Inflammation in Focus: The Beginning and the End

Discovery of dibenzylbutane lignan LCA derivatives as potent anti-inflammatory agents

Inflammation is the body's response to defence against infection or injury, and is associated with the progression of many diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). LCA, a dibenzylbutane lignan extracted from the roots of traditional medicinal plant Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., has demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, a series of novel LCA derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cell model experiments showed that compound 10h (at 20 μM of concentration) had the strongest inhibitory effect on NO release, and inhibited the secretion and gene expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in vitro. In addition, western blot, immunofluorescence, and molecular docking showed that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of compound 10h may be related to the nuclear factor (NF)-κB signalling pathway. In vivo studies based on a carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema model have shown significant anti-inflammatory activity of compound 10h at 20 mg kg-1. Preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that compound 10h has the potential to be developed as a novel anti-inflammatory agent.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Allium cepa L. peel extracts via inhibition of JAK-STAT pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Allium cepa L. (A. cepa) is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. A. cepa has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat inflammatory disease in several regions, such as Palestine and Serbia. A. cepa peel has a higher content of flavonoids, such as quercetin, than the edible parts. These flavonoids alleviate inflammatory diseases. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of A. cepa peel extract-obtained using various extraction methods-and their underlying mechanisms require further investigation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Although research to find safe anti-inflammatory substances in various natural products has been actively conducted for many years, it is important to continue identifying potential anti-inflammatory effects in natural materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ethnopharmacological properties of the A. cepa peel extract, whose efficacy when obtained through different extraction methods and underlying action mechanisms is not well known. The present study specifically aimed to observe the anti-inflammatory effects of the A. cepa peel extracts obtained using various extraction methods and the related detailed mechanisms of A. cepa peel extracts in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The total flavonoid content of the A. cepa peel extracts was determined the diethylene glycol colorimetric method and measured using a calibration curve prepared using quercetin as a standard solution. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the ABTS assay, and cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay. NO production was measured using Griess reagent. Protein levels were measured by western blotting, and mRNA expression was measured by RT-qPCR. Secreted cytokines were analyzed using ELISA or cytokine arrays. In the GSE160086 dataset, we calculated Z-scores for individual genes of interest and displayed using a heat map.

RESULTS

Of the three A. cepa peel extracts obtained using different extraction methods, the A. cepa peel 50% EtOH extract (AP50E) was the most effective at inhibiting LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Furthermore, AP50E significantly reduced the levels of pro-inflammation cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-27. Additionally, AP50E directly inhibited the Janus kinase-signaling transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that AP50E exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages by directly inhibiting JAK-STAT signaling. Based on these findings, we propose AP50E as a potential candidate for the development of preventive or therapeutic agents against inflammatory diseases.

Bioactivities of the Popular Edible Brown Seaweed Sargassum fusiforme: A Review

Sargassum fusiforme has a wide range of active constituents (such as polysaccharides, sterols, polyphenols, terpenes, amino acids, trace elements, etc.) and is an economically important brown algae with a long history. In recent years, S. fusiforme has been intensively studied and has attracted wide attention in the fields of agriculture, environment, medicine, and functional food. In this review, we reviewed the current research status of S. fusiforme at home and abroad over the past decade by searching Web of science, Google Scholar, and other databases, and structurally analyzed the active components of S. fusiforme, and on this basis, we focused on summarizing the cutting-edge research and scientific issues on the role of various active substances in S. fusiforme in exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antiviral antibacterial, and anticoagulant effects. The mechanisms by which different substances exert active effects were further summarized by exploring different experimental models and are shown visually. It provides a reference to promote further development and comprehensive utilization of S. fusiforme resources.

An Externally Validated Nomogram for Predicting the Overall Survival of Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Based on Clinical Characteristics and Systemic Inflammatory Markers

Background: Systemic inflammatory indicators are clinically significant in guiding diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) prognosis. However, which inflammatory markers are the best predictors of DLBCL prognosis is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to create a nomogram based on the best inflammatory markers and clinical indicators to predict the overall survival of patients with DLBCL. Patients and methods: We analyzed data from 423 DLBCL patients from two institutions and divided them into a training set, an internal validation set, and an external validation set (n = 228, 97, and 98, respectively). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and Cox regression analysis were used to develop nomograms. We assessed model fit using the Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion. The concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the nomogram's predictive performance and clinical net benefit and compared with the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-IPI. Results: The inclusion variables for the nomogram model were age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, lactate dehydrogenase level, the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and β-2 microglobulin (β-2 MG) level. In the training cohort, the nomogram showed better goodness of fit than the IPI and NCCN-IPI. The C-index of the nomogram (0.804, 95% CI: 0.751-0.857) outperformed the IPI (0.690, 95% CI: 0.629-0.751) and NCCN-IPI (0.691, 95% CI: 0.632-0.750). The calibration curve, ROC curve, and DCA curve analysis showed that the nomogram has satisfactory predictive power and clinical utility. Similar results were found in the validation cohort. Conclusion: The nomogram integrated with the clinical characteristics and inflammatory markers is beneficial to predict the prognosis of patients with DLBCL.

Phenylbenzohydrazides Obtained from Isatoic Anhydride Present Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Vivo and In Vitro

BACKGROUND

Despite the existence of a wide variety of anti-inflammatory drugs, the vast majority are classified as steroidal or non-steroidal. Both classes present a variety of side effects that limit usage. Thus, the search for new molecules with anti-inflammatory potential is still important.

METHODS

Five phenylbenzohydrazides were synthetized and evaluated in pre-clinical models of acute inflammation in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

The new substances (INL-06, -07, -10, and -11), as well as AISCT, significantly reduced cell migration induced by carrageenan. It was also observed that all INLs inhibited protein extravasation as well as cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) production. The INL-11 was demonstrated to be the most potent, since the inhibition observed in several parameters was significant even when compared with dexamethasone. In vitro INLs also reduced cytokines and NO production and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) enzyme activity. The INL-11 was the most effective in reducing cell migration in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that these substances are suitable for further development into a new series of compounds that could lead to new hits and future drug prototypes for anti-inflammatory conditions.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Compounds from Echinoderms

Chronic inflammation can extensively burden a healthcare system. Several synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs are currently available in clinical practice, but each has its own side effect profile. The planet is gifted with vast and diverse oceans, which provide a treasure of bioactive compounds, the chemical structures of which may provide valuable pharmaceutical agents. Marine organisms contain a variety of bioactive compounds, some of which have anti-inflammatory activity and have received considerable attention from the scientific community for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs. This review describes such bioactive compounds, as well as crude extracts (published during 2010-2022) from echinoderms: namely, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and starfish. Moreover, we also include their chemical structures, evaluation models, and anti-inflammatory activities, including the molecular mechanism(s) of these compounds. This paper also highlights the potential applications of those marine-derived compounds in the pharmaceutical industry to develop leads for the clinical pipeline. In conclusion, this review can serve as a well-documented reference for the research progress on the development of potential anti-inflammatory drugs from echinoderms against various chronic inflammatory conditions.

Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Connexin Hemichannels in Muscular Dystrophies

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a heterogeneous group of congenital neuromuscular disorders whose clinical signs include myalgia, skeletal muscle weakness, hypotonia, and atrophy that leads to progressive muscle disability and loss of ambulation. MDs can also affect cardiac and respiratory muscles, impairing life-expectancy. MDs in clude Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. These and other MDs are caused by mutations in genes that encode proteins responsible for the structure and function of skeletal muscles, such as components of the dystrophin-glycoprotein-complex that connect the sarcomeric-actin with the extracellular matrix, allowing contractile force transmission and providing stability during muscle contraction. Consequently, in dystrophic conditions in which such proteins are affected, muscle integrity is disrupted, leading to local inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, Ca²⁺-dyshomeostasis and muscle degeneration. In this scenario, dysregulation of connexin hemichannels seem to be an early disruptor of the homeostasis that further plays a relevant role in these processes. The interaction between all these elements constitutes a positive feedback loop that contributes to the worsening of the diseases. Thus, we discuss here the interplay between inflammation, oxidative stress and connexin hemichannels in the progression of MDs and their potential as therapeutic targets.