Targeting STAT1 by myricetin and delphinidin provides efficient protection of the heart from ischemia/reperfusion-induced injury.

Flavonoids exhibit a variety of beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases. Although their therapeutic properties have been attributed mainly to their antioxidant action, they have additional protective mechanisms such as inhibition of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) activation. Here, we have investigated the cardioprotective mechanisms of strong antioxidant flavonoids such as quercetin, myricetin and delphinidin. Although all of them protect the heart from ischemia/reperfusion-injury, myricetin and delphinidin exert a more pronounced protective action than quercetin by their capacity to inhibit STAT1 activation. Biochemical and computer modeling analysis indicated the direct interaction between STAT1 and flavonoids with anti-STAT1 activity.

Protective effect of Arbutus unedo aqueous extract in carrageenan-induced lung inflammation in mice.

In the present study, we show that an aqueous extract of Arbutus unedo L. (AuE), a Mediterranean endemic plant widely employed as an astringent, diuretic and urinary anti-septic, in vitro down-regulates the expression of some inflammatory genes, such as those encoding inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and intracellular adhesion molecule-(ICAM)-1, exerting a inhibitory action on both IFN-gamma-elicited STAT1 activation and IL-6-elicited STAT3 activation. To evaluate further the effect of AuE in animal models of acute inflammation, we examined whether AuE administration attenuates inflammatory response of murine induced by intrapleural injection of carrageenan. For this purpose we studied: (1) STAT1/3 activation, (2) TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 production in pleural exudate, (3) lung iNOS, COX-2 and ICAM-1 expression, (4) neutrophil infiltration, (5) the nitration of cellular proteins by peroxynitrite, (6) lipid peroxidation, (7) prostaglandin E2 and nitrite/nitrate levels and (8) lung injury. We show that AuE strongly down-regulates STAT3 activation induced in the lung by carrageenan with concomitant attenuation of all parameters examined associated with inflammation, suggesting that STAT3 should be a new molecular target for anti-inflammatory treatment. This study demonstrates that acute lung inflammation is significantly attenuated by the treatment with AuE.

Magnetic resonance imaging detection of tumor cells by targeting low-density lipoprotein receptors with Gd-loaded low-density lipoprotein particles.

Gd-DO3A-diph and Gd-AAZTAC17 are lipophilic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents that display high affinity for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles. However, on binding to LDL, Gd-DO3A-diph shows a decreased hydration that results in a lower enhancement of water proton relaxation rate. Conversely, Gd-AAZTAC17 displays a strong relaxation enhancement at the imaging fields. Each LDL particle can load up to 100 and 400 UNITS of Gd-DO3A-diph and Gd-AAZTAC17, respectively. Their LDL adducts are taken up by human hepatoblastoma G2 (HepG2) and melanoma B16 tumor cells when added to the incubation medium. T(1) measurements of the labeled cells indicate that Gd-AAZTAC17 is significantly more efficient than Gd-DO3A-diph. Furthermore, it has been found that HepG2 hepatoma cells can internalize higher amounts of Gd-AAZTAC17 than B16 cells and the involvement of LDL receptors (LDLRs) has been demonstrated in competition assays with free LDL. Gd-AAZTAC17/LDL adduct proved to be an efficient probe in the magnetic resonance (MR) visualization of subcutaneous tumors in animal models obtained by injecting B16 melanoma cells into the right flank of mice. Finally, confocal microscopy validation of the distribution of LDL-based probes in the tumor has been obtained by doping the Gd-AAZTAC17/LDL adduct with a fluorescent phospholipid moiety.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate reduces allergen-induced asthma-like reaction in sensitized guinea pigs.

In this study, we have evaluated the effects of the polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant molecule that also enhances constitutive nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) activity, on antigen-induced asthma-like reaction in sensitized guinea pigs. For comparison, we used epicatechin, which shares antioxidant but not NOS-modulating properties with EGCG. Ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs placed in a respiratory chamber were challenged with ovalbumin. EGCG (25 mg/kg b.wt.) or epicatechin (25 mg/kg b.wt.) was given i.p. 20 min before ovalbumin challenge. We analyzed latency time for the onset of respiratory abnormalities, cough severity, duration of dyspnea, lung tissue histopathology, mast cell activation (by granule release), leukocyte/eosinophilic infiltration (by major basic protein and myeloperoxidase), oxygen free radical-mediated injury (by nitrotyrosine and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and superoxide dismutase), NOS activity, and bronchial inflammatory response [by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)]. In the sensitized animals, severe respiratory abnormalities appeared soon after the antigen challenge, accompanied by bronchoconstriction, alveolar inflation, and a marked increase in the assayed parameters of inflammatory cell recruitment, free radical lung injury, and release of proinflammatory molecules in BAL fluid. This was associated with marked depression of constitutive NOS activity. Pretreatment with EGCG, but not epicatechin, significantly reduced all the above parameters and sustained endothelial-type NOS activity. These findings provide evidence that EGCG, probably by modulating NOS activity, can counteract allergic asthma-like reaction in sensitized guinea pigs and suggest its possible future use for the treatment of asthma.

Regulation of serine racemase activity by D-serine and nitric oxide in human glioblastoma cells.

In the human glioblastoma cell line U87, the activity of serine racemase (SR), catalyzing the isomerisation of serine, was inversely regulated by D-serine and nitric oxide (NO), a neuromodulator and a neurotransmitter, respectively. SR activity was dose-dependently enhanced up to five times in cells treated with 10 mM D-serine, whereas it was inhibited by NO. Furthermore, D-serine was found to induce the denitrosylation of SR purified from mouse brain. These results suggest that serine racemase activity in astrocyte is regulated inversely by d-serine and NO. SR should be inhibited through nitrosylation by NO and activated through denitrosylation elicited by D-serine.

Mutual regulation between serine and nitric oxide metabolism in human glioblastoma cells.

D-Serine indirectly caused dose- and time-dependent inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) without affecting endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in human glioblastoma cell line U87. Activity of D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), catalyzing the oxidative deamination of d-amino acid, was enhanced by NO in a dose-dependent manner. Recently, we have reported that serine racemase (SR) is inhibited by NO and activated by D-serine through nitrosylation and denitrosylation, respectively [K. Shoji, S. Mariotto, A.R. Ciampa, H. Suzuki, Regulation of serine racemase activity by D-serine and nitric oxide in human glioblastoma cells, Neurosci. Lett., in press]. Thus, the metabolism of both d-serine and NO in U87 cells is functionally correlated in a complex manner. Suppression of NO production by d-serine in U87 cells contrasts its known action in enhancing nNOS in neurons.

Nitric oxide mediates anti-inflammatory action of extracorporeal shock waves.

Here, we show that extracorporeal shock waves (ESW), at a low energy density value, quickly increase neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity and basal nitric oxide (NO) production in the rat glioma cell line C6. In addition, the treatment of C6 cells with ESW reverts the decrease of nNOS activity and NO production induced by a mixture of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) plus tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Finally, ESW treatment efficiently downregulates NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression, including inducible NOS and TNF-alpha. The present report suggests a possible molecular mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action of ESW treatment.

STAT1 as a new molecular target of anti-inflammatory treatment.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is widely considered as the molecular target of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, due to the harmful side effect frequently observed following chronic use, the development of new anti-inflammatory agents is the matter of many studies. Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) are a family of nuclear proteins mediating the action of a number of cytokines. Among them, STAT1 plays a critical role in the signal transduction pathway of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and growth hormone. STAT1 cascade is one major signalling pathway converting the IFN-gamma signal into gene expression, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), COX, vascular cell adhesion molecules (VCAM) and intercellular cell adhesion molecules (ICAM), critically involved in different pathologies correlated to the inflammatory process. This review focuses the attention on an alternative approach to the development of novel drugs based on inhibition of STAT1 pathway. In this context, a growing interest has been focused on natural compounds. We have recently reported a several data indicating that green tea extract (GTE), St. John's Wort extract and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) exhibit a specific and strong anti-STAT1 activity which is independent of their acclaimed strong anti-oxidant activity. More recently, GTE has been shown to protect heart damage from ischaemia/reperfusion in rats, suggesting that the protective effect of green tea might be correlated to its anti-STAT1 activity. The present review is aimed at providing data that STAT1 may potentially be claimed as a new molecular target of an anti-inflammatory treatment and that among natural compounds there are a number of anti-STAT1 substances.

Extracorporeal shock waves: from lithotripsy to anti-inflammatory action by NO production.

At low energy density (0.03 mJ/mm2), extracorporeal shock waves (ESW), originally developed for clinical lithotripsy, have successfully been used for anti-inflammatory treatment of soft tissues. Since nitric oxide plays a critical role in inflammation, we hypothesized for ESW to increase NO production in cells. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells as a model system, we observed that ESW, at low energy density, rapidly induced an enhancement of eNOS activity. In these cells, eNOS activity is modulated by tyrosine- and serine-phosphorylation. ESW shifted eNOS to a less-tyrosine-phosphorylated form, without affecting its serine-phosphorylation, thus accounting for its rapid enzyme activation. LPS/IFN-gamma treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced a rapid inhibition of eNOS activity and concomitant NF-kappaB activation which were efficiently counteracted by ESW treatment. Therefore, the present results indicate that the molecular mechanism of clinically observed anti-inflammatory action of ESW should include tyrosine-dephosphorylation of eNOS, a successive increase in NO production and suppression of NF-kappaB activation.

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase prevents allergen-induced asthma-like reaction in sensitized Guinea pigs.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) plays an important role in tissue injury in conditions associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Because asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, we designed the present experimental study to evaluate the effects of PARP inhibition on allergen-induced asthma-like reaction in ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs. Cough and dyspnea in response to ovalbumin aerosol were absent in naive guinea pigs, whereas they became severe in the sensitized animals. In the latter ones, ovalbumin aerosol also induced a rapid increase in PARP activity, bronchiolar constriction, pulmonary air space inflation, mast cell degranulation, poly(ADP-ribose) and nitrotyrosine immunostaining, myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde in lung tissue, as well as a rise in the amounts of nitrites and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Pretreatment with the PARP inhibitors 3-aminobenzamide (10 mg/kg b.wt.) or 5-aminoisoquinolinone (0.5 mg/kg b.wt.) given i.p. 3 h before ovalbumin challenge significantly reduced the severity of cough and the occurrence of dyspnea and delayed the onset of respiratory abnormalities. Both PARP inhibitors were also able to prevent the above morphological and biochemical changes of lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid induced by ovalbumin challenge. Conversely, p-aminobenzoic acid, the inactive analog of 3-aminobenzamide, had no effects.

The variations during the circadian cycle of liver CD1d-unrestricted NK1.1+TCR gamma/delta+ cells lead to successful ageing. Role of metallothionein/IL-6/gp130/PARP-1 interplay in very old mice.

NKT cells derive from the thymus and home to the liver. Liver NKT cells can be divided in two groups: 'classical' and 'non-classical'. The first is CD1d-restricted, the second is CD1d-unrestricted. NKT cells (classical and non-classical) co-express T-cell receptor (TCR) and NK-cell marker (NK1.1), display cytotoxicity and produce IFN-gamma under IL-12 stimulation affecting, thereby, Th1 response and innate immunity. NK1.1(+)TCR alpha/beta(+) cells belong to both groups. NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells belong to the second group. Anyway, both NKT cell subtypes, via IFN-gamma production, protect against viruses and bacteria from early in life. Immune variations as well as zinc rhythmicity during the circadian cycle confer the immune plasticity, which is essential for successful ageing. Liver NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells, rather than TCR alpha/beta(+), from young and very old mice display 'in vitro' (under IL-12 stimulation) nocturnal peaks in cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma production. The acrophase of liver NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells is present in young and very old mice, not in old. The interplay among zinc-bound metallothionein (MT)/IL-6/gp130/poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) may be involved in conferring plasticity to liver NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells. IL-6, via sub-unit receptor gp130, induces MTmRNA. At night, gene expressions of MT, IL-6, gp130 are lower in very old mice than old and young MT-I transgenic mice (MT-I*). In very old mice, this phenomenon allows limited sequester of intracellular zinc from MT leading to good free zinc ion bioavailability for immune efficiency and zinc-dependent PARP-1 activity. Indeed (1) in vitro, high IL-6 provokes strong accumulation of MT, impaired cytotoxicity and low zinc ion bioavailability in liver NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells exclusively from old and MT-I* mice. (2) The ratio total/endogen PARP-1 activity is higher in very old than in old and MT-I* mice, suggesting a higher capacity of PARP-1 in base excision DNA-repair in very old age thanks to low zinc-bound MT. Cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma production from liver NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells are thus preserved leading to successful ageing. In conclusion, MT/IL-6/gp130/PARP-1 interplay may confer plasticity to liver CD1d-unrestricted NK1.1(+)TCR gamma/delta(+) cells, where MT, IL-6, gp130 are the main upstream protagonists, and PARP-1 is the main downstream protagonist in immunosenescence.

alpha-Bisabolol, a nontoxic natural compound, strongly induces apoptosis in glioma cells.

In this study, alpha-bisabolol, a sesquiterpene alcohol present in natural essential oil, was found to have a strong time- and dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on human and rat glioma cells. After 24 h of treatment with 2.5-3.5 microM alpha-bisabolol, the viability of these cells was reduced by 50% with respect to untreated cells. Furthermore, the viability of normal rat glial cells was not affected by treatment with alpha-bisabolol at the same concentrations as above. Glioma cells treated with high concentration of alpha-bisabolol (10 microM) resulted in a 100% cell death. Judging from hypo-G1 accumulation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and DNA ladder formation, the cytotoxicity triggered by alpha-bisabolol resulted from apoptosis induction. Moreover, the dissipation of mitochondrial-inner transmembrane potential and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria indicated that, in these glioma cells, apoptosis occurred through an intrinsic pathway. As pointed out by the experimental results, alpha-bisabolol may be considered a novel compound able to inhibit glioma cell growth and survival.