Inhibition of miR-155 potentially protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury through the IRF2BP2-NFAT1 pathway

Use of microRNAs as Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Tools for Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive and common type of cancer within the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the vast knowledge of its physiopathology and histology, its etiology at the molecular level has not been completely understood. Thus, attaining a cure has not been possible yet and it remains one of the deadliest types of cancer. Usually, GB is diagnosed when some symptoms have already been presented by the patient. This diagnosis is commonly based on a physical exam and imaging studies, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), together with or followed by a surgical biopsy. As these diagnostic procedures are very invasive and often result only in the confirmation of GB presence, it is necessary to develop less invasive diagnostic and prognostic tools that lead to earlier treatment to increase GB patients' quality of life. Therefore, blood-based biomarkers (BBBs) represent excellent candidates in this context. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that have been demonstrated to be very stable in almost all body fluids, including saliva, serum, plasma, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CFS), semen, and breast milk. In addition, serum-circulating and exosome-contained miRNAs have been successfully used to better classify subtypes of cancer at the molecular level and make better choices regarding the best treatment for specific cases. Moreover, as miRNAs regulate multiple target genes and can also act as tumor suppressors and oncogenes, they are involved in the appearance, progression, and even chemoresistance of most tumors. Thus, in this review, we discuss how dysregulated miRNAs in GB can be used as early diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers as well as molecular markers to subclassify GB cases and provide more personalized treatments, which may have a better response against GB. In addition, we discuss the therapeutic potential of miRNAs, the current challenges to their clinical application, and future directions in the field.

Genetic deficiency of the transcription factor NFAT1 confers protection against fibrogenic responses independent of immune influx

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is marked by unremitting matrix deposition and architectural distortion. Multiple profibrotic pathways contribute to the persistent activation of mesenchymal cells (MCs) in fibrosis, highlighting the need to identify and target common signaling pathways. The transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT1) lies downstream of second messenger calcium signaling and has been recently shown to regulate key profibrotic mediator autotaxin (ATX) in lung MCs. Herein, we investigate the role of NFAT1 in regulating fibroproliferative responses during the development of lung fibrosis. Nfat1-/--deficient mice subjected to bleomycin injury demonstrated improved survival and protection from lung fibrosis and collagen deposition as compared with bleomycin-injured wild-type (WT) mice. Chimera mice, generated by reconstituting bone marrow cells from WT or Nfat1-/- mice into irradiated WT mice (WT→WT and Nfat1-/-→WT), demonstrated no difference in bleomycin-induced fibrosis, suggesting immune influx-independent fibroprotection in Nfat1-/- mice. Examination of lung tissue and flow sorted lineageneg/platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα)pos MCs demonstrated decreased MC numbers, proliferation [↓ cyclin D1 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation], myofibroblast differentiation [↓ α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)], and survival (↓ Birc5) in Nfat1-/- mice. Nfat1 deficiency abrogated ATX expression in response to bleomycin in vivo and MCs derived from Nfat1-/- mice demonstrated decreased ATX expression and migration in vitro. Human IPF MCs demonstrated constitutive NFAT1 activation, and regulation of ATX in these cells by NFAT1 was confirmed using pharmacological and genetic inhibition. Our findings identify NFAT1 as a critical mediator of profibrotic processes, contributing to dysregulated lung remodeling and suggest its targeting in MCs as a potential therapeutic strategy in IPF.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disease with hallmarks of fibroblastic foci and exuberant matrix deposition, unknown etiology, and ineffective therapies. Several profibrotic/proinflammatory pathways are implicated in accelerating tissue remodeling toward a honeycombed end-stage disease. NFAT1 is a transcriptional factor activated in IPF tissues. Nfat1-deficient mice subjected to chronic injury are protected against fibrosis independent of immune influxes, with suppression of profibrotic mesenchymal phenotypes including proliferation, differentiation, resistance to apoptosis, and autotaxin-related migration.

Role of nuclear factor of activated T Cells-1 in Sepsis-induced behavioral deficits in mice

INTRODUCTION

The nuclear factor of activated T cells-1 (NFAT1) is involved in both neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. In this study, we examined the role of NFAT1 in sepsis-induced cognitive impairment in a mouse model.

METHODS

Sepsis was established in adult mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Novel object recognition tests on days 14-21 and fear conditioning tests on days 22-23 post-surgery showed that CLP impaired both behaviors. BV2 microglia cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to examine the effects of short interfering RNA targeting NFAT1 on autophagy and inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

CLP increased the expression of NFAT1 in hippocampal microglia and induced hippocampal autophagy by downregulating p62, upregulating beclin-1 and autophagy-related gene-5, and increasing the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-I (LC3-I) to LC3-II. In addition, CLP shifted microglial polarization from M2 to M1 and the production of inflammatory cytokines, similar to the effects of lipopolysaccharide on BV2 microglia cells. Conversely, NFAT1 knockdown or the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine attenuated the effects of CLP on autophagy and inflammation in vitro and in vivo, while rapamycin partially reversed the protective effects of NFAT1 inhibition.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that NFAT1 downregulation attenuates sepsis-induced behavioral deficits by inhibiting autophagy, microglia polarization, and neuroinflammation..

Stellate ganglion block relieves acute lung injury induced by severe acute pancreatitis via the miR-155-5p/SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 axis

Acute lung injury (ALI), a prevalent complication of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), is also a leading contributor to respiratory failure and even death of SAP patients. Here, we intended to investigate the function and mechanism of stellate ganglion block (SGB) in ameliorating SAP-induced ALI (SAP-ALI). We engineered an SAP-ALI model in rats and treated them with SGB. HE staining and the dry and wet method were implemented to evaluate pathological alterations in the tissues and pulmonary edema. The rats serum changes of the profiles of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-10 were examined. The profiles of miR-155-5p and SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 were detected. Functional assays were performed for confirming the role of miR-155-5p in modulating the SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 pathway in pulmonary epithelial cells. Our findings revealed that SGB vigorously alleviated SAP rat lung tissue damage and lung edema and lessened the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. SGB enhanced SOCS5 expression, hampered miR-155-5p, and suppressed JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation. As evidenced by mechanism studies, miR-155-5p targeted the 3′UTR of SOCS5 and repressed its expression, hence resulting in JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation. During animal trials, we discovered that SGB ameliorated SAP-ALI, boosted SOCS5 expression, and mitigated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and miR-155-5p in the plasma. In vitro, miR-155-5p overexpression substantially facilitated pulmonary epithelial cell apoptosis, inflammation, and JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation and restrained SOCS5 expression. All in all, our work hinted that SGB could modulate the miR-155-5p/SOCS5/JAK2/STAT3 axis to alleviate SAP-ALI.

Identification of a novel sepsis prognosis model and analysis of possible drug application prospects: Based on scRNA-seq and RNA-seq data

Sepsis is a disease with a high morbidity and mortality rate. At present, there is a lack of ideal biomarker prognostic models for sepsis and promising studies using prognostic models to predict and guide the clinical use of medications. In this study, 71 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and transcriptome RNA-seq data, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment pathway analyses were performed on these genes. Then, a prognosis model with CCL5, HBD, IFR2BP2, LTB, and WFDC1 as prognostic signatures was successfully constructed after univariate LASSO regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) time curve analysis, internal validation, and principal component analysis (PCA) further validated the model for its high stability and predictive power. Furthermore, based on a risk prediction model, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that multiple cellular functions and immune function signaling pathways were significantly different between the high- and low-risk groups. In-depth analysis of the distribution of immune cells in healthy individuals and sepsis patients using scRNA-seq data revealed immunosuppression in sepsis patients and differences in the abundance of immune cells between the high- and low-risk groups. Finally, the genetic targets of immunosuppression-related drugs were used to accurately predict the potential use of clinical agents in high-risk patients with sepsis.

Expression of MicroRNAs in Sepsis-Related Organ Dysfunction: A Systematic Review

Sepsis is a critical condition characterized by increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and proliferating cells such as neutrophils and macrophages in response to microbial pathogens. Such processes lead to an abnormal inflammatory response and multi-organ failure. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are single-stranded non-coding RNAs with the function of gene regulation. This means that miRNAs are involved in multiple intracellular pathways and thus contribute to or inhibit inflammation. As a result, their variable expression in different tissues and organs may play a key role in regulating the pathophysiological events of sepsis. Thanks to this property, miRNAs may serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in such life-threatening events. In this narrative review, we collect the results of recent studies on the expression of miRNAs in heart, blood, lung, liver, brain, and kidney during sepsis and the molecular processes in which they are involved. In reviewing the literature, we find at least 122 miRNAs and signaling pathways involved in sepsis-related organ dysfunction. This may help clinicians to detect, prevent, and treat sepsis-related organ failures early, although further studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of their potential contribution.

Expression and 7-day time course of circulating microRNAs in septic patients treated with nephrotoxic antibiotic agents

Background

Through regulation of signaling pathways, microRNAs (miRNAs) can be involved in sepsis and associated organ dysfunction. The aims of this study were to track the 7-day time course of blood miRNAs in patients with sepsis treated with vancomycin, gentamicin, or a non-nephrotoxic antibiotic and miRNA associations with neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipokalin (NGAL), creatinine, procalcitonin, interleukin-6, and acute kidney injury (AKI) stage.

Methods

Of 46 adult patients, 7 were on vancomycin, 20 on gentamicin, and 19 on another antibiotic. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 4, and 7 of treatment, and miRNAs were identified using quantitative reverse transcription PCR.

Results

The results showed no relationship between miRNA levels and biochemical variables on day 1. By day 7 of gentamicin treatment miR-15a-5p provided good discrimination between AKI and non-AKI (area under curve, 0.828). In patients taking vancomycin, miR-155-5p and miR-192-5p positively correlated with creatinine and NGAL values, and miR-192-5p and miR-423-5p positively correlated with procalcitonin and interleukin-6 in patients treated with a non-nephrotoxic antibiotic. In patients together we found positive correlation between miR-155-5p and miR-423-5p and all biochemical markers.

Conclusion

The results suggest that these four miRNAs may serve as diagnostic or therapeutic tool in sepsis, renal injury and nephrotoxic treatment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT04991376. Registered on 27 July 2021.

Post‑treatment with propofol inhibits inflammatory response in LPS‑induced alveolar type II epithelial cells

Over-inflammation and severe lung injury are major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). With the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of patients with preexisting lung injury and inflammation are undergoing surgery or artificial ventilation under sedation in intensive care units, where 2,6-diisopropylphenol (propofol) is a commonly used drug for sedation. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether post-inflammation treatment with propofol protects epithelial type II cells against inflammation in an in vitro model of inflammation. The A549 cell line, characterised as epithelial type II cells, were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 2 h and subsequently treated with different concentrations of propofol (0, 10, 25 or 50 µM) for 3 h. Western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analyses were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels, respectively, of CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the in situ CD14 and TLR4 expression in epithelial type II cells. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production was also examined using ELISA. LPS significantly increased the expression of CD14 and TLR4, as well as the secretion of TNF-α. Post-treatment with 25 and 50 µM propofol of the LPS-treated cells significantly decreased CD14 and TLR4 expression, as well as TNF-α secretion, compared with the cells treated with LPS only, indicating that post-treatment with propofol alleviated inflammation and this effect was dose-dependent. The present study suggested that treatment with propofol after LPS administration has a protective effect on epithelial type II cells.

A novel FBW7/NFAT1 axis regulates cancer immunity in sunitinib-resistant renal cancer by inducing PD-L1 expression

Background

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) alone and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown to be beneficial for the survival of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients, but resistance to targeted therapy and ICIs is common in the clinic. Understanding the underlying mechanism is critical for further prolonging the survival of renal cancer patients. Nuclear factor of activated T cell 1 (NFAT1) is expressed in immune and nonimmune cells, and the dysregulation of NFAT1 contributes to the progression of various type of malignant tumors. However, the specific role of NFAT1 in RCC is elusive. As a regulator of the immune response, we would like to systemically study the role of NFAT1 in RCC.

Methods

TCGA-KIRC dataset analysis, Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR analysis was used to determine the clinic-pathological characteristic of NFAT1 in RCC. CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays and xenograft assays were performed to examine the biological role of NFAT1 in renal cancer cells. RNA-seq analysis was used to examine the pathways changed after NFAT1 silencing. ChIP-qPCR, coimmunoprecipitation analysis, Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR analysis were applied to explore the mechanism by NAFT1 was regulated in the renal cancer cells.

Results

In our study, we found that NFAT1 was abnormally overexpressed in RCC and that NFAT1 overexpression was associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Then, we showed that NFAT1 enhanced tumor growth and regulated the immune response by increasing PD-L1 expression in RCC. In addition, we demonstrated that NFAT1 was stabilized in sunitinib-resistant RCC via hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Furthermore, our study indicated that downregulation of the expression of FBW7, which promotes NFAT1 degradation, was induced by FOXA1 and SETD2 in sunitinib-resistant RCC. Finally, FBW7 was found to contribute to modulating the immune response in RCC.

Conclusions

Our data reveal a novel role for the FBW7/NFAT1 axis in the RCC response to TKIs and ICIs. NFAT1 and its associated signaling pathway might be therapeutic targets for RCC treatment, especially when combined with ICIs and/or TKIs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02253-0.

Research Progress in Chinese Herbal Medicines for Treatment of Sepsis: Pharmacological Action, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacokinetics

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection; the pathophysiology of sepsis is complex. The incidence of sepsis is steadily increasing, with worldwide mortality ranging between 30% and 50%. Current treatment approaches mainly rely on the timely and appropriate administration of antimicrobials and supportive therapies, but the search for pharmacotherapies modulating the host response has been unsuccessful. Chinese herbal medicines, i.e., Chinese patent medicines, Chinese herbal prescriptions, and single Chinese herbs, play an important role in the treatment of sepsis through multicomponent, multipathway, and multitargeting abilities and have been officially recommended for the management of COVID-19. Chinese herbal medicines have therapeutic actions promising for the treatment of sepsis; basic scientific research on these medicines is increasing. However, the material bases of most Chinese herbal medicines and their underlying mechanisms of action have not yet been fully elucidated. This review summarizes the current studies of Chinese herbal medicines used for the treatment of sepsis in terms of clinical efficacy and safety, pharmacological activity, phytochemistry, bioactive constituents, mechanisms of action, and pharmacokinetics, to provide an important foundation for clarifying the pathogenesis of sepsis and developing novel antisepsis drugs based on Chinese herbal medicines.

RETRACTED: LncRNA NEAT1 inhibition upregulates miR-16-5p to restrain the progression of sepsis-induced lung injury via suppressing BRD4 in a mouse model

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. Concern was raised about the reliability of the Western blot results in Figs. 5B and 6B, which appear to have the same eyebrow shaped phenotype as many other publications tabulated here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/149EjFXVxpwkBXYJOnOHb6RhAqT4a2llhj9LM60MBffM/edit#gid=0 [docs.google.com]). The journal requested the corresponding author comment on these concerns and provide the raw data. However, the authors were not responsive to the request for comment. Since original data could not be provided, the overall validity of the results could not be confirmed. Therefore, the Editor-in-Chief decided to retract the article.

CTRP12 ameliorates atherosclerosis by promoting cholesterol efflux and inhibiting inflammatory response via the miR-155-5p/LXRα pathway

C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 12 (CTRP12), a conserved paralog of adiponectin, is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about its role in atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of CTRP12 on atherosclerosis and explore the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that lentivirus-mediated CTRP12 overexpression inhibited lipid accumulation and inflammatory response in lipid-laden macrophages. Mechanistically, CTRP12 decreased miR-155-5p levels and then increased its target gene liver X receptor α (LXRα) expression, which increased ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)- and ABCG1-dependent cholesterol efflux and promoted macrophage polarization to the M2 phenotype. Injection of lentiviral vector expressing CTRP12 decreased atherosclerotic lesion area, elevated plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, promoted reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), and alleviated inflammatory response in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice fed a Western diet. Similar to the findings of in vitro experiments, CTRP12 overexpression diminished miR-155-5p levels but increased LXRα, ABCA1, and ABCG1 expression in the aortas of apoE-/- mice. Taken together, these results suggest that CTRP12 protects against atherosclerosis by enhancing RCT efficiency and mitigating vascular inflammation via the miR-155-5p/LXRα pathway. Stimulating CTRP12 production could be a novel approach for reducing atherosclerosis.