Protection by the Eph–Ephrin System Against Mesenteric Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

The Eph/ephrin system symphony of gut inflammation

The extent of gut inflammation depends largely on the gut barrier's integrity and enteric neuroimmune interactions. However, the factors and molecular mechanisms that regulate inflammation-related changes in the enteric nervous system (ENS) remain largely unexplored. Eph/ephrin signaling is critical for inflammatory response, neuronal activation, and synaptic plasticity in the brain, but its presence and function in the ENS have been largely unknown to date. This review discusses the critical role of Eph/ephrin in regulating gut homeostasis, inflammation, neuroimmune interactions, and pain pathways. Targeting the Eph/ephrin system offers innovative treatments for gut inflammation disorders, offering hope for enhanced patient prognosis, pain management, and overall quality of life.

UniPR1331: Small Eph/Ephrin Antagonist Beneficial in Intestinal Inflammation by Interfering with Type-B Signaling

Eph receptors, comprising A and B classes, interact with cell-bound ephrins generating bidirectional signaling. Although mainly related to carcinogenesis and organogenesis, the role of Eph/ephrin system in inflammation is growingly acknowledged. Recently, we showed that EphA/ephrin-A proteins can modulate the acute inflammatory responses induced by mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion, while beneficial effects were granted by EphB4, acting as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist, in a murine model of Crohn’s disease (CD). Accordingly, we now aim to evaluate the effects of UniPR1331, a pan-Eph/ephrin antagonist, in TNBS-induced colitis and to ascertain whether UniPR1331 effects can be attributed to A- or B-type signaling interference. The potential anti-inflammatory action of UniPR1331 was compared to those of the recombinant proteins EphA2, a purported EphA/ephrin-A antagonist, and of ephrin-A1-Fc and EphA2-Fc, supposedly activating forward and reverse EphA/ephrin-A signaling, in murine TNBS-induced colitis and in stimulated cultured mononuclear splenocytes. UniPR1331 antagonized the inflammatory responses both in vivo, mimicking EphB4 protection, and in vitro; EphA/ephrin-A proteins were inactive or only weakly effective. Our findings represent a further proof-of-concept that blockade of EphB/ephrin-B signaling is a promising pharmacological strategy for CD management and highlight UniPR1331 as a novel drug candidate, seemingly working through the modulation of immune responses.

Ephs and Ephrins in Adult Endothelial Biology

Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands are important guidance molecules during neurological and vascular development. In recent years, it has become clear that the Eph protein family remains functional in adult physiology. A subset of Ephs and ephrins is highly expressed by endothelial cells. As endothelial cells form the first barrier between the blood and surrounding tissues, maintenance of a healthy endothelium is crucial for tissue homeostasis. This review gives an overview of the current insights of the role of ephrin ligands and receptors in endothelial function and leukocyte recruitment in the (patho)physiology of adult vascular biology.

Targeting the Eph/Ephrin System as Anti-Inflammatory Strategy in IBD

Besides their long-known critical role in embryonic growth and in cancer development and progression, erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma type B (EphB) receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin-B ligands are involved in the modulation of immune responses and in remodeling and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial layer. These processes are critically involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory-based disorders of the gut, like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Accordingly, our aim was to investigate the role of the EphB/ephrin-B system in intestinal inflammation by assessing the local and systemic effects produced by its pharmacological manipulation in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)- (Th1-dependent model) and dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)- (innate response model) induced colitis in mice. To this purpose, we administered chimeric Fc-conjugated proteins, allegedly able to uni-directionally activate either forward (ephrin-B1-Fc) or reverse (EphB1-Fc) signaling, and the soluble monomeric EphB4 extracellular domain protein, that, simultaneously interfering with both signaling pathways, acts as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist.The blockade of the EphB/ephrin-B forward signaling by EphB4 and EphB1-Fc was ineffective against DSS-induced colitis while it evoked remarkable beneficial effects against TNBS colitis: it counteracted all the evaluated inflammatory responses and the changes elicited on splenic T lymphocytes subpopulations, without preventing the appearance of a splice variant of ephrin-B2 gene elicited by the haptenating agent in the colon. Interestingly, EphB4, preferentially displacing EphB4/ephrin-B2 interaction over EphB1/ephrin-B1 binding, was able to promote Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFα) release by splenic mononuclear cells in vitro. On the whole, the collected results point to a potential role of the EphB/ephrin-B system as a pharmacological target in intestinal inflammatory disorders and suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of its blockade seemingly works through the modulation of immune responses, independent of the changes at the transcriptional and translational level of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 genes.

The protective role of IL-1Ra on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury by anti-oxidative stress via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in rat

Background

Intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury is a frequent clinical damage, in which the oxidative stress and inflammation play an important role. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a natural anti-inflammatory factor, however, its effect on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury remains unclear.

Methods

The rat model of intestinal I/R was induced by occlusion (for 60 min) and reopening (for 60 min) of superior mesenteric artery. The rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups: sham-operation(S), model (I/R),10 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C1),20 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C2), and30 mg/kgIL-1Ra + I/R (C3).

Results

In this study it was the first time to confirm that IL-1Ra had a significant protection against the intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury. IL-1Ra not only effectively inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors (such as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and the activation of neutrophil in intestinal tissues, but also decreased the death of intestinal cells and the damages of intestinal tissues. Interestingly, besides anti-inflammation effect, it was also found that IL-1Ra possessed a significant inhibitory effect on the oxidative stress caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury. Furthermore, the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the phosphorylation level of Nrf2 were greatly promoted by IL-1Ra. At the same time, IL-1Ra inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathway.

Conclusion

IL-1Ra had the protective effect against intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury, its mechanism included anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress in which the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway played an important role. The above-mentioned results may extend the clinical application of IL-1Ra in the treatment of intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury.