THBru attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting RAGE-dependent inflammation.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complication of diabetes mellitus characterized by heart failure and cardiac remodeling. Previous studies show that tetrahydroberberrubine (THBru) retrogrades cardiac aging by promoting PHB2-mediated mitochondrial autophagy and prevents peritoneal adhesion by suppressing inflammation. In this study we investigated whether THBru exerted protective effect against DCM in db/db mice and potential mechanisms. Eight-week-old male db/db mice were administered THBru (25, 50 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) for 12 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography. We showed that THBru administration significantly improved both cardiac systolic and diastolic function, as well as attenuated cardiac remodeling in db/db mice. In primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCMs), THBru (20, 40 µM) dose-dependently ameliorated high glucose (HG)-induced cell damage, hypertrophy, inflammatory cytokines release, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Using Autodock, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and DARTS analyses, we revealed that THBru bound to the domain of the receptor for advanced glycosylation end products (RAGE), subsequently leading to inactivation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway. Importantly, overexpression of RAGE in NMCMs reversed HG-induced inactivation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway and subsequently counteracted the beneficial effects mediated by THBru. We conclude that THBru acts as an inhibitor of RAGE, leading to inactivation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway. This action effectively alleviates the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes, ultimately leading to ameliorated DCM.

The role of TGF-ß signaling in muscle atrophy, sarcopenia and cancer cachexia.

Skeletal muscle, comprising a significant proportion (40 to 50 percent) of total body weight in humans, plays a critical role in maintaining normal physiological conditions. Muscle atrophy occurs when the rate of protein degradation exceeds protein synthesis. Sarcopenia refers to age-related muscle atrophy, while cachexia represents a more complex form of muscle wasting associated with various diseases such as cancer, heart failure, and AIDS. Recent research has highlighted the involvement of signaling pathways, including IGF1-Akt-mTOR, MuRF1-MAFbx, and FOXO, in regulating the delicate balance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. Myostatin, a member of the TGF-ß superfamily, negatively regulates muscle growth and promotes muscle atrophy by activating Smad2 and Smad3. It also interacts with other signaling pathways in cachexia and sarcopenia. Inhibition of myostatin has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for sarcopenia and cachexia. Additionally, other TGF-ß family members, such as TGF-ß1, activin A, and GDF11, have been implicated in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass. Furthermore, myostatin cooperates with these family members to impair muscle differentiation and contribute to muscle loss. This review provides an overview of the significance of myostatin and other TGF-ß signaling pathway members in muscular dystrophy, sarcopenia, and cachexia. It also discusses potential novel therapeutic strategies targeting myostatin and TGF-ß signaling for the treatment of muscle atrophy.

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells ex vivo generated from autologous naïve CD4+ T cells suppress EAE progression.

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis in multiple sclerosis (MS). Hence, we aimed to explore the therapeutic efficacy and safety of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) utilizing induced antigen-specific Tregs in an animal model of MS, that is, in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. B cells from EAE model that were activated with soluble CD40L were used as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to induce the differentiation of antigen-specific Tregs from naïve CD4 precursors, and then, a stepwise isolation of CD4+CD25highCD127low Tregs was performed using a flow sorter. All EAE mice were divided into Treg-treated group (2 × 104 cells in 0.2 mL per mouse, n = 14) and sham-treated group (0.2 mL normal saline (NS), n = 20), which were observed daily for clinical assessment, and for abnormal appearance for 6 weeks. Afterward, histological analysis, immunofluorescence and real-time PCR were performed. Compared to sham-treated mice, Treg-treated mice exhibited a significant decrease in disease severity scores and reduced inflammatory infiltration and demyelination in the spinal cord. Additionally, Tregs-treated mice demonstrated higher CCN3 protein and mRNA levels than sham-treated mice. The results of this preclinical study further support the therapeutic potential of this ACT approach in the treatment of MS.

Structure-based design of novel heterocycle-substituted ATDP analogs as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors with improved selectivity and solubility.

Following on our recently developed biphenyl-ATDP non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor ZLM-66 (SI = 2019.80, S = 1.9 µg/mL), a series of novel heterocycle-substituted ATDP derivatives with significantly improved selectivity and solubility were identified by replacement of the biphenyl moiety of ZLM-66 with heterocyclic group with lower lipophilicity. Evidently, the representative analog 7w in this series exhibited dramatically enhanced selectivity and solubility (SI = 12,497.73, S = 4472 µg/mL) in comparison with ZLM-66 (SI = 2019.80, S = 1.9 µg/mL). This new NNRTI conferred low nanomolar inhibition of wild-type HIV-1 strain and tested mutant strains (K103N, L100I, Y181C, E138K, and K103N + Y181C). The analog also demonstrated favorable safety and pharmacokinetic profiles, as evidenced by its insensitivity to CYP and hERG, lack of mortality and pathological damage, and good oral bioavailability in rats (F = 27.1%). Further development of 7w for HIV therapy will be facilitated by this valuable information.

Efficacy and safety of Kangxian Huanji Granule as adjunctive treatment in acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: An exploratory randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is an important occurrence in the natural history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), associated with high hospitalization rates, high mortality and poor prognosis. At present, there is no effective treatment for AE-IPF. Chinese herbal medicine has some advantages in treating IPF, but its utility in AE-IPF is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The treatment of AE-IPF with Kangxian Huanji Granule (KXHJ), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, lacks an evidence-based justification. This study explores the efficacy and safety of KXHJ in patients with AE-IPF. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: We designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, exploratory clinical trial. A total of 80 participants diagnosed with AE-IPF were randomly assigned to receive KXHJ or a matching placebo; the treatment included a 10 g dose, administered twice daily for 4 weeks, in addition to conventional treatment. Participants were followed up for 12 weeks after the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoints were treatment failure rate and all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included the length of hospitalization, overall survival, acute exacerbation rate, intubation rate, the modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) score, and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for IPF (SGRQ-I) score. RESULTS: The rate of treatment failure at 4 weeks was lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (risk ratio [RR]: 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.051 to 0.965, P = 0.023). There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality at 16 weeks (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.179 to 3.138; P > 0.999) or in the acute exacerbation rate during the 12-week follow-up period (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.334 to 1.434; P = 0.317). The intervention group had a shorter length of hospitalization than the control group (mean difference [MD]: -3.30 days; 95% CI, -6.300 to -0.300; P = 0.032). Significant differences in the mean change from baseline in the mMRC (between-group difference: -0.67; 95% CI: -0.89 to -0.44; P < 0.001) and SGRQ-I score (between-group difference: -10.36; 95% CI: -16.483 to -4.228; P = 0.001) were observed after 4 weeks, and also in the mMRC (between-group difference: -0.67; 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.43; P < 0.001) and SGRQ-I (between-group difference: -10.28; 95% CI, -15.838 to -4.718; P < 0.001) at 16 weeks. The difference in the adverse events was not significant. CONCLUSION: KXHJ appears to be effective and safe for AE-IPF and can be considered a complementary treatment in patients with AE-IPF. As a preliminary exploratory study, our results provide a basis for further clinical research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900026289). Please cite this article as: Li JS, Zhang HL, Guo W, Wang L, Zhang D, Zhao LM, Zhou M. Efficacy and safety of Kangxian Huanji Granule as adjunctive treatment in acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: an exploratory randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(6): 543-549.

Establishment of Transgenic Mouse Leukemia Cell Lines Expressing Human CD4/CCR5/CyclinT1 Infected with HIV-1.

PURPOSE: Establishing a cross-species animal model of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is crucial for the study of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, due to the species-specific characteristics of HIV-1, the virus can only infect directly humans and a small number of non-human primates. It cannot directly infect mouse cells across species. METHODS: A mouse leukemia cell line with high CD4 (clusters of differentiation 4)/CCR5 (CC-chemokine receptor 5)/CyclinT1 expression was constructed in this study. First, CD4/CCR5/CyclinT1 lentiviral vector was used to infect a murine leukemia cell line L1210 to express the receptor CD4, co-receptor CCR5 and tat protein driving factor CyclinT1, which are required to infect L1210 cells with HIV-1. RESULTS: The results of sequencing identification and fluorescence expression showed that the plasmid expressing CD4, CCR5, and CyclinT1 vector was successfully constructed and wrapped as the lentiviral vector. Moreover, it was observed that CD4, CCR5, and CyclinT1 proteins were highly expressed in mouse leukemia cells L1210 compared to empty lentiviral vector-transfected cells. Next, viral entry and replication were demonstrated when HIV-1 RNA was detected in body cells and cultured supernatants. Transgenic mice cells L1210 showed significantly greater content of HIV-1 RNA compared to control L1210 cells. Finally, CEMx174 was infected with cell culture supernatants to clarify that the progeny virus is an active virus with infection ability. HIV-1 RNA was highly expressed in CEMx174 cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study made the foundation for future studies evaluating HIV-1 cross-species infection in a murine animal model. The results provided new direction for studies investigating the development of vaccines, antiviral drugs screening, and HIV/AIDS pathogenesis.

Scorpion-Shaped Zinc Porphyrins as Tetrafunctional TAR RNA Predators and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors.

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors are fundamental to the discovery and development of anti-HIV drugs. Their main target is RT, and only a tiny number of them can bind to viral RNA. In this paper, five new Zn(II) porphyrin compounds were developed with different characters. ZnTPP4 has both the appearance and the functions of a scorpion with a rigid tail and stinger to selectively hunt HIV-1 TAR RNA based on the molecular recognition of hydrogen bonds, a fierce chelicera to bite RNA by metal coordination, mighty pedipalps to grasp the bound RNA by supramolecular inclusion, and a broad body maintaining the configuration of each functional area so that they can cooperate with each other and providing accommodation space for the bound RNA. This tetrafunctional Zn(II) porphyrin is relatively nontoxic to normal cells and can produce sensitive responses for RNA. Moreover, this work offers practical construction methodologies for medication of AIDS and other diseases closely related to RT like EBOV and SARS-CoV-2.

Discovery of novel biphenyl-substituted pyridone derivatives as potent non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors with promising oral bioavailability.

Adding to past success in developing non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), we report herein our efforts to optimize an FDA-approved NNRTI, doravirine, into a series of novel biphenyl-substituted pyridone derivatives. A strategy focused on harnessing the X-ray crystal structure of doravirine, coupled with computer simulations, to guide the design of conformationally constrained analogs led to the discovery of ZLM-66, which provided comparable inhibitory potency to doravirine against wild-type HIV-1 (EC50 = 13 nM) and various single/double mutant strains. ZLM-66 possessed acceptable cytotoxicity and selectivity index. In vivo profiling indicated that ZLM-66 exhibited excellent pharmacokinetics with significantly improved oral bioavailability (F = 140.24%) and a more favorable half-life (T1/2 = 8.45 h), compared to that of doravirine (F = 57%, T1/2 = 4.4 h). In addition, ZLM-66 did not cause significant inhibition of CYP and hERG (>200 µM), as well as acute toxicity and tissue damage at a dose of 1.2 g/kg. Therefore, ZLM-66 can be used as a lead compound to further guide the development of orally active biphenyl-containing doravirine analogs for HIV therapy.

Bicyclol ameliorates advanced liver diseases in murine models via inhibiting the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Bicyclol, a synthetic hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory agent approved in China, was widely used to treat various hepatitis accompanied by elevated serum aminotransferases. However, the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of bicyclol on advanced liver diseases, such as fibrosis/cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remain to be explored. Here, we revealed that bicyclol prevents from formatting severe fibrosis, slows the progression of moderate liver fibrosis, accelerates the regression of moderate liver fibrosis, decreases the malignancy of HCC in rat models induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), and also blocks steatohepatitis to HCC in mice induced by western diet plus carbon tetrachloride and DEN. The detailed pharmacological mechanism showed that bicyclol alleviates chronic progressive liver diseases by inhibiting the levels of IL-6 and subsequent phosphorylated STAT3. Conclusion: Bicyclol plays significant protective roles in multiply stages of fibrosis/cirrhosis-HCC and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related HCC via inhibiting IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Therefore, bicyclol might be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating advanced liver diseases.

Structure-Based Discovery of Novel NH2-Biphenyl-Diarylpyrimidines as Potent Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors with Significantly Improved Safety: From NH2-Naphthyl-Diarylpyrimidine to NH2-Biphenyl-Diarylpyrimidine.

Results from recently completed studies suggested that the NH2-naphthyl-diarylpyrimidine JX-7 displayed remarkable inhibitory activity against wild-type HIV-1 (EC50 = 5 nM) and numerous clinically observed variants in MT-4 cells; however, its high cytotoxicity (CC50 = 19 µM) precluded its further development as a clinical candidate. One approach we took to improve the safety involved replacing the naphthyl of JX-7 with biphenyl to provide a series of novel NH2-biphenyl-DAPYs. Investigation of the structure-activity relationships (SARs) led to the identification of 4ab, a potent NNRTI with significantly reduced cytotoxicity (CC50 = 120 µM), approximately 6-fold lower than JX-7, which maintained remarkable anti-HIV-1 activity against wild-type HIV-1 (EC50 = 1.9 nM) and multiple mutant strains simultaneously. Also, 4ab displayed weak CYP sensitivity, little inhibition of hERG, and no apparent in vivo acute toxicity. These promising results demonstrate that 4ab can be used as a drug candidate for HIV-1 therapy.

Bicyclol Alleviates Atherosclerosis by Manipulating Gut Microbiota.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, thus imposing a growing burden on modern society. Herb-derived bicyclol (BIC) is a versatile bioactive compound that can be used to treat AS. However, its efficacy in AS is not yet described. Here, it is shown that BIC normalizes gut microflora dysbiosis induced by a high fat diet in Apoe(-/-) mice. Metagenome-wide association study analysis verifies that the modulation on carbohydrate-active enzymes and short-chain fatty acid generating genes in gut flora is among the mechanisms. The gut healthiness, especially the gut immunity and integrity, is restored by BIC intervention, leading to improved systemic immune cell dynamic and liver functions. Accordingly, the endothelial activation, macrophage infiltration, and cholesterol ester accumulation in the aortic arch are alleviated by BIC to lessen the plaque onset. Moreover, it is proved that the therapeutic effect of BIC on AS is transmissible by fecal microbiota transplantation. The current study, for the first time, demonstrates the antiatherosclerotic effects of BIC and shows that its therapeutic value can at least partially be attributed to its manipulation of gut microbiota.

Kanglexin delays heart aging by promoting mitophagy.

Heart aging is characterized by structural and diastolic dysfunction of the heart. However, there is still no effective drug to prevent and treat the abnormal changes in cardiac function caused by aging. Here, we present the preventive effects of emodin and its derivative Kanglexin (KLX) against heart aging. We found that the diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in mice with D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging were markedly mitigated by KLX and emodin. In addition, the senescence of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes induced by D-gal was also reversed by KLX and emodin treatment. However, KLX exhibited better anti-heart aging effects than emodin at the same dose. Dysregulated mitophagy was observed in aging hearts and in senescent neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes, and KLX produced a greater increase in mitophagy than emodin. The mitophagy-promoting effects of KLX and emodin were ascribed to their abilities to enhance the protein stability of Parkin, a key modulator in mitophagy, with different potencies. Molecular docking and SPR analysis demonstrated that KLX has a higher affinity for the ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain of Parkin than emodin. The UBL domain might contribute to the stabilizing effects of KLX on Parkin. In conclusion, this study identifies KLX and emodin as effective anti-heart aging drugs that activate Parkin-mediated mitophagy and outlines their putative therapeutic importance.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Chiral Rhodanine Derivatives Bearing Quinoxalinyl Imidazole Moiety as ALK5 Inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: TGF-ß signaling pathway inhibition is considered an effective way to prevent the development of several diseases. In the design and synthesis of TGF-ß inhibitors, a rhodanine compound containing a quinoxalinyl imidazole moiety was found to have strong antimicrobial activity. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of other chiral rhodanine TGF-ß inhibitors synthesized. METHODS: Two series of 3-substituted-5-(5-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)-4-(quinoxalinyl-6-yl)- 1Himidazol- 2-yl)methylene)-2-thioxothiazolin-4-ones (12a-h and 13a-e) were synthesized and evaluated for their ALK5 inhibitory and antimicrobial activity. The structures were confirmed by their 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS spectra. All the synthesized compounds were screened against Grampositive strains, Gram-negative strains, and fungi. RESULTS: Among the synthesized compounds, compound 12h showed the highest activity (IC50 = 0.416 µM) against ALK5 kinase. Compound 12h exhibited a good selectivity index of >24 against p38α MAP kinase and was 6.0-fold more selective than the clinical candidate, compound 2 (LY- 2157299). Nearly all the compounds displayed high selectivity toward both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. They also showed similar or 2.0-fold greater antifungal activity (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] = 0.5 µg/mL) compared with the positive control compounds Gatifloxacin (MIC = 0.5 µg/mL) and fluconazole (MIC = 1 µg/mL). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the synthesized rhodanine compounds have good ALK5 inhibitory activity, and merit further research and development as potential antifungal drugs.

Impact of demographic characteristics and antihyperglycemic and cardiovascular drugs on the cardiorenal benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether demographic characteristics and baseline use of hypoglycemic and cardiovascular drugs significantly affect the efficacy of sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on cardiorenal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Randomized trials assessing the efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors on cardiorenal outcomes in adult patients with T2DM were included in analysis. Three endpoints of interest were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), hospitalization for heart failure or cardiovascular death (HHF or CV death), and kidney composite outcome (KCO). We performed random-effects meta-analysis using the aggregate data of hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were done according to 17 factors of interest, including 7 factors related to demographic characteristics and 10 related to baseline use of antihyperglycemic and cardiovascular drugs such as renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor. We conducted meta-regression analyses to calculate P values for subgroup differences. RESULTS: Seven trials were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with placebo, SGLT2 inhibitors significantly lowered the risk of MACE (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.97) regardless of demographic characteristics and baseline use of insulin, statin or ezetimibe, RAS inhibitor, beta-blocker, and diuretic (Psubgroup from 0.088-0.981); that of HHF or CV death (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.85) regardless of demographic characteristics and baseline use of 10 antihyperglycemic and cardiovascular drugs (Psubgroup from 0.147-0.999); and that of KCO (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.57-0.69) regardless of demographic characteristics and baseline use of statin or ezetimibe, RAS inhibitor, and diuretic (Psubgroup from 0.073-0.918). CONCLUSIONS: The cardiorenal benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors were consistent in a broad population of T2DM patients. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors should be recommended in T2DM patients for the prevention of cardiorenal events, regardless of various demographic characteristics and baseline use of various hypoglycemic and cardiovascular drugs.

Azvudine is a thymus-homing anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug effective in treating COVID-19 patients.

Azvudine (FNC) is a nucleoside analog that inhibits HIV-1 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Recently, we discovered FNC an agent against SARS-CoV-2, and have taken it into Phase III trial for COVID-19 patients. FNC monophosphate analog inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43 coronavirus with an EC50 between 1.2 and 4.3 µM, depending on viruses or cells, and selective index (SI) in 15-83 range. Oral administration of FNC in rats revealed a substantial thymus-homing feature, with FNC triphosphate (the active form) concentrated in the thymus and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Treating SARS-CoV-2 infected rhesus macaques with FNC (0.07 mg/kg, qd, orally) reduced viral load, recuperated the thymus, improved lymphocyte profiles, alleviated inflammation and organ damage, and lessened ground-glass opacities in chest X-ray. Single-cell sequencing suggested the promotion of thymus function by FNC. A randomized, single-arm clinical trial of FNC on compassionate use (n = 31) showed that oral FNC (5 mg, qd) cured all COVID-19 patients, with 100% viral ribonucleic acid negative conversion in 3.29 ± 2.22 days (range: 1-9 days) and 100% hospital discharge rate in 9.00 ± 4.93 days (range: 2-25 days). The side-effect of FNC is minor and transient dizziness and nausea in 16.12% (5/31) patients. Thus, FNC might cure COVID-19 through its anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity concentrated in the thymus, followed by promoted immunity.

Comprehensive Analysis of Adverse Events Associated With SGLT2is: A Meta-Analysis Involving Nine Large Randomized Trials.

Recently, Lin and colleagues assessed the safety of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) by a meta-analysis [1], in which the authors assessed 16 kinds of adverse events (AE) reported in the published articles based on 10 randomized controlled trials. We conducted a further meta-analysis and targeted the association between use of SGLT2is and occurrences of various kinds of serious AE published in the Clinical Trials website (clinicaltrials.gov). Our meta-analysis revealed that use of SGLT2is was not significantly associated with occurrences of 980 kinds of serious AE but was significantly associated with lower risks of 29 kinds of serious AE, especially including several important respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea syndrome, and pneumonia). These findings may cause more studies to evaluate the possibilities of gliflozins being used for prevention of these specific diseases.