Identification and pre-clinical investigation of 3-O-cyclohexanecarbonyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid as a drug for external use to treat psoriasis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Psoriasis vulgaris is a refractory skin inflammatory disorder with 80% of the cases belonging to the mild-to-moderate type, which can be controlled by topical treatment. Nevertheless, the drugs for external use have not been upgraded for decades. We modified acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (ABKA), a natural compound shown to treat psoriasis animal models, to improve efficacy and solubility for topical use.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Eleven compounds were synthesized using AKBA as a lead compound, and their effects on Th17 cell differentiation were screened. 3-O-cyclohexanecarbonyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (CKBA) potently inhibited Th17 cell differentiation. Its efficacy in a mouse model of psoriasis was assessed along with its pharmacology and safety profile when topically or systemically delivered to several animal species.

KEY RESULTS

CKBA inhibited mouse and human Th17 cell differentiation with an IC50 of 3.28 and 3.61 μM, respectively, and directly targeted acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1). Safety evaluation and toxicity tests suggested that systemically delivered high-dose CKBA for 14 days had no dose-associated adverse effects on the CNS, haematopoietic, cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems of cynomolgus monkeys. CKBA ointment permeated the skin and did not irritate or sensitize intact skin. CKBA ointment mediated dose-dependent suppression of imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation with slow absorption and limited bioavailability (<10% in rats and <1% in minipigs).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

CKBA is safe when topically or systemically delivered to animals. The beneficial effects of CKBA ointment in a mouse model of psoriasis indicate that this is a promising drug candidate for further development as a treatment for psoriasis.

A lncRNA Dleu2-encoded peptide relieves autoimmunity by facilitating Smad3-mediated Treg induction

Micropeptides encoded by short open reading frames (sORFs) within long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are beginning to be discovered and characterized as regulators of biological and pathological processes. Here, we find that lncRNA Dleu2 encodes a 17-amino-acid micropeptide, which we name Dleu2-17aa, that is abundantly expressed in T cells. Dleu2-17aa promotes inducible regulatory T (iTreg) cell generation by interacting with SMAD Family Member 3 (Smad3) and enhancing its binding to the Foxp3 conserved non-coding DNA sequence 1 (CNS1) region. Importantly, the genetic deletion of Dleu2-17aa in mice by start codon mutation impairs iTreg generation and worsens experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Conversely, the exogenous supplementation of Dleu2-17aa relieves EAE. Our findings demonstrate an indispensable role of Dleu2-17aa in maintaining immune homeostasis and suggest therapeutic applications for this peptide in treating autoimmune diseases.

Chiral Supramolecular Hydrogel Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of Sodium Aescinate to Modulate M1 Macrophage Polarization Against Lymphedema

Sodium aescinate (SA) shows great potential for treating lymphedema since it can regulate the expression of cytokines in M1 macrophages, however, it is commonly administered intravenously in clinical practice and often accompanied by severe toxic side effects and short metabolic cycles. Herein, SA-loaded chiral supramolecular hydrogels are prepared to prove the curative effects of SA on lymphedema and enhance its safety and transdermal transmission efficiency. In vitro studies demonstrate that SA- loaded chiral supramolecular hydrogels can modulate local immune responses by inhibiting M1 macrophage polarization. Typically, these chiral hydrogels can significantly increase the permeability of SA with good biocompatibility due to the high enantioselectivity between chiral gelators and stratum corneum and L-type hydrogels are found to have preferable drug penetration over D-type hydrogels. In vivo studies show that topical delivery of SA via chiral hydrogels results in dramatic therapeutic effects on lymphedema. Specifically, it can downregulate the level of inflammatory cytokines, reduce the development of fibrosis, and promote the regeneration of lymphatic vessels. This study initiates the use of SA for lymphedema treatment and for the creation of an effective chiral biological platform for improved topical administration.

NDI based C2-symmetric Chiral Supramolecular Hydrogels Towards Enhanced Conductivity

To comprehend the significance of improved conductive properties in C2-symmetric hydrogels, it is vital to investigate how non-gelating achiral functional group isomers influence the conductivity of such supramolecular hydrogels, whereas understanding the major driving forces behind this regulatory process is first and foremost. Herein, we report a hydrogel system containing tryptophan-conjugated NDI as the backbone (L/D-NTrp), enabling effective supramolecular assembly with the bipyridyl functional group isomers. This co-assembly behavior results in materials with exceptional mechanical properties and high conductivities, surpassing most previously reported C2-symmetrical hydrogels, as well as the ability to form controlled morphologies. Notably, the co-hydrogels displayed an eight-fold increase in mechanical strength, making them more robust and resistant to deformation compared to the original gel. Additionally, all hydrogels exhibited favorable electrical conductivity, with the co-assembled hydrogels showcasing notable performance, making them a promising candidate for use in electronic devices and sensors. This report lays the foundation for further investigation into the properties and potential applications of L/D-NTrp compound in the range of fields, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and electronics.

Prevalence and incidence of MAFLD and associated anthropometric parameters among prepubertal children of the Shanghai Birth Cohort

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in adolescent and adult population. However, the epidemiologic data of MAFLD in prepubertal children remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and incidence of MAFLD and assess the role of anthropometric parameters in identifying and predicting MAFLD in this population.

METHODS

Children from the Shanghai Birth Cohort Study who underwent an 8-year follow-up with anthropometric measurements and transient elastography FibroScan-502 examination (M probe, Echosens, Paris, France) were enrolled. Some of them also completed a 5-year follow-up. Diagnosis of fatty liver disease (FLD) was based on the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) value exceeding 248 dB/m, and MAFLD was defined as FLD combined with obesity or central obesity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of anthropometric parameters for MAFLD.

RESULTS

A total of 848 children (431 boys) from the Shanghai Birth Cohort Study were followed up for 8 years, and among them, 385 children (189 boys) also participated in the 5-year follow-up. The prevalence of FLD and MAFLD at 5 years old was 3.90% and 0.52%, respectively, while at 8 years old, the prevalence rates increased to 5.07% for FLD and 3.42% for MAFLD. The 8-year-old children with MAFLD exhibited significantly higher weight, body mass index (BMI), chest circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, and liver stiffness measurement compared to those without MAFLD (all p < 0.05). The incidence rates of FLD and MAFLD at 8 years old, considering the 5-year follow-up data, were 3.78% (14/370) and 3.13% (12/383), respectively. Obese or centrally obese children at 5 years old had a higher incidence of FLD and MAFLD at the 8-year follow-up. Waist circumference and BMI showed significant associations with the presence and incidence of MAFLD, respectively, with the largest AUC values in ROC curve analysis. In addition, chest circumference was significantly associated with MAFLD in obese children.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insights into the incidence and prevalence of MAFLD in prepubertal children. It underscores the importance of anthropometric parameters in identifying and predicting MAFLD in this population. Further research encompassing a broader age range and incorporating these indicators and additional metabolic markers is necessary to enhance the understanding and management of MAFLD in children.

Mxene-Based Supramolecular Composite Hydrogels for Antioxidant and Photothermal Antibacterial Activities

Bacterial infections and oxidative damage caused by various reactive oxygen species (ROS) pose a significant threat to human health. It is highly desirable to find an ideal biomaterial system with broad spectrum antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities. A new supramolecular antibacterial and antioxidant composite hydrogel made of chiral L-phenylalanine-derivative (LPFEG) as matrix and Mxene (Ti3 C2 Tx ) as filler material is presented. The noncovalent interactions (H-bonding and π-π interactions) in between LPFEG and Mxene and the inversion of LPFEG chirality are verified by Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The composite hydrogels show improved mechanical properties revealed by rheological analysis. The composite hydrogel system exhibits photothermal conversion efficiency (40.79%), which enables effective photothermal broad-spectrum antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Furthermore, the Mxene also enables the composite hydrogel to exhibit excellent antioxidant activity by efficiently scavenging free radicals like DPPH•, ABTS•+, and •OH. These results indicate that the Mxene-based chiral supramolecular composite hydrogel, with improved rheological, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties has a great potential for biomedical applications.

Risk and aversion coding in human habenula high gamma activity

Neurons in the primate lateral habenula fire in response to punishments and are inhibited by rewards. Through its modulation of midbrain monoaminergic activity, the habenula is believed to play an important role in adaptive behavioural responses to punishment and underlie depressive symptoms and their alleviation with ketamine. However, its role in value-based decision-making in humans is poorly understood due to limitations with non-invasive imaging methods which measure metabolic, not neural, activity with poor temporal resolution. Here, we overcome these limitations to more closely bridge the gap between species by recording local field potentials directly from the habenula in 12 human patients receiving deep brain stimulation treatment for bipolar disorder (n = 4), chronic pain (n = 3), depression (n = 3) and schizophrenia (n = 2). This allowed us to record neural activity during value-based decision-making tasks involving monetary rewards and losses. High-frequency gamma (60-240 Hz) activity, a proxy for population-level spiking involved in cognitive computations, increased during the receipt of loss and decreased during receipt of reward. Furthermore, habenula high gamma also encoded risk during decision-making, being larger in amplitude for high compared to low risk. For both risk and aversion, differences between conditions peaked approximately between 400 and 750 ms after stimulus onset. The findings not only demonstrate homologies with the primate habenula but also extend its role to human decision-making, showing its temporal dynamics and suggesting revisions to current models. The findings suggest that habenula high gamma could be used to optimize real-time closed-loop deep brain stimulation treatment for mood disturbances and impulsivity in psychiatric disorders.

AaSEPALLATA1 integrates jasmonate and light-regulated glandular secretory trichome initiation in Artemisia annua

Glandular secretory trichomes (GSTs) can secrete and store a variety of specific metabolites. By increasing GST density, valuable metabolites can be enhanced in terms of productivity. However, the comprehensive and detailed regulatory network of GST initiation still needs further investigation. By screening a complementary DNA library derived from young leaves of Artemisia annua, we identified a MADS-box transcription factor, AaSEPALLATA1 (AaSEP1), that positively regulates GST initiation. Overexpression of AaSEP1 in A. annua substantially increased GST density and artemisinin content. The HOMEODOMAIN PROTEIN 1 (AaHD1)-AaMYB16 regulatory network regulates GST initiation via the jasmonate (JA) signaling pathway. In this study, AaSEP1 enhanced the function of AaHD1 activation on downstream GST initiation gene GLANDULAR TRICHOME-SPECIFIC WRKY 2 (AaGSW2) through interaction with AaMYB16. Moreover, AaSEP1 interacted with the JA ZIM-domain 8 (AaJAZ8) and served as an important factor in JA-mediated GST initiation. We also found that AaSEP1 interacted with CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (AaCOP1), a major repressor of light signaling. In this study, we identified a MADS-box transcription factor that is induced by JA and light signaling and that promotes the initiation of GST in A. annua.