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Liang Y, Li H, Gan Y, Tu H. Shedding Light on the Role of Neurotransmitters in the Microenvironment of Pancreatic Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:688953. [PMID: 34395421 PMCID: PMC8363299 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.688953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly lethal malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of less than 8%. The fate of PC is determined not only by the malignant behavior of the cancer cells, but also by the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), consisting of various cellular (cancer cells, immune cells, stromal cells, endothelial cells, and neurons) and non-cellular (cytokines, neurotransmitters, and extracellular matrix) components. The pancreatic TME has the unique characteristic of exhibiting increased neural density and altered microenvironmental concentration of neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters, produced by both neuron and non-neuronal cells, can directly regulate the biological behavior of PC cells via binding to their corresponding receptors on tumor cells and activating the intracellular downstream signals. On the other hand, the neurotransmitters can also communicate with other cellular components such as the immune cells in the TME to promote cancer growth. In this review, we will summarize the pleiotropic effects of neurotransmitters on the initiation and progression of PC, and particularly discuss the emerging mechanisms of how neurotransmitters influence the innate and adaptive immune responses in the TME in an autocrine or paracrine manner. A better understanding of the interplay between neurotransmitters and the immune cells in the TME might facilitate the development of new effective therapies for PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyi Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huimin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Munoz-Muriedas J. Large scale meta-analysis of preclinical toxicity data for target characterisation and hypotheses generation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252533. [PMID: 34101743 PMCID: PMC8186779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances in the field of big data have increased our capabilities to query large databases and combine information from different domains and disciplines. In the area of preclinical studies, initiatives like SEND (Standard for Exchange of Nonclinical Data) will also contribute to collect and present nonclinical data in a consistent manner and increase analytical possibilities. With facilitated access to preclinical data and improvements in analytical algorithms there will surely be an expectation for organisations to ensure all the historical data available to them is leveraged to build new hypotheses. These kinds of analyses may soon become as important as the animal studies themselves, in addition to being critical components to achieve objectives aligned with 3Rs. This article proposes the application of meta-analyses at large scale in corporate databases as a tool to exploit data from both preclinical studies and in vitro pharmacological activity assays to identify associations between targets and tissues that can be used as seeds for the development of causal hypotheses to characterise of targets. A total of 833 in-house preclinical toxicity studies relating to 416 compounds reported to be active (pXC50 ≥ 5.5) against a panel of 96 selected targets of interest for potential off-target non desired effects were meta-analysed, aggregating the data in tissue-target pairs. The primary outcome was the odds ratio (OR) of the number of animals with observed events (any morphology, any severity) in treated and control groups in the tissue analysed. This led to a total of 2139 meta-analyses producing a total of 364 statistically significant associations (random effects model), 121 after adjusting by multiple comparison bias. The results show the utility of the proposed approach to leverage historical corporate data and may offer a vehicle for researchers to share, aggregate and analyse their preclinical toxicological data in precompetitive environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Munoz-Muriedas
- Computational Toxicology, Data and Computational Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, London, United Kingdom
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Francelin C, Veneziani LP, Farias ADS, Mendes-da-Cruz DA, Savino W. Neurotransmitters Modulate Intrathymic T-cell Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:668067. [PMID: 33928093 PMCID: PMC8076891 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.668067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of a crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems is well established. Neurotransmitters can be produced by immune cells, whereas cytokines can be secreted by cells of nervous tissues. Additionally, cells of both systems express the corresponding receptors. Herein, we discuss the thymus as a paradigm for studies on the neuroimmune network. The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ responsible for the maturation of T lymphocytes. Intrathymic T-cell development is mostly controlled by the thymic microenvironment, formed by thymic epithelial cells (TEC), dendritic cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts. Developing thymocytes and microenvironmental cells can be influenced by exogenous and endogenous stimuli; neurotransmitters are among the endogenous molecules. Norepinephrine is secreted at nerve endings in the thymus, but are also produced by thymic cells, being involved in controlling thymocyte death. Thymocytes and TEC express acetylcholine receptors, but the cognate neurotransmitter seems to be produced and released by lymphoid and microenvironmental cells, not by nerve endings. Evidence indicates that, among others, TECs also produce serotonin and dopamine, as well as somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and the typical pituitary neurohormones, oxytocin and arg-vasopressin. Although functional data of these molecules in the thymus are scarce, they are likely involved in intrathymic T cell development, as exemplified by somatostatin, which inhibits thymocyte proliferation, differentiation, migration and cytokine production. Overall, intrathymic neuroimmune interactions include various neurotransmitters, most of them of non-neuronal origin, and that should be placed as further physiological players in the general process of T-cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Francelin
- Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Luciana Peixoto Veneziani
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Rio de Janeiro Research Network on Neuroinflammation (RENEURIN), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Dos Santos Farias
- Autoimmune Research Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniella Arêas Mendes-da-Cruz
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wilson Savino
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lifantseva NV, Koneeva TO, Voronova SN, Lutsenko GV, Zakharova LA, Melnikova VI. Expression and the Role of Type 1A Serotonin Receptor in Rats’ Embryonic Thymus. Russ J Dev Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360420050057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Oh HM, Lee JS, Kim SW, Oh YT, Kim WY, Lee SB, Cho YR, Jeon YJ, Cho JH, Son CG. Uwhangchungsimwon, A Standardized Herbal Drug, Exerts an Anti-Depressive Effect in a Social Isolation Stress-Induced Mouse Model. Front Pharmacol 2020; 10:1674. [PMID: 32082167 PMCID: PMC7005224 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Uwhangchungsimwon (UCW) is one of the most representative standardized herbal drugs for the treatment of central nervous system diseases, including mood disorders, and has been used for over 600 years in Korea and China. In spite of the long clinical application of UCW, no experimental evidence for its use against depressive disorders exists. Here, we performed an animal study to investigate the anti-depressive effect of UCW and the underlying mechanisms. Methods A social isolation-induced depressive-like model was produced using C57BL/6J male mice by housing the mice individually for 31 days, and the mice underwent daily oral administration of distilled water, UCW (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) or fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) during the final 17 days. A tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST), and open field test (OFT) were used to explore the effects of UCW on depressive-like behaviors. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was measured in the dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN) using immunofluorescence. The serum corticosterone level was measured with its receptor and catecholamine, along with cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. Results Social isolation stress effectively induced depressive-like behaviors, and UCW treatment significantly improved the symptoms of depressive-like behavior in the FST, TST, and OFT. The isolation stress-induced depletion of 5-HT was significantly ameliorated by UCW treatment. UCW also attenuated the activation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the elevated serum corticosterone level, as well as the hippocampal levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Dexametasone-derived translocation of GR was inhibited by UCW treatment in PC12 cells and HT22 cells. In addition, alterations of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), BDNF, and CREB in the protein analyses were notably regulated by UCW treatment. Conclusions These results provide animal-based evidence for the anti-depressive effect of UCW, and its underlying mechanisms may involve regulating the serotonergic system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and neurotrophin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon-Muk Oh
- College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jin-Seok Lee
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Seo-Woo Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Young-Taeck Oh
- College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Won-Yong Kim
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sung-Bae Lee
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yong-Rae Cho
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yoo-Jin Jeon
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jung-Hyo Cho
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Chang-Gue Son
- Liver and Immunology Research Center, Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
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