ABSTRACT
It is well acknowledged that the oral absorption of a drug can be influenced by its solubility, which is usually associated with its solid form properties. G1032 is a retinoic acid-related orphan receptor inverse agonist. Crystalline solid (form A) was identified with an aqueous solubility of 130 µg/mL. This form was used in an oral dose escalation study in rodents up to 300 mg/kg and achieved good exposures. Later on, a more stable crystalline hydrate (form B) was identified and the aqueous solubility was reduced to 55 µg/mL. A modeling exercise suggested that this solubility change would cause a 2-fold decrease in exposure at tested doses; however, the actual reduction was far larger than the model predicted. At high dose, exposure was found to be reduced by almost 10-fold. A parameter sensitivity analysis suggested that such a drop in exposure could be associated with permeability reduction as well. More in vitro permeability experiments were performed, indicating G1032 was an efflux transporter substrate. This finding was integrated into the modeling and the design for in vivo studies. Data obtained from those studies allowed us to better understand the causes of the higher-than-expected exposure change and enabled decision-making.
Subject(s)
Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Pharmaceutical Preparations/administration & dosage , Solubility/drug effects , Administration, Oral , Animals , Biological Availability , Biological Transport/drug effects , Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/methods , Intestinal Absorption/drug effects , Male , Permeability , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
Six morpholine-(iso)thiosemicarbazone hybrids HL1-HL6 and their Cu(II) complexes with good-to-moderate solubility and stability in water were synthesized and characterized. Cu(II) complexes [Cu(L1-6)Cl] (1-6) formed weak dimeric associates in the solid state, which did not remain intact in solution as evidenced by ESI-MS. The lead proligands and Cu(II) complexes displayed higher antiproliferative activity in cancer cells than triapine. In addition, complexes 2-5 were found to specifically inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus with MIC50 values at 2-5 µg/mL. Insights into the processes controlling intracellular accumulation and mechanism of action were investigated for 2 and 5, including the role of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) inhibition, endoplasmic reticulum stress induction, and regulation of other cancer signaling pathways. Their ability to moderately inhibit R2 RNR protein in the presence of dithiothreitol is likely related to Fe chelating properties of the proligands liberated upon reduction.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Coordination Complexes/chemistry , Copper/chemistry , Morpholines/chemistry , Thiosemicarbazones/chemistry , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Binding Sites , Catalytic Domain , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Coordination Complexes/chemical synthesis , Coordination Complexes/pharmacology , Crystallography, X-Ray , Humans , Mice , Molecular Conformation , Molecular Docking Simulation , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/drug effects , Solubility , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that is considered to be a potential therapeutic target for multiple diseases. Herein, we report the development and structure-activity relationship studies of a new series of hPXR agonists. Focusing on our recently developed silanol-sulfonamide scaffold, we developed the potent hPXR agonist 28, which shows good selectivity over hLXRα and ß, hFXR, and hRORα and γ. Examination of the structure-activity relationship suggested a possible strategy to manipulate the selectivity. Docking simulation indicated the presence of an additional binding cavity and polar contacts in the ligand-binding pocket of hPXR. This information should be helpful for the future development of more potent and selective hPXR ligands.
Subject(s)
Pregnane X Receptor/agonists , Silanes/chemistry , Binding Sites , Drug Design , Humans , Liver X Receptors/agonists , Liver X Receptors/metabolism , Molecular Docking Simulation , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Pregnane X Receptor/metabolism , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Silanes/chemical synthesis , Silanes/metabolism , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
The loss of cone photoreceptors that mediate daylight vision represents a leading cause of blindness, for which cell replacement by transplantation offers a promising treatment strategy. Here, we characterize cone differentiation in retinas derived from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Similar to in vivo development, a temporal pattern of progenitor marker expression is followed by the differentiation of early thyroid hormone receptor ß2-positive precursors and, subsequently, photoreceptors exhibiting cone-specific phototransduction-related proteins. We establish that stage-specific inhibition of the Notch pathway increases cone cell differentiation, while retinoic acid signaling regulates cone maturation, comparable with their actions in vivo. MESC-derived cones can be isolated in large numbers and transplanted into adult mouse eyes, showing capacity to survive and mature in the subretinal space of Aipl1-/- mice, a model of end-stage retinal degeneration. Together, this work identifies a robust, renewable cell source for cone replacement by purified cell suspension transplantation.
Subject(s)
Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells/transplantation , Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/cytology , Retinal Degeneration/therapy , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/deficiency , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics , Animals , Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/antagonists & inhibitors , Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/genetics , Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/metabolism , Cell Differentiation/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Eye Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Eye Proteins/genetics , Eye Proteins/metabolism , Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6/metabolism , Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/pharmacology , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology , Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2/metabolism , Opsins/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Otx Transcription Factors/metabolism , RNA Interference , RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism , Receptors, Notch/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptors, Notch/metabolism , Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/metabolism , Retinal Degeneration/pathology , Signal Transduction , Tretinoin/metabolism , Tretinoin/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Targeting the transcriptional activity of nuclear hormone receptors has proven an effective strategy to treat certain human diseases, and they have become a major focus point to develop novel therapies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and others. One family of nuclear receptors that has attracted most interest in recent years is the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors (RORs), in particular RORγ. RORγ is a critical regulator of the immune system and RORγ antagonists have shown activity in animal models of inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Here we present the synthesis and biological evaluation of dihydroimidazole tethered imidazolinethiones. We have identified several dual RORγ/α and pan-ROR antagonists with significant activity in cellular assays that could serve as starting points for future optimization efforts to generate potent and selective RORγ modulators.
Subject(s)
Imidazolines/pharmacology , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Thiones/pharmacology , Animals , CHO Cells , Cricetulus , Imidazolines/chemical synthesis , Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1/antagonists & inhibitors , Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 2/antagonists & inhibitors , Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3/antagonists & inhibitors , Thiones/chemical synthesisABSTRACT
Diabetes is characterized by increased lipogenesis as well as increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inflammation. The nuclear hormone receptor liver X receptor (LXR) is induced by insulin and is a key regulator of lipid metabolism. It promotes lipogenesis and cholesterol efflux, but suppresses endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation. The goal of these studies was to dissect the effects of insulin on LXR action. We used antisense oligonucleotides to knock down Lxrα in mice with hepatocyte-specific deletion of the insulin receptor and their controls. We found, surprisingly, that knock-out of the insulin receptor and knockdown of Lxrα produced equivalent, non-additive effects on the lipogenic genes. Thus, insulin was unable to induce the lipogenic genes in the absence of Lxrα, and LXRα was unable to induce the lipogenic genes in the absence of insulin. However, insulin was not required for LXRα to modulate the phospholipid profile, or to suppress genes in the ER stress or inflammation pathways. These data show that insulin is required specifically for the lipogenic effects of LXRα and that manipulation of the insulin signaling pathway could dissociate the beneficial effects of LXR on cholesterol efflux, inflammation, and ER stress from the negative effects on lipogenesis.
Subject(s)
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress , Gene Expression Regulation , Hepatitis/metabolism , Insulin/metabolism , Lipogenesis , Liver/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/agonists , Animals , Crosses, Genetic , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/immunology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic , Gene Knockdown Techniques , Hepatitis/complications , Hepatitis/enzymology , Hepatitis/immunology , Insulin Resistance , Liver/enzymology , Liver/immunology , Liver X Receptors , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Mice, Transgenic , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Phospholipids/metabolism , Receptor, Insulin/agonists , Receptor, Insulin/genetics , Receptor, Insulin/metabolism , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
Liver disease is the second most common cause of mortality in HIV-infected persons. Exactly how HIV infection per se affects liver disease progression is unknown. Here we have investigated mRNA expression of 49 nuclear hormone receptors (NRs) and 35 transcriptional coregulators in HepG2 cells upon stimulation with the HIV matrix protein p17. This viral protein regulated mRNA expression of some NRs among which LXRα and its transcriptional co-activator MED1 were highly induced at mRNA level. Dissection of p17 downstream intracellular pathway demonstrated that p17 mediated activation of Jak/STAT signaling is responsible for the promoter dependent activation of LXR. The treatment of both HepG2 as well as primary hepatocytes with HIV p17 results in the transcriptional activation of LXR target genes (SREBP1c and FAS) and lipid accumulation. These effects are lost in HepG2 cells pre-incubated with a serum from HIV positive person who underwent a vaccination with a p17 peptide as well as in HepG2 cells pre-incubated with the natural LXR antagonist gymnestrogenin. These results suggest that HIV p17 affects NRs and their related signal transduction thus contributing to the progression of liver disease in HIV infected patients.
Subject(s)
HIV/metabolism , Lipid Metabolism , Liver/metabolism , Peptide Fragments/metabolism , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism , AIDS Vaccines/immunology , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Cholesterol/analogs & derivatives , Cholesterol/analysis , Hep G2 Cells , Hepatocytes/cytology , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Humans , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Liver X Receptors , Mediator Complex Subunit 1/genetics , Mediator Complex Subunit 1/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Peptide Fragments/genetics , Peptide Fragments/pharmacology , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism , Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis , Recombinant Proteins/immunology , Recombinant Proteins/pharmacology , STAT Transcription Factors/chemistry , STAT Transcription Factors/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1/genetics , Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1/metabolism , Trans-Activators/genetics , Trans-Activators/metabolism , Transcriptional Activation/drug effects , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/genetics , env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/pharmacologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Liver X receptors (LXRs) are transcription factors activated by cholesterol metabolites containing an oxidized side chain. Due to their ability to regulate lipid metabolism and cholesterol transport, they have become attractive pharmacological targets. LXRs are closely related to DAF-12, a nuclear receptor involved in nematode lifespan and regulated by the binding of C-27 steroidal acids. Based on our recent finding that the lack of the C-25 methyl group does not abolish their DAF-12 activity, we evaluated the effect of removing it from the (25R)-cholestenoic acid, a LXR agonist. METHODS: The binding mode and the molecular basis of action of 27-nor-5-cholestenoic acid were evaluated using molecular dynamics simulations. The biological activity was investigated using reporter gene expression assays and determining the expression levels of endogenous target genes. The in vitro MARCoNI assay was used to analyze the interaction with cofactors. RESULTS: 27-Nor-5-cholestenoic acid behaves as an inverse agonist. This correlates with the capacity of the complex to better bind corepressors rather than coactivators. The C-25 methyl moiety would be necessary for the maintenance of a torsioned conformation of the steroid side chain that stabilizes an active LXRß state. CONCLUSION: We found that a 27-nor analog is able to act as a LXR ligand. Interestingly, this minimal structural change on the steroid triggered a drastic change in the LXR response. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results contribute to improve our understanding on the molecular basis of LXRß mechanisms of action and provide a new scaffold in the quest for selective LXR modulators.
Subject(s)
Cholestenes/pharmacology , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Binding Sites , HEK293 Cells , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Ligands , Liver X Receptors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/geneticsABSTRACT
Health during aging can be improved by genetic, dietary and pharmacological interventions. Many of these increase resistance to various stressors, including xenobiotics. Up-regulation of xenobiotic detoxification genes is a transcriptomic signature shared by long-lived nematodes, flies and mice, suggesting that protection of cells from toxicity of xenobiotics may contribute to longevity. Expression of genes involved in xenobiotic detoxification is controlled by evolutionarily conserved transcriptional regulators. Three closely related subgroups of nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) have a major role, and these include DAF-12 and NHR-8 in C. elegans, DHR96 in Drosophila and FXR, LXRs, PXR, CAR and VDR in mammals. In the invertebrates, these NHRs have been experimentally demonstrated to play a role in extension of lifespan by genetic and environmental interventions. NHRs represent critical hubs in that they regulate detoxification enzymes with broad substrate specificities, metabolizing both endo- and xeno-biotics. They also modulate homeostasis of steroid hormones and other endogenous cholesterol derivatives and lipid metabolism, and these roles, as well as xenobiotic detoxification, may contribute to the effects of NHRs on lifespan and health during aging, an issue that is being increasingly addressed in C. elegans and Drosophila. Disentangling the contribution of these processes to longevity will require more precise understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which each is effected, including identification of ligands and co-regulators of NHRs, patterns of tissue-specificity and mechanisms of interaction between tissues. The roles of vertebrate NHRs in determination of health during aging and lifespan have yet to be investigated.
Subject(s)
Aging/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/drug effects , Models, Biological , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism , Xenobiotics/toxicity , Animals , Biotransformation , Cell Nucleus/enzymology , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Humans , Ligands , Nuclear Envelope/drug effects , Nuclear Envelope/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/agonists , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/chemistry , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Protein Conformation , Protein Isoforms/agonists , Protein Isoforms/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Isoforms/chemistry , Protein Isoforms/metabolism , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/agonists , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/chemistry , Sterols/metabolism , Toxicokinetics , Xenobiotics/metabolism , Xenobiotics/pharmacokineticsABSTRACT
Liver X receptor (LXR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, and it regulates various biologic processes, including de novo lipogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation. Selective inhibition of LXR may aid the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of three cinnamamide derivatives on ligand-induced LXRα activation and explored whether these derivatives could attenuate steatosis in mice. N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl) 3,4-dimethoxycinnamamide (TFCA) decreased the luciferase activity in LXRE-tk-Luc-transfected cells and also suppressed ligand-induced lipid accumulation and expression of the lipogenic genes in murine hepatocytes. Furthermore, it significantly attenuated hepatic neutral lipid accumulation in a ligand-induced fatty liver mouse system. Modeling study indicated that TFCA inhibited activation of the LXRα ligand-binding domain by hydrogen bonding to Arg305 in the H5 region of that domain. It regulated the transcriptional control exerted by LXRα by influencing coregulator exchange; this process involves dissociation of the thyroid hormone receptor-associated proteins (TRAP)/DRIP coactivator and recruitment of the nuclear receptor corepressor. These results show that TFCA has the potential to attenuate ligand-induced lipogenesis and fatty liver by selectively inhibiting LXRα in the liver.
Subject(s)
Cinnamates/pharmacology , Fatty Liver/prevention & control , Lipogenesis/drug effects , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Acid Phosphatase/genetics , Acid Phosphatase/metabolism , Adipogenesis , Animals , Cell Line , Hepatocytes/drug effects , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Isoenzymes/genetics , Isoenzymes/metabolism , Ligands , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Liver X Receptors , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase , Transfection , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
Fourteen novel compounds were prepared and their antagonistic activities against liver X receptors (LXR) α/ß were tested in vitro. Compound 26 had an IC50 value of 6.4 µM against LXRα and an IC50 value of 5.6 µM against LXRß. Docking studies and the results of structure-activity relationships support the further development of this chemical series as LXRα/ß antagonists.
Subject(s)
Fenofibrate/analogs & derivatives , Hypolipidemic Agents/chemistry , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Drug Discovery , Fenofibrate/pharmacology , Humans , Hypolipidemic Agents/pharmacology , Ligands , Liver X Receptors , Molecular Docking Simulation , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) is an aglycone of ginsenosides isolated from Panax ginseng and has several interesting activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress effects. Herein, PPT was identified as an inhibitor against the ligand-dependent transactivation of liver X receptor α (LXRα) using a Gal4-TK-luciferase reporter system. LXRα is a transcription factor of nuclear hormone receptor family and stimulates the transcription of many metabolic genes, such as lipogenesis- or reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)-related genes. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that PPT inhibited the LXRα-dependent transcription of lipogenic genes, such as sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase, and stearoyl CoA desaturase 1. These inhibitory effects of PPT are, at least in part, a consequence of the reduced recruitment of RNA polymerase II to the LXR response element (LXRE) of the SREBP-1c promoter. Furthermore, LXRα-dependent triglyceride accumulation in primary mouse hepatocytes was significantly reduced by PPT. Interestingly, PPT did not inhibit the LXRα-dependent transcription of ABCA1, a crucial LXRα target gene involved in RCT. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that PPT repressed recruitment of the lipogenic coactivator TRAP80 to the SREBP-1c LXRE, but not the ABCA1 LXRE. Overall, these data suggest that PPT has selective inhibitory activity against LXRα-mediated lipogenesis, but not LXRα-stimulated RCT.
Subject(s)
Ginsenosides/pharmacology , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Lipogenesis/drug effects , Lipogenesis/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Sapogenins/pharmacology , Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1/genetics , Transcription, Genetic/drug effects , Animals , Biological Transport/drug effects , Biological Transport/genetics , Cells, Cultured , Cholesterol/metabolism , Liver X Receptors , Male , Mediator Complex/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/physiology , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Cholesterol efflux has been thought to be the main and basic mechanism by which free cholesterol is transferred from extra hepatic cells to the liver or intestine for excretion. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic diseases. Here, we sought to investigate the effects of Sal B on the cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophages. METHODS: After PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells were exposed to 50 mg/L of oxLDL and [(3)H] cholesterol (1.0 µCi/mL) for another 24 h, the effect of Sal B on cholesterol efflux was evaluated in the presence of apoA-1, HDL2 or HDL3. The expression of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ), and liver X receptor-alpha (LXRα) was detected both at protein and mRNA levels in THP-1 cells after the stimulation of Sal B. Meanwhile, specific inhibition of PPAR-γ and LXRα were performed to investigate the mechanism. RESULTS: The results showed that Sal B significantly accelerated apoA-I- and HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux in both dose- and time-dependent manners. Meanwhile, Sal B treatment also enhanced the expression of ABCA1 at both mRNA and protein levels. Then the data demonstrated that Sal B increased the expression of PPAR-γ and LXRα. And the application of specific agonists and inhibitors of further confirmed that Sal exert the function through PPAR-γ and LXRα. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that Sal B promotes cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophages through ABCA1/PPAR-γ/LXRα pathway.
Subject(s)
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1/metabolism , Benzofurans/pharmacology , Cholesterol/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , PPAR gamma/metabolism , ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1/genetics , Apolipoprotein A-I/metabolism , Biological Transport, Active/drug effects , Cell Line , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology , Humans , Lipoproteins, HDL2/metabolism , Lipoproteins, HDL3/metabolism , Liver X Receptors , Macrophages/drug effects , Macrophages/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , PPAR gamma/antagonists & inhibitors , PPAR gamma/genetics , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Up-Regulation/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The nuclear receptor liver X receptor (LXR) exerts transcriptional control over lipid metabolism and inflammatory response in cells of the myeloid lineage, suggesting that LXR may be a potential target in a number of chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases where persistent microglial activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis. METHODS: The effect of LXR activation on microglia and central nervous system (CNS) inflammation was studied using a synthetic LXR agonist in cultured microglia, a microglial cell line and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of CNS inflammation. RESULTS: LXR activation inhibited nitric oxide synthase 2, inducible (Nos2) expression and nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia. Inhibition of microglial activation in response to interferon-γ was less reliable. In LPS-stimulated cells, LXR activation did not inhibit nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB1 p50. Instead, LXR-dependent Nos2 repression was associated with inhibition of histone 4 acetylation and inhibition of NF-kappaB1 p50 binding at the Nos2 promoter. Histone acetylation and NF-kappaB1 p50 binding were mechanistically linked, and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity appeared to be important for LXR-dependent transcriptional repression of Nos2. Analysis of CNS gene expression in animals undergoing EAE showed that the expressions of Lxr and LXR-dependent genes were downregulated during CNS inflammation. Nevertheless, administration of LXR agonist GW3965 during the effector phase of EAE delayed the onset of clinical disease and reversed the diminished expression of LXR-dependent reverse cholesterol transport genes. However, the CNS expressions of Nos2 and other inflammatory genes were not significantly inhibited by LXR activation in EAE, and clinical disease severity was comparable to vehicle controls at later time points in LXR agonist treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: LXR can be targeted to modulate microglial activation. LXR-dependent repression of inflammatory genes may be stimulus-dependent and impaired by HDAC inhibition. Endogenous LXR activity does not appear to modulate CNS inflammation, but LXR activity can be partially restored in the CNS by administration of exogenous LXR agonist with an impact on clinical disease severity at early, but not late, time points in EAE.
Subject(s)
Cytokines/metabolism , Microglia/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Benzoates/therapeutic use , Benzylamines/therapeutic use , Cells, Cultured , Chromatin Immunoprecipitation , Deoxyribonucleases/metabolism , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/chemically induced , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/therapy , Gene Expression Profiling , Histones/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology , Liver X Receptors , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred ICR , Microglia/drug effects , Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/immunology , Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/toxicity , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Peptide Fragments/immunology , Peptide Fragments/toxicity , Protein Binding/drug effects , RNA, Small Interfering/genetics , RNA, Small Interfering/metabolismABSTRACT
Liver X receptors (LXRs) are nuclear receptors that act as ligand-dependent transcription factors forming permissive heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (RXRs). In this study we aimed to assess the effect of LXR/RXR activation on the transcriptional induction of pro-inflammatory genes including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) in activated macrophages. Our study shows that LXR ligands such as oxysterols, GW3965 or TO901317, as well as RXR ligands like 9cis retinoic acid or SR11237, decreased LPS-induced expression of COX-2 and mPGES-1. Consequently, LPS-dependent PGE2 production was substantially reduced in macrophages treated with LXR/RXR ligands. The inhibitory effects of LXR/RXR activation on LPS-induced expression of COX-2 and mPGES-1 in macrophages, occurred by a mechanism involving interference with transcriptional activation of these genes. LXR/RXR activation interfered with the activity of transcription factors essential in the up-regulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in these cells, such as NFκB, but also Egr-1, which had not been previously associated with LXR-mediated gene repression. As this transcription factor is involved in the regulation of a variety of genes involved in inflammatory processes, LXR and RXR-mediated interference with Egr-1 signaling could represent an important event mediating the anti-inflammatory effects of these receptors in macrophages.
Subject(s)
Early Growth Response Protein 1/metabolism , Gene Expression/drug effects , Lipopolysaccharides/metabolism , Macrophages/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/pharmacology , Animals , Cell Line , Humans , Ligands , Liver X Receptors , Mice , Monocytes/metabolism , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolismABSTRACT
Members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors carry out vital cellular functions and are highly druggable therapeutic targets. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are nuclear receptor family members that function in cholesterol transport, glucose metabolism and the modulation of inflammatory responses. There is now accumulating evidence to support the involvement of LXRs in a variety of malignancies and the potential efficacy of their ligands in these diseases. This Review summarizes the discovery and characterization of LXRs and their ligands, their effects and mechanisms in preclinical cancer models, and the future directions of basic and translational LXR research in cancer therapeutics.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Humans , Liver X ReceptorsABSTRACT
The individual chemical components of commercial extract of Gymnema sylvestre, a medicinal plant used in the traditional systems of the Indian medicine for its antidiabetic and hypolipidemic properties, were isolated and evaluated for their capability to act as modulators of nuclear and membrane receptors involved in glucose and lipid homeostasis. The study disclosed for the first time that individual gymnemic acids are potent and selective antagonists for the ß isoform of LXR. Indeed the above activity was shared by the most abundant aglycone gymnemagenin (10) whereas gymnestrogenin (11) was endowed with a dual LXRα/ß antagonistic profile. Deep pharmacological investigation demonstrated that gymnestrogenin, reducing the expression of SREBP1c and ABCA1 in vitro, is able to decrease lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. The results of this study substantiate the use of G. sylvestre extract in LXR mediated dislypidemic diseases.
Subject(s)
Drug Discovery , Gymnema sylvestre/chemistry , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Saponins/chemistry , Saponins/pharmacology , Triterpenes/chemistry , Triterpenes/pharmacology , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Liver X Receptors , Models, Molecular , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/chemistry , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Protein Conformation , Transcriptional Activation/drug effectsABSTRACT
Chronic ethanol consumption causes hepatic steatosis and inflammation, which are associated with liver hypoxia. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a hypoxia response factor that determines recruitment and activation of monocytes to the site of tissue injury. The level of MCP-1 is elevated in the serum and liver of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD); however, the molecular details regarding the regulation of MCP-1 expression are not yet understood completely. Here, we show the role of liver X receptor α (LXRα) in the regulation of MCP-1 expression during the development of ethanol-induced fatty liver injury, using an antagonist, 22-S-hydroxycholesterol (22-S-HC). First, administration of 22-S-HC attenuated the signs of liver injury with decreased levels of MCP-1 and its receptor CCR2 in ethanol-fed mice. Second, hypoxic conditions or treatment with the LXRα agonist GW3965 significantly induced the expression of MCP-1, which was completely blocked by treatment with 22-S-HC or infection by shLXRα lentivirus in the primary hepatocytes. Third, over-expression of LXRα or GW3965 treatment increased MCP-1 promoter activity by increasing the binding of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α to the hypoxia response elements, together with LXRα. Finally, treatment with recombinant MCP-1 increased the level of expression of LXRα and LXRα-dependent lipid droplet accumulation in both hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. These data show that LXRα and its ligand-induced up-regulation of MCP-1 and MCP-1-induced LXRα-dependent lipogenesis play a key role in the autocrine and paracrine activation of MCP-1 in the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease, and that this activation may provide a promising new target for ALD therapy.
Subject(s)
Autocrine Communication/drug effects , Chemokine CCL2/metabolism , Fatty Liver, Alcoholic/prevention & control , Hydroxycholesterols/pharmacology , Liver/drug effects , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , Paracrine Communication/drug effects , Animals , Binding Sites , Cell Hypoxia , Cells, Cultured , Chemokine CCL2/genetics , Cytoprotection , Disease Models, Animal , Ethanol , Fatty Liver, Alcoholic/metabolism , Fatty Liver, Alcoholic/pathology , Hepatocytes/drug effects , Hepatocytes/metabolism , Hepatocytes/pathology , Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism , Kupffer Cells/drug effects , Kupffer Cells/metabolism , Kupffer Cells/pathology , Lipogenesis/drug effects , Liver/metabolism , Liver/pathology , Liver X Receptors , Male , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Transfection , Up-RegulationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chlorogenic acids (CGAs) are widely distributed in plant material, including foods and beverages. 5-Caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA) is the most studied CGA, but the mechanism of its hypolipidaemic effect remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the effect of 5-CQA on lipid metabolism in the liver of Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). RESULTS: 5-CQA suppressed HFD-induced increases in body weight and visceral fat-pad weight, serum lipid levels, and serum and hepatic free fatty acids in a dose-dependent manner. Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that 5-CQA altered the mRNA expression of the transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and liver X receptor α (LXRα) and target genes involved in hepatic fatty acid uptake, ß-oxidation, fatty acid synthesis, and cholesterol synthesis. Moreover, hepatic tissue sections from HFD-fed rats showed many empty vacuoles, suggesting that liver cells were filled with more fat droplets. However, 5-CQA significantly ameliorated this effect. CONCLUSION: 5-CQA may improve lipid metabolism disorders by altering the expression of PPARα and LXRα, which are involved in multiple intracellular signalling pathways.
Subject(s)
Anti-Obesity Agents/therapeutic use , Chlorogenic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Dietary Supplements , Liver/metabolism , Obesity/prevention & control , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors , PPAR alpha/agonists , Quinic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Adiposity , Animals , Anti-Obesity Agents/administration & dosage , Antioxidants/administration & dosage , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Chlorogenic Acid/administration & dosage , Chlorogenic Acid/therapeutic use , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Fatty Acids, Nonesterified/blood , Fatty Acids, Nonesterified/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation , Hyperlipidemias/etiology , Hyperlipidemias/metabolism , Hyperlipidemias/pathology , Hyperlipidemias/prevention & control , Hypolipidemic Agents/administration & dosage , Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use , Lipid Metabolism , Lipids/blood , Liver/pathology , Liver X Receptors , Male , Obesity/etiology , Obesity/metabolism , Obesity/pathology , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/genetics , Orphan Nuclear Receptors/metabolism , PPAR alpha/genetics , PPAR alpha/metabolism , Quinic Acid/administration & dosage , Quinic Acid/therapeutic use , Random Allocation , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
We aimed to elucidate the effect of bilirubin on dyslipidemia and nephropathy in a diabetes mellitus (DM) type I animal model. Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into control, DM, and bilirubin-treated DM (Bil) groups. The Bil group was injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg bilirubin 3 times per week and hepatoma cells were cultured with bilirubin at a concentration of 0.3 mg/dL. The Bil group showed lower serum creatinine levels 5 weeks after diabetes onset. Bilirubin treatment also decreased the amount of mesangial matrix, lowered the expression of renal collagen IV and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, and reduced the level of apoptosis in the kidney, compared to the DM group. These changes were accompanied by decreased tissue levels of hydrogen superoxide and NADPH oxidase subunit proteins. Bilirubin decreased serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), free fatty acids, and triglycerides (TGs), as well as the TG content in the liver tissues. Bilirubin suppressed protein expression of LXRα, SREBP-1, SCD-1, and FAS, factors involved in TG synthesis that were elevated in the livers of DM rats and hepatoma cells under high-glucose conditions. In conclusion, bilirubin attenuates renal dysfunction and dyslipidemia in diabetes by suppressing LXRα and SREBP-1 expression and oxidative stress.