Alternative adenosine Receptor activation: The netrin-Adora2b link

Mechanism of network pharmacology of Erzhi Pill and Erxian Decoction in treating climacteric syndrome with "treating the same disease with different methods": A review

Network pharmacology and molecular docking methods were used in the present study to clarify the molecular mechanism of two traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions of climacteric syndrome. Based on oral availability and drug similarity, the main active components of Erzhi Pill and Erxian Decoction were screened through the platform of traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology. The target database of climacteric syndrome was established by using GENECARD, OMIM, PharmGKB, Targets and Drugbank. The "component - target" network diagram was constructed using Cytoscape software (version 3.8.2). Topology analysis, module analysis, and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were used to explore the core target and action pathway of Erzhi Pill-Erxian Decoction for treating climacteric syndrome of same disease with different treatments. There were 16 active components and 103 corresponding targets found in Erzhi Pill; 69 active components and 121 corresponding targets were found in Erxian Decoction; and 100 potential targets were found in Erzhi Pill and Erxian Decoction. Through network analysis, topology and module analysis, TP53, AKT1, Jun, ESR1, IL1B, CASP3, MMP9, PTGS2, HIF1A, MYC and EGFR could be considered as potential targets of the 2 prescriptions for alleviating climacteric syndrome. The effects of Erzhi pill and Erxian Decoction on climacteric syndrome are mainly in the pathway of lipid and atherosclerosis, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in diabetic complications. The active components in Erzhi Pill - Erxian Decoction, such as quercetin, show considerable potential as a candidate drug for the treatment of climacteric syndrome.

ADORA2B, transcriptionally suppressing by MYC, promotes ferroptosis of chondrocytes via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway in mice with osteoarthritis

Recent studies have shown that chondrocyte ferroptosis contributes importantly to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, it is largely unknown how it is regulated. In this study, the data sets GSE167852 and GSE190184 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and 161 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to ferroptosis were screened by bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, ADORA2B was screened as a candidate gene from DEGs, which was significantly upregulated in palmitic acid (PA) treated chondrocytes. CCK-8, EdU, Western blotting, and ferroptosis-related kits assays demonstrated that knockdown of ADORA2B constrained ferroptosis and promoted viability of chondrocytes. Overexpression of ADORA2B promoted ferroptosis, while the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor LY294002 reversed the promotion of ADORA2B on ferroptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays indicated MYC was a transcription suppressor of ADORA2B, and overexpression of MYC promoted the viability, and inhibited the ferroptosis of chondrocytes, while ADORA2B overexpression abated the promotion of MYC on chondrocyte viability and the inhibition on ferroptosis. In vivo experiments showed that MYC overexpression alleviated cartilage tissue damage in OA mice, which was able to reversed by ADORA2B overexpression. In summary, ADORA2B, transcriptionally suppressing by MYC, promotes ferroptosis of chondrocytes via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Thus, ADORA2B can be used as a potential treatment target for ferroptosis-related diseases.

Targeting hypoxia-inducible factors: therapeutic opportunities and challenges

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are highly conserved transcription factors that are crucial for adaptation of metazoans to limited oxygen availability. Recently, HIF activation and inhibition have emerged as therapeutic targets in various human diseases. Pharmacologically desirable effects of HIF activation include erythropoiesis stimulation, cellular metabolism optimization during hypoxia and adaptive responses during ischaemia and inflammation. By contrast, HIF inhibition has been explored as a therapy for various cancers, retinal neovascularization and pulmonary hypertension. This Review discusses the biochemical mechanisms that control HIF stabilization and the molecular strategies that can be exploited pharmacologically to activate or inhibit HIFs. In addition, we examine medical conditions that benefit from targeting HIFs, the potential side effects of HIF activation or inhibition and future challenges in this field.

Hypoxia-adenosine axis as therapeutic targets for acute respiratory distress syndrome

The human respiratory and circulatory systems collaborate intricately to ensure oxygen delivery to all cells, which is vital for ATP production and maintaining physiological functions and structures. During limited oxygen availability, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are stabilized and play a fundamental role in maintaining cellular processes for hypoxia adaptation. First discovered during investigations of erythropoietin production regulation, HIFs influence physiological and pathological processes, including development, inflammation, wound healing, and cancer. HIFs promote extracellular adenosine signaling by enhancing adenosine generation and receptor signaling, representing an endogenous feedback mechanism that curbs excessive inflammation, supports injury resolution, and enhances hypoxia tolerance. This is especially important for conditions that involve tissue hypoxia, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which globally poses significant health challenges without specific treatment options. Consequently, pharmacological strategies to amplify HIF-mediated adenosine production and receptor signaling are of great importance.

Interplay of hypoxia-inducible factors and oxygen therapy in cardiovascular medicine

Mammals have evolved to adapt to differences in oxygen availability. Although systemic oxygen homeostasis relies on respiratory and circulatory responses, cellular adaptation to hypoxia involves the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Given that many cardiovascular diseases involve some degree of systemic or local tissue hypoxia, oxygen therapy has been used liberally over many decades for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. However, preclinical research has revealed the detrimental effects of excessive use of oxygen therapy, including the generation of toxic oxygen radicals or attenuation of endogenous protection by HIFs. In addition, investigators in clinical trials conducted in the past decade have questioned the excessive use of oxygen therapy and have identified specific cardiovascular diseases in which a more conservative approach to oxygen therapy could be beneficial compared with a more liberal approach. In this Review, we provide numerous perspectives on systemic and molecular oxygen homeostasis and the pathophysiological consequences of excessive oxygen use. In addition, we provide an overview of findings from clinical studies on oxygen therapy for myocardial ischaemia, cardiac arrest, heart failure and cardiac surgery. These clinical studies have prompted a shift from liberal oxygen supplementation to a more conservative and vigilant approach to oxygen therapy. Furthermore, we discuss the alternative therapeutic strategies that target oxygen-sensing pathways, including various preconditioning approaches and pharmacological HIF activators, that can be used regardless of the level of oxygen therapy that a patient is already receiving.

HIF-1α targeted deletion in myeloid cells decreases MDSC accumulation and alters microbiome in neonatal mice

The newborn's immune system is faced with the challenge of having to learn quickly to fight off infectious agents, but tolerating the colonization of the body surfaces with commensals without reacting with an excessive inflammatory response. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are innate immune cells with suppressive activity on other immune cells that regulate fetal-maternal tolerance during pregnancy and control intestinal inflammation in neonates. Until now, nothing is known about the role of MDSC in microbiome establishment. One of the transcription factors regulating MDSC homeostasis is the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). We investigated the impact of HIF-1α on MDSC accumulation and microbiome establishment during the neonatal period in a mouse model with targeted deletion of HIF-1α in myeloid cells (Hif1a loxP/loxP LysMCre+). We show that in contrast to wildtype mice, where an extensive expansion of MDSC was observed, MDSC expansion in neonatal Hif1a loxP/loxP LysMCre+ mice was dramatically reduced both systemically and locally in the intestine. This was accompanied by an altered microbiome composition and intestinal T-cell homeostasis. Our results point toward a role of MDSC in inflammation regulation in the context of microbiome establishment and thus reveal a new aspect of the biological role of MDSC during the neonatal period.

Netrin-1 controls inflammation in response to ischemic stroke through altering microglia phenotype

Introduction

The current approaches that are used to treat ischemic stroke suffer from poor targeting, lack of effectiveness, and potential off-target effects, necessitating the development of new therapeutic strategies to enhance neuronal cell survival and regeneration. This study aimed to investigate the role of microglial Netrin-1 in ischemic stroke, a topic that has not been fully understood.

Methods

Netrin-1 levels and its primary receptor expressions were investigated in cerebral microglia from acute ischemic stroke patients and age-matched control subjects. A public database (GEO148350), which supplied RNAseq results for rat cerebral microglia in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, was analyzed to assess the expression of Netrin-1, its major receptors, and genes related to macrophage function. A microglia-specific gene targeting approach and a delivery system allowing for crossing the blood-brain barrier were applied in a mouse model for ischemic stroke to investigate the role of microglial Netrin-1. Netrin-1 receptor signaling in microglia was observed and the effects on microglial phenotype, apoptosis, and migration were analyzed.

Results

Across human patients, rat and mouse models, activation of Netrin-1 receptor signaling was mainly conducted via its receptor UNC5a in microglia, which resulted in a shift in microglial phenotype towards an anti-inflammatory or M2-like state, leading to a reduction in apoptosis and migration of microglia. Netrin-1-induced phenotypic change in microglia exerted protective effects on neuronal cells in vivo during ischemic stroke.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the potential of targeting Netrin-1 and its receptors as a promising therapeutic strategy for promoting post-ischemic survival and functional recovery.

The resurgence of the Adora2b receptor as an immunotherapeutic target in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a dense desmoplastic stroma that impedes drug delivery, reduces parenchymal blood flow, and suppresses the anti-tumor immune response. The extracellular matrix and abundance of stromal cells result in severe hypoxia within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and emerging publications evaluating PDAC tumorigenesis have shown the adenosine signaling pathway promotes an immunosuppressive TME and contributes to the overall low survival rate. Hypoxia increases many elements of the adenosine signaling pathway, resulting in higher adenosine levels in the TME, further contributing to immune suppression. Extracellular adenosine signals through 4 adenosine receptors (Adora1, Adora2a, Adora2b, Adora3). Of the 4 receptors, Adora2b has the lowest affinity for adenosine and thus, has important consequences when stimulated by adenosine binding in the hypoxic TME. We and others have shown that Adora2b is present in normal pancreas tissue, and in injured or diseased pancreatic tissue, Adora2b levels are significantly elevated. The Adora2b receptor is present on many immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, natural killer T cells, γδ T cells, B cells, T cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells. In these immune cell types, adenosine signaling through Adora2b can reduce the adaptive anti-tumor response, augmenting immune suppression, or may contribute to transformation and changes in fibrosis, perineural invasion, or the vasculature by binding the Adora2b receptor on neoplastic epithelial cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. In this review, we discuss the mechanistic consequences of Adora2b activation on cell types in the tumor microenvironment. As the cell-autonomous role of adenosine signaling through Adora2b has not been comprehensively studied in pancreatic cancer cells, we will also discuss published data from other malignancies to infer emerging therapeutic considerations for targeting the Adora2b adenosine receptor to reduce the proliferative, invasive, and metastatic potential of PDAC cells.

An inflammation-related gene landscape predicts prognosis and response to immunotherapy in virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Due to the viral infection, chronic inflammation significantly increases the likelihood of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Nevertheless, an inflammation-based signature aimed to predict the prognosis and therapeutic effect in virus-related HCC has rarely been established.

Method

Based on the integrated analysis, inflammation-associated genes (IRGs) were systematically assessed. We comprehensively investigated the correlation between inflammation and transcriptional profiles, prognosis, and immune cell infiltration. Then, an inflammation-related risk model (IRM) to predict the overall survival (OS) and response to treatment for virus-related HCC patients was constructed and verified. Also, the potential association between IRGs and tumor microenvironment (TME) was investigated. Ultimately, hub genes were validated in plasma samples and cell lines via qRT-PCR. After transfection with shCCL20 combined with overSLC7A2, morphological change of SMMC7721 and huh7 cells was observed. Tumorigenicity model in nude mouse was established.

Results

An inflammatory response-related gene signature model, containing MEP1A, CCL20, ADORA2B, TNFSF9, ICAM4, and SLC7A2, was constructed by conjoint analysis of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression and gaussian finite mixture model (GMM). Besides, survival analysis attested that higher IRG scores were positively relevant to worse survival outcomes in virus-related HCC patients, which was testified by external validation cohorts (the ICGC cohort and GSE84337 dataset). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses commonly proved that the IRG was an independent prognostic factor for virus-related HCC patients. Thus, a nomogram with clinical factors and IRG was also constructed to superiorly predict the prognosis of patients. Featured with microsatellite instability-high, mutation burden, and immune activation, lower IRG score verified a superior OS for sufferers. Additionally, IRG score was remarkedly correlated with the cancer stem cell index and drug susceptibility. The measurement of plasma samples further validated that CCL20 upexpression and SLC7A2 downexpression were positively related with virus-related HCC patients, which was in accord with the results in cell lines. Furthermore, CCL20 knockdown combined with SLC7A2 overexpression availably weakened the tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusions

Collectively, IRG score, serving as a potential candidate, accurately and stably predicted the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in virus-related HCC patients, which could guide individualized treatment decision-making for the sufferers.

The Underexplored Landscape of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2 Alpha and Potential Roles in Tumor Macrophages: A Review

Low tissue oxygenation, termed hypoxia, is a characteristic of solid tumors with negative consequences. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) accumulate in hypoxic tumor regions and correlate with worse outcomes in cancer patients across several tumor types. Thus, the molecular mechanism in which macrophages respond to low oxygen tension has been increasingly investigated in the last decade. Hypoxia stabilizes a group of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) reported to drive transcriptional programs involved in cell survival, metabolism, and angiogenesis. Though both tumor macrophage HIF-1α and HIF-2α correlate with unfavorable tumor microenvironments, most research focuses on HIF-1α as the master regulator of hypoxia signaling, because HIF-1α expression was originally identified in several cancer types and correlates with worse outcome in cancer patients. The relative contribution of each HIFα subunit to cell phenotypes is poorly understood especially in TAMs. Once thought to have overlapping roles, recent investigation of macrophage HIF-2α has demonstrated a diverse function from HIF-1α. Little work has been published on the differential role of hypoxia-dependent macrophage HIF-2α when compared to HIF-1α in the context of tumor biology. This review highlights cellular HIF-2α functions and emphasizes the gap in research investigating oxygen-dependent functions of tumor macrophage HIF-2α.