Ciprofloxacin promotes polarization of CD86+CD206‑ macrophages to suppress liver cancer

Indomethacin Combined with Ciprofloxacin Improves the Prognosis of Mice under Severe Traumatic Infection via the PI3K/Akt Pathway in Macrophages

The prevention and treatment strategies for traumatic infection often focus on the use of antibiotics, while eschew the combined treatment of the bacteria, their toxins, and inflammatory mediators. This might be a main reason the prognosis of wound victims has not improved. Although our previous work found that the combination of indomethacin (IND) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) could promote skin wound repair and enhance the immune function, the efficacy and safety of this strategy for severe traumatic infection-mediated complications remain unknown. Additionally, there is no study on the relevant target cells and molecular mechanisms. In this study, C57BL/6 adult male mice were modeled for severe traumatic infection, and the optimal doses of IND and CIP alone were determined. After that, the efficacy and safety of IND plus CIP in traumatic infection mice were explored. Then the differentially expressed genes of activated macrophages in this process were analysed and verified by transcriptomic methods and conventional experimental techniques. The role of a candidate signalling pathway (PI3K/Akt) in regulating macrophage function and drug combination therapy was evaluated. The results showed that IND plus CIP increased the survival rate, reduced the degree of inflammatory response, and enhanced the bacteriostatic effect in mice under traumatic infection. This combined therapy did not cause significant damage to the functions of important organs (liver, kidney, heart). In addition, IND combined with CIP induced macrophages to significantly change their expression levels of several cytokines, including interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-22, IL-23A, IL-17A, IL-17F, cluster of differentiation (CD) 11b and other genes/encode proteins. Further study showed that intervention with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 modulated the secretion function of the above-mentioned macrophages and Akt activation (phosphorylation at serine 473). IND plus CIP can regulate macrophage function through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway and improve the prognosis of severe traumatic infected mice. This may be a new therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of severe traumatic infection.

A systematic strategy for investigating the pharmacological effects and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicinal formula: Guilin Xiguashuang as a case

BACKGROUND

Traditional Chinese medicinal formula (TCMF) has specific advantages in treating diseases. However, the pharmacological effects and mechanism of TCMF composed of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) with unclear active components or targets have not yet been fully elucidated.

OBJECTIVES

This research proposed a strategy for elucidating the pharmacological effects and mechanism to address this issue systematically.

METHODS

With Guilin Xiguashuang (GLXGS) taken as a case, this study newly provided the multi-level assays, which decomposes TCMF into components, TCM, and TCMF levels. The main pharmacological effects were acquired through a comprehensive analysis based on the active components, pharmacological effects of TCM, and clinical efficacy of TCMF, respectively. The core targets and pathways were further identified and verified to elucidate the mechanism.

RESULTS

The main pharmacological effects of GLXGS were anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, immunoregulatory, and wound healing. Moreover, the mechanism analysis demonstrated that GLXGS was involved in the regulation of NF-κB and VEGF signaling pathways and core targets, such as IL-6 and TNF-α. Finally, unproven immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory mechanism were verified using RAW264.7 and THP-1 cells. GLXGS was verified to down-regulate IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CD86 in lipopolysaccharides-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, while enhancing polarization in both RAW264.7 and THP-1 cells, which were consistent with analysis results.

CONCLUSION

The present research provides a systematic strategy for the pharmacological effect prediction and mechanism analysis of TCMF, which is of great significance for studying complex TCMF.

The tale of antibiotics beyond antimicrobials: Expanding horizons

Antibiotics had proved to be a godsend for mankind since their discovery. They were once the magical solution to the vexing problem of infection-related deaths. German scientist Paul Ehrlich had termed salvarsan as the silver bullet to treatsyphilis.As time passed, the magic of newly discovered silver bullets got tarnished with raging antibiotic resistance among bacteria and associated side-effects. Still, antibiotics remain the primary line of treatment for bacterial infections. Our understanding of their chemical and biological activities has increased immensely with advancement in the research field. Non-antibacterial effects of antibiotics are studied extensively to optimise their safer, broad-range use. These non-antibacterial effects could be both useful and harmful to us. Various researchers across the globe including our lab are studying the direct/indirect effects and molecular mechanisms behind these non-antibacterial effects of antibiotics. So, it is interesting for us to sum up the available literature. In this review, we have briefed the possible reason behind the non-antibacterial effects of antibiotics, owing to the endosymbiotic origin of host mitochondria. We further discuss the physiological and immunomodulatory effects of antibiotics. We then extend the review to discuss molecular mechanisms behind the plausible use of antibiotics as anticancer agents.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Macrophage Polarization Protocols: Vitamin D3 or IL-4 and IL-13 Do Not Polarize THP-1 Monocytes into Reliable M2 Macrophages

Two main types of macrophages (Mφ) include inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages. These cells can be obtained in vitro by polarization of monocytic cell lines using various stimuli. Since there is currently no consensus on the best method for the acquisition of reliable M1 and M2 macrophages from the THP-1 cell line, we decided to compare three different polarization protocols at the transcriptomic level. Whole transcriptomes of Mφ polarized according to the chosen protocols were analyzed using RNA-seq. Differential expression of genes and functional enrichment for gene ontology terms were assessed. Compared with other protocols, M1 macrophages polarized using PMA (61.3 ng/mL) and IFN-γ along with LPS had the highest expression of M1-associated regulatory genes and genes for M1 cytokines and chemokines. According to the GO enrichment analysis, genes involved in defensive and inflammatory processes were differentially expressed in these Mφ. However, all three chosen protocols which use Vit D₃, IL-13/IL-4, and IL-4, respectively, failed to promote the polarization of macrophages with a reliable M2 phenotype. Therefore, optimization or development of a new M2 polarization protocol is needed to achieve macrophages with a reliable anti-inflammatory phenotype.

Antiproliferative Activity of Antibiotics through DNA Binding Mechanism: Evaluation and Molecular Docking Studies

The antiproliferative activity of three antibiotics clinically use, was studied through DNA inhibition mechanisms, ex vivo, in silico and in vitro. The ex vivo interaction of DNA with ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP·HCl), penicillin G sodium salt (PEN·Na), and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC·HCl) was determined by UV-Vis spectra and viscosity measurements. Furthermore, their binding constants (K_b) toward CT-DNA were calculated (K_b = (2.8 ± 0.6) × 10⁴ (CIP·HCl), (0.4 ± 0.1) × 10⁴ (PEN·Na) and (6.9 ± 0.3) × 10⁴ (TC·HCl) Μ^-1). Docking studies on the binding interactions of antibiotics with DNA were performed to rationalize the ex vivo results. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the antibiotics was evaluated against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells (IC₅₀ values: 417.4 ± 28.2 (CIP·HCl), >2000 (PEN·Na) and 443.1 ± 17.2 (TC·HCl) μΜ). Cell cycle arrest studies confirmed the apoptotic type of MCF-7 cells. The toxicity of the studied agents was in vitro tested against human fetal lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The results are compared with the corresponding one for doxorubicin (DOX). Despite their low binding affinity to DNA (K_b) or their different mode of interaction, TC·HCl (anthracycline) or CIP·HCl (quinolones), exhibit notable antiproliferative activity and low toxicity.

The combination of ciprofloxacin and indomethacin suppresses the level of inflammatory cytokines secreted by macrophages in vitro

PURPOSE

The combined use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine to manage bacterial endotoxin-induced inflammation following injuries or diseases is increasing. The cytokine level produced by macrophages plays an important role in this treatment course. Ciprofloxacin and indomethacin, two typical representatives of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine, are cost-effective and has been reported to show satisfactory effect. The current study aims to investigate the effect of ciprofloxacin along with indomethacin on the secretion of inflammatory cytokines by macrophages in vitro.

METHODS

Primary murine peritoneal macrophages and RAW 264.7 cells were administrated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h. The related optimal dose and time point of ciprofloxacin or indomethacin in response to macrophage inflammatory response inflammation were determined via macrophage secretion induced by LPS. Then, the effects of ciprofloxacin and indomethacin on the secretory functions and viability of various macrophages were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry analysis, especially for the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The optimal dose and time course of ciprofloxacin affecting macrophage inflammatory response were determined by testing the maximum inhibitory effect of the drugs on pro-inflammatory factors at each concentration or time point.

RESULTS

According to the levels of cytokines secreted by various macrophages (1.2 × 10⁶ cells/well) after administration of 1 μg/mL LPS, the optimal dose and usage timing for ciprofloxacin alone were 80 μg/mL and 24 h, respectively, and the optimal dose for indomethacin alone was 10 μg/mL. Compared with the LPS-stimulated group, the combination of ciprofloxacin and indomethacin reduced the levels of IL-1β (p < 0.05), IL-6 (p < 0.05), IL-10 (p < 0.01)), and TNF-α (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was greater stability in the reduction of inflammatory factor levels in the combination group compared with those in which only ciprofloxacin or indomethacin was used.

CONCLUSION

The combination of ciprofloxacin and indomethacin suppressed the levels of inflammatory cytokines secreted by macrophages in vitro. This study illustrates the regulatory mechanism of drug combinations on innate immune cells that cause inflammatory reactions. In addition, it provides a new potential antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatment pattern to prevent and cure various complications in the future.

Antitumor effect of a polysaccharide from Pseudostellaria heterophylla through reversing tumor-associated macrophages phenotype

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which are predominant tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, participate in promoting the occurrence and metastasis of tumor cells. Reprogramming TAMs has become a promising immunotherapeutic approach for novel cancer treatments. In this study, a homogeneous polysaccharide (PHP-1) was obtained from Pseudostellaria heterophylla, and its antitumor and immunological activities, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms were explored. These findings suggested that PHP-1 can switch M2 macrophages to the M1 type, thereby promoting tumor cell apoptosis in vitro. In addition, PHP-1 can modulate the TAMs phenotype, maintain the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ lymphocyte balance, and exert antitumor effects in H22 tumor-bearing mice. Mechanistically, PHP-1 is recognized by the TLR4 receptor, promotes Ca²⁺ release, and activates the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways to reset the M2-type macrophages. These findings indicate that PHP-1 from P. heterophylla can function as a tumor immunotherapeutic modulator.

Exploring Ganweikang Tablet as a Candidate Drug for NAFLD Through Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as liver disease in which more than 5% of hepatocytes are steatotic with little or no alcohol consumption. NAFLD includes benign nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Importantly, NASH is an advanced progression of NAFL and is characterized by steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning, lobular inflammation, and fibrosis. However, to date, no drugs specifically targeting NAFLD have been approved by the FDA. Therefore, a new drug or strategy for NAFLD treatment is necessary. However, the pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and no single-target drugs have achieved the desired results. Noticeably, traditional Chinese medicine formulations are a complex system with multiple components, multiple targets, and synergistic effects between components. The Ganweikang tablet is a compound formula based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical experience. In this study, network pharmacology analysis indicates Ganweikang tablet as a candidate for NAFLD treatment. Furthermore, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Ganweikang tablet on the NAFL and NASH and tried to clarify the underlying molecular mechanisms in animal models and cell experiments. As expected, Ganweikang tablet was found to improve NAFL and NASH by modulating inflammation, apoptosis, and fatty acid oxidation by inhibiting NFκB, caspase-8, and activating PPARα, which not only indicates that Ganweikang tablet as a drug candidate but also provides a theoretical basis of Ganweikang tablet for the treatment of NAFL and NASH.

Controlled release of silibinin in GelMA hydrogels inhibits inflammation by inducing M2-type macrophage polarization and promotes vascularization in vitro

A dry socket is one of the most common complications after tooth extraction. The main etiologies are the loss of blood clots in the socket and the inflammation reaction caused by infection. Current studies on how to prevent dry sockets could not solve these two etiologies at the same time. Recent studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammation role of silibinin. In this study, silibinin was engineered into GelMA hydrogels (Sil-GelMA) with a concentration of 30 mM. The surface characteristics were observed by scanning electron microscopy and the successful loading of silibinin was detected by FTIR spectrometry. The Sil-GelMA hydrogels presented the sustained release ability of silibinin and slow degradation performance of GelMA. Furthermore, silibinin inhibited the inflammatory reaction by inducing M2-type macrophage polarization, promoting the secretion of anti-inflammatory factors (CD206, IL-10) and inhibiting the secretion of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, iNOS). Silibinin also increased the secretion of vascularization-related factor VEGF and promoted vascularization in vitro. This study suggested that the Sil-GelMA hydrogels not only had an anti-inflammatory effect, but also had the potential to promote vascularization. Based on these results, the Sil-GelMA hydrogels might provide a promising prospect for prevention of dry sockets in the future.

Repurposing non-oncology small-molecule drugs to improve cancer therapy: Current situation and future directions

Drug repurposing or repositioning has been well-known to refer to the therapeutic applications of a drug for another indication other than it was originally approved for. Repurposing non-oncology small-molecule drugs has been increasingly becoming an attractive approach to improve cancer therapy, with potentially lower overall costs and shorter timelines. Several non-oncology drugs approved by FDA have been recently reported to treat different types of human cancers, with the aid of some new emerging technologies, such as omics sequencing and artificial intelligence to overcome the bottleneck of drug repurposing. Therefore, in this review, we focus on summarizing the therapeutic potential of non-oncology drugs, including cardiovascular drugs, microbiological drugs, small-molecule antibiotics, anti-viral drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-neurodegenerative drugs, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and other drugs in human cancers. We also discuss their novel potential targets and relevant signaling pathways of these old non-oncology drugs in cancer therapies. Taken together, these inspiring findings will shed new light on repurposing more non-oncology small-molecule drugs with their intricate molecular mechanisms for future cancer drug discovery.

Overcoming the Prokaryote/Eukaryote Barrier in Tuberculosis Treatment: A Prospect for the Repurposing and Use of Antiparasitic Drugs

Antimicrobial resistance, the so-called silent pandemic, is pushing industry and academia to find novel antimicrobial agents with new mechanisms of action in order to be active against susceptible and drug-resistant microorganisms. In the case of tuberculosis, the need of novel anti-tuberculosis drugs is specially challenging because of the intricate biology of its causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The repurposing of medicines has arisen in recent years as a fast, low-cost, and efficient strategy to identify novel biomedical applications for already approved drugs. This review is focused on anti-parasitic drugs that have additionally demonstrated certain levels of anti-tuberculosis activity; along with this, natural products with a dual activity against parasites and against M. tuberculosis are discussed. A few clinical trials have tested antiparasitic drugs in tuberculosis patients, and have revealed effective dose and toxicity issues, which is consistent with the natural differences between tuberculosis and parasitic infections. However, through medicinal chemistry approaches, derivatives of drugs with anti-parasitic activity have become successful drugs for use in tuberculosis therapy. In summary, even when the repurposing of anti-parasitic drugs for tuberculosis treatment does not seem to be an easy job, it deserves attention as a potential contributor to fuel the anti-tuberculosis drug pipeline.