice. Moreover, serum IgE and Th2 cytokines including IL-4 and IL-13 were decreased by nintedanib treatment. These results suggest an evidence that nintedanib alleviates animal model of dermatitis.

MiR-204-5p Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Induced Proliferation and Extracellular Matrix Production of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells by Regulating Six1 in Asthma

BACKGROUND

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-in-duced proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells plays critical roles in the development of airway remodeling. Six1 (sine oculis homeobox homolog 1) has been demonstrated to be involved in airway inflammation and remodeling in asthmatic mice.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential role of miR-204-5p in the proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production of airway smooth muscle cells in asthma.

METHODS

Real-time PCR was used to measure the expression of miR-204-5p in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected to evaluate the effect of miR-204-5p on airway smooth muscle cells. Dual-luciferase reporter experiments were applied to identify the target genes of miR-204-5p.

RESULTS

MiR-204-5p was downregulated notably in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells as well as cells stimulated with TGF-β1. Overexpression of miR-204-5p markedly suppressed the TGF-β1-induced proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells and the deposition of ECM, whereas the inhibition of miR-204-5p significantly enhanced the proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells and upregulated the level of fibronectin and collagen III. Furthermore, subsequent analyses demonstrated that Six1 was a direct target of miR-204-5p, and Western blot further indicated that miR-204-5p negatively regulated the expression of Six1. Most importantly, the restoration of Six1 expression reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-204-5p on TGF-β1-induced proliferation and ECM production.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-204-5p inhibits TGF-β1-in-duced proliferation and ECM production of airway smooth muscle cells by regulating Six1, identifying a potential therapeutic target for preventing airway remodeling in asthma.