Helicobacter pylori VacA-induced mitochondrial damage in the gastric pit cells of the antrum and therapeutic rescue.

Exploring host cell specificity, pathogenicity, and molecular mechanisms of the vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA), secreted by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is crucial for developing novel treatment strategies. VacA affects subcellular events, particularly mitochondria, at a cell-type-specific level. However, the lack of reliable models that mimic VacA-induced subcellular damages and enable novel drug screening linked to the human stomach clinically limits our understanding of the mitochondrial networks in vivo. Here, human antrum gastric organoids (hAGOs) and tissue samples from Hp-infected patients were used to show the toxic effects of VacA-induced mitochondrial damage mainly in mucus-producing gastric pit cells by employing transcriptional, translational, and functional analyses. In VacA-intoxicated or Hp-infected hAGOs, robust mitochondrial fragmentation in gastric pit cells reduced ATP production during respiration, and loss of mucosal barrier integrity was first demonstrated experimentally. Using hAGOs, clinically relevant small molecules were screened for efficacy, and MLN8054, an Aurora kinase A inhibitor, reversed VacA-induced mitochondrial damage and loss of gastric epithelium integrity. MLN8054 was effective in VacA-treated and Hp-infected hAGOs and mice, highlighting hAGOs as a promising drug-screening model. These findings suggest that mitochondrial quality control may serve as a promising therapeutic target for Hp VacA-mediated toxicity and disease progression.

Diabetes Primes Neutrophils for Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation through Trained Immunity.

Neutrophils are primed for neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation during diabetes, and excessive NET formation from primed neutrophils compromises wound healing in patients with diabetes. Here, we demonstrate that trained immunity mediates diabetes-induced NET priming in neutrophils. Under diabetic conditions, neutrophils exhibit robust metabolic reprogramming comprising enhanced glycolysis via the pentose phosphate pathway and fatty acid oxidation, which result in the accumulation of acetyl-coenzyme A. Adenosine 5'-triphosphate-citrate lyase-mediated accumulation of acetyl-coenzyme A and histone acetyltransferases further induce the acetylation of lysine residues on histone 3 (AcH3K9, AcH3K14, and AcH3K27) and histone 4 (AcH4K8). The pharmacological inhibition of adenosine 5'-triphosphate-citrate lyase and histone acetyltransferases completely inhibited high-glucose-induced NET priming. The trained immunity of neutrophils was further confirmed in neutrophils isolated from patients with diabetes. Our findings suggest that trained immunity mediates functional changes in neutrophils in diabetic environments, and targeting neutrophil-trained immunity may be a potential therapeutic target for controlling inflammatory complications of diabetes.

Acid sphingomyelinase as a pathological and therapeutic target in neurological disorders: focus on Alzheimer's disease.

Over the past decade, numerous studies have highlighted the importance of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) in disease treatment in humans. This enzyme functions primarily to generate ceramide, maintain the cellular membrane, and regulate cellular function. However, in the blood and brain of patients with neurological disorders, including major depression, ischemic stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), elevated ASM levels significantly suggest disease onset or progression. In these diseases, increased ASM is profoundly involved in neuronal death, abnormal autophagy, neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption, hippocampal neurogenesis loss, and immune cell dysfunction. Moreover, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of ASM can prevent or ameliorate various diseases. The therapeutic effects of ASM inhibition have prompted the urgent need to develop ASM inhibitors, and several ASM inhibitors have been identified. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the critical roles and mechanisms of ASM in brain cells and blood that are associated with different neuropathological features, especially those observed in AD. Furthermore, we elucidate the potential possibility and limitations of existing ASM-targeting drugs according to experimental studies in neurological disorder mouse models.

Role of NCKAP1 in the Defective Phagocytic Function of Microglia-Like Cells Derived from Rapidly Progressing Sporadic ALS.

Microglia plays a key role in determining the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), yet their precise role in ALS has not been identified in humans. This study aimed to identify a key factor related to the functional characteristics of microglia in rapidly progressing sporadic ALS patients using the induced microglia model, although it is not identical to brain resident microglia. After confirming that microglia-like cells (iMGs) induced by human monocytes could recapitulate the main signatures of brain microglia, step-by-step comparative studies were conducted to delineate functional differences using iMGs from patients with slowly progressive ALS [ALS(S), n = 14] versus rapidly progressive ALS [ALS(R), n = 15]. Despite an absence of significant differences in the expression of microglial homeostatic genes, ALS(R)-iMGs preferentially showed defective phagocytosis and an exaggerated pro-inflammatory response to LPS stimuli compared to ALS(S)-iMGs. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the perturbed phagocytosis seen in ALS(R)-iMGs was closely associated with decreased NCKAP1 (NCK-associated protein 1)-mediated abnormal actin polymerization. NCKAP1 overexpression was sufficient to rescue impaired phagocytosis in ALS(R)-iMGs. Post-hoc analysis indicated that decreased NCKAP1 expression in iMGs was correlated with the progression of ALS. Our data suggest that microglial NCKAP1 may be an alternative therapeutic target in rapidly progressive sporadic ALS.

Immunotherapy targeting plasma ASM is protective in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) has been implicated in neurodegenerative disease pathology, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific role of plasma ASM in promoting these pathologies is poorly understood. Herein, we explore plasma ASM as a circulating factor that accelerates neuropathological features in AD by exposing young APP/PS1 mice to the blood of mice overexpressing ASM, through parabiotic surgery. Elevated plasma ASM was found to enhance several neuropathological features in the young APP/PS1 mice by mediating the differentiation of blood-derived, pathogenic Th17 cells. Antibody-based immunotherapy targeting plasma ASM showed efficient inhibition of ASM activity in the blood of APP/PS1 mice and, interestingly, led to prophylactic effects on neuropathological features by suppressing pathogenic Th17 cells. Our data reveals insights into the potential pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD and highlights ASM-targeting immunotherapy as a potential strategy for further investigation.

Acid sphingomyelinase inhibition improves motor behavioral deficits and neuronal loss in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse model.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord. Main symptoms are manifested as weakness, muscle loss, and muscle atrophy. Some studies have reported that alterations in sphingolipid metabolism may be intimately related to neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), a sphingolipid-metabolizing enzyme, is considered an important mediator of neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we show that ASM activity increases in samples from patients with ALS and in a mouse model. Moreover, genetic inhibition of ASM improves motor function impairment and spinal neuronal loss in an ALS mouse model. Therefore, these results suggest the role of ASM as a potentially effective target and ASM inhibition may be a possible therapeutic approach for ALS. [BMB Reports 2022; 55(12): 621-626].

Diverse Roles of Ceramide in the Progression and Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, and is associated with several pathophysiological features, including cellular dysfunction, failure of neurotransmission, cognitive impairment, cell death, and other clinical consequences. Advanced research on the pathogenesis of AD has elucidated a mechanistic framework and revealed many therapeutic possibilities. Among the mechanisms, sphingolipids are mentioned as distinctive mediators to be associated with the pathology of AD. Reportedly, alteration in the metabolism of sphingolipids and their metabolites result in the dysfunction of mitochondria, autophagy, amyloid beta regulation, and neuronal homeostasis, which exacerbates AD progression. Considering the importance of sphingolipids, in this review, we discuss the role of ceramide, a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite, in the progression and pathogenesis of AD. Herein, we describe the ceramide synthesis pathway and its involvement in the dysregulation of homeostasis, which eventually leads to AD. Furthermore, this review references different therapeutics proposed to modulate the ceramide pathway to maintain ceramide levels and prevent the disease progression.

Impact on capsule formation for three different types of implant surface tomography.

Although capsular contracture remains one of the major problems following silicone breast implantation, the associated mechanism has yet to be determined. This study thus aimed to investigate capsule formation and capsular contracture using three types of implants with different surface topographies in vivo. Three types of implants (i.e., smooth, macrotexture, and nanotexture) with different surface topographies were inserted in a total of 48 Wistar rats. After 4 and 12 weeks, the samples were analyzed via histological, immunohistochemical, and Western blot examination. To identify implant movement, the degree to which implant position changed was measured. And the surface topography was characterized using scanning electron microscopy. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the nanotexture type implant promoted significant decreases in capsule thickness at 12 weeks (P < 0.05), while Masson trichrome staining showed decreased collagen fiber density with the same implant type. Immunohistochemical and Western blot examination revealed reduced fibrosis markers (myofibroblast, and transforming growth factor beta-1) in the nanotexture surface implant. Meanwhile, implant location evaluation found that the nanotexture and smooth surface implants had significantly increased movement (P < 0.05). The nanotexture surface implant had been found to reduce capsule formation given that it minimizes the effects of factors related to foreign body reaction.

Effect of Breast Silicone Implant Topography on Bacterial Attachment and Growth: An In Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The mechanisms underlying capsular contracture remain unclear. Emerging evidence supports the inflammation hypothesis, according to which bacteria from an adherent biofilm cause chronic inflammation and collagen deposition on the implant and trigger capsular contracture. Our goal was to evaluate the effect of different types of breast implants on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are commonly found in biofilms in infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bacteria were grown in tryptic soy broth at 37°C for 2, 6, and 24 h and subsequently incubated for 24 h on 12 shell sections of smooth, nano-, and macrotextured breast implants. After incubation, the solutions were ultrasonicated and bacterial numbers were determined by serial dilution. S. aureus were fixed, washed with phosphate-buffered saline, dehydrated in ethanol, and coated with a platinum film to visualize the presence of biofilms by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: The numbers of S. aureus and S. epidermidis attached to the smooth and nanotextured surface implants were significantly lower than those on the macrotextured surface for all incubation times, whereas the number of P. aeruginosa was non-significantly lowest on the nanotextured surface after 24h incubation. Biofilms on smooth and nanotextured implant surfaces showed patchy patterns on scanning electron microscopy in contrast to the continuous pattern detected on macrotextured implants. CONCLUSION: Nanotextured breast implants may limit bacterial growth and thus prevent capsular contracture.

Executive Summary of the 2021 International Conference of Korean Dementia Association: A Report From the Academic Committee of the Korean Dementia Association.

Recently, aducanumab, a beta amyloid targeted immunotherapy, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia (AD). Although many questions need to be answered, this approval provides a promising hope for the development of AD drugs that could be supported by new biomarkers such as blood-based ones and composite neuropsychological tests that can confirm pathologic changes in early stages of AD. It is important to elucidate the complexity of AD which is known to be associated with other factors such as vascular etiologies and neuro-inflammation. Through the second international conference of the Korean Dementia Association (KDA), researchers from all over the world have participated in the exchange of opinions with KDA members on the most up-to-date topics. The Academic Committee of the KDA summarizes lectures to provide the depth of the conference as well as discussions. This will be an important milestone to widen the latest knowledge in the research of AD's diagnosis, therapeutics, pathogenesis that can lead to the establishment of future directions.

Clinical and genetic features of four patients with Pearson syndrome: An observational study.

ABSTRACT: Pearson syndrome (PS) is a multisystem mitochondrial cytopathy arising from deletions in mitochondrial DNA. Pearson syndrome is a sporadic disease that affects the hematopoietic system, pancreas, eyes, liver, and heart and the prognosis is poor. Causes of morbidity include metabolic crisis, bone marrow dysfunction, sepsis, and liver failure in early infancy or childhood. Early diagnosis may minimize complications, but suspicion of the disease is difficult and only mitochondrial DNA gene testing can identify mutations. There is no specific treatment for PS, which remains supportive care according to symptoms; however, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be considered in cases of bone marrow failure.We herein describe the clinical and genetic characteristics of four patients with PS. One patient presented with hypoglycemia, two developed pancytopenia, and the final patient had hypoglycemia and acute hepatitis as the primary manifestation. All patients had lactic acidosis. Additionally, all patients showed a variety of clinical features including coagulation disorder, pancreatic, adrenal, and renal tubular insufficiencies. Two patients with pancytopenia died in their early childhood. Our experience expands the phenotypic spectrum associated with PS and its clinical understanding.

Sphingosine kinase-dependent regulation of pro-resolving lipid mediators in Alzheimer's disease.

The majority of peripheral and central nervous system disorders are related to hyperactive inflammatory responses, leading to irreversible and persistent cellular defects, functional impairments, and behavioral deficits. Advances in our understanding of these disorders have revealed the disruption of inflammation resolution pathways due to abrogated responses by specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs). SPMs comprise a class of bioactive lipids and cell signaling molecules that function to resolve inflammation, pain, and function in host defense and tissue remodeling. Their cellular and systemic levels during physiology and pathology are regulated by sphingosine kinases (especially SphK1) that act by monitoring cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), a potent inhibitor of SPMs production. This review presents the current understanding of the convergent mechanisms shared by bioactive lipids with SphK1 and COX2 in the etiology of chronic inflammatory disorders, focusing on neuroinflammation, as well as describes the translational directions of this trilogy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Discovery of a dual-action small molecule that improves neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by complex, multifactorial neuropathology, suggesting that small molecules targeting multiple neuropathological factors are likely required to successfully impact clinical progression. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activation has been recognized as an important contributor to these neuropathological features in AD, leading to the concept of using ASM inhibitors for the treatment of this disorder. Here we report the identification of KARI 201, a direct ASM inhibitor evaluated for AD treatment. KARI 201 exhibits highly selective inhibition effects on ASM, with excellent pharmacokinetic properties, especially with regard to brain distribution. Unexpectedly, we found another role of KARI 201 as a ghrelin receptor agonist, which also has therapeutic potential for AD treatment. This dual role of KARI 201 in neurons efficiently rescued neuropathological features in AD mice, including amyloid beta deposition, autophagy dysfunction, neuroinflammation, synaptic loss, and decreased hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, leading to an improvement in memory function. Our data highlight the possibility of potential clinical application of KARI 201 as an innovative and multifaceted drug for AD treatment.

Novelty of Sphingolipids in the Central Nervous System Physiology and Disease: Focusing on the Sphingolipid Hypothesis of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration.

For decades, lipids were confined to the field of structural biology and energetics as they were considered only structural constituents of cellular membranes and efficient sources of energy production. However, with advances in our understanding in lipidomics and improvements in the technological approaches, astounding discoveries have been made in exploring the role of lipids as signaling molecules, termed bioactive lipids. Among these bioactive lipids, sphingolipids have emerged as distinctive mediators of various cellular processes, ranging from cell growth and proliferation to cellular apoptosis, executing immune responses to regulating inflammation. Recent studies have made it clear that sphingolipids, their metabolic intermediates (ceramide, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and N-acetyl sphingosine), and enzyme systems (cyclooxygenases, sphingosine kinases, and sphingomyelinase) harbor diverse yet interconnected signaling pathways in the central nervous system (CNS), orchestrate CNS physiological processes, and participate in a plethora of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Considering the unequivocal importance of sphingolipids in CNS, we review the recent discoveries detailing the major enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism (particularly sphingosine kinase 1), novel metabolic intermediates (N-acetyl sphingosine), and their complex interactions in CNS physiology, disruption of their functionality in neurodegenerative disorders, and therapeutic strategies targeting sphingolipids for improved drug approaches.

Xenopus chip for single-egg trapping, in vitro fertilization, development, and tadpole escape.

Xenopus laevis is highly suitable as a toxicology animal model owing to its advantages in embryogenesis research. For toxicological studies, a large number of embryos must be handled simultaneously because they very rapidly develop into the target stages within a short period of time. To efficiently handle the embryos, a convenient embryo housing device is essential for fast and reliable assessment and statistical evaluation of malformation caused by toxicants. Here, we suggest 3D fabrication of single-egg trapping devices in which Xenopus eggs are fertilized in vitro, and the embryos are cultured. We used manual pipetting to insert the Xenopus eggs inside the trapping sites of the chip. By introducing a liquid circulating system, we connected a sperm-mixed solution with the chip to induce in vitro fertilization of the eggs. After the eggs were fertilized, we observed embryo development involving the formation of egg cleavage, blastula, gastrula, and tadpole. After the tadpoles grew inside the chip, we saved their lives by enabling their escape from the chip through reverse flow of the culture medium. The Xenopus chip can serve as an incubator to induce fertilization and monitor normal and abnormal development of the Xenopus from egg to tadpole.

Nucleocapsid and Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 Drive Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation.

Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) demonstrate dysregulated immune responses including exacerbated neutrophil functions. Massive neutrophil infiltrations accompanying neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formations are also observed in patients with severe COVID-19. However, the mechanism underlying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced NET formation has not yet been elucidated. Here we show that 2 viral proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2, the nucleocapsid protein and the whole spike protein, induce NET formation from neutrophils. NET formation was ROS-independent and was completely inhibited by the spleen tyrosine kinase inhibition. The inhibition of p38 MAPK, protein kinase C, and JNK signaling pathways also inhibited viral protein-induced NET formation. Our findings demonstrate one method by which SARS-CoV-2 evades innate immunity and provide a potential target for therapeutics to treat patients with severe COVID-19.

Extracellular vesicles from dHL-60 cells as delivery vehicles for diverse therapeutics.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-derived heterogeneous vesicles that mediate intercellular communications. They have recently been considered as ideal vehicles for drug-delivery systems, and immune cells are suggested as a potential source for drug-loaded EVs. In this study, we investigated the possibility of neutrophils as a source for drug-loaded EVs. Neutrophil-like differentiated human promyelocytic leukemia cells (dHL-60) produced massive amounts of EVs within 1 h. The dHL-60 cells are also easily loaded with various cargoes such as antibiotics (penicillin), anticancer drug (paclitaxel), chemoattractant (MCP-1), miRNA, and Cas9. The EVs derived from the dHL-60 cells showed efficient incorporation of these cargoes and significant effector functions, such as bactericidal activity, monocyte chemotaxis, and macrophage polarization. Our results suggest that neutrophils or neutrophil-like promyelocytic cells could be an attractive source for drug-delivery EVs.

Neutrophil-derived trail is a proinflammatory subtype of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles.

Aims: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-derived vesicles that mediate intercellular communications. Neutrophils produce different subtypes of EVs during inflammatory responses. Neutrophil-derived trails (NDTRs) are generated by neutrophils migrating toward inflammatory foci, whereas neutrophil-derived microvesicles (NDMVs) are thought to be generated by neutrophils that have arrived at the inflammatory foci. However, the physical and functional characteristics of neutrophil-derived EVs are incompletely understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the differences between NDTRs and NDMVs. Methods: The generation of neutrophil-derived EVs were visualized by live-cell fluorescence images and the physical characteristics were further analyzed using nanotracking analysis assay, scanning electron microscopic analysis, and marker expressions. Functional characteristics of neutrophil-derived EVs were analyzed using assays for bactericidal activity, monocyte chemotaxis, phenotype polarization of macrophages, and miRNA sequencing. Finally, the effects of neutrophil-derived EVs on the acute and chronic inflammation were examined in vivo. Results: Both EVs share similar characteristics including stimulators, surface marker expression, bactericidal activity, and chemoattractive effect on monocytes via MCP-1. However, the integrin-mediated physical interaction was required for generation of NDTRs whereas NDMV generation was dependent on PI3K pathway. Interestingly, NDTRs contained proinflammatory miRNAs such as miR-1260, miR-1285, miR-4454, and miR-7975, while NDMVs contained anti-inflammatory miRNAs such as miR-126, miR-150, and miR-451a. Although both EVs were easily uptaken by monocytes, NDTRs enhanced proinflammatory macrophage polarization whereas NDMVs induced anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization. Moreover, NDTRs showed protective effects against lethality in a murine sepsis model and pathological changes in a murine chronic colitis model. Conclusion: These results suggest that NDTR is a proinflammatory subtype of neutrophil-derived EVs distinguished from NDMV.

The blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier orchestrates immunosurveillance, immunoprotection, and immunopathology in the central nervous system.

Once characterized as an immune privileged area, recent scientific advances have demonstrated that the central nervous system (CNS) is both immunologically active and a specialized site. The anatomical and cellular features of the brain barriers, the glia limitans, and other superficial coverings of the CNS endow the brain with specificity for immune cell entry and other macro- and micro-elements to the brain. Cellular trafficking via barriers comprised of tightly junctioned non-fenestrated endothelium or tightly regulated fenestrated epithelium results in different phenotypic and cellular changes in the brain, that is, inflammatory versus regulatory changes. Based on emerging evidence, we described the unique ability of the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) to recruit, skew, and suppress immune cells. Additionally, we sum up the current knowledge on both cellular and molecular mechanisms governed by the choroid plexus and the cerebrospinal fluid at the BCSFB for immunosurveillance, immunoprotection, and immunopathology. [BMB Reports 2021; 54(4): 196-202].