Molecular Mechanisms for Regulation of Neutrophil Apoptosis under Normal and Pathological Conditions.

Neutrophils are one of the main cells of innate immunity that perform a key effector and regulatory function in the development of the human inflammatory response. Apoptotic forms of neutrophils are important for regulating the intensity of inflammation and restoring tissue homeostasis. This review summarizes current data on the molecular mechanisms of modulation of neutrophil apoptosis by the main regulatory factors of the inflammatory response-cytokines, integrins, and structural components of bacteria. Disturbances in neutrophil apoptosis under stress are also considered, molecular markers of changes in neutrophil lifespan associated with various diseases and pathological conditions are presented, and data on pharmacological agents for modulating apoptosis as potential therapeutics are also discussed.

A patenting perspective on human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitors (2014-2018) and their therapeutic applications.

INTRODUCTION: Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is involved in a variety of serious chronic diseases, especially cardiopulmonary pathologies. For this reason, the regulation of HNE activity represents a promising therapeutic approach, which is evident by the development of a number of new and selective HNE inhibitors, both in the academic and pharmaceutical environments. AREAS COVERED: The present review analyzes and summarizes the patent literature regarding human neutrophil elastase inhibitors for the treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases over 2014-2018. EXPERT OPINION: HNE is an interesting and defined target to treat various inflammatory diseases, including a number of cardiopulmonary pathologies. The research in this field is quite active, and a number of HNE inhibitors are currently in various stages of clinical development. In addition, new opportunities for HNE inhibitor development stem from recent studies demonstrating the involvement of HNE in many other inflammatory pathologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, skin diseases, and cancer. Furthermore, the development of dual HNE/proteinase 3 inhibitors is being pursued as an innovative approach for the treatment of neutrophilic inflammatory diseases. Thus, these new developments will likely stimulate new and increased interest in this important therapeutic target and for the development of novel and selective HNE inhibitors.

[JUN N-TERMINAL KINASES AND THEIR PHARMACOLOGICAL MODULATION OF ISCHE-MIC AND REPERFUSION INJURY OF THE BRAIN].

The article reviews the literature regarding the role of c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK) and its inhibitors in brain damage in the settings of ischemia and reperfusion injury. The implication of JNK in signaling mechanisms involved in ischemia-reperfusion-induced cerebral injury are discussed. Described effects associated with JNK inhibition using synthetic and natural substances in experimental models of ischemic and reperfusion injury of the brain. Results of experimental studies demonstrated that JNK represent promising therapeutic targets for brain protection against ischemic stroke. However, multiple physiologic functions of various JNK family members do not allow for the systemic use of non-specific JNK inhibitors for therapeutic purposes. The authors conclude that the continuous search for selective inhibitors of JNK3 remains an important task.

Development of small molecule non-peptide formyl peptide receptor (FPR) ligands and molecular modeling of their recognition.

Formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) expressed on a variety of cell types. These receptors play an important role in the regulation of inflammatory reactions and sensing cellular damage. They have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cataract formation, and atherogenesis. Thus, FPR ligands, both agonists and antagonists, may represent novel therapeutics for modulating host defense and innate immunity. A variety of molecules have been identified as receptor subtype-selective and mixed FPR agonists with potential therapeutic value during last decade. This review describes our efforts along with recent advances in the identification, optimization, biological evaluation, and structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of small molecule non-peptide FPR agonists and antagonists, including chiral molecules. Questions regarding the interaction at the molecular level of benzimidazoles, pyrazolones, pyridazin-3(2H)-ones, N-phenylureas and other derivatives with FPR1 and FPR2 are discussed. Application of computational models for virtual screening and design of FPR ligands is also considered.

Different metabolic effects of ganglioside GM1 in brain synaptosomes and phagocytic cells.

The metabolic effects of ganglioside GM1 were found to be quite different in brain synaptosomes and phagocytic cells. Incubation of rat brain cortex synaptosomes with GM1 was shown to decrease the production of reactive oxygen species induced by Fe2+-H2O2 system and measured by chemiluminometric method in the presence of luminol. Gangliosides GM1, GD1a, and GT1b significantly diminished the induced accumulation of lipid peroxidation product in brain synaptosomes, but protein kinase inhibitor (polymyxin B) abolished this effect. Incubation with antioxidants or GM1 significantly diminished the increase of 45Ca2+ influx and oxidative inactivation of Na+,K+-ATPase in brain synaptosomes exposed to glutamate, the effect of GM1 was concentration-dependent in the range 10(-11)-10(-8) M. But the incubation of human neutrophils and mouse peritoneal macrophages with 10(-11)-10(-10) M GM1, on the contrary, increased several times the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response of these cells to activation by low concentrations of 12-myristate-13-acetate phorbol ester. The opposite effects of GM1 in the nerve endings and phagocytic cells seem to be protective in both cases as the inhibition of reactive oxygen species production in the nerve cells may enhance their viability in damaged brain, while the intensification of their production in phagocytic cells may promote the resistance of organism to infection.

Sanazole as substrate of xanthine oxidase and microsomal NADPH/cytochrome P450 reductase.

The influence of sanazole and metronidazole on cytochrome C (Cyt c(3+)) reduction in the enzyme systems xanthine/xanthine oxidase and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase was studied. The addition of sanazole but not metronidazole significantly increased the rate of Cyt c(3+) reduction in both enzyme systems. The Lineweaver-Burk plot of the rate of Cyt c(3+) reduction (in xanthine/xanthine oxidase system) versus sanazole concentration indicates that the apparent K(m) for sanazole is about 1.5 mM (in hypoxic medium). The results obtained suggest that xanthine oxidase and microsomal NADPH/cytochrome P450 reductase can be enzymes participating in sanazole bioactivation and manifestation of its radiosensitizing and tumoricidal activity. It is concluded that the ability of sanazole to selectively bioactivate in hypoxic tumor tissue and form immunogenic conjugates with tumor protein can be a starting-point for developing nitroazole drugs with immunomodulation anticancer properties.

Lucigenin as a substrate of microsomal NAD(P)H-oxidoreductases.

NADPH oxidation and cytochrome c reduction with and without lucigenin as well as NAD(P)H/lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence of rat liver microsomes were studied. An increased rate of NADPH oxidation and cytochrome c reduction in the presence of lucigenin was related to one-electron lucigenin reduction by microsomal NADPH reductases. The apparent Michaelis constant values for lucigenin (Km appLuc) were 3.6 and 5.0 microM in normoxygenic (pO2 = 150 +/- 5 mm Hg) and 8.7 and 8.3 microM in hypoxygenic (pO2 = 45 +/- 4 mm Hg) media in the reactions of lucigenin-dependent NADPH oxidation and cytochrome c reduction, respectively. The maximal level of NADPH/lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence was registered at lucigenin concentration close to the mean K Luc/m app in the lucigenin-reductase reaction. Increasing the lucigenin concentration from 5 to 100 microM was associated with a decrease in the chemiluminescence intensity; this could be due to the inactivation of cytochrome P450. In the presence of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the rate of lucigenin-dependent cytochrome c reduction and NADPH/lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence were decreased by 10 and 30%, respectively. The addition of lucigenin to microsomes which contain the reduced hemoprotein--CO complex was followed by the disappearance of the differential absorption spectrum specific for the carboxy complex and by increase in chemiluminescence intensity versus the control (without carboxy complex). Thus, lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence of microsomes may be due to some enzymes including lucigenin reductase (NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase), generation of O2-. in the redox cycle of lucigenin radicals, dioxetane formation by (di)oxygenases, and catalytic action of the cytochrome P450 heme on dioxetane decomposition followed by light quantum emission. Thus, lucigenin cannot be used to measure the basal O2-. formation in tissue homogenates with high levels of NAD(P)H-oxidoreductases.

Lucigenin luminescence elicited by microsomes and its modulation by nitroazole compounds.

The lucigenin luminescence elicited by rat liver microsomes and its modulation by the nitroazole compounds metronidazole and sanazole (drug AK-2123), as well as the rates of lucigenin-dependent NADPH consumption and cytochrome c reduction, were studied. The obtained data suggest that the luminescence can be the result of univalent lucigenin reduction by microsomal NAD(P)H-reductases, generation of superoxide anion radical in the redox cycle of lucigenin radicals, dioxetane formation by (di)oxygenases, and catalytic action of cytochrome P450 heme on dioxetane decomposition, followed by light emission.

Decreased luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response of neutrophils to recombinant human tumour necrosis factor in patients with gastric cancer.

Production of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils was analyzed by a chemiluminometric method in the presence of luminol in ten healthy donors, eight patients with gastric cancer and ten patients with gastric precancer. The neutrophil chemiluminominescence response to recombinant tumour necrosis factor (rTNF) was almost five times lower in the gastric patients when compared with healthy donors and precancer patients. The chemiluminescence response to zymosan was decreased only in the gastric cancer patients with chemiluminescence index activation (CTNF) less than 1. The observed changes of neutrophil functions are thought to result in a decrease of neutrophil cytotoxic activity in gastric cancer patients.