NF-kappaB signaling pathway and its therapeutic implications in human diseases

State-of-the-art review of theabrownins: from preparation, structural characterization to health-promoting benefits

As far as health benefit is concerned, dark tea is one of the best beverages in the world. Theabrownins are the major ingredient contributing to the health benefits of dark tea and known as "the soft gold in dark tea." A growing body of evidence indicated that theabrownins are macromolecular pigments with reddish-brown color and mellow taste, and mainly derived from the oxidative polymerization of tea polyphenols. Theabrownins are the main active ingredients in dark tea which brings multiple health-promoting effects in modulating lipid metabolism, reducing body weight gain, attenuating diabetes, mitigating NAFLD, scavenging ROS, and preventing tumors. More importantly, it's their substantial generation in microbial fermentation that endows dark tea with much stronger hypolipidemic effect compared with other types of tea. This review firstly summarizes the most recent findings on the preparation, structural characteristics, and health-promoting effects of theabrownins, emphasizing the underlying molecular mechanism, especially the different mechanisms behind the effect of theabrownins-mediated gut microbiota on the host's multiple health-promoting benefits. Furthermore, this review points out the main limitations of current research and potential future research directions, hoping to provide updated scientific evidence for their better theoretical research and industrial utilization.

Identification and Functional Analysis of Ras-Related Associated with Diabetes Gene (rrad) in Edwardsiella piscicida-Resistant Individuals of Japanese Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Ras-related associated with diabetes (RRAD) is a member of the Ras GTPase superfamily that plays a role in several cellular functions, such as cell proliferation and differentiation. In particular, the superfamily acts as an NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor and calcium regulator to participate in the immune response pathway. A recent transcriptome study revealed that rrad was expressed in the spleen of disease-resistant Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) individuals compared with disease-susceptible individuals, and the results were also verified by qPCR. Thus, the present study aimed to explore how rrad regulates antimicrobial immunity via the NF-κB pathway. First, the coding sequence of P. olivaceus rrad was identified. The sequence was 1092 bp in length, encoding 364 amino acids. Based on phylogenetic and structural relationship analyses, P. olivaceus rrad appeared to be more closely related to teleosts. Next, rrad expression differences between disease-resistant and disease-susceptible individuals in immune-related tissues were evaluated, and the results revealed that rrad was expressed preferentially in the spleen of disease-resistant individuals. In response to Edwardsiella piscicida infection, rrad expression in the spleen changed. In vitro, co-culture was carried out to assess the hypo-methylated levels of the rrad promoter in the disease-resistant spleen, which was consistent with the high mRNA expression. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of rrad performed with the gill cell line of P. olivaceus affected many rrad-network-related genes, i.e., dcp1b, amagt, rus1, rapgef1, ralbp1, plce1, rasal1, nckipsd, prkab2, cytbc-1, sh3, and others, as well as some inflammation-related genes, such as bal2 and Il-1β. In addition, flow cytometry analysis showed that rrad overexpression was more likely to induce cell apoptosis, with establishing a link between rrad's function and its potential roles in regulating the NF-κB pathway. Thus,. the current study provided some clarity in terms of understanding the immune response about rrad gene differences between disease-resistant and disease-susceptible P. olivaceus individuals. This study provides a molecular basis for fish rrad gene functional analysis and may serve as a reference for in-depth of bacterial disease resistance of teleost.

GATA4 Forms a Positive Feedback Loop with CDX2 to Transactivate MUC2 in Bile Acids-Induced Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia

Background/Aims

Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM), a common precancerous lesion of gastric cancer, can be caused by bile acid reflux. GATA binding protein 4 (GATA4) is an intestinal transcription factor involved in the progression of gastric cancer. However, the expression and regulation of GATA4 in GIM has not been clarified.

Methods

The expression of GATA4 in bile acid-induced cell models and human specimens was examined. The transcriptional regulation of GATA4 was investigated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter gene analysis. An animal model of duodenogastric reflux was used to confirm the regulation of GATA4 and its target genes by bile acids.

Results

GATA4 expression was elevated in bile acid-induced GIM and human specimens. GATA4 bound to the promoter of mucin 2 (MUC2) and stimulate its transcription. GATA4 and MUC2 expression was positively correlated in GIM tissues. Nuclear transcription factor-κB activation was required for the upregulation of GATA4 and MUC2 in bile acid-induced GIM cell models. GATA4 and caudal-related homeobox 2 (CDX2) reciprocally transactivated each other to drive the transcription of MUC2. In chenodeoxycholic acid-treated mice, MUC2, CDX2, GATA4, p50, and p65 expression levels were increased in the gastric mucosa.

Conclusions

GATA4 is upregulated and can form a positive feedback loop with CDX2 to transactivate MUC2 in GIM. NF-κB signaling is involved in the upregulation of GATA4 by chenodeoxycholic acid.

Tanshinone I Stimulates Pyroptosis of Cisplatin-Resistant Gastric Cancer Cells by Activating the NF-κB/Caspase-3(8)/GSDME Signaling Pathway

Cisplatin (DDP) resistance frequently occurs in gastric cancer (GC) therapy. Tanshinone I is a liposoluble phenanthraquinone compound present in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen). In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of tanshinone I on modulating DDP resistance of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. DDP-resistant GC cell models (BGC823/DDP and SGC7901/DDP) were established, and their viability, proliferation, migration, lactate dehydrogenase activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and pyroptosis were assessed after DDP treatment with or without tanshinone I. In addition, a mouse model with subcutaneously transplanted GC tumors was established to confirm the effects of tanshinone I and DDP on tumor growth and cell pyroptosis. The results revealed that tanshinone I inhibited DDP-resistant GC cell proliferation and migration; increased intracellular ROS levels; and activated cell pyroptosis by enhancing the levels of cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-3, GSDME-NT, phospho-IKK-α/β, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). GSDME knockdown weakened these effects of tanshinone I on DDP-resistant GC cells. Furthermore, DDP combined with tanshinone I inhibited the growth of subcutaneously transplanted GC tumors in mice by reducing cell proliferation and inducing pyroptosis. In conclusion, tanshinone I reversed DDP resistance of GC cells by stimulating pyroptosis, by activating NF-κB/caspase-3(8)/GSDME signaling pathway.

Ameliorative effect of resveratrol on acute ocular hypertension induced retinal injury through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway

Glaucoma is a kind of neurodegenerative disorder characterized by irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and permanent visual impairment. It is reported that resveratrol (RES) is a promising drug for neurodegenerative diseases. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying its protective potential have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study sought to investigate whether resveratrol could protect RGCs and retinal function triggered by acute ocular hypertension injury through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway. An experimental glaucoma model was generated in C57BL/6J mice. Resveratrol was intraperitoneally injected for 5 days. Sirtinol was injected intravitreally on the day of retinal AOH injury. RGC survival was determined using immunostaining. TUNEL staining was conducted to evaluate retinal cell apoptosis. ERG was used to evaluate visual function. The proteins Brn3a, SIRT1, NF-κB, IL-6, Bax, Bcl2, and Cleaved Caspase3 were determined using western blot. The expression and localisation of SIRT1 and NF-κB in the retina were detected by immunofluorescence. Our data indicated that resveratrol treatment significantly increased Brn3a-labelled RGCs and reduced RGC apoptosis caused by AOH injury. Resveratrol administration also remarkably decreased NF-κB, IL-6, Bax, and Cleaved Caspase3 proteins and increased SIRT1 and Bcl2 proteins. Furthermore, resveratrol treatment obviously inhibited the reduction in ERG caused by AOH injury. Importantly, simultaneous administration of resveratrol and sirtinol abrogated the protective effect of resveratrol, decreased NF-κB protein expression, and increased SIRT1 protein levels. These results suggest that resveratrol administration significantly mitigates retinal AOH-induced RGCs loss and retinal dysfunction, and that this neuroprotective effect is partially regulated through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Huangqi Jiuni decoction prevents acute kidney injury induced by severe burns by inhibiting activation of the TNF/NF-κB pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Huangqi Jiuni decoction (HQJND) is a prescription for the treatment of severe burns provided based on traditional Chinese and Western medicine, which is created by the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. It consists of 12 herbs and has been used clinically for decades. It has greatly shortened the course of the disease, but the mechanism by which HQJND treats the disease still remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Hence, the objective of this investigation was to utilize modern pharmacological tools to demonstrate the efficacy and mechanism of HQJND in the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by severe burns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, the chemical constituents in HQJND were first examined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Then, by using network pharmacology, we screened the targets of drug and disease action, and predicted the signaling pathways acting in the course of drug treatment of disease. Finally, we attempted to verify the efficacy of the drug and explored its therapeutic mechanism after the establishment of an animal model, herbal gavage treatment, collection of rat kidneys and serum for renal function, quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), Western Blotting (WB), Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTS

The 14 important active ingredients in HQJND was analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, while network pharmacology screening was performed to identify 353 disease-associated marker genes and 286 drug targets, finally identifying the TNF/NF-κB (tumor necrosis factor/nuclear factor kappa-B) signaling site: the key pathway of burn-induced acute kidney injury when HQJND intervened. The serum renal function and histopathology of rats demonstrated that the use of HQJND significantly improved the renal function in severe burns. RT-qPCR and WB confirmed that the TNF/NF-κB signaling pathway was activated in the Model group of rats, and HQJND could curb the signaling pathway because it moderated the expressions of key proteins in the process.

CONCLUSION

Based on modern pharmacology, we explored an effective herbal preparation to ameliorate the impairment of renal function after severe burns, which is most likely to function through the TNF/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Mechanism of simulated lunar dust-induced lung injury in rats based on transcriptomics

Lunar dust particles are an environmental threat to lunar astronauts, and inhalation of lunar dust can cause lung damage. The current study explored the mechanism of lunar dust simulant (CLDS-i) inducing inflammatory pulmonary injury. Wistar rats were exposed to CLDS-i for 4 h/d and 7d/week for 4 weeks. Pathological results showed that a large number of inflammatory cells gathered and infiltrated in the lung tissues of the simulated lunar dust group, and the alveolar structures were destroyed. Transcriptome analysis confirmed that CLDS-i was mainly involved in the regulation of activation and differentiation of immune inflammatory cells, activated signaling pathways related to inflammatory diseases, and promoted the occurrence and development of inflammatory injury in the lung. Combined with metabolomics analysis, the results of joint analysis of omics were found that the genes Kmo, Kynu, Nos3, Arg1 and Adh7 were involved in the regulation of amino acid metabolism in rat lung tissues, and these genes might be the key targets for the treatment of amino acid metabolic diseases. In addition, the imbalance of amino acid metabolism might be related to the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. The results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot further confirmed that CLDS-i may promote the occurrence and development of lung inflammation and lead to abnormal amino acid metabolism by activating the B cell activation factor (BAFF)/ B cell activation factor receptor (BAFFR)-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway.

Oxidative versus Reductive Stress in Breast Cancer Development and Cellular Mechanism of Alleviation: A Current Perspective with Anti-breast Cancer Drug Resistance

Redox homeostasis is essential for keeping our bodies healthy, but it also helps breast cancer cells grow, stay alive, and resist treatment. Changes in the redox balance and problems with redox signaling can make breast cancer cells grow and spread and make them resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) generation and the oxidant defense system are out of equilibrium, which causes oxidative stress. Many studies have shown that oxidative stress can affect the start and spread of cancer by interfering with redox (reduction-oxidation) signaling and damaging molecules. The oxidation of invariant cysteine residues in FNIP1 is reversed by reductive stress, which is brought on by protracted antioxidant signaling or mitochondrial inactivity. This permits CUL2FEM1B to recognize its intended target. After the proteasome breaks down FNIP1, mitochondrial function is restored to keep redox balance and cell integrity. Reductive stress is caused by unchecked amplification of antioxidant signaling, and changes in metabolic pathways are a big part of breast tumors' growth. Also, redox reactions make pathways like PI3K, PKC, and protein kinases of the MAPK cascade work better. Kinases and phosphatases control the phosphorylation status of transcription factors like APE1/Ref-1, HIF-1, AP-1, Nrf2, NF-B, p53, FOXO, STAT, and - catenin. Also, how well anti-breast cancer drugs, especially those that cause cytotoxicity by making ROS, treat patients depends on how well the elements that support a cell's redox environment work together. Even though chemotherapy aims to kill cancer cells, which it does by making ROS, this can lead to drug resistance in the long run. The development of novel therapeutic approaches for treating breast cancer will be facilitated by a better understanding of the reductive stress and metabolic pathways in tumor microenvironments.

Deciphering Common Traits of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells and Possible Therapeutic Approaches

Breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) are among the most common and deadly cancers affecting women worldwide. Both are complex diseases with marked heterogeneity. Despite the induction of screening programs that increase the frequency of earlier diagnosis of BC, at a stage when the cancer is more likely to respond to therapy, which does not exist for OC, more than 50% of both cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Initial therapy can put the cancer into remission. However, recurrences occur frequently in both BC and OC, which are highly cancer-subtype dependent. Therapy resistance is mainly attributed to a rare subpopulation of cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor-initiating cells, as they are capable of self-renewal, tumor initiation, and regrowth of tumor bulk. In this review, we will discuss the distinctive markers and signaling pathways that characterize CSC, their interactions with the tumor microenvironment, and the strategies they employ to evade immune surveillance. Our focus will be on identifying the common features of breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) and ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSC) and suggesting potential therapeutic approaches.

Effects of curcumin nanodelivery on schizophrenia and glioblastoma

Curcumin is a natural polyphenol, which has a variety of pharmacological activities, including, antineoplastic, antioxidative and neuroprotective effects. Recent studies provided evidence for the bioactive role of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of various central nervous system (CNS)-related diseases including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Schizophrenia disease and glioma neoplasia. Schizophrenia is a disabling psychiatric disorder related with an aberrant functional coupling between hippocampus and prefrontal cortex that might be crucial for cognitive dysfunction. Animal studies have lent support to the hypothesis that curcumin could improve cognitive functioning and enhance cell proliferation of dentate gyrus. In relation to brain tumors, specifically gliomas, the antineoplastic action of curcumin is based on the inhibition of cell growth promoting apoptosis or autophagy and preventing angiogenesis. However, one of the main impediments for the application of curcumin to patients is its low bioavailability. In intracranial lesions, curcumin has problems to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Currently nano-based drug delivery systems are opening a new horizon to tackle this problem. The bioavailability and effective release of curcumin can be made possible in the form of nanocurcumin. This nanoformulation preserves the properties of curcumin and makes it reach tissues with pathology. This review try to study the beneficial effects of the curcumin nanodelivery in central nervous pathologies such us schizophrenia and glioma disease.

Role of Interleukins in Inflammation-Mediated Tumor Immune Microenvironment Modulation in Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

INTRODUCTION

Tumor cells invade and spread through a procedure termed as epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition (EMT). EMT is triggered by any alterations in the genes that encode the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, the enzymes that break down the ECM, and the activation of the genes that causes the epithelial cell to change into a mesenchymal type. The transcription factors NF-κB, Smads, STAT3, Snail, Zeb, and Twist are activated by inflammatory cytokines, for instance, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Tumor Growth Factors, Interleukin-1, Interleukin-8, and Interleukin-6, which promotes EMT.

MATERIALS

The current piece of work has been reviewed from the literature works published in last 10 years on the role interleukins in inflammation-mediated tumor immune microenvironment modulation in colorectal cancer pathogenesis utilizing the databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct.

RESULTS

Recent studies have demonstrated that pathological situations, such as epithelial malignancies, exhibit EMT characteristics, such as the downregulation of epithelial markers and the overexpression of mesenchymal markers. Several growing evidence have also proved its existence in the human colon during the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. Most often, persistent inflammation is thought to be one factor contributing to the initiation of human cancers, such as colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, according to epidemiologic and clinical research, people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease have a greater probability of developing CRC.

CONCLUSION

A substantial amount of data points to the involvement of the NF-κB system, SMAD/STAT3 signaling cascade, microRNAs, and the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase/Snail/Slug in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-mediated development of colorectal malignancies. As a result, EMT is reported to play an active task in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, and therapeutic interventions targeting the inflammation-mediated EMT might serve as a novel strategy for treating CRC. The illustration depicts the relationship between interleukins and their receptors as a driver of CRC development and the potential therapeutic targets.

Feline umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells: isolation, identification, and antioxidative stress role through NF-κB signaling pathway

At present, the differentiation potential and antioxidant activity of feline umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have not been clearly studied. In this study, feline UC-MSCs were isolated by tissue adhesion method, identified by flow cytometry detection of cell surface markers (CD44, CD90, CD34, and CD45), and induced differentiation toward osteogenesis and adipogenesis in vitro. Furthermore, the oxidative stress model was established with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) (100 μM, 300 μM, 500 μM, 700 μM, and 900 μM). The antioxidant properties of feline UC-MSCs and feline fibroblasts were compared by morphological observation, ROS detection, cell viability via CCK-8 assay, as well as oxidative and antioxidative parameters via ELISA. The mRNA expression of genes related to NF-κB pathway was detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, while the levels of NF-κB signaling cascade-related proteins were determined via Western Blot. The results showed that feline UC-MSCs highly expressed CD44 and CD90, while negative for CD34 and CD45 expression. Feline UC-MSCs cultured under osteogenic and adipogenic conditions showed good differentiation capacity. After being exposed to different concentrations of H₂O₂ for eight hours, feline UC-MSCs exhibited the significantly higher survival rate than feline fibroblasts. A certain concentration of H₂O₂ could up-regulate the activities of SOD2 and GSH-Px in feline UC-MSCs. The expression levels of p50, MnSOD, and FHC mRNA in feline UC-MSCs stimulated by 300 μM and 500 μM H₂O₂ significantly increased compared with the control group. Furthermore, it was observed that 500 μM H₂O₂ significantly enhanced the protein levels of p-IκB, IκB, p-p50, p50, MnSOD, and FHC, which could be reversed by BAY 11-7,082, a NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor. In conclusion, it was confirmed that feline UC-MSCs, with good osteogenesis and adipogenesis abilities, had better antioxidant property which might be related to NF-κB signaling pathway. This study lays a foundation for the further application of feline UC-MSCs in treating the various inflammatory and oxidative injury diseases of pets.

Study of clinical factors, focus score, lymphocyte type and NF-κB pathway in Sjögren's syndrome

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that occurs predominantly in middle-aged and older women. Although focus score (FS) and lesion grade are determined at pathological diagnosis, few reports have examined whether these results reflect clinical symptoms. In this study, we examined and compared the results of comprehensive immunohistochemical staining of lymphocytes and NF-κB pathway in labial gland biopsies, clinical test data, and radionuclide imaging findings. One hundred labial gland biopsy specimens obtained from 20 female patients with primary SS (5 specimens per patient) were studied. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained specimens were reviewed and FS were calculated. Immunohistochemical staining of CD4, CD8, CD20, CD25, Foxp3, NF-κB, TNFAIP3 and IκBα was performed, and the results were compared with anti-SS-A/Ro (SS-A), anti-SS-B/La (SS-B) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and salivary gland scintigraphy findings. FS were significantly higher in the SS-A-, SS-B- and ANA-positive groups than in the respective -negative groups (p < 0.05). Of eight SS-A-positive and SS-B-negative cases, mean FS was 1.9 (seven cases: FS ≥ 1.0) and six cases were ANA-positive. In four SS-A-positive and SS-B-positive cases, mean FS was 3.2 (all cases: FS ≥ 1.0) and all cases were ANA-positive. In immunohistochemical staining, CD4-positive T cells tended to be more abundant than CD8-positive T cells. Small numbers of Foxp3-positive cells were found in all cases. NF-κB, TNFAIP3 and IκBα were positive in the acini, ductal epithelium, and lymphocytes in all cases. The above findings indicated a relationship between FS and clinical test data, and the association of NF-κB pathway with the pathophysiology of primary SS.

Therapeutic potential of colchicine in cardiovascular medicine: a pharmacological review

Colchicine is an ancient herbal drug derived from Colchicum autumnale. It was first used to treat familial Mediterranean fever and gout. Based on its unique efficacy as an anti-inflammatory agent, colchicine has been used in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases including coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, recurrent pericarditis, vascular restenosis, heart failure, and myocardial infarction. More recently, colchicine has also shown therapeutic efficacy in alleviating cardiovascular complications of COVID-19. COLCOT and LoDoCo2 are two milestone clinical trials that confirm the curative effect of long-term administration of colchicine in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease. There is growing interest in studying the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of colchicine. The anti-inflammatory action of colchicine is mediated mainly through inhibiting the assembly of microtubules. At the cellular level, colchicine inhibits the following: (1) endothelial cell dysfunction and inflammation; (2) smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration; (3) macrophage chemotaxis, migration, and adhesion; (4) platelet activation. At the molecular level, colchicine reduces proinflammatory cytokine release and inhibits NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In this review, we summarize the current clinical trials with proven curative effect of colchicine in treating cardiovascular diseases. We also systematically discuss the mechanisms of colchicine action in cardiovascular therapeutics. Altogether, colchicine, a bioactive constituent from an ancient medicinal herb, exerts unique anti-inflammatory effects and prominent cardiovascular actions, and will charter a new page in cardiovascular medicine.

Serum Metabolomics Based on GC-MS Reveals the Antipyretic Mechanism of Ellagic Acid in a Rat Model

Ellagic acid (EA) is a polyphenol dilactone that has been reported to have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and antioxidant activities, but the mechanism of action has not been reported. In this study, serum metabolomics was used to explore the mechanism of EA on rat fever induced by beer yeast, and to screen out marker metabolites to provide a reference for the antipyretic effect of EA. The acute fever model of male Sprague Dawley rats involved subcutaneous injection with 20% aqueous suspension of yeast (15 mL/kg) in their back. At the same time of modeling, EA was given orally by 10 mL/kg intragastric administration for treatment. During the experiment, the temperature and its change values of rats were recorded, and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA)—six physiological and biochemical indexes of rats—were detected after the experiment. In addition, the hypothalamus of each rat was analyzed by Western blot (WB), and the levels of Phospho Nuclear Factor kappa-B (P-NF-κB P65) and IkappaB-alpha (IKB-α) were detected. Then, the serum metabolites of rats in each group were detected and analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry and the multivariate statistical analysis method. Finally, when screening for differential metabolites, the potential target metabolic pathway of drug intervention was screened for through the enrichment analysis of differential metabolites. Pearson correlation analysis was used to systematically characterize the relationship between biomarkers and pharmacodynamic indicators. EA could reduce the temperature and its change value in yeast induced fever rats after 18 h (p < 0.05). The level of IL-6, TNF-α, PGE2, cAMP, SOD and MDA of the Model group (MG) increased significantly compared to the Normal group (NG) (p < 0.001) after EA treatment, while the levels of the six indexes in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of yeast-induced rats decreased. The administration of yeast led to a significant increase in Hypothalamus P-NF-κB P65 and IKB-α levels. Treatment with EA led to a significant decrease in P-NF-κB P65 levels. Moreover, combined with VIP > 1 and p < 0.05 as screening criteria, the corresponding retention time and characteristic mass to charge ratio were compared with the NIST library, Match score > 80%, and a total of 15 differential metabolites were screened. EA administration significantly regulated 9 of 15 metabolites in rat serum. The 15 differential metabolites involved linoleic acid metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and glycerolipid metabolism. Pharmacodynamic correlation analysis was conducted between 15 different metabolites and six detection indexes. There was a significant correlation between 13 metabolites and six detection indexes. D-(−)-lactic acid, glycerin, phosphoric acid, 5-oxo-L-proline were negatively correlated with TNF-α, and p values were statistically significant except for L-tyrosine. In addition, glycerin was negatively correlated with IL-6, PGE2 and MDA, while phosphoric acid was negatively correlated with IL-6. In conclusion, EA may play an antipyretic anti-inflammatory role through the inhibition of the IKB-α/NF-κB signaling pathway and five metabolic pathways, which may contribute to a further understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of the fever of EA.

The protective effect of kirenol in osteoarthritis: an in vitro and in vivo study

BACKGROUND

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease, its main characteristic involves articular cartilage destruction and inflammation response, absent of effective medical treatment. Our current research aimed to explore anti-inflammatory effect of kirenol, a diterpenoid natural product compound, in the development of OA and its potential molecular mechanism through in vitro and in vivo study.

METHODS

In vitro, chondrocytes were pretreated with kirenol for 2 h before IL-1β stimulation. Production of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-6, aggrecan, collagen-II, MMP13and ADAMTS5 were evaluated by the Griess reaction and ELISAs. The mRNA (aggrecan and collagen-II) and protein expression (COX-2, iNOS, P65, IκB, PI3K, AKT) were measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot respectively. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the expression of collagen-II and P65. The in vivo effect of kirenol was evaluated in mice OA models induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM).

RESULTS

We found that kirenol inhibited IL-1β-induced expression of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, ADAMTS-5. Besides, kirenol remarkably decreased IL-1β-induced degradation of aggrecan and collagen-II. Furthermore, kirenol significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling. In vivo, the cartilage in kirenol-treated mice exhibited less cartilage degradation and lower OARSI scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the results of this study provide potent evidence that kirenol could be utilized as a potentially therapeutic agent in prevention and treatment of OA.

An NF-κB/OVOL2 circuit regulates glucose import and cell survival in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Tumor cells tend to utilize glycolysis rather than aerobic respiration even under aerobic conditions. OVOL2, an inhibitory C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor, is a potential tumor suppressor in cancers. However, the association between OVOL2 and tumor energy metabolism is unknown.

Methods

Western blotting was used to determine the expression of OVOL2 in different non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and mouse models. The metabolic parameters in NSCLC cells following overexpression or knockdown OVOL2 were examined. To define the mechanism by which OVOL2 regulates aerobic glycolysis, interacting protein of OVOl2 and downstream molecular events were identified by luciferase assay and co-immunoprecipitation. We documented the regulatory mechanism in mouse xenograft models. Finally, clinical relevance of OVOL2, NF-κB signaling and GLUT1 was measured by immunostaining.

Results

OVOL2 is downregulated in NSCLC and overexpression of OVOL2 inhibits the survival of cancer cells. Moreover, OVOL2 directly binds to P65 and inhibits the recruitment of P300 but facilitates the binding of HDAC1 to P65, which in turn negatively regulates NF-κB signaling to suppress GLUT1 translocation and glucose import. In contrast, OVOL2 expression is negatively regulated by NF-κB signaling in NSCLC cells via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Re-expression of OVOL2 significantly compromise NF-κB signaling-induced GLUT1 translocation, aerobic glycolysis in NSCLC cells and mouse models. Immunostaining revealed inverse correlations between the OVOL2 and phosphorylated P65 levels and between the OVOL2 and membrane GLUT1 levels, and a strong correlation between the phosphorylated P65 and membrane GLUT1 levels.

Conclusions

These results suggest a regulatory circuit linking NF-κB and OVOL2, which highlights the role of NF-κB signaling and OVOL2 in the modulation of glucose metabolism in NSCLC.

Exosome-like nanoparticles from Mulberry bark prevent DSS-induced colitis via the AhR/COPS8 pathway

Bark protects the tree against environmental insults. Here, we analyzed whether this defensive strategy could be utilized to broadly enhance protection against colitis. As a proof of concept, we show that exosome-like nanoparticles (MBELNs) derived from edible mulberry bark confer protection against colitis in a mouse model by promoting heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8 (HSPA8)-mediated activation of the AhR signaling pathway. Activation of this pathway in intestinal epithelial cells leads to the induction of COP9 Constitutive Photomorphogenic Homolog Subunit 8 (COPS8). Utilizing a gut epithelium-specific knockout of COPS8, we demonstrate that COPS8 acts downstream of the AhR pathway and is required for the protective effect of MBELNs by inducing an array of anti-microbial peptides. Our results indicate that MBELNs represent an undescribed mode of inter-kingdom communication in the mammalian intestine through an AhR-COPS8-mediated anti-inflammatory pathway. These data suggest that inflammatory pathways in a microbiota-enriched intestinal environment are regulated by COPS8 and that edible plant-derived ELNs may hold the potential as new agents for the prevention and treatment of gut-related inflammatory disease.

The effect of adaptation to hypoxia on cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion

The acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), both associated with acute cardiac ischemia, are one of the leading causes of adult death in economically developed countries. The development of new approaches for the treatment and prevention of AMI and SCD remains the highest priority for medicine. A study on the cardiovascular effects of chronic hypoxia (CH) may contribute to the development of these methods. Chronic hypoxia exerts both positive and adverse effects. The positive effects are the infarct-reducing, vasoprotective, and antiarrhythmic effects, which can lead to the improvement of cardiac contractility in reperfusion. The adverse effects are pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. This review presents a comprehensive overview of how CH enhances cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion. It is an in-depth analysis of the published data on the underlying mechanisms, which can lead to future development of the cardioprotective effect of CH. A better understanding of the CH-activated protective signaling pathways may contribute to new therapeutic approaches in an increase of cardiac tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion.

Systemic pharmacological verification of Baixianfeng decoction regulating TNF-PI3K-Akt-NF-κB pathway in treating rheumatoid arthritis

Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of treating complex diseases, especially for the conditioning of systemic diseases. It has been reported that Baixianfeng (BXF) decoction used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be due to its systemic regulatory effect, but the specific mechanism still remains to be elucidated. The research philosophy and methods of systemic pharmacology were used to explore the mechanism of BXF decoction in treating RA in this study. TCMSP database was used to search the ingredients of BXF decoction and screen the ADME parameters. The parameter index was set as OB ≥ 30%, DL ≥ 0.18, HL ≥ 4 h. The targets of the screened compounds were searched and predicted by TCMSP and Target-Prediction platforms. The disease targets of RA were obtained through the DisGeNET, OMIM, and PharmGkb databases. A series of network construction and analysis relied on Cytoscape 3.2.1 software, and the DAVID database was used for pathway enrichment. The adjuvant arthritis rat model was used for the verification of animal experiments to verify the predicted pathway results in terms of pathological phenotype, inflammatory factors, and pathway protein expression. The results showed that the related targets of 81 active ingredients in the drug crossed 56 targets of RA, and these common targets were enriched in 83 significant pathways, among which the TNF signaling pathway had research significance. Animal experiments have proved that BXF decoction was effective in treating adjuvant arthritis rats. The drug relieved the pathological phenotype of rats in dose-dependent. It reduced the serum content of TNF-α and IL-1β, and reduced the gene expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in spleen tissue. In the cartilage tissue protein of rats, it inhibited the degradation of collagen Ⅱ protein. Further, BXF decoction reduced the activation of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and p-P65 protein, and decreased the overexpression of apoptotic proteins such as cleaved-caspase8 and cleaved-caspase3 in cartilage tissue. Meanwhile, it inhibited the protein expression of MMP9, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. In conclusion, this study successfully practiced the combination of systemic pharmacology and experimental verification, and clarified that BXF decoction inhibited the progression of adjuvant arthritis rats through the TNF-PI3K-Akt-NF-κB signal axis. It provides new evidence for the study of the mechanism of BXF decoction in treating RA.

Knockdown of TRIM8 Attenuates IL-1β-induced Inflammatory Response in Osteoarthritis Chondrocytes Through the Inactivation of NF-κB Pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease associated with inflammatory response. Tripartite motif 8 (TRIM8) is a member of TRIM family that has been found to regulate inflammation. The present study was aimed to evaluate the role of TRIM8 in OA chondrocytes. Our results showed that TRIM8 expression was significantly increased in interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β)-stimulated OA chondrocytes. To knock down the TRIM8 expression in chondrocytes, the chondrocytes were transfected with si-TRIM8. Knockdown of TRIM8 attenuated IL-1β-induced production of inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide and prostaglandin E₂. The increased expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes were suppressed by TRIM8 knockdown. The IL-1β-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines including TNF-α and IL-6 was significantly decreased after transfection with si-TRIM8. Besides, knockdown of TRIM8 mitigated the IL-1β-induced decrease in aggrecan and collagen-II proteins expression and increase in matrix-degrading enzymes in chondrocytes. Furthermore, TRIM8 knockdown prevented IL-1β-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation in chondrocytes. Taken together, these findings indicated that knockdown of TRIM8 attenuates IL-1β-induced inflammatory response in OA chondrocytes through the inactivation of NF-κB pathway. Thus, targeting TRIM8 might provide therapeutic treatment for OA.

α-Cyperone (CYP) down-regulates NF-κB and MAPKs signaling, attenuating inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation in chondrocytes, to ameliorate osteoarthritis in mice

Inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation have been implicated in the pathological process of osteoarthritis (OA). α-Cyperone is the main active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Cyperus rotundus L. In this study, we found that α-Cyperone abolished the IL-1β-induced production of inflammatory cytokines in isolated rat chondrocytes, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in a dose-dependent manner (0.75, 1.5 or 3 μM). Also, the results showed that α-Cyperone downregulated the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5), and upregulated the expression of type-2 collagen. Mechanistically, molecular docking tests revealed that α-Cyperone stably and effectively binds to p65, p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). α-Cyperone inhibited NF-κB activation by blocking its nuclear transfer, and decreasing the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs). In addition, in vivo studies based on a mouse model of arthritis showed that α-Cyperone prevented the development of osteoarthritis. Therefore, α-Cyperone may be a potential anti-OA drug.

Pepsin Promotes Activation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Downstream Oncogenic Pathways, at Slightly Acidic and Neutral pH, in Exposed Hypopharyngeal Cells

Pepsin refluxate is considered a risk factor for laryngopharyngeal carcinogenesis. Non-acidic pepsin was previously linked to an inflammatory and tumorigenic effect on laryngopharyngeal cells in vitro. Yet there is no clear evidence of the pepsin-effect on a specific oncogenic pathway and the importance of pH in this process. We hypothesized that less acidic pepsin triggers the activation of a specific oncogenic factor and related-signalling pathway. To explore the pepsin-effect in vitro, we performed intermittent exposure of 15 min, once per day, for a 5-day period, of human hypopharyngeal primary cells (HCs) to pepsin (1 mg/mL), at a weakly acidic pH of 5.0, a slightly acidic pH of 6.0, and a neutral pH of 7.0. We have documented that the extracellular environment at pH 6.0, and particularly pH 7.0, vs. pH 5.0, promotes the pepsin-effect on HCs, causing increased internalized pepsin and cell viability, a pronounced activation of EGFR accompanied by NF-κB and STAT3 activation, and a significant upregulation of EGFR, AKT1, mTOR, IL1β, TNF-α, RELA(p65), BCL-2, IL6 and STAT3. We herein provide new evidence of the pepsin-effect on oncogenic EGFR activation and its related-signaling pathway at neutral and slightly acidic pH in HCs, opening a window to further explore the prevention and therapeutic approach of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.

Marine furanocembranoids-inspired macrocycles enabled by Pd-catalyzed unactivated C(sp3)-H olefination mediated by donor/donor carbenes

Biomimetic modularization and function-oriented synthesis of structurally diversified natural product-like macrocycles in a step-economical fashion is highly desirable. Inspired by marine furanocembranoids, herein, we synthesize diverse alkenes substituted furan-embedded macrolactams via a modular biomimetic assembly strategy. The success of this assembly is the development of crucial Pd-catalyzed carbene coupling between ene-yne-ketones as donor/donor carbene precursors and unactivated Csp³‒H bonds which represents a great challenge in organic synthesis. Notably, this method not only obviates the use of unstable, explosive, and toxic diazo compounds, but also can be amenable to allenyl ketones carbene precursors. DFT calculations demonstrate that a formal 1,4-Pd shift could be involved in the mechanism. Moreover, the collected furanocembranoids-like macrolactams show significant anti-inflammatory activities against TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β and the cytotoxicity is comparable to Dexamethasone.

Furanocembranoid-like natural products with the alkene-substituted furan scaffold display a range of biological activities, but are difficult to access. Here, the authors report a modular biomimetic strategy to synthesise diverse alkene-substituted furan-containing macrolactams via palladium-catalysed unactivated Csp³-H olefination.

Theabrownin inhibits the cytoskeleton‑dependent cell cycle, migration and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells through NF‑κB pathway‑related mechanisms

Considering the high metastatic potential of osteosarcoma, not only pro-apoptosis, but also anti-metastasis is important for anti-osteosarcoma therapy. Previously, the authors reported the pro-apoptotic and tumor-inhibitory effects of theabrownin (TB) on osteosarcoma cells; however, its effects on the metastasis-related migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells remain unknown. The present study conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on xenograft zebrafish samples and performed in vitro experiments, including RT-qPCR, cell viability analysis, clone formation assay, cell cycle analysis, immunofluorescence, cell migration assay, cell invasion assay, wound healing assay and western blot (WB) analysis to evaluate the anti-metastatic effects and mechanism of TB against osteosarcoma cells. The RNA-seq data revealed that TB significantly downregulated the expression of genes involved in the microtubule bundle formation of U2OS cells, which was verified by RT-qPCR. The cell viability and clone formation data indicated that TB significantly inhibited U2OS cell viability and colony numbers. The results of cell cycle analysis revealed the blocked cell cycle progression of U2OS by TB. The immunofluorescent data revealed an evident cytoskeleton-inhibitory effect of TB against the microfilament and microtubule formation of U2OS cells. The results of cell migration and invasion demonstrated that TB significantly inhibited U2OS cell migration and invasion. The results of WB analysis revealed that TB significantly regulated key molecules of epithelial-mesenchymal transition [EMT; e.g., E-cadherin, vimentin, Snail-1, Slug and zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB-1)] and those of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway (e.g., NF-κB, phospho-IKKα and phospho-IKKβ), indicating that NF-κB pathway-related EMT suppression may mediate the mechanisms underlying the anti-migratory and anti-invasive effects of TB against osteosarcoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the inhibitory effects and mechanisms of TB on the cytoskeleton-dependent cell cycle, migration and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells. The findings presented herein suggest that TB may be a promising anti-metastatic candidate for anti-osteosarcoma therapy.

Brilliant blue G attenuates neuro-inflammation via regulating MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglia cells

Previous studies have demonstrated that the P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) receptor (P2X7R) serves a critical role in regulating the inflammatory response of various diseases in the central nervous system. The anti-inflammatory effect of brilliant blue G (BBG), a specific antagonist of the P2X7R, remains unclear in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 cells. The present study suggested that BBG attenuated the neuroinflammatory response; the protein levels of inducible oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, and the mRNA and secretion levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-16, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were all decreased in LPS-induced BV2 cells. BBG inhibited the activation of MAPKs by inhibiting the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Notably, transcription factor p65 nuclear translocation was also inhibited, thereby leading to the inactivation of NF-κB. The inhibitory effects of BBG on MAPKs and NF-κB were additionally enhanced through the application of MAPK and NF-κB inhibitors. Taken together, the results demonstrated that BBG contributed to the suppression of the inflammatory effects in LPS-induced BV2 cells via the inhibition of NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways.

MALT1 is a potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma and plays a crucial role in EGFR-induced NF-κB activation

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant tumour in the adult brain and hard to treat. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signalling has a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of GBM. EGFR signalling is an important driver of NF-κB activation in GBM; however, the correlation between EGFR and the NF-κB pathway remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of mucosa-associated lymphoma antigen 1 (MALT1) in glioma progression and evaluated the anti-tumour activity and effectiveness of MI-2, a MALT1 inhibitor in a pre-clinical GBM model. We identified a paracaspase MALT1 that is involved in EGFR-induced NF-kB activation in GBM. MALT1 deficiency or inhibition significantly affected the proliferation, survival, migration and invasion of GBM cells both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MALT1 inhibition caused G1 cell cycle arrest by regulating multiple cell cycle-associated proteins. Mechanistically, MALTI inhibition blocks the degradation of IκBα and prevents the nuclear accumulation of the NF-κB p65 subunit in GBM cells. This study found that MALT1, a key signal transduction cascade, can mediate EGFR-induced NF-kB activation in GBM and may be potentially used as a novel therapeutic target for GBM.

Downregulation of ubiquitin-specific protease 2 possesses prognostic and diagnostic value and promotes the clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), characterized by high mortality, invasion, metastasis, recurrence and drug resistance, is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system. A clear understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms and its role during tumorigenesis of RCC can contribute to development of prognostic and targeted therapies.

Methods

We analyzed datasets from the public database, TCGA, Oncomine, for differential expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 2 (USP2), and further investigated its relationship with the clinical stage, pathological grade and prognosis of renal cancer. We used real-time quantitative PCR and western blot analysis to validate USP2 expression in clinical samples and renal cancer cell lines. Finally, we used CCK-8 and transwell assays to determine its effects on biological functions in cells.

Results

We observed significantly lower levels of USP2 mRNA in renal cancer, relative to normal, tissues across the four datasets from the Oncomine database (P<0.001), 533 cases from TCGA database (P<0.0001) and 30 pairs of clinical samples (P<0.0001). Similarly, a decreased USP2 protein expression in ccRCC was detected following immunohistochemical (IHC) and western blot analyses. Furthermore, the aberrant expression of USP2 resulted in significant relationship with clinical stage, pathological grade and lower USP2 mRNA expression was interrelated to poor prognosis of renal cell carcinoma. USP2 acted as an independent factor for ccRCC diagnosis, with an AUC of 0.8888 (95% CI: 0.8529 to 0.9246; P<0.0001). Exogenous restoration of USP2 in ccRCC cells resulted in repression of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusions

Overall, these results show that USP2 acts as an anti-oncogene and an independent factor for ccRCC prognosis. Positive modulation of USP2 might lead to development of a novel strategy for ccRCC treatment.

Arctigenin prevents the progression of osteoarthritis by targeting PI3K/Akt/NF-κB axis: In vitro and in vivo studies

Osteoarthritis (OA), which is principally featured by progressive joint metabolic imbalance and subsequent degeneration of articular cartilage, is a common chronic joint disease. Arctigenin (ATG), a dietary phyto-oestrogen, has been described to have potent anti-inflammatory effects. Nevertheless, its protective effects on OA have not been clearly established. The target of our following study is to evaluate the protective effects of ATG on IL-1β-induced human OA chondrocytes and mouse OA model. Our results revealed that the ATG pre-treatment effectively decreases the level of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), nitrous oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in IL-1β-induced human chondrocytes. In addition, ATG protects against the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) under the stimulation of IL-1β and the possible mechanism might be connected with the inactivation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) axis. Furthermore, a powerful binding capacity between ATG and PI3K was also uncovered in our molecular docking research. Meanwhile, ATG may act as a protector on the mouse OA model. Collectively, all these findings suggest that ATG could be utilized as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.

Micropeptide CIP2A-BP encoded by LINC00665 inhibits triple-negative breast cancer progression

TGF-β signaling pathway plays a key role in breast cancer metastasis. Recent studies suggest that TGF-β regulates tumor progression and invasion not only via transcriptional regulation, but also via translational regulation. Using both bioinformatics and experimental tools, we identified a micropeptide CIP2A-BP encoded by LINC00665, whose translation was downregulated by TGF-β in breast cancer cell lines. Using TNBC cell lines, we showed that TGF-β-activated Smad signaling pathway induced the expression of translation inhibitory protein 4E-BP1, which inhibited eukaryote translation initiation factor elF4E, leading to reduced translation of CIP2A-BP from LINC00665. CIP2A-BP directly binds tumor oncogene CIP2A to replace PP2A's B56γ subunit, thus releasing PP2A activity, which inhibits PI3K/AKT/NFκB pathway, resulting in decreased expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and Snail. Downregulation of CIP2A-BP in TNBC patients was significantly associated with metastasis and poor overall survival. In the MMTV-PyMT model, either introducing CIP2A-BP gene or direct injection of CIP2A-BP micropeptide significantly reduced lung metastases and improved overall survival. In conclusion, we provide evidence that CIP2A-BP is both a prognostic marker and a novel therapeutic target for TNBC.

Advances in chemistry and bioactivity of parthenolide

(−)-Parthenolide is a germacrane sesquiterpene lactone, available in ample amounts from the traditional medical plant feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium).

Human Postprandial Nutrient Metabolism and Low-Grade Inflammation: A Narrative Review

The importance of the postprandial state has been acknowledged, since hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are linked with several chronic systemic low-grade inflammation conditions. Humans spend more than 16 h per day in the postprandial state and the postprandial state is acknowledged as a complex interplay between nutrients, hormones and diet-derived metabolites. The purpose of this review is to provide insight into the physiology of the postprandial inflammatory response, the role of different nutrients, the pro-inflammatory effects of metabolic endotoxemia and the anti-inflammatory effects of bile acids. Moreover, we discuss nutritional strategies that may be linked to the described pathways to modulate the inflammatory component of the postprandial response.

PM2.5, Fine Particulate Matter: A Novel Player in the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition?

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) refers to the conversion of epithelial cells to mesenchymal phenotype, which endows the epithelial cells with enhanced migration, invasion, and extracellular matrix production abilities. These characteristics link EMT with the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis and cancer progression. Recent studies have preliminarily established that fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) is correlated with EMT initiation. In this pathological process, PM_2.5 particles, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from PM_2.5, and certain components in PM_2.5, such as ions and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been implicated as potential EMT mediators that are linked to the activation of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/SMADs, NF-κB, growth factor (GF)/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), GF/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, wingless/integrated (Wnt)/β-catenin, Notch, Hedgehog, high mobility group box B1 (HMGB1)-receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling cascades and to cytoskeleton rearrangement. These pathways directly and indirectly transduce pro-EMT signals that regulate EMT-related gene expression in epithelial cells, finally inducing the characteristic alterations in morphology and functions of epithelia. In addition, novel associations between autophagy, ATP citrate lyase (ACLY), and exosomes with PM_2.5-induced EMT have also been summarized. However, some debates and paradoxes remain to be consolidated. This review discusses the potential molecular mechanisms underlying PM_2.5-induced EMT, which might account for the latent role of PM_2.5 in cancer progression and fibrogenesis.

Umbelliferone Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Acute Lung Injury by Down-Regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling

This study investigated the protective effect and underlying mechanism of action of umbelliferone (Umb) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). An intragastric Umb injection prior to the administration of LPS dramatically decreased the wet/dry lung weight ratio, attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, and reduced the LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines, including monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-1β, in broncheoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In addition, Umb resulted in significant anti-oxidative effects as shown by decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity compared with the LPS group. Finally, the inhibitory effects of Umb on the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation protein 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway proteins were also measured. Our results clearly indicated that Umb exerted significant protective effects on LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting the activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.

Penaeus monodon IKKs Participate in Regulation of Cytokine-Like System and Antiviral Responses of Innate Immune System

The IKK-NF-κB signaling cascade is one of the crucial responsive mechanisms in inflammatory and immune responses. The key kinase proteins called inhibitor of kappa B kinases (IKKs) serve as the core elements involved in cascade activation. Here, the complete ORFs of IKK homologs, PmIKKβ, PmIKKε1, and PmIKKε2, from the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon were identified and characterized for their functions in shrimp antiviral responses. The PmIKK transcripts were widely expressed in various examined tissues and the PmIKKε protein was detected in all three types of shrimp hemocytes. Only the PmIKKε1 and PmIKKε2 were responsive to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), yellow head virus (YHV) and a bacterium Vibrio harveyi infection, while the PmIKKβ exhibited no significant response to pathogen infection. On the contrary, suppression of PmIKKβ and PmIKKε by dsRNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in a rapid death of WSSV-infected shrimp and the significant reduction of an IFN-like PmVago4 transcript. Whereas, the mRNA levels of the antimicrobial peptides, ALFPm3 and CrustinPm5, and a transcription factor, PmDorsal were significantly increased, those of ALFPm6, CrustinPm1, CrustinPm7, PmVago1, PmRelish, and PmCactus were unaffected. Overexpression of PmIKKβ and PmIKKε in HEK293T cells differentially activated the NF-κB and IFNβ promoter activities, respectively. These results suggest that the PmIKKβ and PmIKKε may act as common factors regulating the expression of immune-related genes from various signaling pathways. Interestingly, the PmIKKs may also contribute a possible role in shrimp cytokine-like system and cross-talking between signaling transductions in innate immune responses.

The Protective Effect of Magnolol in Osteoarthritis: In vitro and in vivo Studies

Osteoarthritis (OA), defined as a long-term progressive joint disease, is characterized by cartilage impairment and erosion. In recent decades, magnolol, as a type of lignin extracted from Magnolia officinalis, has been proved to play a potent anti-inflammatory role in various diseases. The current research sought to examine the latent mechanism of magnolol and its protective role in alleviating the progress of OA in vivo as well as in vitro experimentations. In vitro, the over-production of Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), induced by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), were all inhibited notably by magnolol in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, magnolol could also downregulate the expression of metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5). All these changes ultimately led to the deterioration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by IL-1β. Mechanistically, magnolol suppressed the activation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, a powerful binding capacity between magnolol and PI3K was also revealed in our molecular docking research. In addition, magnolol-induced protective effects in OA development were also detected in a mouse model. In summary, this research suggested that magnolol possessed a new therapeutic potential for the development of OA.

RETRACTED: Protective effect of down-regulated microRNA-27a mediating high thoracic epidural block on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through regulating ABCA1 and NF-κB signaling pathway

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. An Expression of Concern for this article was previously published while an investigation was conducted (see related editorial: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113812). This retraction notice supersedes the Expression of Concern published earlier. Concern was raised about the reliability of the heart images shown in Figure 1A, which appear to contain similar features to those found in other publications, as detailed here: https://pubpeer.com/publications/108A0BE9F52724D6879E23FAE7F361; and here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r0MyIYpagBc58BRF9c3luWNlCX8VUvUuPyYYXzxWvgY/edit#gid=262337249. Concerns over the provenance of the flow cytometry data in Figure 7A were also raised. The journal requested the corresponding author comment on these concerns and provide the associated raw data. The authors did not respond to this request and therefore the Editor-in-Chief decided to retract the article.

Bile acids promote gastric intestinal metaplasia by upregulating CDX2 and MUC2 expression via the FXR/NF-κB signalling pathway

Bile acids serve a critical role in the induction of gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) and gastric carcinogenesis. The present study investigated the effects of bile acids on the induction of gastric IM formation. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of caudal-related homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2), mucin 2 (MUC2) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) were increased in vitro and in vivo following treatment with bile acids, and CDX2 transcriptionally activated MUC2 expression. Furthermore, knockdown of FXR attenuated bile acid-enhanced CDX2 promoter activity and protein expression. Conversely, the FXR agonist GW4064 synergistically enhanced bile acid-induced CDX2 promoter activity. Bile acid treatment led to an increase in nuclear factor (NF)-κB activity and protein expression. Treatment with GW4064 or the FXR antagonist Z-guggulsterone enhanced or attenuated bile acid-induced NF-κB activity, respectively. In addition, quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed that bile acids led to enhanced binding of p50 to the CDX2 promoter, whereas this effect was not observed for p65. Treatment with GW4064 or Z-guggulsterone enhanced and attenuated the binding activity of p50 to the CDX2 promoter, respectively. These results indicated that bile acids may activate the FXR/NF-κB signalling pathway, thereby upregulating CDX2 and MUC2 expression in normal gastric epithelial cells.

The Emerging Role of Estrogens in Thyroid Redox Homeostasis and Carcinogenesis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the most critical class of free radicals or reactive metabolites produced by all living organisms. ROS regulate several cellular functions through redox-dependent mechanisms, including proliferation, differentiation, hormone synthesis, and stress defense response. However, ROS overproduction or lack of appropriate detoxification is harmful to cells and can be linked to the development of several diseases, such as cancer. Oxidative damage in cellular components, especially in DNA, can promote the malignant transformation that has already been described in thyroid tissue. In thyrocyte physiology, NADPH oxidase enzymes produce large amounts of ROS that are necessary for hormone biosynthesis and might contribute to the high spontaneous mutation rate found in this tissue. Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, and its incidence is significantly higher in women than in men. Several lines of evidence suggest the sex hormone estrogen as a risk factor for thyroid cancer development. Estrogen in turn, besides being a potent growth factor for both normal and tumor thyroid cells, regulates different mechanisms of ROS generation. Our group demonstrated that the thyroid gland of adult female rats exhibits higher hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production and lower enzymatic antioxidant defense in comparison with male glands. In this review, we discuss the possible involvement of thyroid redox homeostasis and estrogen in the development of thyroid carcinogenesis.

Standardized microwave extract of Sappan Lignum exerts anti‑inflammatory effects through inhibition of NF‑κB activation via regulation of heme oxygenase‑1 expression

The extract of Sappan Lignum, the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L., has been used in medicine to improve blood circulation. Recently, the application of microwave extraction methods has been a major focus of research into the extraction of components from natural sources. In this experiment, we compared the anti‑inflammatory effects of Sappan Lignum prepared by heat‑70% EtOH extraction (CSE‑H‑70E) and microwave‑70% EtOH extraction (CSE‑MW‑70E). High‑performance liquid chromatography analysis was used to identify the compounds in these extracts. The heat‑70% EtOH and microwave‑70% EtOH extracts of Sappan Lignum had different chromatograms. CSE‑MW‑70E significantly inhibited the protein expression of iNOS and COX‑2, PGE2, TNF‑α, and reduced NO and IL‑1β production in macrophages exposed to LPS, whereas, only high concentrations of CSE‑H‑70E (20 µg/ml) resulted in any effects. Furthermore, CSE‑MW‑70E upregulated heme oxygenase‑1 (HO‑1) expression. In addition, the use of tin protoporphyrin, an inhibitor of HO‑1, confirmed the inhibitory effects of CSE‑MW‑70E on pro‑inflammatory mediators. These results suggested that the CSE‑MW‑70E‑mediated upregulation of HO‑1 played an important role in the anti‑inflammatory effects of macrophages. Therefore, these findings showed that microwave extraction can be utilized to improve the extraction efficiency and biological activity of Sappan Lignum.

Urolithin A targets the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathways and prevents IL-1β-induced inflammatory response in human osteoarthritis: in vitro and in vivo studies

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, whose progression is closely related to the inflammatory environment.

Soy Isoflavones Protect Normal Tissues While Enhancing Radiation Responses

Soy isoflavones have demonstrated chemopreventive and anticancer properties in epidemiology and biological studies, in addition to their function as antioxidants in prevention of cardiovascular disease. We have explored the potential of soy isoflavones, as a safe biological approach, to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy for local tumor control and limit normal tissue damage in solid tumors. This review presents studies investigating the interaction between soy isoflavones and radiation in different malignancies, including prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and nonsmall cell lung cancer. Soy isoflavones were found to be potent sensitizers of cancer cells to radiation causing increased cell killing in vitro in human tumor cell lines and greater tumor inhibition in vivo in preclinical orthotopic murine tumor models. In the course of these studies, radioprotection of normal tissues and organs in the field of radiation was observed both in a clinical trial for prostate cancer and in preclinical models. The mechanisms of radiosensitization and radioprotection mediated by soy isoflavones are discussed and emphasize the role of soy isoflavones in increasing radiation effect on tumor and mitigating inflammatory responses induced by radiation in normal tissues. Soy isoflavones could be used as a safe, nontoxic complementary strategy that simultaneously increases radiation effectiveness on the malignancy while reducing damage in normal tissues in the field of radiation.

Isoliquiritin Apioside Suppresses in vitro Invasiveness and Angiogenesis of Cancer Cells and Endothelial Cells

Several components isolated from Glycyrrhizae radix rhizome (GR), including glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, and liquiritigenin, have been shown to induce cancer cell death and inhibit cancer metastasis. Isoliquiritin apioside (ISLA), a component isolated from GR, has been effective for treating tetanic contraction and genotoxicity. However, the effects of ISLA on the metastasis and angiogenesis of malignant cancer cells and endothelial cells (ECs) have not been reported. In this study, we found that up to 100 μM ISLA did not affect cell proliferation but efficiently suppressed the metastatic ability of HT1080 cells, as assessed by scratch-wound migration, Transwell^® migration, scratch-wound invasion, Transwell^® invasion, and three-dimensional spheroid invasion. ISLA significantly decreased phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced increases in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities and suppressed PMA-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase as well as NF-κB, which are involved in cancer metastasis. In addition, ILSA treatment reduced the production of pro-angiogenic factors in HT1080 cells, including MMP-9, placental growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor under normoxia as well as hypoxia conditions, by impairing the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α pathway. We also found that the abilities of human umbilical vein ECs to migrate across the Transwell^® and to form tube-like structures were significantly reduced by ISLA treatment. Moreover, using the chorioallantoic membrane assay, vessel formation with or without vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly suppressed by ISLA. These results suggested that ISLA possesses anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic abilities in malignant cancer cells and ECs, with no cytotoxicity. ISLA may therefore be a safe and effective lead compound to develop anti-cancer drug for limiting the spread of primary tumors to distant organs to form secondary tumors.

Inhibition of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling with leonurine for ameliorating the progression of osteoarthritis: In vitro and in vivo studies

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized as the degeneration and destruction of articular cartilage. In recent decades, leonurine (LN), the main active component in medical and edible dual purpose plant Herba Leonuri, has been shown associated with potent anti-inflammatory effects in several diseases. In the current study, we examined the protective effects of LN in the inhibition of OA development as well as its underlying mechanism both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) induced over-production of prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha were all inhibited significantly by the pretreatment of LN at a dose-dependent manner (5, 10, and 20 µM). Moreover, the expression of thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5) and metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) was downregulated by LN. All these changes led to the IL-1β induced degradation of extracellular matrix. Mechanistically, the LN suppressed IL-1β induced activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway cascades. Meanwhile, it was also demonstrated in our molecular docking studies that LN had strong binding abilities to PI3K. In addition, LN was observed exerting protective effects in a surgical induced model of OA. To sum up, this study indicated LN could be applied as a promising therapeutic agent in the treatment of OA.

Slfn2 Regulates Type I Interferon Responses by Modulating the NF-κB Pathway

Although members of the Slfn family have been implicated in the regulation of type I interferon (IFN) responses, the mechanisms by which they mediate their effects remain unknown. In the present study, we provide evidence that targeted disruption of the Slfn2 gene leads to increased transcription of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) and enhanced type I IFN-mediated antiviral responses. We demonstrate that Slfn2 interacts with protein phosphatase 6 regulatory subunit 1 (PPP6R1), leading to reduced type I IFN-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, resulting in reduced expression of ISGs. Altogether, these data suggest a novel mechanism by which Slfn2 controls ISG expression and provide evidence for a critical role for Slfn2 in the regulation of IFN-mediated biological responses.

Over-expression of nuclear factor-κB family genes and inflammatory molecules is related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling plays essential roles in inflammatory responses. However, whether the expression levels of NF-κB family genes affect inflammatory responses is unclear. Moreover, little is known regarding the association between NF-κB family genes expression and the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study was undertaken to assess the relationship between the expression levels of NF-κB family genes mRNA and of inflammatory markers relevant to COPD pathogenesis.

Methods

A total of 186 unrelated patients with acute exacerbations of COPD and 180 healthy controls were recruited. Total RNA was extracted from the peripheral fasting blood of each subject using trizol reagent. The mRNA levels of NF-κB family genes (NF-κB1, NF-κB2 and c-REL) were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The serum levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-α were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

Results

The relative mRNA levels of the NF-κB family genes and the levels of inflammatory molecules were significantly higher in the COPD group than in the control group after adjustment for smoking. The IL-1β, IL-8 and COX-2 levels were significantly lower in the NF-κB2 under-expression subgroup as compared to the NF-κB2 over-expression subgroup. The COX-2 level was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the c-REL under-expression subgroup as compared to the c-REL over-expression subgroup.

Conclusion

NF-κB2 over-expression was associated with IL-1β, IL-8 and COX-2 levels, whereas c-REL overexpression was associated with COX-2 level. Over-expression of both NF-κB2 and c-REL was found to be related to COPD.