DNA Damage-driven Inflammatory Cytokines:Reprogramming of Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Application of Oncotherapy

DNA damage occurs across tumorigenesis and tumor development.Tumor intrinsic DNA damage can not only increase the risk of mutations responsible for tumor generation but also initiate a cellular stress response to orchestrate the tumor immune microenvironment(TIME)and dominate tumor progression.Accumulating evidence documents that multiple signaling pathways,including cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes(cGAS-STING)and ataxia telangiectasia-mutated protein/ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein(ATM/ATR),are activated downstream of DNA damage and they are associated with the secretion of diverse cytokines.These cytokines possess multifaced functions in the anti-tumor immune response.Thus,it is necessary to deeply interpret the complex TIME reshaped by damaged DNA and tumor-derived cytokines,critical for the development of effective tumor therapies.This manuscript comprehensively reviews the relationship between the DNA damage response and related cytokines in tumors and depicts the dual immunoregulatory roles of these cytokines.We also summarize clinical trials targeting signaling pathways and cytokines associated with DNA damage and provide future perspectives on emerging technologies.

Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine and inflammatory cytokines,markers and mediators of coronary artery disease progression in diabetes

This editorial refers to the article“Comparative analysis of Nε-carboxymethyllysine and inflammatory markers in diabetic and non-diabetic coronary artery disease patients”,published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Diabetes 2023 is based on glucose metabolism,advanced glycation end products(AGEs),inflammation and adiposity on diabetes and coronary artery disease(CAD).This study has included CAD patients who were stratified according to glycosylated hemoglobin higher than 6.5 and sex-matched.A higher prevalence of hypertension,dyslipidemia,and non-vegetarian diet were found in the diabetic group.These risk factors might influence body weight and adiposity and explain the increment of the left atrium.Although this data was not supported by the study.The diet can also explain the non-enzymatic reactions on lipids,proteins,or nucleic acids and consequently an increment of AGEs.These molecules can emit fluorescence.However,one of the non-fluorescent and most abundant AGEs is Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine(CML).Its association with coronary artery stenosis and severity in the diabetic group might suggest its role as a player in CAD progression.Thus,CML,after binding with its receptor(RAGE),can induce calcification cascade through reactive oxygen species and mitogen-activated protein kinase.Moreover,this interaction AGE-RAGE can cause activation of the transcription nuclear factor-kb and induce inflammatory cytokines.It might explain the relationship between CML and pro-inflammatory cytokines in diabetic and CAD patients.Although this is a population from one center,the determination of CML and inflammatory cytokines might improve the diagnosis of severe and progressive CAD.Future and comparative studies among glycosylated hemoglobin,CML,and other AGE levels according to diagnosis and prognosis value might modify the clinical practice.Although these molecules are irreversible,they can act through a specific receptor inducing a signal transduction that might be modulated by inhibitors,antibodies,or siRNA.Further mechanistic studies might improve the development of future preventive therapies for diabetic patients.

Serum level changes of inflammatory cytokines in patients with moderate to severe acne vulgaris treated with dual-wavelength laser

Background:Acne vulgaris(AV)is a common inflammatory skin disease.Although various mechanisms have been indicated in the etiopathogenesis of AV,the exact pathophysiology remains unknown.Various lasers have been used to treat AV;however,the serum level changes of inflammatory cytokines after laser therapy have not been elucidated.We aimed to investigate the relationship between inflammatory changes and remission on the opposite side in patients with moderate to severe AV after treating half of the face with 595-and 1064-nm dualwavelength laser.Methods:In total,18 patients(9 male and 9 female)between 16 and 35 years of age with moderate to severe AV were evaluated in the study.Disease severity was classified according to the Pillsbury grading system of acne.Patients were randomized to receive a series of two treatment sessions at intervals of 2 weeks and followed up at 2 weeks after the final treatment.A 3 mL blood sample was drawn from every subject each time,and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin(IL)-6,IL-8,and IL-22 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline and 2 weeks after each treatment.Improvement was determined by a blinded assessment of photographs taken before and after the final evaluation.Results:Inflammation was significantly reduced on both the treated and untreated sides,and symptoms of AV lesions were alleviated.All patients showed a significant increase in serum IL-22 levels after the first laser therapy,with no significant difference in serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels.After the second laser therapy,serum IL-6,IL-8,and IL-22 levels were significantly decreased.No significant side effects such as bruising,edema,hyperpigmentation,hypopigmentation,or scarring were reported.Conclusion:Half-face treatment with 595-and 1064-nm dual-wavelength laser for moderate and severe AV showed a significant effect of full-face remission,which was associated with a gradual decrease in IL-6,IL-8,and IL-22 levels after half-face topical treatment.This suggests that reducing inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum can relieve inflammation in non-therapeutic sites.This laser treatment is effective,economical,and painless.

Triptolide Inhibits Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines and Proliferation of Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes Induced by IL-6/sIL-6R-Mediated JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Triptolide,a component of the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F,has been proved to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA).However,its underlying mechanisms on RA have not yet been well established.We observed the inhibitory effect of triptolide on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLS)induced by the complex of interleukin-6(IL-6)and the soluble form of the IL-6 receptor(sIL-6R).Furthermore,to clarify the underlying mechanisms,we treated FLS with the Janus-activated kinase 2(JAK2)inhibitor/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)activation blocker AZD1480.In this study,immunohistochemical staining was used to identify vimentin(+)and CD68(−)in FLS.The FLS proliferation was measured by cell proliferation assay,and the cell cycles were analyzed by flow cytometry.Furthermore,ELISA was used to detect the expression of the inflammatory factors in culture solution.The expression levels of p-JAK2,JAK2,p-STAT3 and STAT3 were investigated through Western blotting analysis.The results showed that IL-6/sIL-6R significantly increased the cell proliferation and expression of inflammatory cytokines,including IL-6,interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).Triptolide or AZD1480 inhibited the cell proliferation and inflammatory cytokine expression in IL-6/sIL-6R-stimulated FLS by suppressing JAK2/STAT3.The study suggested that the physiological effects of triptolide on RA were due to its contribution to the inhibition of the inflammatory cytokine expression and FLS proliferation by suppressing the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.It may provide an innovative insight into the effect of triptolide in preventing RA pathogenesis.

Inhibitory Effects of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 on Inflammatory Cytokine Expression and Migration and Proliferation of IL-6/IFN-γ-induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Summary： The main pathogenesis of saphenous vein graft neointimal hyperplasia after coronary artery bypass grafting （CABG） is inflammation-caused migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells （VSMCs）. Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 （JAK2/STAT3） path- way is an important signaling pathway through which VSMCs phenotype conversion occurs. Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 （SOCS3） is the classic negative feedback inhibitor of JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Growing studies show that SOCS3 plays an important anti-inflammatory role in numerous autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and inflammation-related tumors. However, the effect and mechanism of SOCS3 on vein graft disease is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of SOCS3 on the inflammation, migration and proliferation of VSMCs in vitro and the mechanism. The small interference RNA plasmid targeting rat SOCS3 （SiRNA-rSOCS3） and the recombinant adenovirus vector carrying rat SOCS3 gene （pYrAd-rSOCS3） were constructed, and the empty plamid （SiRNA-control） and vector （pYrAd-GFP） only carrying GFP reported gene were constructed as control. The rat VSMCs were cultured. There were two large groups of A （SOCS3 up-regulated）： control group, IL-6/IFN-γ group, IL-6/IFN-γ＋pYrAd-rSOCS3 group, IL-6/IFN-γ＋pYrAd-GFP group; and B （SOCS3 down-regulated）： control group, IL-6/IFN-γ group, IL-6/IFN-γ＋SiRNA-rSOCS3 group and IL-6/IFN -T＋SiRNA-control group. The pYrAd-rSOCS3 and SiRNA-rSOCS3 were transfected into VSMCs in- duced by IL-6/IFN-γ. After 24 h, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of SOCS3, STAT3 （only by Western blotting）, P-STAT3 （only by Western blotting）, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1 and ICAM-1. The MTT, Transwell assay and flow cytometry were used to examine VSMCs proliferation, migration and cell cycle progression, respectively. As compared with control group, the mRNA and protein expression of SOCS3, STAT3, P-STAT3, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 was significantly up-regulated in VSMCs stimulated by IL-6/IFN-γ. However, in VSMCs transfected with pYrAd-rSOCS3 before stimulation with IL-6/IFN-γ, the expression of SOCS3 mRNA and protein was further up-regulated, and that of STAT3, P-STAT3, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 was significantly down-regulated as compared with IL-6/IFN-γ group and IL-6/IFN-γ＋pYrAd-GFP group. The expression of those re- lated-cytokines in IL-6/IFN-γ＋SiRNA-rSOCS3 group was markedly increased as compared with IL-6/IFN-γ group and IL-6/IFN-γ＋SiRNA-control group. The absorbance （A） values, the number of cells migrating to the lower chamber, and percentage of cells in the G2/M＋S phase were increased in VSMCs stimulated by IL-6/IFN-γ. In VSMCs incubated with pYrAd-rSOCS3 or SiRNA-rSOCS3 be- fore IL-6/IFN-γ stimulation, the A values, the number of cells migrating to the lower chamber, and the percentage of cells in the G2/M＋S phase were significantly decreased, and increased respectively. These results imply that IL-6/IFN-γ, strong inflammatory stimulators, can promote transformation of VSMCs phenotype form a quiescent contractile state to a synthetic state by activating JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Over-expresssed SOCS3 might inhibit pro-inflammatory effect, migration and growth of VSMCs by blocking STAT3 activation and phosphorylation. These data in vitro confirm that SOCS3 may play a negatively regulatory role in development and progression of vein graft failure. These conclusions can provide a novel strategy for clinical treatment of vein graft diseases and a new theoretic clue for related drug development.

Ghrelin inhibits IKKβ/NF-κB activation and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production in pancreatic acinar AR42J cells treated with cerulein

Background: Previous studies have provided conflicting results regarding whether the serum ghrelin concentration can reflect the severity of acute pancreatitis(AP). The present study examined the correlation between the serum ghrelin concentration and AP severity in animal models and investigated whether altered ghrelin expression in pancreatic acinar cells influences IKK β/NF-κ B signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Methods: Mild or severe AP was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of cerulein or retrograde cholangiopancreatic duct injection of sodium taurocholate, respectively. After successful model induction, serum ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin-6(IL-6) concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and IKK β/NF-κ B activation was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Subsequently, stable overexpression or knockdown of ghrelin in AR42 J cells was achieved by lentiviral transfection. After transfected cells and control cells were treated with cerulein for 24 h, the TNF-αand IL-1 β levels in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression levels of p-p65, IKK β, and p-IKK β were detected by Western blotting. Results: In rat AP models, AP severity was correlated with increased IKK β/NF-κ B activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and ghrelin secretion. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-αand IL-1 β as well as IKK β/NF-κ B signaling activity were increased upon knockdown of ghrelin in the AP acinar cell model and decreased with ghrelin overexpression. Conclusions: Serum ghrelin is related to the severity of AP. Ghrelin may play a protective role in the pathogenesis of AP by inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cytokines and the activation of the IKK β/NF-κ B signaling pathway.

Mutual Effect between Neuropeptides and Inflammatory Cytokines in Neurogenic SMSCs of Human Temporomandibular Joint

In temporomandibular disorders（TMD）, pain takes place when neuropeptides stimulate synovial tissue to produce several cytokines such as interleukin（IL）-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α, which activate neurons and glia of synovial membrane at the bilaminar regions of temporomandibular joint（TMJ）. It has been reported that, after neurogenic differentiation, the synovial mesenchymal stem cells（SMSCs）, deriving from TMJ, possess the same cytological features as the neuronal cells. This study examined the ability of substance P（SP） and calcitonin gene-related peptide（CGRP） to stimulate SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs secreting inflammatory cytokines during TMD, evaluated the mutual effects of inflammatory cytokines and neuropeptides and tested the analgesic effect of hyaluronic acid（HA）. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs in the presence of neuropeptides were measured by ELISA. SP and CGRP produced by SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that the expression of SP and CGRP was significantly enhanced in the neurogenic SMSCs in response to IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and the effect was remarkably inhibited by HA. IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, in return, could be enhanced in the neurogenic SMSCs upon stimulation by SP and CGRP. Neuropeptides and inflammatory cytokines might work mutually on the TMD pain. The HA-mediated analgesic effect may be implicated in the inhibition of SP and CGRP expression in neurogenic SMSCs.

Endothelial cell injury with inflammatory cytokine and coagulation in patients with sepsis

BACKGROUND:Current studies on CD62 P have focused mainly on cardiovascular diseases,while only few studies have evaluated the effects of CD62 P on the development of sepsis and the association between endothelial cell injury with inflammation and coagulation.This study attended to explore the association between endothelial cell injury with inflammation and coagulation by evaluating the expression of soluble CD62P(s-CD62P) in plasma and its mechanism in patients with sepsis,thus to provide the evidence of effective treatment of sepsis with anti-adhesion therapy targeted CD62 P.METHODS:A total of 70 critically ill patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS) admitted to intensive care unit(ICU) between September 2009 and February 2010 were enrolled for a prospective and control study.According to the diagnostic criteria of sepsis/SIRS,the patients were divided into two groups:a sepsis group(n=38) and a SIRS group(n=32).Another 20 healthy volunteers served as a control group.Patients in the sepsis group and SIRS group were matched by clinical signs of high blood pressure,diabetes and its complications.The demographics of the patients including age,sex,body mass index(BMI),smoking and alcohol addict were compared among the groups.Six mL peripheral blood samples were collected within 24-hour admission in ICU for enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) to detect the plasma levels of S-CD62 P,TNF-α,and hs-CRP.And variables of coagulation function such as platelet(PLT),prothrombin(PT),activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),D-dimer and antithrombin-Ⅲ(AT-Ⅲ) were analyzed during 24 hours after admission to ICU.Meanwhile sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA) score of critically ill patients was evaluated.Data were expressed as meanistandard deviation and were statistically analyzed by using SPSS 17.0statistical software.The differences in plasma levels of S-CD62 P of patients in each group were analyzed by ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test.The relations between S-CD62 P and inflammatory cytokines as well as with coagulation were determined by Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient analysis.Changes were considered as statistically significant if P value was less than 0.05.RESULTS:Compared with the control group and SIRS group,the sepsis group demonstrated significantly higher levels of S-CD62 P,TNF-a and highly sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)(PO.05).The plasma levels of D-dimer,PT,and APTT in the sepsis and SIRS groups were significantly higher than those in the control group,while the platelet count and the activity of AT-Ⅲ were obviously lower(P<0.05).In the sepsis group,the plasma levels of hs-CRP and TNF-a were positively correlated with PT,APTT,and D-dimer,and negatively correlated with AT-Ⅲ and PLT(P<0.05).The plasma levels of S-CD62 P were significantly correlated with the plasma levels of TNF-a,hs-CRP,D-dimer,PT,and APTT,whereas they were correlated negatively well with PLT and AT-Ⅲ(P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:The concentration of plasma S-CD62 P is elevated as a early biomarker in patients with sepsis,and it serves as one of the pathogenic factors responsible for endothelial cell damage.Coagulation and mediators of inflammation promote each other,aggravating the severity of sepsis.Plasma S-CD62 P may be an important factor for the development of coagulation and inflammatory reaction.

Lipoxin A4 Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-induced Production of Inflammatory Cytokines in Keratinocytes by Up-regulating SOCS2 and Down-regulating TRAF6

Liopxin A4（LXA4） is considered to be a crucial modulator in the inflammatory responses. In the present study, we aimed to study the effect of LXA4 on the inflammatory cytokines production induced by lipopolysaccharide（LPS） and the possible mechanism in normal human epidermal keratinocytes（NHEKs）. NHEKs were isolated and cultured. The expression of toll-like receptor 4（TLR4）, LXA4 receptor（ALXR） and aryl hydrocarbon receptor（Ah R） in NHEKs was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction（RT-PCR）. The m RNA and protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha（TNF-α） and interleukin-1β（IL-1β） were determined in NHEKs stimulated by LPS（10 μg/m L） with or without preincubation with LXA4（100 nmol/L） for 30 min by real-time quantitative PCR（real-time q PCR） and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）, respectively. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6（TRAF6） and suppressors of cytokine signaling 2（SOCS2） m RNAs and proteins, and nuclear translocation of NF-k B-p65 were measured by real-time q PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The results showed that NHEKs expressed TLR4, ALXR and Ah R. LXA4 significantly inhibited the m RNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and TRAF6 induced by LPS in NHEKs, and LXA4 obviously increased the expression of SOCS2 at m RNA and protein levels. The nuclear NF-k B-p65 protein expression induced by LPS was inhibited after preincubation with LXA4 in NHEKs. It was concluded that LXA4 inhibits the LPS-induced production of TNF-α and IL-1β in NHEKs by up-regulating SOCS2 and down-regulating TRAF6.

Effect of propofol on glutamate-induced activation and related inflammatory cytokines of astrocytes from spinal cord dorsal horn

BACKGROUND： Astrocytes participate in central nervous system-mediated physiological or pathological processes, such as pain. Activated dorsal horn astrocytes from the spinal cord produce nerve active substances and proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-lbeta （IL-1 β ）, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- α （TNF-α ）, which play important roles in pain transduction and regulation. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the effects of different doses of propofol on activation of cultured spinal cord dorsal horn astrocytes induced by glutamate, as well as changes in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF- α, and 1L-10 （anti-inflammatory cytokine） expression in rats, and to explore the dose relationship of propofol. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： The cellular and molecular biology experiment was performed at the Central Laboratory of Yunyang Medical College between March 2006 and December 2007. MATERIALS： Forty healthy, Wistar rats, aged 2-3 days, were selected. Propofol was provided by Zeneca, UK; glutamate by Sigma, USA; EPICS XL flow cytometry by Beckman culture, USA; rabbit-anti-mouse glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP） antibody kit and inflammatory cytokine detection kit were provided by Zhongshan Biotechnology Company Ltd., Beijing; multimedia color pathologic image analysis system was a product of Nikon, Japan. METHODS： Astrocytes were harvested from T11- L6 spinal cord dorsal horn of Wistar rats and incubated for 3 weeks. The cells were divided into seven groups, according to various treatment conditions： control group was cells cultured in Hank＇s buffered saline solution; intralipid group was cells cultured in intralipid （0.2 mL/L）; glutamate group was cells cultured with 100 u mol/L glutamate; propofol group was cells cultured with 250 u mol/L propofol; three glutamate plus propofol groups were cultured in 100 11 mol/L of glutamate, followed by 5, 25, and 250 u mol/L of propofol 10 minutes later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： GFAP-labeled astrocytes were analyzed using a multimedia pathology imaging analysis system to detect area density （AD） and average optical density （AOD） of positive cells. The supernatant concentrations of IL-1β, TNF- α, IL-6, and IL-10 were determined using radioimmune assays. RESULTS： Compared with the control group, cells in the glutamate plus low-dose propofol group were activated and hypertrophic, and AD and AOD were significantly increased （P 〈 0.01 ）. Concentrations of IL-1β, TNF- α, and IL-6 were also significantly increased （P 〈 0.01）, while IL-10 levels remained unchanged （P 〉 0.05）, but still higher than the control and glutamate groups （P 〉 0.05）. Compared with the glutamate group, astrocyte activation was inhibited by moderate and high-dose propotol. In addition, with moderate and high-dose propofol, AD, AOD, IL-1β, TNF- α, and IL-6 concentrations were significantly decreased （P 〈 0.05-0.01）, and IL-10 levels were increased （P 〈 0.01 ）. CONCLUSION： Propofol can effectively inhibit glutamate-induced astrocyte activation in the spinal cord dorsal horn, significantly inhibit production of IL-1 β, TNF- α, and IL-6, and increase IL-10 synthesis and release in a dose-dependent manner.

Meta-analysis of clinical effect of clearing heat and cooling blood on psoriasis and its effect on inflammatory cytokines

Objective:To evaluate the effect of Qingreliangxue method compared with Acitretin Capsules on clinical efficacy of psoriasis and serum inflammatory cytokines.Methods:The computer searches databases such as CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,PubMed,Embase and Cochrane Library.The search time is from the time the library is built until December 2019.According to the criteria for screening and selection of studies,extract data,use risk assessment tools for quality evaluation,and use Revman 5.3 software to perform meta-analysis on the outcome indicators of the included studis.Results:Finally,20 studies were included,with a total of 1592 patients.The analysis results showed that the total effective rate(OR=3.70,95%CI[2.58,5.30],P<0.00001)and cure rate(OR=2.40,95%CI[1.86,3.10],P<0.00001),PASI score(OR=-2.65,95%CI[-3.60,-1.70],P<0.00001),serum inflammatory cytokines(OR=-8.84,95%CI[-10.52,-7.16],P<0.00001),adverse reactions(OR=0.25,95%CI[0.11,0.57],P=0.001)are superior to Acitretin Capsules.Statistics of the top 10 Chinese medicines in clinical used frequency are,in order,habitat,red peony root,paeonol,honeysuckle,comfrey,soil tuckahoe,salvia miltiorrhiza,buffalo horn,heliotrope,angelica.Conclusion:Based on the current evidence,the treatment of psoriasis with clearing heat and cooling blood as the mainstay of Chinese medicine alone or in combination with Acitretin Capsules can better improve the efficacy,and its mechanism may be related to reducing inflammation.Due to the limitation of the included literature,this conclusion needs to be further verified.

The Profile of the Serum Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines TNF-a,IL-6,IL-10 and Captopril Intervention in Reno-hypertensive Rats

Objectives To observe the profile of the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6（IL-6）, tumor necrosis factor（TNF-α）and interleukin-10 （IL-10） and evaluate the effects of angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitor-Captopril on them in renohypertensive rats. Methods Using reformed two-kidney-one-clip （2K 1C） method, renal hypertensive rats （RHR） were obtained by ligating abdominal aorta. 30 Wistar rats were randomized into three groups： sham-operation group （A）, model control group （ B ） and captopril group （C）. All rats were killed after being given the trial drugs 5 weeks, ELISA assays were used to detect the levels of IL-6 and IL-10, the levels of TNF-alpha were measured with radioimmunoassays. Results ①compared with group A, the left ventricular hypertrophy was aggravated in group B significantly, the ratio of left ventricle and body weight（LV/BW） was 0.00318 ±0.00030 （B）and 0.00256 ±0.00040 （A） respectively（P 〈 0.001 ）, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α increased significantly （P 〈 0.001 and P 〈 0.002 respectively）, whereas the levels of IL-10 were not changed between the two groups （P 〉 0.05）; ② compared with group B, the LV/BW was 0.00266 ± 0.00018 （C） and 0.00318±0.00030 （B） respectively（P 〈 0.001）, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α decreased significantly （ P 〈 0.01）, whereas the levels of IL-10 were not changed between the two groups （P 〉 0.05） ; Condusions Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-captopril can lower the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α effectively, but can not increase the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine feature IL-10, it suggests that captopril may have to prevent or slow development hypertensive complications by means of levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines a of lowering the but not by increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

Predictive effect of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory cytokines on symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder

BACKGROUND Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD)is a relatively common mental disorder.Recently,inflammation,an important factor for the development of depression,has attracted increasing attention.Several studies have shown that inflammatory cytokines can affect the pathophysiological processes of several nervous system diseases.We hypothesized that there is a correlation between the levels of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated inflammatory cytokines and the clinical symptoms of GAD.AIM To investigate the predictive effect of LPS-stimulated inflammatory cytokines on symptoms of GAD.METHODS This was a cross-sectional study in which 89 patients with GAD diagnosed at The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2022 to December 2022 and 70 individuals without anxiety and depression(controls)during the same period were included.Fasting venous blood was collected from all the subjects in heparin tubes,and another 3 ml of blood was supplemented with LPS(10 ng/ml).The plasma levels of 12 cytokines[Interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interferon(IFN)-γ,IL-17A,IL-12p70,and IFN-α]were detected.RESULTS Post-LPS stimulation,the levels of IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,and TNF-αin both the control and GAD groups were significantly elevated above those in the nonstimulated groups,with IL-6 and IL-8 showing marked increases.Increases in IL-8 and TNF-αwere statistically significant in the GAD group(P<0.05).IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,and TNF-αwere found to be significantly correlated with Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAMA)scores(P<0.05).A negative correlation was observed between IL-10 levels and HAMA scores.Further analysis revealed that TNF-αwas associated with mental anxiety,whereas IL-1β,IL-8,and IL-10 were associated with physical anxiety symptoms,with IL-10 showing a negative correlation with physical anxiety.IL-6 was associated with both mental and physical aspects of anxiety.CONCLUSION The physical symptoms of GAD are related to inflammatory factors.IL-1β,IL-8,IL-10,and TNF-a can be used as predictors of physical or mental anxiety in patients with GAD.

Electroacupuncture alleviates water avoidance stress-induced irritable bowel syndrome in mice by improving intestinal barrier functions and suppressing the expression of inflammatory cytokines

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects and related mechanisms of electroacupuncture(EA)on irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).METHODS:Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated into normal,model,and EA groups.Experimental IBS mice models were established by exposure to water avoidance stress(WAS).Mice in the EA group were treated with EA at bilateral Tianshu(ST 25)and Zusanli(ST 36)for 7 consecutive days,15 min each day.Abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR)tests and intestinal motility tests were performed to evaluate visceral sensitivity and intestinal motility of mice.Expression levels of tight junction proteins(TJPs)and inflammatory cytokines in colon tissues were determined through immunofluorescence,real-time polymerase chain reactions(PCR)and Western blot assays.RESULTS:EA alleviated visceral hypersensitivity and intestinal hypermotility in WAS-induced IBS mice.Moreover,EA promoted the expression of zonula occludens(ZO)-1,claudin-1,and occludin while suppressing the expression of interleukin(IL)-8,interferon(IFN)-γ,and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αin water avoidance stress(WAS)-induced irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)mice.CONCLUSION:EA alleviated WAS-induced IBS in mice by promoting intestinal barrier functions and suppressing the expression of inflammatory cytokines.

HMGB1 Inhibitor Effectively Alleviates Psoriasis-Like Lesions and Inflammatory Cytokines in K14-VEGF Transgenic Mice

Objective:Anti-high-mobility group box 1(HMGB1)is involved in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases,including psoriasis.The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of HMGB1 monoclonal antibody(mAb)in keratin 14(K14)-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)transgenic homozygous mice.Methods:Twelve VEGF transgenic mice were randomly divided into two groups of six mice each:the anti-HMGB1 mAb group and the immune complex(IC)mAb group.The mice underwent intraperitoneal injection of anti-HMGB1 mAb or IC mAb once every 2 days for a total of three treatments.Compare the lesions on the ears of the mice and evaluate the severity of the lesions using the baseline and clinical scores on the last day of treatment.The changes in psoriasis-like lesions,cellular infiltration of T cells,dendritic cells,and neutrophils were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry.The mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokines,including interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,and IL-17 in the lesions were assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.The number ofγδT cells in the lesions of two groups were detected by flow cytometry.Thet test was used to compare their differences.Results:The anti-HMGB1 mAb effectively ameliorated the clinical skin lesions.The clinical scores in the anti-HMGB1 mAb group were lower than those in the IC mAb group(6.00±0.52vs.10.83±0.48,P<0.001).Histopathologic changes and improvements in the K14-VEGF transgenic homozygous mice were evident after three treatments.The scores of mice in the anti-HMGB1 mAb group were significantly lower than those in the IC mAb group(3.25±0.71vs.6.95±0.83,P=0.0033).The average epidermal thickness in the anti-HMGB1 mAb group was reduced by about 45%when compared with that in the IC mAb group(32.15±7.08vs.64.69±7.93,P=0.0054).Moreover,anti-HMGB1 mAb also decreased the number of infiltrating CD3+T cells,myeloperoxidase-positive neutrophils,and CD11c+dendritic cells.The ratio of ear skinγδT cells was reduced in anti-HMGB1 mAb treated group.The mRNA expression of IL-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,interferon-γ,and IL-17 in the anti-HMGB1 mAb group were significantly reduced when compared with IC mAb group(0.36±0.070vs.1.98±0.62,P=0.0148;6.43±1.37vs.13.80±1.33,P=0.0006;2.62±0.83vs.7.77±1.32,P=0.0026;4.69±1.13vs.11.41±1.92,P=0.0054).Conclusion:HMGB1 blockade(anti-HMGB1 mAb)reduced leukocyte infiltration and suppressed inflammatory cytokine expression in this K14-VEGF transgenic mouse model,markedly reducing the severity of the psoriasis-like lesions.HMGB1 blockade might serve as a potential target for the treatment of psoriasis.

Effect of Atorvastatin on the Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines in Rats with Klebsiella Pneumonia

Objective:To explore the effect of atorvastatin on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in rats with Klebsiella pneumonia.Methods:90 healthy SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:atorvastatin group,model group and blank group(with 10 rats in each group),30 rats in each treatment period(3,6,9 d).A rat model of Klebsiella pneumonia was constructed,in which the blank group and the model group were given the same volume of saline,while the atorvastatin group was given 10 ml/kg of atorvastatin by intraperitoneal instillation.The rats were killed on the 10th day after administration,and the lung tissue was extracted to detect the pathological results and the expression of inflammatory cytokines was detected in serum.Results:Lung histopathology showed that lung histopathology and fibrosis were improved in atorvastatin group,and alveolar structure integrity≥50%and collagen fiber precipitation≤10%in atorvastatin group indicated that the model was successful.The expression of inflammatory cytokines showed that the levels of IL-6,TNF-αand TGF-βin the atorvastatin group and the model group were significantly increased compared with the blank group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The levels of IL-6,TNF-αand TGF-βin atorvastatin group were lower than those in model group,and the levels of IL-10 in atorvastatin group were higher than those in model group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).After 9 days,the levels of IL-6,TNF-α,TGF-βand IL-10 in the atorvastatin group and the model group were higher than those in the blank group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The results of immunological function study showed that WBC,RBC and PLT in orvastatin group and model group were significantly reduced at 3 d compared with the blank group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).After 6 and 9 d,WBC,RBC and PLT in atorvastatin group and model group were lower than those in blank group,and WBC,RBC and PLT in atorvastatin group were lower than those in model group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Conclusion:Atorvastatin can significantly improve the immune dysfunction and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in rats with Klebsiella pneumonia.

Effect of antimicrobial agents on the toll-like receptors and inflammatory cytokines in liver tissue of the alcohol-induced liver disease in rats with Vibrio vulnificus sepsis

Background Septicemia and inflammation-mediated septic shock caused by Vibrio vulnificus （VV） is strongly associated with chronic liver disease. This study examined the effects of antimicrobial therapy on expression of hepatic toll-like receptors and inflammatory cytokines in rats with alcohol-induced liver disease complicated by VV sepsis. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the following treatment groups： normal control （N）, alcoholic liver disease control （A）, antimicrobial-treated alcoholic liver disease control （AA）, alcoholic liver disease with VV sepsis （AV）, and antimicrobial-treated alcoholic liver disease with VV sepsis （AVA）. Alcohol-induced liver disease was observed in all groups except N. Expression of mRNAs encoding hepatic toll-like receptors 2 and 4, myeloid differentiation protein-2, tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）, interleukin （IL）-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 was determined by RT-PCR. Results mRNAs encoding toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and myeloid differentiation protein-2 were significantly up-regulated in group AV as compared to control groups at 2-24 hours of sepsis; peak expression occurred at 12 hours. These mRNAs were also up-regulated in group AVA but to lesser degrees than in group AV at comparable time post-infection, mRNAs encoding TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly elevated in group AV as a function of infection. In group AVA as compared to AV, expression of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNAs was lower at 12-24 hours post-infection and expression of IL-6 mRNA was lower at 24 hours post-infection. Compared with control groups, IL-10 mRNA expression in group AV was markedly higher at 12-24 hours of sepsis. Expression of IL-10 mRNA was lower in group AVA as compared to AV at 24 hours of sepsis. Conclusions Antimicrobial therapy reduces expression of toll-like receptors and cytokines in rats with alcohol-induced liver disease complicated by VV sepsis. Monitoring hepatic toll-like receptor and cytokine expression during antibiotic therapy may be valuable for determining the course of VV sepsis in subjects with liver disease.

MicroRNA-155 Regulates Inflammatory Cytokine Production in Tumor-associated Macrophages via Targeting C/EBPβ

Macrophages （Mφ） are prominent components of solid tumors and exhibit distinct phenotypes in different microenvironments. We have recently found that tumors can alter the normal developmental process of Mφ to trigger transient activation of monocytes, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we showed that the protein expression of transcription factor C/EBPβ was markedly elevated in tumor-associated Mφ both in vitro and human tumors in situ. The expression of C/EBPβ protein correlated with cytokine production in tumor-activated monocytes. Moreover, we found that C/EBPβ expression was regulated at the post-transcriptional level and correlated with sustained reduction of microRNA-155 （miR-155） in tumor-activated monocytes. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that C/EBPβ is a potential target of miR-155 and luciferase assay confirmed that C/EBPβ translation is suppressed by miR-155 through interaction with the 3＇UTR of C/EBPβ mRNA. Further analysis showed that induction of miR-155 suppressed C/EBPβ protein expression as well as cytokine production in tumor-activated monocytes, an effect which could be mimicked by silencing of C/EBPβ. These results indicate that tumor environment causes a sustained reduction of miR-155 in monocytes/Mφ, which in turn regulates the functional activities of monocytes/Mφ by releasing the translational inhibition of transcription factor C/EBPβ.

Qiangzhi Decoction(羌跖汤) Protects Mice from Influenza A Pneumonia through Inhibition of Inflammatory Cytokine Storm

Objective： To investigate the preventive effects of Qiangzhi Decoction （羌跖汤, QZD） on influenza A pneumonia through inhibition of inflammatory cytokine storm in vivo and in vitro. Methods： One hundred ICR mice were randomly divided into the virus control, the Tamiflu control and the QZD high-, medium-, and low-dose groups. Mice were infected intranasally with influenza virus （H1N1） at 10 median lethal dose （LDso）. QZD and Tamiflu were administered intragastrically twice daily from day 0 to day 7 after infection. The virus control group was treated with distilled water alone under the same condition. The number of surviving mice was recorded daily for 14 days after viral infection. The histological damage and viral replication and the expression of inflammatory cytokines were monitored. Additionally, the suppression capacity on the secretion of regulated on activation normal T cells expressed and secreted （RANTES） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α ） in epithelial and macrophage cell-lines were evaluated. Results： Compared with the virus control group, the survival rate of the QZD groups significantly improved in a dose-dependent manner （P〈0.05）, the viral titers in lung tissue was inhibited （P〈0.05）, and the production of inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ （IFN- α ）, interleukin-6 （IL-6）, TNF-α, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1） were suppressed （P〈0.05）. Meanwhile, the secretion of RANTETS and TNF-α by epithelial and macrophage cell-lines was inhibited with the treatment of QZD respectively in vitro （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： The preventive effects of QZD on influenza virus infection might be due to its unique cytokine inhibition mechanism. QZD may have significant therapeutic potential in combination with antiviral drugs.

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 macrophagesin 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(1.2×10^(6) cells/well)after administration of 1μg/mL LPS,the optimal dose and usage timing for ciprofloxacin alone were 80μg/mL and 24 h,respectively,and the optimal dose for indomethacin alone was 10μg/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 macrophagesin 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.