1
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Zlatanova M, Nešić A, Trbojević-Ivić J, Četić D, Gavrović-Jankulović M. Targeting NF-κB Signaling: Selected Small Molecules Downregulate Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Both Food Allergen and LPS-Induced Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5798. [PMID: 38891984 PMCID: PMC11172266 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Although inflammation is primarily a protective response guarding the human body, it can result in a variety of chronic diseases such as allergies, auto-immune, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In NF-κB-mediated inflammation, many small molecules and food compounds characterized as nutraceuticals have shown positive effects associated with immunomodulatory properties. We investigated the effects of selected bioactive small molecules, commonly found in food components, vanillyl alcohol (VA) and lauric acid (LA), on different cell lines exposed to pro-inflammatory stimuli, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the food allergen actinidin (Act d 1). Pro-inflammatory cytokines were downregulated in response to both VA and LA, and this downregulation was caused by a decrease in the activation of the NF-κB pathway and the translocation of p65, the pathway's major component. Small nutraceutical molecules, VA and LA, showed not only inhibition of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, but also inhibition of the NF-κB activation, and reduced translocation of the p65 component. The present study may contribute to the therapeutic use of these molecules for various inflammatory diseases, which have in common an increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB-mediated inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Zlatanova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Z.); (A.N.)
| | - Andrijana Nešić
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Z.); (A.N.)
- Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM), Medical School Hamburg (MSH), 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Danilo Četić
- Department for Metabolism, Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Marija Gavrović-Jankulović
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.Z.); (A.N.)
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2
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Saleemi MA, Zhang Y, Zhang G. Current Progress in the Science of Novel Adjuvant Nano-Vaccine-Induced Protective Immune Responses. Pathogens 2024; 13:441. [PMID: 38921739 PMCID: PMC11206999 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccinations are vital as they protect us from various illness-causing agents. Despite all the advancements in vaccine-related research, developing improved and safer vaccines against devastating infectious diseases including Ebola, tuberculosis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains a significant challenge. In addition, some of the current human vaccines can cause adverse reactions in some individuals, which limits their use for massive vaccination program. Therefore, it is necessary to design optimal vaccine candidates that can elicit appropriate immune responses but do not induce side effects. Subunit vaccines are relatively safe for the vaccination of humans, but they are unable to trigger an optimal protective immune response without an adjuvant. Although different types of adjuvants have been used for the formulation of vaccines to fight pathogens that have high antigenic diversity, due to the toxicity and safety issues associated with human-specific adjuvants, there are only a few adjuvants that have been approved for the formulation of human vaccines. Recently, nanoparticles (NPs) have gain specific attention and are commonly used as adjuvants for vaccine development as well as for drug delivery due to their excellent immune modulation properties. This review will focus on the current state of adjuvants in vaccine development, the mechanisms of human-compatible adjuvants and future research directions. We hope this review will provide valuable information to discovery novel adjuvants and drug delivery systems for developing novel vaccines and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guoquan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, College of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA; (M.A.S.); (Y.Z.)
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3
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Cassaidy B, Moser BA, Solanki A, Chen Q, Shen J, Gotsis K, Lockhart Z, Rutledge N, Rosenberger MG, Dong Y, Davis D, Esser- Kahn AP. Immune Potentiation of PLGA Controlled-Release Vaccines for Improved Immunological Outcomes. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:11608-11614. [PMID: 38496947 PMCID: PMC10938429 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the continued emergence of new infectious diseases, there is a need to improve and expand current vaccine technology. Controlled-release subunit vaccines provide several benefits over current vaccines on the market, including the use of less antigen and fewer boost doses. Previously, our group reported molecules that alter NF-κB signaling improved the vaccine's performance and improved adjuvant-related tolerability. In this report, we test how these immune potentiators will influence responses when included as part of a controlled-release poly(lactic-co-glycolic) vaccine formulation. Murine in vivo studies revealed that SN50 and honokiol improved antibody levels at early vaccine time points. Microparticles with SN50 produced strong antibody levels over a longer period compared to microparticles without SN50. The same particles also increased T-cell activity. All of the immune potentiators tested further promoted Th2 humoral responses already exhibited by the control CpG OVA microparticle formulation. Overall, under controlled-release conditions, immune potentiators enhance the existing effects of controlled-release formulations, making it a potentially beneficial additive for controlled-release vaccine formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britteny
J. Cassaidy
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Brittany A. Moser
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Ani Solanki
- Animal
Resource Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Qing Chen
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jingjing Shen
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Kristen Gotsis
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Zoe Lockhart
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Nakisha Rutledge
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Matthew G. Rosenberger
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Delaney Davis
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser- Kahn
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, University
of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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4
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Tang Y, Kim JY, Ip CKM, Bahmani A, Chen Q, Rosenberger MG, Esser-Kahn AP, Ferguson AL. Data-driven discovery of innate immunomodulators via machine learning-guided high throughput screening. Chem Sci 2023; 14:12747-12766. [PMID: 38020385 PMCID: PMC10646978 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03613h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate immune response is vital for the success of prophylactic vaccines and immunotherapies. Control of signaling in innate immune pathways can improve prophylactic vaccines by inhibiting unfavorable systemic inflammation and immunotherapies by enhancing immune stimulation. In this work, we developed a machine learning-enabled active learning pipeline to guide in vitro experimental screening and discovery of small molecule immunomodulators that improve immune responses by altering the signaling activity of innate immune responses stimulated by traditional pattern recognition receptor agonists. Molecules were tested by in vitro high throughput screening (HTS) where we measured modulation of the nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells (NF-κB) and the interferon regulatory factors (IRF) pathways. These data were used to train data-driven predictive models linking molecular structure to modulation of the NF-κB and IRF responses using deep representational learning, Gaussian process regression, and Bayesian optimization. By interleaving successive rounds of model training and in vitro HTS, we performed an active learning-guided traversal of a 139 998 molecule library. After sampling only ∼2% of the library, we discovered viable molecules with unprecedented immunomodulatory capacity, including those capable of suppressing NF-κB activity by up to 15-fold, elevating NF-κB activity by up to 5-fold, and elevating IRF activity by up to 6-fold. We extracted chemical design rules identifying particular chemical fragments as principal drivers of specific immunomodulation behaviors. We validated the immunomodulatory effect of a subset of our top candidates by measuring cytokine release profiles. Of these, one molecule induced a 3-fold enhancement in IFN-β production when delivered with a cyclic di-nucleotide stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist. In sum, our machine learning-enabled screening approach presents an efficient immunomodulator discovery pipeline that has furnished a library of novel small molecules with a strong capacity to enhance or suppress innate immune signaling pathways to shape and improve prophylactic vaccination and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Tang
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Jeremiah Y Kim
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Carman K M Ip
- Cellular Screening Center, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Azadeh Bahmani
- Cellular Screening Center, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Qing Chen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Matthew G Rosenberger
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Aaron P Esser-Kahn
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
| | - Andrew L Ferguson
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Chicago IL 60637 USA
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5
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Kim JY, Rosenberger MG, Rutledge NS, Esser-Kahn AP. Next-Generation Adjuvants: Applying Engineering Methods to Create and Evaluate Novel Immunological Responses. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1687. [PMID: 37376133 PMCID: PMC10300703 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15061687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Adjuvants are a critical component of vaccines. Adjuvants typically target receptors that activate innate immune signaling pathways. Historically, adjuvant development has been laborious and slow, but has begun to accelerate over the past decade. Current adjuvant development consists of screening for an activating molecule, formulating lead molecules with an antigen, and testing this combination in an animal model. There are very few adjuvants approved for use in vaccines, however, as new candidates often fail due to poor clinical efficacy, intolerable side effects, or formulation limitations. Here, we consider new approaches using tools from engineering to improve next-generation adjuvant discovery and development. These approaches will create new immunological outcomes that will be evaluated with novel diagnostic tools. Potential improved immunological outcomes include reduced vaccine reactogenicity, tunable adaptive responses, and enhanced adjuvant delivery. Evaluations of these outcomes can leverage computational approaches to interpret "big data" obtained from experimentation. Applying engineering concepts and solutions will provide alternative perspectives, further accelerating the field of adjuvant discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.Y.K.); (M.G.R.); (N.S.R.)
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6
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Kalpana K, Yap S, Tsuji M, Kawamura A. Molecular Mechanism behind the Safe Immunostimulatory Effect of Withania somnifera. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050828. [PMID: 37238698 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (family Solanaceae) is a medicinal plant known for, among many pharmacological properties, an immune boosting effect. Our recent study revealed that its key immunostimulatory factor is lipopolysaccharide of plant-associated bacteria. This is peculiar, because, although LPS can elicit protective immunity, it is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory toxin (endotoxin). However, W. somnifera is not associated with such toxicity. In fact, despite the presence of LPS, it does not trigger massive inflammatory responses in macrophages. To gain insights into the safe immunostimulatory effect of W. somnifera, we conducted a mechanistic study on its major phytochemical constituent, withaferin A, which is known for anti-inflammatory activity. Endotoxin-triggered immunological responses in the presence and absence of withaferin A were characterized by both in vitro macrophage-based assay and in vivo cytokine profiling in mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate that withaferin A selectively attenuates the pro-inflammatory signaling triggered by endotoxin without impairing other immunological pathways. This finding provides a new conceptual framework to understand the safe immune-boosting effect of W. somnifera and possibly other medicinal plants. Furthermore, the finding opens a new opportunity to facilitate the development of safe immunotherapeutic agents, such as vaccine adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kriti Kalpana
- Biochemistry Ph.D. Program, The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College of CUNY, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shen Yap
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College of CUNY, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Moriya Tsuji
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Akira Kawamura
- Biochemistry Ph.D. Program, The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College of CUNY, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Chemistry Ph.D. Program, The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY 10016, USA
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7
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Kim J, Rosenberger MG, Chen S, IP CKM, Bahmani A, Chen Q, Shen J, Tang Y, Wang A, Kenna E, Son M, Tay S, Ferguson AL, Esser-Kahn AP. Discovery of New States of Immunomodulation for Vaccine Adjuvants via High Throughput Screening: Expanding Innate Responses to PRRs. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:427-439. [PMID: 36968540 PMCID: PMC10037445 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c01351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Stimulation of the innate immune system is crucial in both effective vaccinations and immunotherapies. This is often achieved through adjuvants, molecules that usually activate pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and stimulate two innate immune signaling pathways: the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells pathway (NF-κB) and the interferon regulatory factors pathway (IRF). Here, we demonstrate the ability to alter and improve adjuvant activity via the addition of small molecule "immunomodulators". By modulating signaling activity instead of receptor binding, these molecules allow the customization of select innate responses. We demonstrate both inhibition and enhancement of the products of the NF-κB and IRF pathways by several orders of magnitude. Some modulators apply generally across many receptors, while others focus specifically on individual receptors. Modulators boost correlates of a protective immune responses in a commercial flu vaccine model and reduced correlates of reactogenicity in a typhoid vaccine model. These modulators have a range of applications: from adjuvanticity in prophylactics to enhancement of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Siquan Chen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Carman KM IP
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Azadeh Bahmani
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Qing Chen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jinjing Shen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yifeng Tang
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Andrew Wang
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Emma Kenna
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Minjun Son
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Savaş Tay
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Andrew L. Ferguson
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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8
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Singleton KL, Joffe A, Leitner WW. Review: Current trends, challenges, and success stories in adjuvant research. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1105655. [PMID: 36742311 PMCID: PMC9892189 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1105655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine adjuvant research is being fueled and driven by progress in the field of innate immunity that has significantly advanced in the past two decades with the discovery of countless innate immune receptors and innate immune pathways. Receptors for pathogen-associated molecules (PAMPs) or host-derived, danger-associated molecules (DAMPs), as well as molecules in the signaling pathways used by such receptors, are a rich source of potential targets for agonists that enable the tuning of innate immune responses in an unprecedented manner. Targeted modulation of immune responses is achieved not only through the choice of immunostimulator - or select combinations of adjuvants - but also through formulation and systematic modifications of the chemical structure of immunostimulatory molecules. The use of medium and high-throughput screening methods for finding immunostimulators has further accelerated the identification of promising novel adjuvants. However, despite the progress that has been made in finding new adjuvants through systematic screening campaigns, the process is far from perfect. A major bottleneck that significantly slows the process of turning confirmed or putative innate immune receptor agonists into vaccine adjuvants continues to be the lack of defined in vitro correlates of in vivo adjuvanticity. This brief review discusses recent developments, exciting trends, and notable successes in the adjuvant research field, albeit acknowledging challenges and areas for improvement.
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9
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Xu M, Jin X, Zhang C, Liao H, Wang P, Zhou Y, Song Y, Xia L, Wang L. TLR2-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway is involved in PPV1-induced apoptosis in PK-15 cells. Vet Res Commun 2022; 47:397-407. [PMID: 35729483 PMCID: PMC9213050 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-09954-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Porcine parvovirus 1 (PPV1) mainly induces severe reproductive failure in pregnant swine, and causes huge economic losses to the swine industry. Cell apoptosis induced by PPV1 infection has been identified the major cause of reproductive failure. However, the molecular mechanism was not fully elucidated. In this study, the potential mechanism of PPV1 induced apoptosis in PK-15 cells was investigated. Our results showed that PPV1 induced apoptosis in PK-15 cells. Further studies revealed toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) was involved in the PPV1-mediated apoptosis. TLR2 siRNA significantly decreased the apoptosis. Finally, our study showed NF-κB was activated by TLR2 during PPV1-induced apoptosis. The activation of NF-κB signaling was demonstrated by the phosphorylation of p65, p65 nuclear translocation and degradation of inhibitor of kappa B α (IκBα). Together, these results provided evidence that the recognition between PPV1 and PK-15 cells was mainly through TLR2, and then induction of the NF-κB signaling pathway activation, which further induces apoptosis. Our study could provide information to understand the molecular mechanisms of PPV1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglong Xu
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Xiaohui Jin
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Hang Liao
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Pingli Wang
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Yue Song
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Lu Xia
- International Joint Research Center of National Animal Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.
| | - Linqing Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, 450044, Henan, China.
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10
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Saha K, Sarkar D, Khan U, Karmakar BC, Paul S, Mukhopadhyay AK, Dutta S, Bhattacharya S. Capsaicin Inhibits Inflammation and Gastric Damage during H pylori Infection by Targeting NF-kB–miRNA Axis. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11060641. [PMID: 35745495 PMCID: PMC9227394 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered as one of the strongest risk factors for gastric disorders. Infection triggers several host pathways to elicit inflammation, which further proceeds towards gastric complications. The NF-kB pathway plays a central role in the upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines during infection. It also regulates the transcriptional network of several inflammatory cytokine genes. Hence, targeting NF-kB could be an important strategy to reduce pathogenesis. Moreover, treatment of H. pylori needs attention as current therapeutics lack efficacy due to antibiotic resistance, highlighting the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. In this study, we investigated the effects of capsaicin, a known NF-kB inhibitor in reducing inflammation and gastric complications during H. pylori infection. We observed that capsaicin reduced NF-kB activation and upregulation of cytokine genes in an in vivo mice model. Moreover, it affected NF-kB–miRNA interplay to repress inflammation and gastric damages. Capsaicin reduced the expression level of mir21 and mir223 along with the pro-inflammatory cytokines. The repression of miRNA further affected downstream targets such as e-cadherin and Akt. Our data represent the first evidence that treatment with capsaicin inhibits inflammation and induces antimicrobial activity during H. pylori infection. This alternative approach might open a new avenue in treating H. pylori infection, thus reducing gastric problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani Saha
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-NICED), P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (K.S.); (D.S.); (U.K.)
| | - Deotima Sarkar
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-NICED), P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (K.S.); (D.S.); (U.K.)
| | - Uzma Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-NICED), P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (K.S.); (D.S.); (U.K.)
| | - Bipul Chandra Karmakar
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Indian Council of Medical Research, P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (B.C.K.); (S.P.); (A.K.M.)
| | - Sangita Paul
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Indian Council of Medical Research, P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (B.C.K.); (S.P.); (A.K.M.)
| | - Asish K. Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Microbiology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Indian Council of Medical Research, P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (B.C.K.); (S.P.); (A.K.M.)
| | - Shanta Dutta
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-NICED), P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India;
| | - Sushmita Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR-NICED), P-33, CIT Rd, Subhas Sarobar Park, Phool Bagan, Beleghata, Kolkata 700010, India; (K.S.); (D.S.); (U.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-97179-96740
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11
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Garland KM, Sheehy TL, Wilson JT. Chemical and Biomolecular Strategies for STING Pathway Activation in Cancer Immunotherapy. Chem Rev 2022; 122:5977-6039. [PMID: 35107989 PMCID: PMC8994686 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) cellular signaling pathway is a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. Activation of the intracellular STING protein triggers the production of a multifaceted array of immunostimulatory molecules, which, in the proper context, can drive dendritic cell maturation, antitumor macrophage polarization, T cell priming and activation, natural killer cell activation, vascular reprogramming, and/or cancer cell death, resulting in immune-mediated tumor elimination and generation of antitumor immune memory. Accordingly, there is a significant amount of ongoing preclinical and clinical research toward further understanding the role of the STING pathway in cancer immune surveillance as well as the development of modulators of the pathway as a strategy to stimulate antitumor immunity. Yet, the efficacy of STING pathway agonists is limited by many drug delivery and pharmacological challenges. Depending on the class of STING agonist and the desired administration route, these may include poor drug stability, immunocellular toxicity, immune-related adverse events, limited tumor or lymph node targeting and/or retention, low cellular uptake and intracellular delivery, and a complex dependence on the magnitude and kinetics of STING signaling. This review provides a concise summary of the STING pathway, highlighting recent biological developments, immunological consequences, and implications for drug delivery. This review also offers a critical analysis of an expanding arsenal of chemical strategies that are being employed to enhance the efficacy, safety, and/or clinical utility of STING pathway agonists and lastly draws attention to several opportunities for therapeutic advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Garland
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235 United States
| | - Taylor L Sheehy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235 United States
| | - John T Wilson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235 United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235 United States
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232 United States
- Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232 United States
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232 United States
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232 United States
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Aune TM, Tossberg JT, Heinrich RM, Porter KP, Crooke PS. Alu RNA Structural Features Modulate Immune Cell Activation and A-to-I Editing of Alu RNAs Is Diminished in Human Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:818023. [PMID: 35126398 PMCID: PMC8813004 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.818023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alu retrotransposons belong to the class of short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs). Alu RNA is abundant in cells and its repetitive structure forms double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) that activate dsRNA sensors and trigger innate immune responses with significant pathological consequences. Mechanisms to prevent innate immune activation include deamination of adenosines to inosines in dsRNAs, referred to as A-to-I editing, degradation of Alu RNAs by endoribonucleases, and sequestration of Alu RNAs by RNA binding proteins. We have previously demonstrated that widespread loss of Alu RNA A-to-I editing is associated with diverse human diseases including viral (COVID-19, influenza) and autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis). Here we demonstrate loss of A-to-I editing in leukocytes is also associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. Our structure-function analysis demonstrates that ability to activate innate immune responses resides in the left arm of Alu RNA, requires a 5’-PPP, RIG-I is the major Alu dsRNA sensor, and A-to-I editing disrupts both structure and function. Further, edited Alu RNAs inhibit activity of unedited Alu RNAs. Altering Alu RNA nucleotide sequence increases biological activity. Two classes of Alu RNAs exist, one class stimulates both IRF and NF-kB transcriptional activity and a second class only stimulates IRF transcriptional activity. Thus, Alu RNAs play important roles in human disease but may also have therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M. Aune
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Thomas M. Aune,
| | - John T. Tossberg
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Rachel M. Heinrich
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Krislyn P. Porter
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Philip S. Crooke
- Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Kimani FW, Manna S, Moser B, Shen J, Nihesh N, Esser-Kahn AP. Improving the Adjuvanticity of Small Molecule Immune Potentiators Using Covalently Linked NF-κB Modulators. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:1441-1448. [PMID: 34527180 PMCID: PMC8436408 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Small molecule immune potentiators (SMIPs) such as imidazoquinolinone derivatives that activate Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 have immense potential as vaccine adjuvants and as antitumor agents. However, these molecules have high bioavailability that results in unacceptable levels of systemic inflammation due to adjuvant toxicity, thereby greatly limiting their use. To address this challenge, here we report the design and synthesis of novel imidazoquinolinone-NF-κB immunomodulator dimers. Employing in vitro assays, we screened a select library of synthesized dimers and selected viable candidates for further in vivo experiments. With ovalbumin as a model antigen, we vaccinated mice and demonstrated that these dimers reduce the systemic toxicity associated with SMIPs to baseline levels while simultaneously maintaining the adjuvanticity in a vaccine formulation. Additionally, we showed that select dimers improved efficacy in a CT26 mouse colon carcinoma tumor model while eliciting minimal adjuvant toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora W. Kimani
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Saikat Manna
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Brittany Moser
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jingjing Shen
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Naorem Nihesh
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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Intracellular Redox-Modulated Pathways as Targets for Effective Approaches in the Treatment of Viral Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073603. [PMID: 33808471 PMCID: PMC8036776 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-directed therapy using drugs that target cellular pathways required for virus lifecycle or its clearance might represent an effective approach for treating infectious diseases. Changes in redox homeostasis, including intracellular glutathione (GSH) depletion, are one of the key events that favor virus replication and contribute to the pathogenesis of virus-induced disease. Redox homeostasis has an important role in maintaining an appropriate Th1/Th2 balance, which is necessary to mount an effective immune response against viral infection and to avoid excessive inflammatory responses. It is known that excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by viral infection activates nuclear factor (NF)-kB, which orchestrates the expression of viral and host genes involved in the viral replication and inflammatory response. Moreover, redox-regulated protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) chaperones have an essential role in catalyzing formation of disulfide bonds in viral proteins. This review aims at describing the role of GSH in modulating redox sensitive pathways, in particular that mediated by NF-kB, and PDI activity. The second part of the review discusses the effectiveness of GSH-boosting molecules as broad-spectrum antivirals acting in a multifaceted way that includes the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses.
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