Current molecular pharmacology最新文献

Background: Neuroinflammatory responses are strongly associated with the pathogenesis of progressive neurodegenerative conditions and mood disorders. Modulating microglial activation is a potential strategy for developing protective treatments for central nervous system (CNS)-related diseases. Fibrates, widely used in clinical practice as cholesterol-lowering medications, exhibit numerous biological activities, such as anticancer and antiinflammatory activities. However, the mechanisms underlying their beneficial effects on the CNS remain unclear.

Objective: This study investigated the mechanisms through which fibrates influence inflammatory and anti-inflammatory homeostasis in microglial cells.

Methods: Cell viability assay, nitric oxide measurement, Western blot analysis,, real-time PCR, and cell transfection were used in this study.

Results: Fenofibrate, a well-known fibrate, reduced the production of nitric oxide and interleukin-6 and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in microglial cells. It also inhibited the expression of various proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including tumor necrosis factor-ɑ and interleukin-1β, and chemokine (C-C) motif ligand 2 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10. Notably, treatment of fenofibrate dramatically activated the sonic hedgehog (SHH) and sirtuin-1 (SIRT1). Furthermore, the inhibition of SHH or SIRT1 mitigated the anti-inflammatory effects of fenofibrate in IMG microglial cells.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that fenofibrate may inhibit inflammatory responses by activating SIRT1 and SHH in IMG microglial cells. Our study suggests that fenofibrate or targeting SHH molecule is a promising therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammation-associated conditions. Further research with additional cell lines and in vivo models is needed to understand its therapeutic potential.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy caused by cancer of the mucosal epithelial cells of the nasopharynx. Most patients with NPC present with distant metastases and treatment resistance, both of which challenge current anti-tumour drugs. The mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway is one of the most highly activated signalling pathways in NPC and plays an important role in various cellular activities. Dysfunction of mTOR and related signalling pathways induces tumour metabolism and growth. In this review, we summarize current evidence to evaluate the potential mechanisms by which mTOR is implicated in NPC. It was found that activating mTOR and its upstream and downstream signalling can promote tumor growth and survival of NPC. It is possible that EMT and autophagy regulated by cellular mTOR signalling activities may be implicated in the metastases and radioresistance of NPC.

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder described by the presence of functional endometrial-like tissues at extra-uterine locations that are related to chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Multiple molecular mechanisms, including inflammation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, fibrotic reactions, and angiogenesis, are involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis; however, the exact cause of this disorder still remains a matter of discussion. Recently, it has been shown that the local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been expressed in different tissues, like the gynecological tract, and alterations in its expression are associated with multiple pathological conditions like endometriosis. Angiotensin II (Ang II), as a main peptide of the RAS through angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R), upregulates signal transduction pathways such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen activation protein kinase (MAPK), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) to promote inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrogenesis. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) control high blood pressure, which is increased by excessive AT1R activity. Recently, it has been recognized that ARBs have tissue protective effects because of their anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects. In this review, we focused on the role of local Ang II/AT1R axis activity in endometriosis pathogenesis and justified the use of ARB agents as a potential therapeutic strategy to improve endometriosis.

Background: Increasing evidence has highlighted the involvement of the imbalance of long non-coding RNAs in the development of gastric cancer (GC), which is one of the most common malignancies in the world. This study aimed to determine the role of lncRNA WT1-AS in the progression of GC and explore its underlying mechanism.

Methods: The expression of lncRNA WT1-AS in gastric cancer tissues was detected using RT-qPCR. We knocked down the expression of WT1-AS in GC cells or treated them with rapamycin or both. Then, transwell assay and scratch assay were carried out to determine the migration of GC cells, and flow cytometry was carried out to determine the cell cycle. The immunofluorescence technique was used to determine the autophagy, and a tumor formation experiment was carried out to determine tumor growth in vivo. The expression of factors related to the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was also measured by Western Blotting.

Results: In GC tissues and cells, lncRNA WT1-AS was underexpressed. Moreover, overexpression of lncRNA WT1-AS blocked the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Upregulation of lncRNA WT1-AS or inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway suppressed cancer cell migration in vitro, leading to cell cycle arrest, and promoted autophagy while inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. It also reduced the expression levels of Ki-67, MMP2, MMP9, and VEGF. The WT1-AS+rapamycin group was the most prominent in all experiments.

Conclusion: The upregulation of lncRNA WT1-AS could suppress the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which inhibits cell migration and cell cycle arrest while promoting autophagy in gastric cancer cells.

Introduction: This work aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and myorelaxant effect of thymol (TM) and carvacrol (CAR) in the pregnant rat uterus. Both compounds exhibit considerable antimicrobial, antispasmodic, and anti-inflammatory effects and due to these properties, they were studied in this in vitro model of premature birth induced by infection.

Method: All uterine tissues were studied in uterine contraction tests to determine the inhibitory effect of TM, CAR (10, 56, 100, 150, and 230 μM), and nifedipine (a calcium channel antagonist) on phasic and tonic contraction induced by electro- and pharmacomechanical stimuli. The quantitative determination of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) induced by TM and CAR in the uterine lysate was carried out by ELISA. For the determination of the anti-inflammatory effect of TM, the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1β, in uterine samples stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was measured. Forskolin (FSK) was used as a positive control to evaluate the cAMP and cytokine levels. TM, CAR, and nifedipine inhibited the uterine contractions at the highest concentration level, however, nifedipine was the most equipotent (p<0.05). In addition, TM and CAR did not increase the intracellular cAMP production in comparison with FSK (p<0.05). However, both compounds were able to decrease the LPS-induced production in a concentration-dependent manner that was considered statistically significant (p>0.05).

Results: Finally, both the anti-inflammatory and uterine relaxing effects induced by TM and CAR were neither associated with the increase in cAMP levels nor with the production of IL-1β in pregnant rat uterine samples. Therefore, TM and CAR can be considered as alternative adjuvants for the treatment of infection-induced preterm labor. Before the in vitro experiments, an in-silico analysis was conducted using the Expaisy online server to evaluate the biological effects of thymol on uterine contraction.

Conclusion: It is crucial to know the interaction and identification of genes encoding the Voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1C proteins, because of the functional relationship it may have in the inhibition of the uterine contraction. These properties place TM as a potentially safe and effective adjuvant agent in cases of preterm birth, an area of pharmacological treatment that requires urgent improvement.

Lysosomes are important intracellular organelles involved in degradation metabolism, maintenance of homeostasis, cell survival and programmed death regulation, and play an important role in immunity. Some studies have shown that lysosomes are closely linked to tumor development. Lysosomes in tumor cells increase in size and activity to adapt to rapid proliferation. Cancer cells provide strong support for their unrestricted growth and proliferation by precisely regulating the number, composition and functional activities of lysosomes and also create favorable conditions for malignant behaviors such as survival, migration, invasion, and metastatic spread of cancer cells.Lysosomes play a central role in tumor progression, and in recent years, lysosomes have become an important target for anticancer strategies aimed at interfering with their function or modulating related signaling pathways to inhibit tumors. Current anti-cancer strategies include the following five aspects: (1) targeting tumor cell energy metabolism and lysosomes to inhibit growth; (2) inhibiting lysosomal histone proteases to block degradation metabolism; (3) destabilizing lysosomal membranes to trigger tumor cell death; (4) modulating lysosomal calcium signaling to affect tumor cell function; and (5) interfering with the mTOR signaling pathway to inhibit tumor growth and proliferation. These lysosome-targeted anticancer strategies offer broad prospects and potential for the development of novel anticancer drugs and therapies and are expected to bring more effective and safer therapeutic options for cancer patients.

Background: Research has revealed that the expression of PD-L1 is significantly upregulated in tumour cells and that the binding of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) to programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibits the response of T cells, thereby suppressing tumour immunity. Therefore, blocking PD-L1/PD-1 signalling has become an important target in clinical immunotherapy. Some old drugs, namely, non-anticancer drugs, have also been found to have antitumour effects, and maprotiline is one of them. Maprotiline is a tetracyclic antidepressant that has been widely used to treat depression. However, it has not yet been reported whether maprotiline can exert an antitumour effect on melanoma.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the antitumour efficacy of maprotiline in mice with melanoma.

Methods: In this study, female C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a tumour-bearing animal model. After treatment with maprotiline, the survival rate of mice was recorded daily. The expression of relevant proteins was detected by Western blotting, the proportion of immune cells was detected by flow cytometry, and the infiltration of immune cells in tumour tissue was detected by immunofluorescence staining.

Results: Maprotiline was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration of B16 cells while increasing cell apoptosis. Importantly, treatment with maprotiline decreased the expression of PD-L1 and increased the proportion of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and NK cells in the spleen. It also increased the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in tumour tissue.

Conclusion: Our research findings suggest that maprotiline enhances the antitumour immune response in mouse melanoma by inhibiting PD-L1 expression. This study may discover a new PD-L1 inhibitor, providing a novel therapeutic option for the clinical treatment of tumours.

In the online version of the article, a change was made in the list of author's and affiliation section. The affiliation of Charan Singh in the online version of the article titled "Bedaquiline in Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: A Mini-Review" has been updated in "Current Molecular Pharmacology," 2023; 16: e210422203904 [1]. The original article can be found online at: https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/122759 Original: Baljinder Singh1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, UIPS, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India Corrected: 1Department of Pharmaceutics, UIPS, Punjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India 2Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, 142001, India 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Sciences, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar, Uttarakhand, 246174, India Funding: Original: None. Corrected: The financial support provided by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under the Research Grant File No. EEQ/2020/000616.

In the online version of the article, a change was made in the author's position. The affiliation of Dongmei Li and Jinli Zhang in the online version of the article titled "An Essential Role of c-Fos in Notch1-mediated Promotion of Proliferation of KSHV-Infected SH-SY5Y Cells" has been updated in "Current Molecular Pharmacology," 2024; 17: e18761429264583 [1]. The original article can be found online at: https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/137219 Original: Huiling Xu1,2,#, Jinghong Huang1,#, Lixia Yao1,#, Wenyi Gu3, Aynisahan Ruzi4, Yufei Ding5, Ying Li6, Weihua Liang1, Jinfang Jiang1, Zemin Pan1, Dongdong Cao1, Naiming Zhou6,7,*, Dongmei Li1,# and Jinli Zhang1,# * Address correspondence to this author at the Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China; Tel: 86-13588743854; E-mail: zhounaiming@zju.edu.cn #This author has contributed equally to this work Corrected: Huiling Xu1,2,#, Jinghong Huang1,#, Lixia Yao1,#, Wenyi Gu3, Aynisahan Ruzi4, Yufei Ding5, Ying Li6, Weihua Liang1, Jinfang Jiang1, Zemin Pan1, Dongdong Cao1, Naiming Zhou6,7,*, Dongmei Li1,#,* and Jinli Zhang1,#,* * Address correspondence to these authors at the Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine 59 North 2nd Road, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002 China. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine 59 North 2nd Road, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002 China. Tel: +86-13588743854; E-mail: zhounaiming@zju.edu.cn Tel: +86-993-2057882; E-mail: lidong_abc@126.com, lidongmei@shzu.edu.cn Tel: +86-993-2057882; E-mail: jinli1998@126.com #These authors have contributed equally to this work.