Topical Therapy with Antisense Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Using Novel β-Glucan-Based Drug Delivery System Ameliorates Intestinal Inflammation

Tackling TNF-α in autoinflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases: From conventional to cutting edge in biologics and RNA- based nanomedicines

Autoinflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases result from abnormal deviations of innate and adaptive immunity that heterogeneously affect organs and clinical phenotypes. Despite having etiologic and phenotypic differences, these two conditions share the onset of an aberrant inflammatory process. Targeting the main drivers controlling inflammation is useful to treat both autoimmune and autoinflammatory syndromes. TNF-α is a major player in the inflammatory immune response, and anti-TNF-α antibodies have been a revolutionary treatment in many autoimmune disorders. However, production difficulties and high development costs hinder their implementation, and accessibility to their use is still limited. Innovative strategies aimed at overcoming the limitations associated with anti-TNF-α antibodies are being explored, including RNA-based therapies. Here we summarize the central role of TNF-α in immune disorders and how anti-TNF-based immunotherapies changed the therapeutic landscape, albeit with important limitations related to side effects, tolerance, and resistance to therapies. We then outline how nanotechnology has provided the final momentum for the use of nucleic acids in the treatment of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, with a focus on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). The example of IBDs allows the evaluation and discussion of the nucleic acids-based treatments that have been developed, to identify the role that innovative approaches possess in view of the treatment of autoinflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases.

Research progress on natural β-glucan in intestinal diseases

β-Glucan, an essential natural polysaccharide widely distributed in cereals and microorganisms, exhibits extensive biological activities, including immunoregulation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor properties, and flora regulation. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that β-glucan has activities that may be useful for treating intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer. The advantages of β-glucan, which include its multiple roles, safety, abundant sources, good encapsulation capacity, economic development costs, and clinical evidence, indicate that β-glucan is a promising polysaccharide that could be developed as a health product or medicine for the treatment of intestinal disease. Unfortunately, few reports have summarized the progress of studies investigating natural β-glucan in intestinal diseases. This review comprehensively summarizes the structure-activity relationship of β-glucan, its pharmacological mechanism in IBD and colorectal cancer, its absorption and transportation mechanisms, and its application in food, medicine, and drug delivery, which will be beneficial to further understand the role of β-glucan in intestinal diseases.

Recent advances in the production of biomedical systems based on polyhydroxyalkanoates and exopolysaccharides

In recent years, growing attention has been devoted to naturally occurring biological macromolecules and their ensuing application in agriculture, cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical industries. They inherently have antigenicity, low immunogenicity, excellent biocompatibility and cytocompatibility, which are ideal properties for the design of biomedical devices, especially for the controlled delivery of active ingredients in the most diverse contexts. Furthermore, these properties can be modulated by chemical modification via the incorporation of other (macro)molecules in a random or controlled way, aiming at improving their functionality for each specific application. Among the wide variety of natural polymers, microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) are often considered for the development of original biomaterials due to their unique physicochemical and biological features. Here, we aim to fullfil a gap on the present associated literature, bringing an up-to-date overview of ongoing research strategies that make use of PHAs (poly (3-hydroxybutyrate), poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), poly (3-hydroxyoctanoate), poly(3-hydroxypropionate), poly (3-hydroxyhexanoate-co-3-hydroxyoctanoate), and poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)) and EPS (bacterial cellulose, alginates, curdlan, pullulan, xanthan gum, dextran, hyaluronan, and schizophyllan) as sources of interesting and versatile biomaterials. For the first time, a monograph addressing the properties, pros and cons, status, challenges, and recent progresses regarding the application of these two important classes of biopolymers in biomedicine is presented.

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Essential Oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Leaf: In Vivo and in Silico Studies

The objective of our present study is to scrutinize the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potentials of essential oil of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf using different in vivo assay models at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight. Twenty chemical compounds, which were isolated from the leaves essential oil of E. camaldulensis, were docked using AutodockVina against cyclooxygenase 2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β convertase to elucidate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. The essential oil of E. camaldulensis exhibited noteworthy analgesic activities in the writhing test. In the tail immersion and hot-plate test, the essential oil significantly extended the latency period. The number of licks in the formalin-induced paw licking test was markedly reduced following essential oil administration. In addition, E. camaldulensis essential oil revealed notable anti-inflammatory responses in carrageenan-induced paw edema, xylene induced ear edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma methods. Among 20 compounds, 5 ( cis-sabinol, globulol, α-eudesmol, β-eudesmol, and γ-eudesmol) showed better binding for cyclooxygenase-2 while β-eudesmol exhibited higher affinity for TNFα than that of TNF-alpha-IN-1 and standard drug. In the case of interleukin 1β convertase, maximum affinity was shown by α-eudesmol than the synthetic drug belnacasan. Chemical components of the essential oil interacted with diverse amino acid residues which were similar to the natural substrate and standard drugs. In conclusion, E. camaldulensis essential oil can be an effective source of analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment and additional modification and docking studies will be required to justify the efficiency of globulol, α-eudesmol, β-eudesmol, and γ-eudesmol.

Not All Fibers Are Born Equal; Variable Response to Dietary Fiber Subtypes in IBD

Diet provides a safe and attractive alternative to available treatment options in a variety of diseases; however, research has only just begun to elucidate the role of diet in chronic diseases, such as the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The chronic and highly debilitating IBDs, Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, are hallmarked by intestinal inflammation, immune dysregulation, and dysbiosis; and evidence supports a role for genetics, microbiota, and the environment, including diet, in disease pathogenesis. This is true especially in children with IBD, where diet-based treatments have shown excellent results. One interesting group of dietary factors that readily links microbiota to gut health is dietary fibers. Fibers are not digested by human cells, but rather fermented by the gut microbes within the bowel. Evidence has been mounting over the last decade in support of the importance of dietary fibers in the maintenance of gut health and in IBD; however, more recent studies highlight the complexity of this interaction and importance of understanding the role of each individual dietary fiber subtype, especially during disease. There are roughly ten subtypes of dietary fibers described to date, categorized as soluble or insoluble, with varying chemical structures, and large differences in their fermentation profiles. Many studies to date have described the benefits of the byproducts of fermentation in healthy individuals and the potential health benefits in select disease models. However, there remains a void in our understanding of how each of these individual fibers affect human health in dysbiotic settings where appropriate fermentation may not be achieved. This review highlights the possibilities for better defining the role of individual dietary fibers for use in regulating inflammation in IBD.

Oligo-DNA Stoichiometrically Binds β-1,3-Glucan with the Best Fit Length

Oligo-deoxyadenylic acid (dA_X) forms a novel 1:2 triple-helix with β-1,3-d-glucan schizophyllan (SPG). We found that dA_X meticulously selects the most suitable length of SPG to bind; for example, dA₃₀ only complexes with a short SPG chain having 30, 60, or 90 main-chain glucoses, and they can be easily isolated with each other. This study demonstrated such a novel stoichiometric complex formation by using gel permeation chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. These oligo-DNA/polysaccharide complexes can be used as a tool for delivering therapeutic oligonucleotides to immunocytes that express the β-1,3-d-glucan receptors. The present study provides a robust platform technique to characterize them in terms of modern regulatory science of nanomedicines, which is requisite to transfer drug candidates into clinical trial. Our findings are important for characterizing these complexes as well as for providing a new insight into nucleotide and saccharide chemistry.

Beta-d-glucan-based drug delivery system and its potential application in targeting tumor associated macrophages

Use of polysaccharides as carriers in drug delivery system is a hot topic, especially those with specific recognition of immune cells, enabling them to be applied in targeting delivery system. β-d-glucans are naturally occurring non-digestible polysaccharides with immunomodulatory activities that have attracted increasing attention to serve as therapeutic agents or immune-adjuvants. Being able to be specifically recognized by immune cells like macrophages, β-d-glucans can be developed as promising carriers for targeting delivery with stability, biocompatibility and specificity when applied in immunotherapy. Targeting tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) is an emerging strategy for cancer immunotherapy since it exerts anti-cancer effects based on modulating body immunity in tumor microenvironment (TME). This new strategy does not require high concentration of drugs to kill cancer cells directly and lessen tumor recurrence by creating unique immune memory for malignant cells. In this review, construction strategies of polysaccharide-based drug delivery system of three types of β-d-glucan including non-yeast and yeast β-d-glucans as well as hyper-branched β-d-glucan are discussed with reference to their branching characteristics and conformation. The applications of these β-d-glucans as nano-carrier for drug delivery targeting TAMs are also discussed.

Review: Local Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) characterized by intestinal inflammation. Increased intestinal levels of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are associated with disease activity and severity. Anti-TNF-α therapy is administered systemically and efficacious in the treatment of IBD. However, systemic exposure is associated with adverse events that may impede therapeutic treatment. Clinical studies show that the efficacy correlates with immunological effects localized in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) as opposed to systemic effects. These data suggest that site-specific TNF-α inhibition in IBD may be efficacious with fewer expected side effects related to systemic exposure. We therefore reviewed the available literature that investigated the efficacy or feasibility of local TNF-α inhibition in IBD. A literature search was performed on PubMed with given search terms and strategy. Of 8739 hits, 48 citations were included in this review. These studies ranged from animal studies to randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials. In these studies, local anti-TNF-α therapy was achieved with antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA) and genetically modified organisms. This narrative review summarizes and discusses these approaches in view of the clinical relevance of local TNF-α inhibition in IBD.