MYD88 and Proinflammatory Chemokines in Aortic Atheromatosis: Exploring Novel Statin Effects

MyD88 and Its Inhibitors in Cancer: Prospects and Challenges

The interplay between the immune system and cancer underscores the central role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. In this context, the innate immune system plays a critical role in preventing tumor invasion. Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) is crucial for innate immunity, and activation of MyD88 promotes the production of inflammatory cytokines and induces infiltration, polarization, and immune escape of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, abnormal MyD88 signaling induces tumor cell proliferation and metastasis, which are closely associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, MyD88 could serve as a novel tumor biomarker and is a promising target for cancer therapy. Current strategies targeting MyD88 including inhibition of signaling pathways and protein multimerization, have made substantial progress, especially in inflammatory diseases and chronic inflammation-induced cancers. However, the specific role of MyD88 in regulating tumor immunity and tumorigenic mechanisms remains unclear. Therefore, this review describes the involvement of MyD88 in tumor immune escape and disease therapy. In addition, classical and non-classical MyD88 inhibitors were collated to provide insights into potential cancer treatment strategies. Despite several challenges and complexities, targeting MyD88 is a promising avenue for improving cancer treatment and has the potential to revolutionize patient outcomes.

Myocardial Expression of Pluripotency, Longevity, and Proinflammatory Genes in the Context of Hypercholesterolemia and Statin Treatment

Background: This study sought to assess the effect of statin therapy on myocardial inflammation in a White New Zealand rabbit model of atherogenesis. Methods: The mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory, pluripotency, and aging-related markers were quantified following a controlled feeding protocol and statin treatments. Results: Following high-cholesterol diet induction, we observed significant upregulation in the myocardial mRNA levels of MYD88, NF-κB, chemokines (CCL4, CCL20, and CCR2), IFN-γ, interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-18), and novel markers (klotho, KFL4, NANOG, and HIF1α). In contrast, HOXA5 expression was diminished following a hyperlipidemic diet. Both statin treatments significantly influenced the markers studied. Nevertheless, rosuvastatin administration resulted in a greater reduction in MYD88, NF-kB, chemokines (CCL4, CCL20, and CCR2), and interleukins IL-1β, IL-8, KLF4, NANOG, and HIF1α than fluvastatin. Fluvastatin, on the other hand, led to a stronger decrease in IL-4. Downregulation of IL-2 and IL-18 and upregulation of IFNβ and HOXA5 were comparable between the two statins. Notably, rosuvastatin had a stronger effect on the upregulation of klotho and IL-10. Conclusion: Overall, statin therapy significantly attenuated inflammatory, pluripotency, and klotho expression in myocardial tissue under atherogenic conditions. Our findings also highlight the differential efficacy of rosuvastatin over fluvastatin in curtailing proatherogenic inflammation, which could have profound implications for the clinical management of cardiovascular disease.

Association between Statins Administration and Influenza Susceptibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

Previous studies reported that the association between statins use and influenza infection was contradictory. A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies were performed to determine the association between statins use and influenza susceptibility. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, from each database's inception to 21 May 2023. The fixed effect model and random effects model were used for data synthesis. In our study, a total of 1,472,239 statins users and 1,486,881 statins non-users from five articles were included. The pooled risk ratio (RR) of all included participants was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.03-1.07), and there were still significant differences after adjusting for vaccination status. Of note, RR values in statins users were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03-1.08) in people aged ≥60 years old and 1.05 (95% CI: 1.03-1.07) in participant groups with a higher proportion of females. Administration of statins might be associated with an increased risk of influenza infection, especially among females and elderly people. For those people using statins, we should pay more attention to surveillance of their health conditions and take measures to prevent influenza infection.

The mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in atherosclerosis

Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of non-apoptotic programmed cell death, characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lethal lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxidation of membrane polyunsaturated fatty acid phospholipids (PUFA-PLs). Ferroptosis is unique among other cell death modalities in many aspects. It is initiated by excessive oxidative damage due to iron overload and lipid peroxidation and compromised antioxidant defense systems, including the system Xc-/ glutathione (GSH)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway and the GPX4-independent pathways. In the past ten years, ferroptosis was reported to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases, e.g., atherosclerosis (AS), arrhythmia, heart failure, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Studies have identified dysfunctional iron metabolism and abnormal expression profiles of ferroptosis-related factors, including iron, GSH, GPX4, ferroportin (FPN), and SLC7A11 (xCT), as critical indicators for atherogenesis. Moreover, ferroptosis in plaque cells, i.e., vascular endothelial cell (VEC), macrophage, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC), positively correlate with atherosclerotic plaque development. Many macromolecules, drugs, Chinese herbs, and food extracts can inhibit the atherogenic process by suppressing the ferroptosis of plaque cells. In contrast, some ferroptosis inducers have significant pro-atherogenic effects. However, the mechanisms through which ferroptosis affects the progression of AS still need to be well-known. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and their emerging role in AS, aimed at providing novel, promising druggable targets for anti-AS therapy.