Paying the Toll for Glucose Regulation: A Central Role for TLR3

Low-dose naltrexone, an opioid-receptor antagonist, is a broad-spectrum analgesic: a retrospective cohort study

Aim: To evaluate the use of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) as a broad-spectrum analgesic. Methods: Retrospective cohort study from a single pain management practice using data from 2014 to 2020. Thirty-six patients using LDN for ≥2 months were matched to 42 controls. Pain scores were assessed at initial visit and at most recent/final documented visit using a 10-point scale. Results: Cases reported significantly greater pain reduction (-37.8%) than controls (-4.3%; p < 0.001). Whole sample multivariate modeling predicts 33% pain reduction with LDN, with number needed to treat (for 50% pain reduction) of 3.2. Patients with neuropathic pain appeared to benefit even more than those with ‘nociceptive’/inflammatory pain. Conclusion: LDN is effective in a variety of chronic pain states, likely mediated by TLR-4 antagonism.

Elicited soybean extract attenuates proinflammatory cytokines expression by modulating TLR3/TLR4 activation in high-fat, high-fructose diet mice

BACKGROUND

The high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFFD) provokes overnutrition and inflammation directly, mainly through Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Soybean (Glycine max L.) contains isoflavone that can be transformed into glyceollin by microbial and physical stimuli. Glyceollin possesses many beneficial effects on health.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the beneficial effect of soybean extract elicited by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and light (ESE) on dendritic cells (DCs) profile and naïve T cells in HFFD mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Female Balb/C mice were fed with HFFD for 24 weeks then orally administered with simvastatin 2.8 mg/kg BW or ESE 78, 104, and 130 mg/kg BW at the last four weeks. The expression of splenic CD11c⁺TLR3⁺, CD11c⁺TLR4⁺, NFκB⁺, CD11c⁺IL-17⁺, CD11c⁺TNF-α⁺, CD4⁺CD62L⁺, and CD8⁺CD62L⁺ subsets was measured by flow cytometry. The molecular docking has been measured using Pyrx 0.8, displayed in PyMol and Biovia Discovery Studio.

RESULT

HFFD significantly increased CD11c⁺TLR3⁺, CD11c⁺TLR4⁺, NFκB⁺, CD11c⁺IL-17⁺, CD11c⁺TNF-α⁺ expression and decreased CD4⁺CD62L⁺ and CD8⁺CD62L⁺ (p < 0.05) compared to normal diet (ND) groups. ESE reduced CD11c⁺TLR3⁺, CD11c⁺TLR4⁺, thereby decreasing NFκB⁺, as well as decreased the CD11c⁺IL-17⁺, CD11c⁺TNF-α⁺, and restores CD4⁺CD62L⁺ and CD8⁺CD62L⁺ subsets in HFFD mice. Glyceollin II exhibited the best binding affinity with an average energy of -7.3 kcal/mol to TLR3 and -7.9 kcal/mol to TLR4.

CONCLUSION

The bioactive compound in ESE act synergistically to modulate TLR3/TLR4 activation, reduced NFκB, IL-17, and TNF-α, and restores naïve T cells expression in HFFD mice. ESE was a favorable candidate to mitigate chronic inflammation.

Impact of chronic HCV treatment on quality of life of patients with metabolic disorders in context of immunological disturbances

Chronic viral hepatitis C (CHC) and its complications have a negative effect on patient's quality of life. We evaluated the impact of a successful interferon-free treatment on the quality of life of patients with obesity and metabolic disorders in the context of immunological disturbances. Twenty overweight or obese (BMI > 25) patients with CHC were tested before the therapy and after a successful treatment regimen. After the therapy, patient's emotional well-being improved (p = 0.02), while physical well-being remained unchanged. There was a decrease of patient's liver fibrosis and an increase of steatosis along with body mass. Among HCV-infected individuals, the expression of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) on lymphocytes was higher than in the control group (p = 0.03), but it decreased (p = 0.001) after the treatment. There was also a decrease of the intensity of immunofluorescence of FoxP3+ after the treatment (p = 0.04). Our study showed an improvement in mental aspects of patient's quality of life after the treatment. Unfortunately, probably due to rapid immunological changes, patient's BMI, serum cholesterol levels and hepatic steatosis have a tendency to increase and may lead to cardiovascular and other complications, like hepatocellular carcinoma.

Complement and human T cell metabolism: Location, location, location

The complement system represents one of the evolutionary oldest arms of our immune system and is commonly recognized as a liver-derived and serum-active system critical for providing protection against invading pathogens. Recent unexpected findings, however, have defined novel and rather "uncommon" locations and activities of complement. Specifically, the discovery of an intracellularly active complement system-the complosome-and its key role in the regulation of cell metabolic pathways that underly normal human T cell responses have taught us that there is still much to be discovered about this system. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the emerging functions of the complosome in T cell metabolism. We further place complosome activities among the non-canonical roles of other intracellular innate danger sensing systems and argue that a "location-centric" view of complement evolution could logically justify its close connection with the regulation of basic cell physiology.

Enhanced Glycolytic Metabolism Contributes to Cardiac Dysfunction in Polymicrobial Sepsis

Background

Cardiac dysfunction is present in >40% of sepsis patients and is associated with mortality rates of up to 70%. Recent evidence suggests that glycolytic metabolism plays a critical role in host defense and inflammation. Activation of Toll-like receptors on immune cells can enhance glycolytic metabolism. This study investigated whether modulation of glycolysis by inhibition of hexokinase will be beneficial to septic cardiomyopathy.

Methods

Male C57B6/J mice were treated with a hexokinase inhibitor (2-deoxy-d-glucose [2-DG], 0.25-2 g/kg, n = 6-8) before cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis. Untreated septic mice served as control. Sham surgically operated mice treated with or without the 2-DG inhibitor served as sham controls. Cardiac function was assessed 6 hours after CLP sepsis by echocardiography. Serum was harvested for measurement of inflammatory cytokines and lactate.

Results

Sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction was significantly attenuated by administration of 2-DG. Ejection fraction and fractional shortening in 2-DG-treated septic mice were significantly (P < .05) greater than in untreated CLP mice. 2-DG administration also significantly improved survival outcome, reduced kidney and liver injury, attenuated sepsis-increased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β as well as lactate, and enhanced the expression of Sirt1 and Sirt3 in the myocardium, which play an important role in mitochondrial function and metabolism. In addition, 2-DG administration suppresses sepsis-increased expression of apoptotic inducers Bak and Bax as well as JNK phosphorylation in the myocardium.

Conclusions

Glycolytic metabolism plays an important role in mediating sepsis-induced septic cardiomyopathy. The mechanisms may involve regulation of inflammatory response and apoptotic signaling.