NOD-like receptors mediate inflammatory lung injury during plateau hypoxia exposure

Huangqi Baihe Granules alleviate hypobaric hypoxia-induced acute lung injury in rats by suppressing oxidative stress and the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Huangqi Baihe Granules (HQBHG) are a modified formulation based on the traditional recipe "Huangqi Baihe porridge" and the Dunhuang medical prescription "Cistanche Cistanche Soup." The Herbal medicine moistens the lungs and tones the kidneys in addition to replenishing Qi and feeding Yin, making it an ideal choice for enhancing adaptability to high-altitude hypoxic environments.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to examine a potential molecular mechanism for the treatment and prevention of hypoxic acute lung injury (ALI) in rats using Huangqi Baihe Granules.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The HCP-III laboratory animal low-pressure simulation chamber was utilized to simulate high-altitude environmental exposure and establish an ALI model in rats. The severity of lung damage was evaluated using a battery of tests that included spirometry, a wet/dry lung ratio, H&E staining, and transmission electron microscopy. Using immunofluorescence, the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lung tissue was determined. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in lung tissue were determined using this kit. Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and antiinflammatory cytokines like interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Gene expression changes in lung tissue were identified using transcriptomics, and the relative expression of proteins and mRNA involved in the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65)/Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway were determined using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

HQBHG was shown to enhance lung function considerably, decrease the wet/dry ratio of the lungs, attenuate lung tissue damage, suppress ROS and MDA formation, and increase SOD activity and GSH expression. The research also demonstrated that HQBHG inhibited the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB p65/NLPR3 signaling pathway in lung tissue, reducing the release of downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines.

CONCLUSIONS

HQBHG exhibits potential therapeutic effects against ALI induced by altitude hypoxia through suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory response. This suggests it may be a novel drug for treating and preventing ALI.

Repeated intratracheal instillation of whole-cigarette smoke condensate to assess lung damage in a rat model

Cigarette smoke induces an inflammatory response in the lungs by recruiting inflammatory cells, leading to lung diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis. Existing inhalation exposure methods for assessing the adverse effects of cigarette smoke require expensive equipment and are labor-intensive. Therefore, we attempted to develop a novel method to assess these adverse effects using intratracheal instillation (ITI) of whole cigarette smoke condensate (WCSC). The WCSC (0, 5, 10, or 20 mg/mL) was administered by ITI once daily for 6 or 12 days using an automatic video instillator. Repeated WCSC ITI increased the lung weight, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), neutrophil, and lymphocyte levels within bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared to the control. In the histopathological analysis of the lung tissue, a mild inflammatory response was observed in the 6 and 12 days 20 mg/mL WCSC exposure groups. The genome-wide RNA-seq expression patterns revealed that inflammatory and immune response-related genes, such as the chemokine signaling pathway, Th1/Th2 cell differentiation, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, were employed following WCSC exposure. In addition, MCP-1 was time-dependent and increased in the 10 mg/mL exposure group compared to the control group. These results suggested that the WCSC might induce the potential pulmonary inflammatory response. Furthermore, we proposed that ITI may be a rapid and effective method of evaluating the adverse effects of WCSC within a short exposure period (less than 2 weeks), and it can be used to evaluate cigarette inhalation toxicity studies as an alternative method.

Identification of Clinical Prognostic Regulators and Analysis of Ferroptosis-Related Signatures in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a common respiratory malignancy and presents an increasing prevalence. Ferroptosis is a newly identified controlled cell death that has captured clinical attention worldwide. However, the ferroptosis-related lncRNA expression in LUSC and its relevance to prognosis remain elusive.

Methods

The research measured predictive ferroptosis-related lncRNAs in LUSC samples from the TCGA datasets. Data on the stemness indices (mRNAsi) and corresponding clinical characteristics were obtained from TCGA. A prognosis model was established using the LASSO regression. Changes within the neoplasm microenvironment (TME) and medicine association were examined to grasp higher immune cell infiltration in numerous risk teams. In line with coexpression studies, the expression of lncRNAs is closely associated with that of ferroptosis. They were overexpressed in unsound people in the absence of alternative clinical symptoms.

Results

The low-risk and speculative teams were considered to have substantial differences in CCR and inflammation-promoting genes. C10orf55, AC016924.1, AL161431.1, LUCAT1, AC104248.1, and MIR3945HG were highly expressed in the high-risk group, suggesting their involvement in the oncology process of LUSC. Moreover, AP006545.2 and AL122125.1 were considerably higher in the low-risk group, implying the potential of these genes as LUSC tumor suppressor genes. The biomarkers listed above may serve as therapeutic targets for LUSC. lncRNAs were also linked to patient outcomes in the LUSC trial.

Conclusion

lncRNAs of ferroptosis were overexpressed in the high-risk cohort without other clinical signs, implying their potential to predict BLCA prognosis. GSEA highlighted immunological and tumor-related pathways in the high-risk group. LUSC occurrence and progression are linked to lncRNAs of ferroptosis. Corresponding prognostic models help forecast the prognosis of LUSC patients. lncRNAs of ferroptosis and associated immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) may serve as potential therapeutic targets in LUSC, which requires further trials. In addition, the lncRNAs of ferroptosis signature offer a viable alternative to predict LUSC, and these ferroptosis-lncRNAs show a prospective research area for LUSC-targeted treatment in the future.

DBDPE upregulates NOD-like receptor signaling to induce NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated HAECs pyroptosis

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), a typical new brominated flame retardant (BFR), is a widespread new pollutant in the environment. Several studies and our previous studies have found that DBDPE can cause aortic endothelial injury and aortic endothelial cell pyroptosis, whereas the molecular mechanism involved has not been elucidated. In this study, we exposed human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) to 25 μmol/L of DBDPE and analyzed the gene expression profiles by Affymetrix PrimeView™ Human Gene Expression Chip. The results showed that 886 genes were differentially expressed in the DBDPE exposure group. Enrichment analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the inflammatory response and NOD-like receptor signal pathway. Gene-gene functional interaction analyses and crossover genes and pathways analyses found that the NOD-like receptor signal pathway may be involved in regulating NLRP3 and IL-18. We found that NOD2 cannot interact with NLRP3 directly through an immunoprecipitation experiment. Thus, we construct the RIPK2 knockdown HAECs cell line to repress the NOD-like receptor signaling and further study the mechanism of DBDPE-activated NLRP3 inflammasome to induce HAECs pyroptosis. The results showed that RIPK2 knockdown could repress DBDPE-induced NOD-like receptor signaling pathway upregulation, inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and decrease HAECs pyroptosis. In addition, RIPK2 knockdown decreased the ROS generation in HAECs induced by DBDPE. And NAC pretreated HAECs inhibited DBDPE-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and HAECs pyroptosis. These results demonstrated that DBDPE upregulated NOD-like receptor signaling to induce ROS generation and, in turn, activated NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to HAECs pyroptosis.

Clinical Evaluation and Exploration of Mechanisms for Modified Xiebai Powder or Modified Xiebai Powder Combined with Western Medicine in the Treatment of Pneumonia

Objective. To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Xiebai Powder or modified Xiebai Powder combined with Western medicine in the treatment of pneumonia and explore its potential mechanism of action. Methods. Meta-analysis was used to screen the eligible literature on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about Xiebai Powder in the treatment of pneumonia, and Review Manager 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the active ingredients in Xiebai Powder and their therapeutic targets, disease-related targets, and intersection targets were screened using methods of network pharmacology, and their biological processes and key signaling pathways were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. Molecular docking was carried out to verify and predict the mechanisms for Xiebai Powder combined with Western medicine in the treatment of pneumonia. Results. A total of 16 papers were screened out, with a total of 1,465 patients. The results of the meta-analysis showed that modified Xiebai Powder or modified Xiebai Powder combined with Western medicine were superior to conventional Western medicine in terms of clinical efficacy, shortening the disappearance time of symptoms (body temperature, cough, and pulmonary rales) and reducing the level of C-reactive protein, and the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly reduced. A total of 40 active ingredients in Xiebai Powder and 285 therapeutic targets of Xiebai Powder combined with azithromycin after deduplication were screened out from the database. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that Xiebai Powder combined with azithromycin might play a role in the treatment of pneumonia through the IL-17 signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and HIF-1 signaling pathway. Conclusions. Modified Xiebai Powder or modified Xiebai Powder combined with azithromycin has better effects in treating pneumonia, and modified Xiebai Powder combined with azithromycin may play a role in treating pneumonia through several pathways such as the IL-17 signaling pathway.

Genome of Laudakia sacra Provides New Insights into High-Altitude Adaptation of Ectotherms

Anan’s rock agama (Laudakia sacra) is a lizard species endemic to the harsh high-altitude environment of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, a region characterized by low oxygen tension and high ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying highland adaptation of ectotherms, we assembled a 1.80-Gb L. sacra genome, which contained 284 contigs with an N50 of 20.19 Mb and a BUSCO score of 93.54%. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that mutations in certain genes, including HIF1A, TIE2, and NFAT family members and genes in the respiratory chain, may be common adaptations to hypoxia among high-altitude animals. Compared with lowland reptiles, MLIP showed a convergent mutation in L. sacra and the Tibetan hot-spring snake (Thermophis baileyi), which may affect their hypoxia adaptation. In L. sacra, several genes related to cardiovascular remodeling, erythropoiesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA repair may also be tailored for adaptation to UV radiation and hypoxia. Of note, ERCC6 and MSH2, two genes associated with adaptation to UV radiation in T. baileyi, exhibited L. sacra-specific mutations that may affect peptide function. Thus, this study provides new insights into the potential mechanisms underpinning high-altitude adaptation in ectotherms and reveals certain genetic generalities for animals’ survival on the plateau.

Chemical characteristics of Rhodiola Crenulata and its mechanism in acute mountain sickness using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with network pharmacology analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Rhodiola crenulata (Hook.f. & Thomson) H.Ohba has a long history of clinical application for the prevention and treatment of acute mountain sickness (AMS) in traditional Chinese medicine. However, gaps in knowledge still exist in understanding the underlying mechanisms of Rhodiola crenulata against AMS.

AIMS

To address this problem, a comprehensive method was established by combining UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis and network pharmacology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ingredients of Rhodiola crenulata were comprehensively analyzed using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method. On this basis, a network pharmacology method incorporated target prediction, protein-protein interaction network, gene enrichment analysis and components-targets-pathways network was performed. Finally, the possible mechanisms were verified through molecular docking, in vitro and in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

A total of 106 constituents of Rhodiola crenulata were charactered via UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The 98 potentially active compounds out of 106 were screened and corresponded to 53 anti-AMS targets. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that hypoxia and inflammation related genes may be the central factors for Rhodiola crenulata to modulate AMS. Molecular docking revealed that TNF, VEGFA and HIF-1α had high affinities to Rhodiola crenulata compounds. Subsequently, Rhodiola crenulata extract was indicated to inhibit the protein expression level of TNF in hypoxia induced H9c2 cells. Lastly, Rhodiola crenulata extract was further verified to ameliorate heart injury and decreased the heart levels of TNF, VEGFA and HIF-1α in acute hypoxia-induced rats.

CONCLUSIONS

This study used UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis and a network pharmacology to provide an important reference for revealing the potential mechanism of Rhodiola crenulata in the prevention and treatment of AMS.

Topotecan reduces sepsis-induced acute lung injury and decreases the inflammatory response via the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway

This study aims to determine the function of topotecan (TPT) in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by sepsis. The mouse sepsis model was constructed through cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The ALI score and lung wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio were applied to evaluate the level of lung injury. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to examine the role of TPT in lung tissue in a CLP-induced ALI mouse model. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the concentrations of inflammatory factors, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Western blot was used to detect relevant protein levels in the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Moreover, 10-day survival was recorded by constructing the CLP model. The results indicated that TPT could improve lung tissue damage in mice and could significantly reduce lung injury scores (p < 0.01) and the W/D ratio (p < 0.05). Treatment with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate obtained the similar results with the TPT treatment. Both significantly reduced the inflammatory response in the lungs, including reducing the number of neutrophils and total cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), significantly reducing the total protein concentration of the BALF, and significantly inhibiting the activity of MPO. Both also inhibited inflammatory cytokine expression and the levels of NF-κB pathway proteins induced by sepsis. Furthermore, TPT significantly improved survival in sepsis. TPT improves ALI in the CLP model by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, preventing fatal inflammation.