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PubMed2005

Vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects of the 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG) via a nitric oxide-cGMP pathway.

Vasorelaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of a 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-d-glucose (PGG) isolated from the root barks of Paeonia suffruticosa and possible mechanisms responsible were investigated. PGG induced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the phenylephrine-precontracted rat aorta. This effect disappeared with the removal of functional endothelium. Pretreatment of the aortic tissues with either N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-alpha]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) inhibited the relaxation induced by PGG. Incubation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) or carotid arteries isolated from rats with PGG increased the production of cGMP in a dose-dependent manner, but this effect was blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME and ODQ, respectively. PGG treatment attenuated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) p65 translocation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In addition, PGG suppressed the expression levels of adhesion molecules including intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) induced by TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression was also attenuated by addition of PGG. PGG treatment inhibited cellular adhesion of U937 cells onto human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by TNF-alpha. Taken together, the present study suggests that PGG dilates vascular smooth muscle and suppresses the vascular inflammatory process via endothelium-dependent nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP signaling.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Carbon monoxide has anti-inflammatory effects involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

The stress-inducible protein heme oxygenase-1 provides protection against oxidative stress. The anti-inflammatory properties of heme oxygenase-1 may serve as a basis for this cytoprotection. We demonstrate here that carbon monoxide, a by-product of heme catabolism by heme oxygenase, mediates potent anti-inflammatory effects. Both in vivo and in vitro, carbon monoxide at low concentrations differentially and selectively inhibited the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta and increased the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. Carbon monoxide mediated these anti-inflammatory effects not through a guanylyl cyclase-cGMP or nitric oxide pathway, but instead through a pathway involving the mitogen-activated protein kinases. These data indicate the possibility that carbon monoxide may have an important protective function in inflammatory disease states and thus has potential therapeutic uses.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The activity of pathway-selective estrogen receptor ligands in experimental septic shock.

Estrogen receptors (ER) are widely expressed in multiple genital and nongenital tissues. Upon engagement of these receptors, multiple genes are affected in target tissues via estrogen response elements. Nonsteroidal pathway-selective ER ligands have recently been identified that inhibit NF-kappaB transcriptional activity and are devoid of conventional estrogenic activities on genital tissues. These pathway-selective ligands are potent anti-inflammatory agents in vivo and may prove to be of therapeutic utility in systemic inflammatory states. These pathway-selective ER ligands were tested in the murine listeriosis model, the neutropenic rat model, and the mouse cecal ligation and puncture model. WAY-204688 did not have any significant activity after systemic infection by Listeria monocytogenes. In the neutropenic rat model, WAY-204688 provided a significant survival benefit against an otherwise lethal challenge of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12.4.4 compared with the control group (88% versus 25% survival; P < 0.05). Preservation of mucosal weight and prevention of histopathologic changes were observed with the administration of WAY-204688. Similar findings were observed in a cecal ligation and puncture model with WAY-204688 and a related compound WAY-169916. These results indicate that oral administration of these pathway-selective ER ligands preserved gastrointestinal barrier function and improve outcome in experimental models of systemic infection and inflammation. These agents may prove to be useful clinically as a novel treatment strategy for severe sepsis.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2002

Cellular mechanisms of neurogenic inflammation.

Since the initial observations that stimulation of sensory neurons produces vasodilation, plasma extravasation, and hypersensitivity, much progress has been made in understanding the etiology of neurogenic inflammation. Studies have focused largely on the role of the neuropeptides, substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, which are released in the periphery by activation of small diameter sensory neurons. Recent work, however, has begun to emphasize the cellular mechanisms involved in regulating the release of proinflammatory substances from sensory neurons. In this perspective, discussion centers on a number of inflammatory mediators that activate various signal transduction pathways to augment excitability of and transmitter release from sensory neurons. Emphasis is placed on those pathways where multiple lines of evidence support their importance in initiating neurogenic inflammation. Recent studies, however, support the notion that there are novel compounds released during injury that can stimulate or sensitize sensory neurons. Furthermore, only now are intracellular signaling pathways that have been identified in other cell systems being studied in sensory neurons to establish their role in neurogenic inflammation. The challenge remains to ascertain the critical transduction pathways that regulate transmitter release from sensory neurons since this phenomenon triggers neurogenic inflammation. In addition, the cellular mechanisms involved in alterations in neuronal excitability during injury and the cellular pathways that maintain the inflammatory response over time need to be determined. With these advances, we will be able to develop therapeutic interventions to minimize deleterious consequences of neurogenic inflammation.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Pro-inflammatory signaling by Jun-N-terminal kinase in inflammatory bowel disease.

Since Jun-N-terminal kinase participates in intracellular signaling cascades resulting in inflammatory responses, inhibiting this pathway may represent a new treatment for inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. However, the functional significance of the activation of this kinase in inflammatory bowel disease remains unclear. We investigated whether Jun-N-terminal kinase activation is increased in inflammatory bowel disease and analyzed the effects of SP600125, which decreases inflammatory cytokine synthesis by inhibiting the phosphorylation of this kinase. Phosphorylation of the kinase was examined in affected human colon using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry. The effect of SP600125 on cytokine production was examined in cultures of patients' leukocytes and colonic tissue. Finally, rats received injection of SP600125 (30 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle twice daily 2 h before the induction of colitis with dextran sulfate sodium. SP600125 effects were determined observationally and histologically. Colonic tissue contained increased phosphorylated kinase in patients with inflammatory bowel disease with expression localized to the nucleus of epithelial and lamina propria mononuclear cells in lesions. Culturing mononuclear cells or colonic tissue with SP600125 down-regulated inflammatory cytokine production. Prophylactic treatment with SP600125 significantly reduced clinical and pathological scores in dextran sulfate sodium-treated rats. This first demonstration of the pathogenetic role of Jun-N-terminal kinase in the development of intestinal inflammation suggests that inhibiting its phosphorylation could benefit patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Induction of inflammatory bowel disease accelerates adenoma formation in Min +/- mice.

BACKGROUND: The accelerated incidence of colorectal carcinoma in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease suggests that cellular perturbation triggered by chronic inflammation is linked to the development of dysplasia and neoplastic transformation. To test the mechanistic links between these processes, we employed the following murine strains: (1) multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) +/- mice, bearing a mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene; (2) mice deficient in interleukin 10 (IL-10), which normally develop enterocolitis; and (3) Min +/-/IL-10 null mice, first developed in our laboratory. METHODS: Mice with either parental strain or the cross were sacrificed at time points ranging from 10 to 30 weeks of age. The small bowel and colon of 170 IL-10 null mice, 31 Min +/- mice, and 120 Min +/-/IL-10 null mice were examined microscopically. RESULTS: The number of flat adenomas was increased in the colons of the Min +/-/IL-10-/- mice, compared with the Min +/- mice (P = .0005). Neither colitis-type dysplasia nor carcinoma was increased in the Min +/-/IL-10 -/-, compared with the IL-10 null mice (P = .18). Mice deficient in IL-10 developed colitic-type dysplasia (P = .0001) or carcinoma (P = .0001) correlated with increasing inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Breeding the Min +/- genotype into the IL-10 -/- background increased the incidence of colonic adenomas. Our studies demonstrate that acceleration of dysplasia and progression to invasion were associated with the degree of the inflammatory response in mice deficient in IL-10. These findings provide a novel system to dissect the pathways by which inflammatory mechanisms accelerate adenoma formation.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2005

Generation of inflammatory stimuli: how bacteria set up inflammatory responses in the gingiva.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aetiologic factor of periodontal disease is the bacterial biofilm. Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria possess a plethora of structural or secreted components that may cause direct destruction to periodontal tissues or stimulate host cells to activate a wide range of inflammatory responses. These responses are intended to eliminate the microbial challenge, but may often cause further tissue damage. METHODS: This review has been divided into three parts: (a) bacterial virulence factors, which includes basic information on bacterial virulence factors, and the principle inflammatory responses that host cells elicit against these factors, (b) main receptors and signalling pathways, which includes basic information about the main receptors that interact with the bacterial virulence factors, the nature of these interactions, and the activated signalling pathways that lead to inflammatory responses, and (c) initiation of inflammation, which includes a model by which the virulence factors may interact with host cells and lead to inflammatory responses in the gingiva. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial components/virulence factors may be involved in modulating inflammatory responses and include: lipopolysaccharides (LPS), peptidoglycans, lipotechoic acids, fimbriae, proteases, heat-shock proteins, formyl-methionyl peptides, and toxins. Potential host cell receptors involved in recognizing bacterial components and initiating signalling pathways that lead to inflammatory responses include: Toll-like receptors (TLRs), CD14, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain proteins (Nod) and G-protein-coupled receptors, including formyl-methionyl peptide receptors and protease-activated receptors. Of the above bacterial and host molecules, evidence from experimental animal studies implicate LPS, fimbriae, proteases, TLRs, and CD14 in periodontal tissue or alveolar bone destruction. However, evidence verifying the involvement of any of the above molecules in periodontal tissue destruction in humans does not exist.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed1996

Protein kinase cascades activated by stress and inflammatory cytokines.

Signal transduction pathways constructed around a core module of three consecutive protein kinases, the most distal being a member of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) family, are ubiquitous among eukaryotes. Recent work has defined two cascades activated preferentially by the inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1-beta, as well as by a wide variety of cellular stresses such as UV and ionizing radiation, hyperosmolarity, heat stress, oxidative stress, etc. One pathway converges on the ERK subfamily known as the "stress activated' protein kinases (SAPKs, also termed Jun N-terminal kinases, JNKs), whereas the second pathway recruits the p38 kinases. Upstream inputs are diverse, and include small GTPases (primarily Rac and Cdc42; secondarily Ras) acting through mammalian homologs of the yeast Ste20 kinase, other kinase subfamilies (e.g. GC kinase) and ceramide, a putative second messenger for certain TNF-alpha actions. These two cascades signal cell cycle delay, cellular repair or apoptosis in most cells, as well as activation of immune and reticuloendothelial cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

How Does Tendon Region, Donor, and the Presence of Disease Affect Protein Composition of the Achilles Tendon?

BACKGROUND: Response to treatment for tendinopathy is variable, which may reflect variability in underlying etiology and capacity for the tendon to respond to treatment. Understanding variability in tendon protein composition may help improve our understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of painful tendon degeneration and inform treatment targets. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What factors (tendon region, individual characteristics, presence of disease) contribute to protein compositional (proteomic) and structural variation in human Achilles tendons? (2) What compositional changes characterize tendinopathy, and what protein interactions might contribute to tendon degeneration? (3) How does diabetes influence tendon composition, and what mechanisms might underlie tendon dysfunction in individuals with diabetes? METHODS: In this exploratory, cross-sectional study, human Achilles tendon specimens were obtained from individuals with (diabetes group, n = 5) or without diabetes (control group, n = 5) undergoing lower extremity amputation and from individuals undergoing tendon debridement surgeries for tendinopathy (tendinopathy group, n = 8). Specimens were collected between 2019 and 2023. Protein abundances were quantified and analyzed using mass spectrometry, hierarchical clustering, and principal component analysis. To evaluate the role of tendon region and donor on tendon protein compositional variability, we assessed proteomic differences between three regions in nontendinopathic tendons from three individuals. To identify the contribution of disease (that is, presence of tendinopathy or diabetes) on protein composition, we compared tendons from the tendinopathy (n = 8 [2 males, 6 females], mean ± SD age 48 ± 11 years), diabetes (n = 5 [3 males, 2 females], age 54 ± 9 years), and control (n = 5 [3 males, 2 females], age 42 ± 12 years) groups. Proteomic differences associated with tendinopathy and diabetes were further examined using functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction network analysis. RESULTS: Variability in tendon protein composition was primarily from presence of disease, followed by donor and then tendon region. Protein composition distinguished tendons with tendinopathy from controls, with 311 proteins differentially expressed (152 overexpressed and 159 underexpressed; fold change ≥ 1.5, p < 0.05) and higher Bonar scores indicating greater degeneration (mean ± SD Bonar score tendinopathy group 8.6 ± 1.2 versus control group 2.1 ± 0.7; p = 0.01). Pathway analysis identified dysregulation in extracellular matrix remodeling (TIMP1, MMP3, MMP10), inflammatory response (TNF-α, EGFR1), and metabolic reprogramming. Tendons from individuals with diabetes exhibited minimal proteomic changes compared with the control group, with 66 differentially expressed proteins (31 overexpressed and 35 underexpressed; fold change ≥ 1.5, p < 0.05) with no histopathologic differences between diabetes and control group tendons (mean ± SD Bonar score diabetes group 3.4 ± 1.0 versus control group 2.1 ± 0.7; p = 0.19). Tendons in the diabetes group showed reductions in Type I collagen, enrichment of pathways associated with fibrosis and metabolic dysfunction, and inflammatory pathways associated with α 6 β 4 integrin. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that Achilles tendon composition primarily differs based on disease etiology, with tendinopathy showing extensive extracellular matrix disruption and inflammatory activity, whereas tendons from individuals with diabetes exhibit more subtle compositional changes. This distinction suggests that tendinopathy may require targeted interventions addressing tissue remodeling and inflammation, whereas diabetes may predispose tendons to injury but not directly result in degeneration. Understanding these protein compositional variations can help refine hypotheses about disease progression, treatment response, and potential therapeutic targets. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: While proteomic analysis is not currently a part of routine clinical assessment, these findings provide a framework for identifying protein markers that may aid in early diagnosis or patient stratification to improve treatment alignment. Future studies could determine whether these proteomic changes correlate with treatment response and further inform our understanding of early-stage degeneration from chronic disease. By bridging molecular findings with clinical presentation, this study lays the groundwork for future research on precision medicine approaches for tendon disorders, with the long-term goal of tailoring treatment based on both biological and symptomatic characteristics.

Humans↗

PubMed2001

Anti-inflammatory antioxidants attenuate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase mediated by advanced glycation endproducts in murine microglia.

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) accumulate on long-lived protein deposits including beta-amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). AGE-modified amyloid deposits contain oxidized and nitrated proteins as markers of a chronic neuroinflammatory condition and are surrounded by activated microglial and astroglial cells. We show in this study that AGEs increase nitric oxide production by induction of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) on the mRNA and protein level in the murine microglial cell line N-11. Membrane permeable antioxidants including oestrogen derivatives (e.g. 17beta-oestradiol) thiol antioxidants (e.g. (R+)-alpha-lipoic acid) and Gingko biloba extract EGb 761, but not phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as propentophylline, prevent the up-regulation of AGE-induced iNOS expression and NO production. These results indicate that oxygen free radicals serve as second messengers in AGE-induced pro-inflammatory signal transduction pathways. As this pharmacological mechanism is not only relevant for Alzheimer's disease, but also for many chronic inflammatory conditions, such membrane-permeable antioxidants could be regarded not only as antioxidant, but also as potent therapeutic anti-inflammatory drugs.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed2006

Role of chemokines in severe asthma.

The severe asthma phenotype is exhibited by a subset of asthma patients whose asthma symptom is poorly controlled by current therapies. Severe asthma represents a high unmet medical need and warrants research into the mechanisms driving the underlying pathophysiology. It is hypothesized that the underlying pathology associated with severe asthma is driving the symptoms experienced by these patients, which may share common features with mild to moderate asthma or may represent a unique pathological phenotype. For the purpose of this review, the pathophysiology associated with asthma in general are described and extended to incorporate severe asthma. Chemokines may contribute towards multiple features of asthma pathophysiology and this current review focuses on the biology of chemokines pertaining to asthma pathophysiology. Chemokines are important recruiters and activators of inflammatory cells and these infiltrating cells interact with resident cells, such as fibroblasts and it is through these pathways that chemokines appear to exert multiple biological actions. Clinical trials are underway with therapeutics targeting chemokine pathways for other inflammatory diseases. It is hoped that the information generated from these studies will contribute towards furthering our understanding of chemokine biology and be applied towards targeting severe asthma.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Histidine decarboxylase-stimulating and inflammatory effects of alendronate in mice: involvement of mevalonate pathway, TNFalpha, macrophages, and T-cells.

Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (NBPs) are powerful anti-bone-resorptive drugs, but they frequently induce various inflammatory side effects. Recent clinical applications have disclosed an unexpected new side effect, jaw-bone necrosis and exposure. In vitro studies suggest that the inflammatory effects of NBPs are due to Vgamma2Vdelta2 T-cells, stimulated directly and/or indirectly [the latter via isopentenylpyrophosphate (IPP) in the mevalonate pathway]. Rats and mice, however, lack Vgamma2Vdelta2 T-cells, yet NBPs still induce necrotic and inflammatory reactions. In mice, NBPs induce IL-1-dependent inflammatory reactions, such as inductions of histidine decarboxylase (HDC, the histamine-forming enzyme) in the liver, lung, spleen, and bone marrow, an increase in granulocytic cells in the peritoneal cavity, pleural exudation, and splenomegaly. Here, we examined the involvement of IPP, TNF, macrophages, and T-cells in the inflammatory actions of alendronate (a typical NBP) in mice. Various statins (mevalonate-synthesis inhibitors) suppressed the alendronate-induced HDC inductions, while mevalonate itself augmented such inductions. IPP injection also induced HDC. Like IL-1-deficient mice, TNF-deficient mice were resistant to alendronate-stimulated HDC induction. Alendronate-stimulated HDC inductions were significantly weaker in macrophage-depleted mice and in nude mice than in control mice. Similar, though generally less clear-cut, results were obtained when other alendronate-induced inflammatory reactions were examined. These results suggest that (i) inhibition of the mevalonate pathway causes and/or modifies at least some inflammatory actions of alendronate in mice, (ii) in addition to IL-1, TNF is also involved in the inflammatory actions of alendronate, and (iii) alendronate may act on a variety of cells, including macrophages and T-cells.

Alendronate↗

PubMed2005

Activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway protects endothelial cells from oxidant injury and inhibits inflammatory gene expression.

The antioxidant response element (ARE) is a transcriptional control element that mediates expression of a set of antioxidant proteins. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that activates ARE-containing genes. In endothelial cells, the ARE-mediated genes are upregulated by atheroprotective laminar flow through a Nrf2-dependent mechanism. We tested the hypothesis that activation of ARE-regulated genes via adenovirus-mediated expression of Nrf2 may suppress redox-sensitive inflammatory gene expression. Expression of Nrf2 in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) resulted in a marked increase in ARE-driven transcriptional activity and protected HAECs from H2O2-mediated cytotoxicity. Nrf2 suppressed TNF-alpha-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and VCAM-1 mRNA and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited TNF-alpha-induced monocytic U937 cell adhesion to HAECs. Nrf2 also inhibited IL-1beta-induced MCP-1 gene expression in human mesangial cells. Expression of Nrf2 inhibited TNF-alpha-induced activation of p38 MAP kinase. Furthermore, expression of a constitutively active form of MKK6 (an upstream kinase for p38 MAP kinase) partially reversed Nrf2-mediated inhibition of VCAM-1 expression, suggesting that p38 MAP kinase, at least in part, mediates Nrf2's anti-inflammatory action. In contrast, Nrf2 did not inhibit TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation. These data identify the Nrf2/ARE pathway as an endogenous atheroprotective system for antioxidant protection and suppression of redox-sensitive inflammatory genes, suggesting that targeting the Nrf2/ARE pathway may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed1987

Pharmacology and significance of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of skin diseases.

Intensive studies of the molecular pathways involved in common inflammatory skin disorders, coupled with detailed pharmacologic evaluation of the responses of skin to the end products of these pathways, have resulted in a much clearer understanding of the mode of action of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In particular the development of lipoxygenase inhibitors is prompting intense interest in their possible role as anti-inflammatory agents in psoriasis and other dermatoses. Because of the potency of these and other classes of new anti-inflammatory drugs, careful monitoring of their pharmacokinetics in individual patients, especially those at risk for adverse reactions, will prove necessary, especially in the early stages of treatment. Meanwhile, currently available nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a limited but significant place in the treatment of certain dermatoses. Current experience of the high incidence of adverse reactions to existing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs suggests that this will be no less a problem with new agents under development. The skin is frequently involved in adverse reactions to this class of drug, and past experience suggests that cutaneous reactions are among the earliest unwanted side effects reported in a new drug of this type. The dermatologist, therefore, has an important responsibility to observe, document, and report such "early warning signs" to the appropriate licensing authority and the manufacturer.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

PubMed2000

beta-adrenergic agonists exert their "anti-inflammatory" effects in monocytic cells through the IkappaB/NF-kappaB pathway.

In addition to their well-studied bronchodilatory and cardiotonic effects, beta-adrenergic agonists carry anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting cytokine production by human mononuclear cells. In a model of human promonocytic THP-1 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), we showed that beta-agonists inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-8 production predominantly via the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor through the generation of cAMP and activation of protein kinase A. This effect was reproduced by other cAMP-elevating agents such as prostaglandins and cAMP analogs. Activation and nuclear translocation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB induced by LPS were inhibited with treatment with beta-agonists, an effect that was prominent at late time points (>1 h). Although the initial IkappaB-alpha degradation induced by LPS was minimally affected by beta-agonists, the latter induced a marked rebound of the cytosolic IkappaB-alpha levels at later time points (>1 h), accompanied by an increased IkappaB-alpha cytoplasmic half-life. This potentially accounts for the observed nuclear factor-kappaB sequestration in the cytoplasmic compartment. We postulate that the anti-inflammatory effects of beta-agonists reside in their capacity to increase cytoplasmic concentrations of IkappaB-alpha, possibly by decreasing its degradation.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed2003

Geldanamycin inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in activated macrophages by reducing the stability and translation of cytokine transcripts.

OBJECTIVE: Heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is critical in the intracellular signaling pathways that promote inflammatory cytokine production. Geldanamycin (GD) is a benzoquinone ansamycin that inhibits the function of Hsp90. GD inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in activated macrophages and suppresses the progression of adjuvant-induced arthritis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rodents. GD has been used to investigate the mechanisms by which Hsp90 regulates inflammatory cytokine production. METHODS: The macrophage cell line RAW264.7 (or primary peritoneal macrophages) was activated with lipopolysaccharide in the absence or presence of GD. The effect of GD on the transcription, stability, and translation of inflammatory cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) was determined using nuclear run-on assays, mRNA decay assays, and sucrose gradient polysome profiles, respectively. RESULTS: Our data revealed that GD potently inhibits the production of TNFalpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1beta in activated macrophages. Although GD did not significantly reduce the transcription of inflammatory cytokine mRNA, it significantly decreased the stability of these transcripts. Polysome profiles indicated that GD also inhibited the translation of TNFalpha and IL-6 transcripts. These effects may be due, in part, to inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, a kinase known to regulate the stability and translation of inflammatory cytokine transcripts. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the function of Hsp90 is important in the posttranscriptional control of inflammatory cytokine production.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Inflammation, stress, and diabetes.

Over the last decade, an abundance of evidence has emerged demonstrating a close link between metabolism and immunity. It is now clear that obesity is associated with a state of chronic low-level inflammation. In this article, we discuss the molecular and cellular underpinnings of obesity-induced inflammation and the signaling pathways at the intersection of metabolism and inflammation that contribute to diabetes. We also consider mechanisms through which the inflammatory response may be initiated and discuss the reasons for the inflammatory response in obesity. We put forth for consideration some hypotheses regarding important unanswered questions in the field and suggest a model for the integration of inflammatory and metabolic pathways in metabolic disease.

Adipocytes↗

PubMed2004

Molecular therapeutic targets in inflammation: cyclooxygenase and NF-kappaB.

Inflammation is the host response to infection and injury. Inflammatory cells respond to foreign substances and inflammatory stimulus by producing bioactive mediators such as prostanoids, cytokines and chemokines. These mediators have complex, pleiotropic effects and interact with many cell types to amplify the inflammatory response. Dysregulation of these processes can lead to acute and chronic inflammatory diseases and pharmacological intervention is necessary to attenuate cellular inflammation pathways. Cyclooxygenase-2, the key inducible enzyme responsible for producing prostanoids, and the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation pathway, which regulates the transcription of inflammatory genes, represent attractive targets for developing anti-inflammatory therapeutics, as both pathways are activated by diverse inflammatory stimuli. This article reviews recent advances in anti-inflammatory drug development in both of these areas. Selective inhibitors of inflammation including cyclooxygenase inhibitors, antibodies against inflammatory cytokines, cytokine receptor antagonist, antibodies against adhesion molecules and therapeutics directed against the NF-kappaB activation pathway will be discussed.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗