Coenzyme Q10 Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Induces Treg in Graft Versus Host Disease

Nutraceuticals in Viral Infections: An Overview of the Immunomodulating Properties

Nutraceuticals, including vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc, lactoferrin, polyphenols coenzyme Q, magnesium, and selenium, are implicated in the modulation of the complex molecular pathways involved in the immune response against viral pathogens. A common element of the activity of nutraceuticals is their ability to enhance the innate immune response against pathogens by acting on the major cellular subsets and inducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. In some cases, this action is accompanied by a direct antimicrobial effect, as evidenced in the specific case of lactoferrin. Furthermore, nutraceuticals act through complex molecular mechanisms to minimize the damage caused by the activation of the immune system against pathogens, reducing the oxidative damage, influencing the antigen presentation, enhancing the differentiation and proliferation of regulatory T cells, driving the differentiation of lymphocyte subsets, and modulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this paper, we review the main molecular mechanisms responsible for the immunomodulatory function of nutraceuticals, focusing on the most relevant aspects for the prevention and treatment of viral infections.

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate amplifies Treg differentiation via increased IL-2 expression to ameliorate DSS-induced colitis

Blocking the mevalonate pathway for cholesterol reduction by using statin may have adverse effects including statin-induced colitis. Moreover, one of the predisposing factors for colitis is an imbalanced CD4⁺ T cell, which can be observed on the complete deletion of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), a target of statins. In this study, we inquired geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) is responsible for maintaining the T-cell homeostasis. Following dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, simvastatin increased the severity of disease, while cotreatment with GGPP, but not with cholesterol, reversed the disease magnitude. GGPP ameliorated DSS-induced colitis by increasing T_reg cells. GGPP amplified T_reg differentiation through increased IL-2/STAT 5 signaling. GGPP prenylated Ras protein, a prerequisite for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway activation, leading to increased IL-2 production. Higher simvastatin dose increased the severity of colitis. GGPP ameliorated simvastatin-increased colitis by increasing T_reg cells. T_reg cells, which have the capacity to suppress inflammatory T cells and were generated through IL-2/STAT5 signaling, increased IL-2 production through prenylation and activation of the Ras/ERK pathway.

Protective Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Acute Sepsis-Induced Liver Injury in BALB/c Mice

Sepsis increases the risk of the liver injury development. According to the research works, coenzyme Q10 exhibits hepatoprotective properties in vivo as well as in vitro. Current work aimed at investigating the protective impacts of coenzyme Q10 against liver injury in septic BALB/c mice. The male BALB/c mice were randomly segregated into 4 groups: the control group, the coenzyme Q10 treatment group, the puncture and cecal ligation group, and the coenzyme Q10+cecal ligation and puncture group. Cecal ligation and puncture was conducted after gavagaging the mice with coenzyme Q10 during two weeks. Following 48 h postcecal ligation and puncture, we estimated hepatic biochemical parameters and histopathological changes in hepatic tissue. We evaluated the expression of factors associated with autophagy, pyroptosis, and inflammation. Findings indicated that coenzyme Q10 decreased the plasma levels in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase in the cecal ligation and puncture group. Coenzyme Q10 significantly inhibited the elevation of sequestosome-1, interleukin-1β, oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 and nucleotide-binding, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α expression levels; coenzyme Q10 also increased beclin 1 levels. Coenzyme Q10 might be a significant agent in the treatment of liver injury induced by sepsis.

Age-related mitochondrial dysfunction as a key factor in COVID-19 disease

SARS-CoV-2 causes a severe pneumonia (COVID-19) that affects essentially elderly people. In COVID-19, macrophage infiltration into the lung causes a rapid and intense cytokine storm leading finally to a multi-organ failure and death. Comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, lung and cardiovascular diseases, all of them age-associated diseases, increase the severity and lethality of COVID-19. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the hallmarks of aging and COVID-19 risk factors. Dysfunctional mitochondria is associated with defective immunological response to viral infections and chronic inflammation. This review discuss how mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with defective immune response in aging and different age-related diseases, and with many of the comorbidities associated with poor prognosis in the progression of COVID-19. We suggest here that chronic inflammation caused by mitochondrial dysfunction is responsible of the explosive release of inflammatory cytokines causing severe pneumonia, multi-organ failure and finally death in COVID-19 patients. Preventive treatments based on therapies improving mitochondrial turnover, dynamics and activity would be essential to protect against COVID-19 severity.

Liposome/gold hybrid nanoparticle encoded with CoQ10 (LGNP-CoQ10) suppressed rheumatoid arthritis via STAT3/Th17 targeting

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Although CoQ10 has not been approved as medication by the Food and Drug Administration, it is widely used in dietary supplements. Some studies have shown that CoQ10 has anti-inflammatory effects on various autoimmune disorders. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of liposome/gold hybrid nanoparticles encoded with CoQ10 (LGNP-CoQ10). Both CoQ10 and LGNP-CoQ10 were administered orally to mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) for 10 weeks. The inflammation pathology of joint tissues of CIA mice was then analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin and Safranin O staining, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis. We obtained immunofluorescence staining images of spleen tissues using confocal microscopy. We found that pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased in LGNP-CoQ10 injected mice. Th17 cell and phosphorylated STAT3-expressed cell populations were also decreased in LGNP-CoQ10 injected mice. When human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated with CoQ10 and LGNP-CoQ10, the IL-17 expression of PBMCs in the LGNP-CoQ10-treated group was significantly reduced. Together, these results suggest that LGNP-CoQ10 has therapeutic potential for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Systemic Redox Imbalance in Patients with Chronic Granulomatous Disease

The aim of our study was to evaluate redox status, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant barriers, oxidative damage of proteins, lipids and DNA, as well as concentration of coenzyme Q10 and vitamins A and E in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). The study was performed on fifteen Caucasian individuals (median age 24 years and seven months) diagnosed with CGD. The mutation in the NCF1 gene was confirmed in ten patients, and in the CYBB gene in five patients. We demonstrated high levels of total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI), lipids (↑8-isoprostanes (8-isoP), ↑4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)), proteins (↑advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP)) and DNA (↑8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)) oxidation products in CGD individuals as compared to sex- and age-matched healthy controls. We showed enhanced serum enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD) and significantly decreased coenzyme Q10 concentration. Our study confirmed redox disturbances and increased oxidative damage in CGD patients, and indicated the need to compare redox imbalance depending on the type of mutation and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity. The question regarding effectiveness of antioxidant therapy in patients with CGD is open, and the need to establish guidelines in this area remains to be addressed.

Effect of miR-744 on Ameliorating Heart Allograft Rejection in BALB/c Mice Via Regulation of TNFRSF4 Expression in Regulatory T Cells

CD134 (TNFRSF4) is a member of the TNFR superfamily, which is specifically expressed on T cells. Previous studies have shown that blocking of CD134L-CD134 interaction reduces the percentage of activated T cells and prevents effector T cell-mediated graft rejection in heart transplantation. However, the role of microRNA-regulated inhibition of the CD134 signal in cardiac transplantation of T-regulatory (Treg) cells is not clear. In this study, we found microRNA 744 (miR-744) agomir administration enhanced the expression levels of miR-744 in CD4⁺CD25⁺ Treg cells from heart transplantation mice. Moreover, miR-744 agomir administration significantly enhanced the expression levels of CD62L and Ki67 in CD4⁺CD25⁺ Treg cells from heart transplantation mice and further enhanced immunosuppressive function of Treg cells following coculture with CD4⁺CD25^- T cells for different ratios. In addition, miR-744 agomir treatment significantly prolonged survival time and reduced rejection response of heart allografts in vivo, which are involved in downregulation of TNFRSF4 expression. These results provided a novel molecular mechanism of ameliorating heart allograft rejection in Treg cells, which could be used in the treatment of heart allograft rejection clinically.

RIPK1 inhibition attenuates experimental autoimmune arthritis via suppression of osteoclastogenesis

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic inflammatory disease characterized by upregulation of inflammatory cell death and osteoclastogenesis. Necrostatin (NST)-1s is a chemical inhibitor of receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase (RIPK)1, which plays a role in necroptosis.

Methods

We investigated whether NST-1s decreases inflammatory cell death and inflammatory responses in a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

Results

NST-1s decreased the progression of CIA and the synovial expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, NST-1s treatment decreased the expression of necroptosis mediators such as RIPK1, RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL). In addition, NST-1s decreased osteoclastogenesis in vitro and in vivo. NST-1s downregulated T helper (Th)1 and Th17 cell expression, but promoted Th2 and regulatory T (Treg) cell expression in CIA mice.

Conclusions

These results suggest that NST-1s attenuates CIA progression via the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and might be a potential therapeutic agent for RA therapy.

Coenzyme Q10 Inhibits Th17 and STAT3 Signaling Pathways to Ameliorate Colitis in Mice

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant substance synthesized in the body. The current study aimed to determine whether CoQ10 suppresses inflammation and inhibits p-STAT3 expression in an experimental colitis mouse model. The mice were orally fed with CoQ10 once a day for 13 days. Histological analysis of the colons was performed by immunohistochemistry. Expression of IL-17, FOXP3, p53, AMPK, and mTOR and activation of p-STAT3 and p-STAT5 in lymph node and spleen tissues were detected by confocal microscopy of stained tissue sections. The relative mRNA expression was measured with real-time PCR, and protein levels were examined by western blot. CoQ10 reduced the disease activity index score and the colon histological score. It also reduced inflammatory mediators in the colon and increased the colon length. The expression of IL-17 and p-STAT3 was decreased with CoQ10 treatment. In contrast, CoQ10 treatment increased the expression of p-AMPK and FOXP3. Expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines was shown to increase in colitis mice treated with CoQ10. These results suggested that CoQ10 may reduce the severity of colitis and suppress inflammation through the inhibition of p-STAT3 and IL-17. These results support the use of CoQ10 as a potential targeted therapy for the treatment of colitis.