Curcumin Attenuates Inflammation in a Severe Acute Pancreatitis Animal Model by Regulating TRAF1/ASK1 Signaling

Nano-curcumin supplementation in patients with mild and moderate acute pancreatitis: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial

We aimed to investigate whether nano-curcumin as an anti-inflammatory agent is effective in patients with mild and moderate AP. This study was a double-blind, parallel-arm randomized controlled trial conducted at Taleghani hospital, Tehran, Iran. Eligible subjects with a diagnosis of mild and moderate AP were randomly assigned to receive either two doses of nano-curcumin (40 mg) or placebo (control) daily for 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was gastrointestinal (GI) ward length of stay (LOS). A total of 42 patients were randomly assigned to receive either nano-curcumin (n = 21) or placebo (n = 21). Compared with placebo, nano-curcumin supplementation decreased hospital LOS (RR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.502-0.894; p = 0.006), reduced the need for analgesics over time (OR = 0.576, 95% CI: 0.421-0.790; p = 0.001), and increased overall appetite score over the study period (β = 0.104, SE: 0.053; p = 0.049). No adverse effects or mortality were reported and there was no withdrawal during the study period. The results indicate that nano-curcumin as an adjuvant therapy is safe and may reduce GI ward LOS, analgesics requirement, and improve the overall appetite in patients with mild and moderate AP. Future multi-center trials with larger sample sizes are required to verify these findings. Clinical trial registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04989166.

TRAF1 improves cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury via inhibition of inflammation and metabolic disorders

BACKGROUND

Cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe clinical complication with no satisfactory therapies in the clinic. Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) plays a vital role in both inflammation and metabolism. However, the TRAF1 effect in cisplatin induced AKI needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

We observed the role of TRAF1 in eight-week-old male mice and mouse proximal tubular cells both treated with cisplatin by examining the indicators associated with kidney injury, apoptosis, inflammation, and metabolism.

RESULTS

TRAF1 expression was decreased in cisplatin-treated mice and mouse proximal tubular cells (mPTCs), suggesting a potential role of TRAF1 in cisplatin-associated kidney injury. TRAF1 overexpression significantly alleviated cisplatin-triggered AKI and renal tubular injury, as demonstrated by reduced serum creatinine (Scr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, as well as the ameliorated histological damage and inhibited upregulation of NGAL and KIM-1. Moreover, the NF-κB activation and inflammatory cytokine production enhanced by cisplatin were significantly blunted by TRAF1. Meanwhile, the increased number of apoptotic cells and enhanced expression of BAX and cleaved Caspase-3 were markedly decreased by TRAF1 overexpression both in vivo and vitro. Additionally, a significant correction of the metabolic disturbance, including perturbations in energy generation and lipid and amino acid metabolism, was observed in the cisplatin-treated mice kidneys.

CONCLUSION

TRAF1 overexpression obviously attenuated cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, possibly by correcting the impaired metabolism, inhibiting inflammation, and blocking apoptosis in renal tubular cells.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

These observations emphasize the novel mechanisms associated to metabolism and inflammation of TRAF1 in cisplatin-induced kidney injury.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage attenuates intestinal mucosal barrier damage through macrophage polarization in severe acute pancreatitis

Abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD), as an effective treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in clinical settings, can ameliorate intestinal barrier damage and the overall severity of SAP. However, the mechanism underlying therapeutic effects of APD on damaged intestinal mucosal barrier during SAP is still unclear. Here, SAP was induced by injecting 5% Na-taurocholate retrograde into the biliopancreatic duct of rats to confirm the benefits of APD on enteral injury of SAP and further explore the possible mechanism. Abdominal catheter was placed after SAP was induced in APD group. As control group, the sham group received no operation except abdominal opening and closure. By comparing changes among control group, sham group, and APD group, APD treatment obviously lowered the intestinal damage and reduced the permeation of intestinal mucosal barrier, which was evidenced by intestinal H&E staining, enteral expression of tight junction proteins, intestinal apoptosis measurement and detection of serum diamine oxidase, intestinal fatty acid binding protein and D-lactic acid. Furthermore, we found that APD polarized intestinal macrophages toward M2 phenotype by the determination of immunofluorescence and western blotting, and this accounts for the benefits of APD for intestinal injury in SAP. Importantly, the protective effect against intestinal injury by APD treatment was mediated through the inhibited ASK1/JNK pathway. In summary, APD improved the intestinal mucosal barrier damage in rats with SAP through an increasing portion of M2 phenotype macrophages in intestine via inhibiting ASK1/JNK pathway.

A Rare Case Report of Herbal Medication Induced Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammation of the pancreas that varies in clinical manifestation from mild to life-threatening that may require hospitalization. A 56-year-old male patient with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis developed acute pancreatitis likely secondary to the use of herbal medication intended for weight loss. Other causes of pancreatitis were excluded. This report describes a case of herbal medication-associated pancreatitis after the exclusion of other causes. The incidence of herbal medication-associated pancreatitis is indeterminate due to inadequate literature on similar cases. The aim of this review is to describe the effect of herbal-based medicines and their counteraction on developing acute pancreatitis.

lncRNA-XLOC_012370 Promotes the Development of Pancreatic Cancer and Inactivates the NF-κB Pathway Through miR-140-5p

Pancreatic cancer is a high incidence, high degree of malignancy, and high mortality in the digestive system tumor. The incidence of pancreatic cancer in China has increased nearly six folds in the past 20 years, ranking fifth in the mortality rate of malignant tumors, so it is particularly important to actively explore clinical indicators with better diagnostic significance for pancreatic cancer. LncRNA performs an essential regulatory function in the occurrence, development, and metastasis of many kinds of tumors, playing both a carcinogenic role and a tumor suppressor gene. Here, we demonstrated the function and mechanism of LncRNA-XLOC_012370 in the development of pancreatic cancer. In our research, the abnormal upregulation of XLOC_012370 was observed in pancreatic cancer patients’ tumor tissues. XLOC_012370 was related to tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and overall survival. Silencing of XLOC_012370 prevented the proliferation, migration, and invasion via the NF-κB signal pathway. Further, miR-140-5p was identified as the target and downstream of XLOC_012370 and involved in pancreatic cancer progression. In vivo, knockdown of XLOC_012370 inhibited tumor growth via the NF-κB signal pathway. In conclusion, lncRNA-XLOC_012370 is closely related to some malignant clinicopathological features and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Thus the miR-140-5p/NF-κB signal pathway might represent a promising treatment strategy to combat pancreatic cancer.

Antidiabetic Properties of Curcumin: Insights on New Mechanisms

Plant extracts have been used to treat a wide range of human diseases. Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenol derived from Curcuma longa L., exhibits therapeutic effects against diabetes while only negligible adverse effects have been observed. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin are the main and well-recognized pharmacological effects that might explain its antidiabetic effects. Additionally, curcumin may regulate novel signaling molecules and enzymes involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes, including glucagon-like peptide-1, dipeptidyl peptidase-4, glucose transporters, alpha-glycosidase, alpha-amylase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). Recent findings from in vitro and in vivo studies on novel signaling pathways involved in the potential beneficial effects of curcumin for the treatment of diabetes are discussed in this review.

Drug discovery and formulation development for acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation and only last for a short time, but might lead to a life-threatening emergency. Traditional drug therapy is an essential supportive method for acute pancreatitis treatment, yet, failed to achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. To date, it is still challenging to develop therapeutic medicine to redress the intricate microenvironment promptly in the inflamed pancreas, and more importantly, avoid multi-organ failure. The understanding of the acute pancreatitis, including the causes, mechanism, and severity judgment, could help the scientists bring up more effective intervention and treatment strategies. New formulation approaches have been investigated to precisely deliver therapeutics to inflammatory lesions in the pancreas, and some even could directly attenuate the pancreatic damages. In this review, we will briefly introduce the involved pathogenesis and underlying mechanisms of acute pancreatitis, as well as the traditional Chinese medicine and the new drug option. Most of all, we will summarize the drug delivery strategies to reduce inflammation and potentially prevent the further development of pancreatitis, with an emphasis on the bifunctional nanoparticles that act as both drug delivery carriers and therapeutics.

The possible protective effect of Nano-Selenium on the endocrine and exocrine pancreatic functions in a rat model of acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis is a serious condition with multi-factorial etiology. The negative impact of acute pancreatitis on the exocrine pancreatic function is well documented; however, its impact on the endocrine function needs more elucidation. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of Nano-Selenium (Nano-Se) on both pancreatic functions in acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

l-arginine induced acute pancreatitis in rats was used as a model. Fifty adult male albino rats were separated into groups: 1- control group (C), 2- C+ Nano-Se, 3-acute pancreatitis group (AP) and 4- AP+ Nano-Se. Nano-Se was administered before induction of acute pancreatitis. Serum levels of amylase, lipase, selenium, glucose, insulin and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured. Homeostatic model assessment of beta cell function (HOMA-β) was also calculated. Oxidative stress markers, selenium content and the anti-apoptotic factor, B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were assayed in pancreatic tissue along with immuno-expression of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB).

RESULTS

Acute pancreatitis negatively affected both pancreatic functions. Nano-Se administration lessened the developed pancreatic injury and improved both pancreatic functions.

CONCLUSION

Nano-Se could improve the deteriorated pancreatic functions in acute pancreatitis via its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and pro-apoptotic actions. Thus, it may be used in prevention of acute pancreatitis and the associated hyperglycemia in vulnerable individuals such as patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography.

Comparing the preventive effect of sodium hydrosulfide, leptin, and curcumin against L-arginine induced acute pancreatitis in rats: role of corticosterone and inducible nitric oxide synthase

OBJECTIVES

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a life-threatening condition. Using antioxidants in AP is insufficient and conflicting. Therefore, this study compared the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), leptin or curcumin pretreatment on AP induced by L-arginine.

METHODS

Forty adult male rats were used and classified into: 1) control; 2) AP group [each rat was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with 2 doses of L-arginine of 250 mg/100 g body weight (b.w.) with an interval of 1 h]; 3) NaHS+AP group (each rat was i.p. injected with 10 mg/kg b.w. of NaHS 1 h before induction of AP); 4) leptin+AP group (each rat was pretreated with 10 μg/kg b.w. of leptin 30 min before induction of AP; and 5) curcumin+AP group (in which rats were i.p. injected with 150 mg/kg b.w. of curcumin 30 min before induction of AP). Serum amylase, lipase, nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and corticosterone (CORT) levels were assayed. In addition, pancreatic tissues were obtained for histopathological examination and malondialde-hyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels were measured.

RESULTS

All AP treated groups showed significant decrease in serum levels of pancreatic enzymes, NO, and TNF-α, and pancreatic MDA and iNOS levels, while TAC levels were significantly increased. NaHS caused more limitation of inflammation than leptin and curcumin by affecting iNOS. Leptin was more potent than curcumin due to the stimulatory effect of leptin on glucocorticoid release to counteract inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

NaHS was more effective in AP amelioration than the leptin and curcumin.

NQDI-1 protects against acinar cell necrosis in three experimental mouse models of acute pancreatitis

NQDI-1, an inhibitor of ASK1, has been reported to have protective effects in several experimental human disease models. However, the role of NQDI-1 in acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been reported. In this study, we found that NQDI-1 could attenuate histological damage of pancreatic tissue as well as the levels of serum amylase and lipase in a mouse model of AP induced by caerulein. Moreover, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of necrosis-related proteins (RIP3 and p-MLKL) were also reduced after NQDI-1 administration. Correspondingly, we elucidated the effect of NQDI-1 in vitro and found that NQDI-1 protected against pancreatic acinar cells necrosis via decreasing the ROS production and RIP3 and p-MLKL expression. In addition, we identified the protective effect of NQDI-1 on AP through two other mouse models induced by l-arginine and pancreatic duct ligation. Taken together, these findings showed that NQDI-1 could reduce the acinar cells necrosis and alleviate the severity of AP, which may afford a new therapeutic target on pancreatic necrosis in AP clinically.

Curcumin protects the pancreas from acute pancreatitis via the mitogen‑activated protein kinase signaling pathway

Curcumin has been demonstrated to reduce markers of inflammation during acute pancreatitis (AP). However, the underlying mechanisms of the protective effects of curcumin are unknown. In the present study the effects of curcumin in an AP animal model and cell models was examined and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. An AP animal model was established by injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct of rats, and the cell model was established by treatment with 0.5 nM cerulein with an optimal concentration of lipopolysaccharide in AR42J rat pancreatic cancer cells. Amylase activity and arterial blood gas composition were assessed by automatic biochemical and blood gas analyzers. Pathological alteration of the pancreas was determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured by ELISA. Cell viability was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 and protein expression levels were assessed by western blotting. Curcumin reduced the ascites volume after 12 and 24 h, the weight of pancreas after 12, 24 and 36 h of surgery, but also attenuated injury to the pancreas. Serum expression levels of TNF-α and CRP were reduced by curcumin. In addition, curcumin decreased the cell viability, amylase activity and the phosphorylation of p38 in AR42J cells, but did not affect the intracellular levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. Curcumin may lower the severity and inflammatory response via the mitogen-activated protein kinase-signaling pathway, to some extent. However, future studies are required to fully understand the protective effects of curcumin on AP.

Rh-IFN-α attenuates neuroinflammation and improves neurological function by inhibiting NF-κB through JAK1-STAT1/TRAF3 pathway in an experimental GMH rat model

Neuroinflammation occurs after germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) and induces secondary brain injury. Interferon-α (IFN-α) has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects in infectious diseases via activating IFNAR and its downstream signaling. We aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Recombinant human IFN-α (rh-IFN-α) and the underlying mechanisms in a rat GMH model. Two hundred and eighteen P7 rat pups of both sexes were subjected to GMH by an intraparenchymal injection of bacterial collagenase. Rh-IFN-α was administered intraperitoneally. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) of IFNAR, and siRNA of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 3 (TRAF3) were administered through intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections. JAK1 inhibitor ruxolitinib was given by oral lavage. Post-GMH evaluation included neurobehavioral function, Nissl staining, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence. Our results showed that endogenous IFN-α and phosphorylated IFNAR levels were increased after GMH. Administration of rh-IFN-α improved neurological functions, attenuated neuroinflammation, inhibited microglial activation, and ameliorated post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus after GMH. These observations were concomitant with IFNAR activation, increased expression of phosphorylated JAK1, phosphorylated STAT1 and TRAF3, and decreased levels of phosphorylated NF-κB, IL-6 and TNF-α. Specifically, knockdown of IFNAR, JAK1 and TRAF3 abolished the protective effects of rh-IFN-α. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that rh-IFN-α treatment attenuated neuroinflammation, neurological deficits and hydrocephalus formation through inhibiting microglial activation after GMH, which might be mediated by IFNAR/JAK1-STAT1/TRAF3/NF-κB signaling pathway. Rh-IFN-α may be a promising therapeutic agent to attenuate brain injury via its anti-inflammatory effect.

Effectiveness and therapeutic value of phytochemicals in acute pancreatitis: A review

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas that can lead to local and systemic complications. Repeated attacks of AP can lead to chronic pancreatitis, which markedly increases the probability of developing pancreatic cancer. Although many researchers have attempted to identify the pathogenesis involved in the initiation and aggravation of AP, the disease is still not fully understood, and effective treatment is limited to supportive therapy.

METHODS

We aim to summarize available literature focused on phytochemicals (berberine, chlorogenic acid, curcumin, emblica officinalis, ellagic acid, cinnamtannin B-1, resveratrol, piperine and lycopene) and discuss their effectiveness and therapeutic value for improving AP.

RESULTS

This study is based on pertinent papers that were retrieved by a selective search using relevant keywords in PubMed and ScienceDirect databases.

CONCLUSIONS

Many phytochemicals hold potential in improving AP symptoms and may be a valuable and effective addition to standard treatment of AP. It has already been proven that the crucial factor for reducing the severity of AP is stimulation of apoptosis along with/or inhibition of necrosis. Supplementation of phytochemicals, which target the balance between apoptosis and necrosis can be recommended in ongoing clinical studies.

Anthraquinone Emodin Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Calcification of Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells via the NF-κB Pathway

Exploring effective therapies for delaying calcific heart valve disease (CHVD) is the focus of current cardiovascular clinical and scientific research. In this study, human aortic valve interstitial cells (hVICs) were isolated from patients with CHVD. After expansion, cultured hVICs were induced with the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) with or without anthraquinone emodin (EMD) treatments. Cytotoxicity and flow cytometric analysis were used to assess cell growth, while Alizarin Red S staining was used to detect hVICs calcification. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing analysis was utilized to investigate changes in mRNA profiles of cells cultured in TNF-α conditioned medium with or without EMD. Western blotting and qRT-PCR analyses were used for the verification of key selected genes. Our results indicated that EMD had limited influence on hVIC morphology, whereas in a dose-dependent fashion, EMD interfered with hVIC growth under TNF-α conditioned cell culture. Additionally, hVICs treated with TNF-α plus EMD, presented a gradual decrease of positive Alizarin Red S staining, when compared with cells treated with TNF-α only. Notably, cells treated with TNF-α plus EMD showed 1874 differential expression genes (DEGs), among them, 1131 were upregulated and 743 were downregulated. These DEGs displayed an enrichment of biological functions and signaling pathways, among them, BMP2, RELA, TNF, and TRAF1, were found to be significantly suppressed by EMD and selected given their role in mediating hVIC calcification. In conclusion, our study shows that EMD inhibits TNF-α-induced calcification and phenotypical transformation of hVICs via the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby preventing calcification events stimulated during acute inflammatory responses.