Selective Janus Kinase 1 Inhibition Is a Promising Therapeutic Approach for Lupus Erythematosus Skin Lesions.

Background: Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is an interferon (IFN) -driven autoimmune skin disease characterized by an extensive cytotoxic lesional inflammation with activation of different innate immune pathways. Aim of our study was to investigate the specific role of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) activation in this disease and the potential benefit of selective JAK1 inhibitors as targeted therapy in a preclinical CLE model. Methods: Lesional skin of patients with different CLE subtypes and healthy controls (N = 31) were investigated on JAK1 activation and expression of IFN-associated mediators via immunohistochemistry and gene expression analyses. The functional role of JAK1 and efficacy of inhibition was evaluated in vitro using cultured keratinocytes stimulated with endogenous nucleic acids. Results were confirmed in vivo using an established lupus-prone mouse model. Results: Proinflammatory immune pathways, including JAK/STAT signaling, are significantly upregulated within inflamed CLE skin. Here, lesional keratinocytes and dermal immune cells strongly express activated phospho-JAK1. Selective pharmacological JAK1 inhibition significantly reduces the expression of typical proinflammatory mediators such as CXCL chemokines, BLyS, TRAIL, and AIM2 in CLE in vitro models and also improves skin lesions in lupus-prone TREX1-/- -mice markedly. Conclusion: IFN-associated JAK/STAT activation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of CLE. Selective inhibition of JAK1 leads to a decrease of cytokine expression, reduced immune activation, and decline of keratinocyte cell death. Topical treatment with a JAK1-specific inhibitor significantly improves CLE-like skin lesions in a lupus-prone TREX1-/- -mouse model and appears to be a promising therapeutic approach for CLE patients.

Natural Modulators of Endosomal Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated Psoriatic Skin Inflammation.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that can be initiated by excessive activation of endosomal toll-like receptors (TLRs), particularly TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9. Therefore, inhibitors of endosomal TLR activation are being investigated for their ability to treat this disease. The currently approved biological drugs adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, ustekinumab, ixekizumab, and secukizumab are antibodies against effector cytokines that participate in the initiation and development of psoriasis. Several immune modulatory oligonucleotides and small molecular weight compounds, including IMO-3100, IMO-8400, and CPG-52364, that block the interaction between endosomal TLRs and their ligands are under clinical investigation for their effectiveness in the treatment of psoriasis. In addition, several chemical compounds, including AS-2444697, PF-05387252, PF-05388169, PF-06650833, ML120B, and PHA-408, can inhibit TLR signaling. Although these compounds have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in animal models, their therapeutic potential for the treatment of psoriasis has not yet been tested. Recent studies demonstrated that natural compounds derived from plants, fungi, and bacteria, including mustard seed, Antrodia cinnamomea extract, curcumin, resveratrol, thiostrepton, azithromycin, and andrographolide, inhibited psoriasis-like inflammation induced by the TLR7 agonist imiquimod in animal models. These natural modulators employ different mechanisms to inhibit endosomal TLR activation and are administered via different routes. Therefore, they represent candidate psoriasis drugs and might lead to the development of new treatment options.

Novel Oral Therapies for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis.

Several classes of new oral therapy are in use or in development for the treatment of psoriasis. Despite the high efficacy of biologics, new oral therapies remain important as patients generally prefer this mode of administration and they offer an alternative risk-benefit profile. In this review, we discuss the novel modes of action of these drugs, including modulation of cellular pathways involving diverse targets such as Janus kinase, phosphodiesterase 4, sphingosine 1-phosphate, A3 adenosine receptor and rho-associated kinase 2. We review the available evidence around licensed drugs (apremilast) and drugs that are advanced (tofacitinib) or early (ponesimod, baricitinib, peficitinib, INCB039110, CF101, KD025) in the development pipeline. The key limitations of these oral therapies are their modest efficacy profile (apremilast, ponesimod) and the limitations of their safety profile (tofacitinib, ponesimod), while the evidence for the early pipeline drugs are at phase II level only. Potential niches of current unmet needs include apremilast for patients with concomitant psoriatic arthritis, as combination treatments with biologic therapies, and/or for patients in whom multiple biologic therapies have failed due to immunogenicity and secondary inefficacy. The present knowledge gap regarding these novel drugs includes the need for longer clinical trials or observational studies to evaluate safety, and randomised phase III trials for the early pipeline drugs. We conclude that further research and data are necessary to conclusively establish the role of these agents in the current psoriasis treatment paradigm.

[Present and future in the use of anti-tubercular drugs]. / Prezent si perspectiva în utilizarea de noi medicamente antituberculoase.

After several decades without any notable progress, there are encouraging results in research and development of anti-TB drugs, the result of a large number of projects now in competition. Along with developing new drugs to treat tuberculosis (TMC207, SQ109, LL3858) are being reassessed others to optimize their effectiveness in order to shorten and simplify therapy (rifampin and rifapentine) and three other drugs, currently used for other indications, were forwarded towards TB (gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin, linezolid). Time to approval as a antiTB drug is 10-15 years, consisting of phases of preclinical and clinical research. Substitution of moxifloxacin for isoniazid during intensive phase treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis resulted in a small but statistically nonsignificant increase in 8th- week culture negativity. TMC207, a diarylquinoline with a unique way to address Mycobacterial ATP synthetase, shows high activity in vitro against Mycobacterial strains sensitive or resistant to all drugs in the first and second line, including fluoroquinolones, demonstrating exceptional qualities in vivo against several species of mycobacteria, in various animal models. TMC207 was added to a basic standard regimen in a study of MDR-TB patients. After two months and satisfactory tolerability, sputum conversion rate in culture was 48% (versus 9% in the placebo group). Two nitroimidazole (PA-824 and OPC-67683) are currently in clinical development. PA-824 demonstrated good safety and tolerability in adult patients with pulmonary TB in South Africa, when given once daily for 7 days. Associating isoniazid, would prevent the selection of mutants resistant to Isoniazid. Linezolid 600 mg is currently being tested in a Phase II for treatment of XDR-TB in the Republic of Korea. PNU-100480, analogous to the previous one, has the potential to significantly shorten the treatment in cases where there is sensitivity and in those with resistance to drugs. 300 mg dose is under investigation in a phase II pilot study in MDR-TB in South Africa. With this interest and commitment, it appears that there is a chance of having a new drug available soon.

[The neurotropic and cardiotropic properties of new amino acid derivatives of isonicotinic acid]. / Neirotropnye i kardiotropnye svoistva nekotorykh novykh aminokislotnykh proizvodnykh izonikotinovoi kisloty.

Different derivatives of isonicotinic acid are used widely enough as antimicrobial and antituberculous agents. However, their neurotropic and cardiotropic effects have been studied little. The paper is concerned with investigations of these types of the activity of the new derivatives of isonicotinic acid: beta-phenyl-beta-alanine, l-proline, DL-valine, beta-alanine and DL-threonine synthesized for the first time at the Institute of Fine Organic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of Armenia.