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Cell Reports. Medicine Jun 2024Chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for advanced esophageal cancer. However, durable benefits are achieved by only a limited subset of individuals due to the...
Chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for advanced esophageal cancer. However, durable benefits are achieved by only a limited subset of individuals due to the elusive chemoresistance. Here, we utilize patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma to investigate chemoresistance mechanisms in preclinical settings. We observe that activated cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are enriched in the tumor microenvironment of PDXs resistant to chemotherapy. Mechanistically, we reveal that cancer-cell-derived S100A8 triggers the intracellular RhoA-ROCK-MLC2-MRTF-A pathway by binding to the CD147 receptor of CAFs, inducing CAF polarization and leading to chemoresistance. Therapeutically, we demonstrate that blocking the S100A8-CD147 pathway can improve chemotherapy efficiency. Prognostically, we found the S100A8 levels in peripheral blood can serve as an indicator of chemotherapy responsiveness. Collectively, our study offers a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance in esophageal cancer and highlights the potential value of S100A8 in the clinical management of esophageal cancer.
Topics: Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; Humans; Esophageal Neoplasms; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Calgranulin A; Animals; Mice; Tumor Microenvironment; Cell Line, Tumor; Cellular Reprogramming; Signal Transduction; Basigin; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; Female
PubMed: 38776909
DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101576 -
The Journal of Dermatology May 2024Malignant cutaneous melanoma is the leading cause of death for skin cancer to date, with globally increasing incidence rates. In this epidemiological scenario,... (Review)
Review
Malignant cutaneous melanoma is the leading cause of death for skin cancer to date, with globally increasing incidence rates. In this epidemiological scenario, international scientific research is exerting efforts to identify new clinical strategies aimed at the prognostic amelioration of the disease. Very promising and groundbreaking in this context is the scientific interest related to alarmins and their pioneering utility in the setting of the pathogenetic understanding, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy for malignant cutaneous melanoma. However, the scientific investigations on this matter should not overlook their still well-presented dual and contradictory role. The aim of our critical analysis is to provide an up-to-date overview of the emerging evidence concerning the dichotomous role of alarmins in the aforementioned clinical settings. Our literature revision was based on the extensive body of both preclinical and clinical findings published on the PubMed database over the past 5 years. In addition to this, we offer a special focus on potentially revolutionary new therapeutic frontiers, which, on the strength of their earliest successes in other clinical areas, could inaugurate a new era of personalized and precision medicine in the field of dermato-oncology.
PubMed: 38775220
DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.17278 -
European Journal of Internal Medicine May 2024Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a main global epidemic increasing as population age and affecting approximately 10% of subjects over 45 years. COPD is a...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a main global epidemic increasing as population age and affecting approximately 10% of subjects over 45 years. COPD is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease with several endo-phenotypes and clinical presentations. Although neutrophilic inflammation is canonically considered a hallmark of COPD, eosinophilic inflammation can also be present in a subgroup of patients. Several other immune cells and cytokines play a key role in orchestrating and perpetuating the inflammatory pathways in COPD, making them attractive targets for treating this disorder. Recent studies have started to evaluate the possible role of type 2 (T2) inflammation and epithelial-derived alarmins (TSLP and IL-33) in COPD. Two phase III randomized clinical trials (RCTs) showed a modest reduction in exacerbations in COPD patients with eosinophilic phenotype treated with mepolizumab (anti-IL-5) or benralizumab (anti-IL-5Rα). A phase III RCT showed a 30% reduction in exacerbations in COPD patients with ≥ 300 eosinophils/μL treated with dupilumab (anti-IL-4Rα). These results suggest that blocking a single cytokine (e.g., IL-5) or its main target (i.e., IL-5Rα) is less promising than blocking a wider spectrum of cytokines (i.e., IL-4 and IL-13) in COPD. TSLP and IL-33 are upstream regulators of T2-high and T2-low immune responses in airway inflammation. Several ongoing RCTs are evaluating the efficacy and safety of anti-TSLP (tezepelumab), anti-IL-33 (itepekimab, tozorakimab), and anti-ST2 (astegolimab) in patients with COPD, who experience exacerbations. In conclusion, targeting T2 inflammation or epithelial-derived alarmins might represent a step forward in precision medicine for the treatment of a subset of COPD.
PubMed: 38762432
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.05.011 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024With the worsening of the greenhouse effect, the correlation between the damp-heat environment (DH) and the incidence of various diseases has gained increasing...
BACKGROUND
With the worsening of the greenhouse effect, the correlation between the damp-heat environment (DH) and the incidence of various diseases has gained increasing attention. Previous studies have demonstrated that DH can lead to intestinal disorders, enteritis, and an up-regulation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). However, the mechanism of NLRP3 in this process remains unclear.
METHODS
We established a DH animal model to observe the impact of a high temperature and humidity environment on the mice. We sequenced the 16S rRNA of mouse feces, and the RNA transcriptome of intestinal tissue, as well as the levels of cytokines including interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 in serum.
RESULTS
Our results indicate that the intestinal macrophage infiltration and the expression of inflammatory genes were increased in mice challenged with DH for 14 days, while the M2 macrophages were decreased in mice. The alpha diversity of intestinal bacteria in mice was significantly higher than that in control mice, including an up-regulation of the ratio. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 307 differentially expressed genes were decreased in mice compared with control mice, which was related to humoral immune response, complement activation, phagocytic recognition, malaria and inflammatory bowel disease. The ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 was decreased in control mice but increased in mice.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study found that the inflammation induced by DH promotes Th2-mediated immunity via NLRP3, which is closely related to the disruption of intestinal flora.
Topics: Animals; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Mice; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Th2 Cells; Mice, Knockout; Hot Temperature; Alarmins; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Macrophages; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38756775
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1367053 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Today, allergies have become a serious problem. PR-10 proteins are clinically relevant allergens that have the ability to bind hydrophobic ligands, which can...
Today, allergies have become a serious problem. PR-10 proteins are clinically relevant allergens that have the ability to bind hydrophobic ligands, which can significantly increase their allergenicity potential. It has been recently shown that not only the birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 but also the alder pollen allergen Aln g 1, might act as a true sensitizer of the immune system. The current investigation is aimed at the further study of the allergenic and structural features of Aln g 1. By using qPCR, we showed that Aln g 1 was able to upregulate alarmins in epithelial cells, playing an important role in sensitization. With the use of CD-spectroscopy and ELISA assays with the sera of allergic patients, we demonstrated that Aln g 1 did not completely restore its structure after thermal denaturation, which led to a decrease in its IgE-binding capacity. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we revealed that the replacement of two residues (Asp27 and Leu30) in the structure of Aln g 1 led to a decrease in its ability to bind to both IgE from sera of allergic patients and lipid ligands. The obtained data open a prospect for the development of hypoallergenic variants of the major alder allergen Aln g 1 for allergen-specific immunotherapy.
Topics: Humans; Pollen; Allergens; Antigens, Plant; Immunoglobulin E; Plant Proteins; Alnus
PubMed: 38732184
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094965 -
International Immunopharmacology Jun 2024Fibrosis results from excessive scar formation after tissue injury. Injured cells release alarmins such as interleukin 1 (IL-1) α and β as primary mediators initiating...
BACKGROUND
Fibrosis results from excessive scar formation after tissue injury. Injured cells release alarmins such as interleukin 1 (IL-1) α and β as primary mediators initiating tissue repair. However, how alarmins from different cell types differentially regulate fibrosis remains to be explored.
METHODS
Here, we used tissue specific knockout strategy to illustrate a unique contribution of endothelial cell-derived IL-1α to lung and liver fibrosis. The two fibrotic animal model triggered by bleomycin and CCl were used to study the effects of endothelial paracrine/angiocrine IL-1α in fibrotic progression. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were performed to explore the production of angiocrine IL-1α at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in vitro.
RESULTS
We found that endothelial paracrine/angiocrine IL-1α primarily promotes lung and liver fibrosis during the early phase of organ repair. By contrast, myeloid cell-specific ablation of IL-1α in mice resulted in little influence on fibrosis, suggesting the specific pro-fibrotic role of IL-1α from endothelial cell but not macrophage. In vitro study revealed a coordinated regulation of IL-1α production in human primary endothelial cells at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Specifically, the transcription of IL-1α is regulated by RIPK1, and after caspase-8 (CASP8) cleaves the precursor form of IL-1α, its secretion is triggered by ion channel Pannexin 1 upon CASP8 cleavage.
CONCLUSIONS
Endothelial cell-produced IL-1α plays a unique role in promoting organ fibrosis. Furthermore, the release of this angiocrine alarmin relies on a unique molecular mechanism involving RIPK1, CASP8, and ion channel Pannexin 1.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Male; Mice; Alarmins; Bleomycin; Carbon Tetrachloride; Cells, Cultured; Connexins; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelial Cells; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Interleukin-1alpha; Liver Cirrhosis; Lung; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Pulmonary Fibrosis
PubMed: 38723369
DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112176 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2024Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tract diseases with significant morbidity and mortality. Current treatments remain unspecific and... (Review)
Review
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common gastrointestinal tract diseases with significant morbidity and mortality. Current treatments remain unspecific and supportive due to the severity and clinical course of AP, which can fluctuate rapidly and unpredictably. Mitochondria, cellular power plant to produce energy, are involved in a variety of physiological or pathological activities in human body. There is a growing evidence indicating that mitochondria damage-associated molecular patterns (mtDAMPs) play an important role in pathogenesis and progression of AP. With the pro-inflammatory properties, released mtDAMPs may damage pancreatic cells by binding with receptors, activating downstream molecules and releasing inflammatory factors. This review focuses on the possible interaction between AP and mtDAMPs, which include cytochrome c (Cyt c), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), cardiolipin (CL), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and succinate, with focus on experimental research and potential therapeutic targets in clinical practice. Preventing or diminishing the release of mtDAMPs or targeting the mtDAMPs receptors might have a role in AP progression.
Topics: Humans; Pancreatitis; Mitochondria; Animals; DNA, Mitochondrial; Acute Disease; Alarmins; Adenosine Triphosphate; Transcription Factors; Mitochondrial Proteins
PubMed: 38718519
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116690 -
PloS One 2024Atopic dermatitis is a multi-pathogenic disease characterized by chronic skin inflammation and barrier dysfunction. Therefore, improving the skin's ability to form an...
(S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate has the potential to improve atopic dermatitis symptoms in NC/Nga mice by upregulating epidermal barrier function and inhibiting type 2 alarmin cytokine induction.
Atopic dermatitis is a multi-pathogenic disease characterized by chronic skin inflammation and barrier dysfunction. Therefore, improving the skin's ability to form an epidermal barrier and suppressing the production of cytokines that induce type 2 inflammatory responses are important for controlling atopic dermatitis symptoms. (-)-Blebbistatin, a non-muscle myosin II inhibitor, has been suggested to improve pulmonary endothelial barrier function and control inflammation by suppressing immune cell migration; however, its efficacy in atopic dermatitis is unknown. In this study, we investigated whether (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate, a derivative of (-)-blebbistatin, improves dermatitis symptoms in a mite antigen-induced atopic dermatitis model using NC/Nga mice. The efficacy of the compound was confirmed using dermatitis scores, ear thickness measurements, serum IgE levels, histological analysis of lesions, and filaggrin expression analysis, which is important for barrier function. (S)-(-)-Blebbistatin O-benzoate treatment significantly reduced the dermatitis score and serum IgE levels compared to those in the vehicle group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the histological analysis revealed enhanced filaggrin production and a decreased number of mast cells (p < 0.05), indicating that (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate improved atopic dermatitis symptoms in a pathological model. In vitro analysis using cultured keratinocytes revealed increased expression of filaggrin, loricrin, involucrin, and ceramide production pathway-related genes, suggesting that (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate promotes epidermal barrier formation. Furthermore, the effect of (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate on type 2 alarmin cytokines, which are secreted from epidermal cells upon scratching or allergen stimulation and are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, was evaluated using antigens derived from mite feces. The results showed that (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate inhibited the upregulation of these cytokines. Based on the above, (S)-(-)-blebbistatin O-benzoate has the potential to be developed as an atopic dermatitis treatment option that controls dermatitis symptoms by suppressing inflammation and improving barrier function by acting on multiple aspects of the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Male; Mice; Antigens, Dermatophagoides; Benzoates; Cytokines; Dermatitis, Atopic; Disease Models, Animal; Epidermis; Filaggrin Proteins; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Immunoglobulin E; Intermediate Filament Proteins; Keratinocytes; Alarmins
PubMed: 38713650
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302781 -
Trisomy 8 Defines a Distinct Subtype of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Driven by the MYC-Alarmin Axis.Blood Cancer Discovery Jul 2024Despite advances in understanding the genetic abnormalities in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and the development of JAK2 inhibitors, there is an urgent need to...
Despite advances in understanding the genetic abnormalities in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and the development of JAK2 inhibitors, there is an urgent need to devise new treatment strategies, particularly for patients with triple-negative (TN) myelofibrosis (MF) who lack mutations in the JAK2 kinase pathway and have very poor clinical outcomes. Here we report that MYC copy number gain and increased MYC expression frequently occur in TN-MF and that MYC-directed activation of S100A9, an alarmin protein that plays pivotal roles in inflammation and innate immunity, is necessary and sufficient to drive development and progression of MF. Notably, the MYC-S100A9 circuit provokes a complex network of inflammatory signaling that involves numerous hematopoietic cell types in the bone marrow microenvironment. Accordingly, genetic ablation of S100A9 or treatment with small molecules targeting the MYC-S100A9 pathway effectively ameliorates MF phenotypes, highlighting the MYC-alarmin axis as a novel therapeutic vulnerability for this subgroup of MPNs. Significance: This study establishes that MYC expression is increased in TN-MPNs via trisomy 8, that a MYC-S100A9 circuit manifest in these cases is sufficient to provoke myelofibrosis and inflammation in diverse hematopoietic cell types in the BM niche, and that the MYC-S100A9 circuit is targetable in TN-MPNs.
Topics: Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; Humans; Trisomy; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; Calgranulin B; Myeloproliferative Disorders; Animals; Mice; Primary Myelofibrosis; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38713018
DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.BCD-23-0210 -
Gut Microbes 2024() causes a diversity of gastric diseases. The host immune response evoked by infection is complicated and can influence the development and progression of diseases....
() causes a diversity of gastric diseases. The host immune response evoked by infection is complicated and can influence the development and progression of diseases. We have reported that the Group 2 innate lymphocytes (ILC2) were promoted and took part in building type-2 immunity in infection-related gastric diseases. Therefore, in the present study, we aim to clarify how infection induces the activation of ILC2. It was found that macrophages were necessary for activating ILC2 in infection. Mechanistically, infection up-regulated the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in macrophages to induce M2 polarization, and the latter secreted the alarmin cytokine Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) to arouse ILC2.
Topics: Helicobacter pylori; Macrophages; Helicobacter Infections; Animals; Mice; Immunity, Innate; Cytokines; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin; Lymphocytes; Humans
PubMed: 38693666
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2347025