Coactivation of GSK3ß and IGF-1 Attenuates Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Nerve Fiber Cytopathies in SOD1 Mutant Patient-Derived Motor Neurons.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disease that causes motor neuron (MN) degeneration and results in patient death within a few years. To recapitulate the cytopathies of ALS patients' MNs, SOD1G85R mutant and corrected SOD1G85G isogenic-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines were established. Two SOD1 mutant ALS (SOD1G85R and SOD1D90A), two SOD1 mutant corrected (SOD1G85G and SOD1D90D), and one sporadic ALS iPSC lines were directed toward MNs. After receiving ~90% purity for MNs, we first demonstrated that SOD1G85R mutant ALS MNs recapitulated ALS-specific nerve fiber aggregates, similar to SOD1D90A ALS MNs in a previous study. Moreover, we found that both SOD1 mutant MNs showed ALS-specific neurite degenerations and neurotransmitter-induced calcium hyperresponsiveness. In a small compound test using these MNs, we demonstrated that gastrodin, a major ingredient of Gastrodia elata, showed therapeutic effects that decreased nerve fiber cytopathies and reverse neurotransmitter-induced hyperresponsiveness. The therapeutic effects of gastrodin applied not only to SOD1 ALS MNs but also to sporadic ALS MNs and SOD1G93A ALS mice. Moreover, we found that coactivation of the GSK3ß and IGF-1 pathways was a mechanism involved in the therapeutic effects of gastrodin. Thus, the coordination of compounds that activate these two mechanisms could reduce nerve fiber cytopathies in SOD1 ALS MNs. Interestingly, the therapeutic role of GSK3ß activation on SOD1 ALS MNs in the present study was in contrast to the role previously reported in research using cell line- or transgenic animal-based models. In conclusion, we identified in vitro ALS-specific nerve fiber and neurofunctional markers in MNs, which will be useful for drug screening, and we used an iPSC-based model to reveal novel therapeutic mechanisms (including GSK3ß and IGF-1 activation) that may serve as potential targets for ALS therapy.

Osthole improves an accelerated focal segmental glomerulosclerosis model in the early stage by activating the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and subsequently inhibiting NF-κB-mediated COX-2 expression and apoptosis.

Inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress are implicated in the pathogenesis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a common chronic kidney disease with relatively poor prognosis and unsatisfactory treatment regimens. Previously, we showed that osthole, a coumarin compound isolated from the seeds of Cnidium monnieri, can inhibit reactive oxygen species generation, NF-κB activation, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. In this study, we further evaluated its renoprotective effect in a mouse model of accelerated FSGS (acFSGS), featuring early development of proteinuria, followed by impaired renal function, glomerular epithelial cell hyperplasia lesions (a sensitive sign that precedes the development of glomerular sclerosis), periglomerular inflammation, and glomerular hyalinosis/sclerosis. The results show that osthole significantly prevented the development of the acFSGS model in the treated group of mice. The mechanisms involved in the renoprotective effects of osthole on the acFSGS model were mainly a result of an activated Nrf2-mediated antioxidant pathway in the early stage (proteinuria and ischemic collapse of the glomeruli) of acFSGS, followed by a decrease in: (1) NF-κB activation and COX-2 expression as well as PGE2 production, (2) podocyte injury, and (3) apoptosis. Our data support that targeting the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway may justify osthole being established as a candidate renoprotective compound for FSGS.

Characterization of the biological activity of a potent small molecule Hec1 inhibitor TAI-1.

BACKGROUND: Hec1 (NDC80) is an integral part of the kinetochore and is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, making it an attractive molecular target for the design of novel anticancer therapeutics. A highly potent first-in-class compound targeting Hec1, TAI-1, was identified and is characterized in this study to determine its potential as an anticancer agent for clinical utility. METHODS: The in vitro potency, cancer cell specificity, synergy activity, and markers for response of TAI-1 were evaluated with cell lines. Mechanism of action was confirmed with western blotting and immunofluorescent staining. The in vivo potency of TAI-1 was evaluated in three xenograft models in mice. Preliminary toxicity was evaluated in mice. Specificity to the target was tested with a kinase panel. Cardiac safety was evaluated with hERG assay. Clinical correlation was performed with human gene database. RESULTS: TAI-1 showed strong potency across a broad spectrum of tumor cells. TAI-1 disrupted Hec1-Nek2 protein interaction, led to Nek2 degradation, induced significant chromosomal misalignment in metaphase, and induced apoptotic cell death. TAI-1 was effective orally in in vivo animal models of triple negative breast cancer, colon cancer and liver cancer. Preliminary toxicity shows no effect on the body weights, organ weights, and blood indices at efficacious doses. TAI-1 shows high specificity to cancer cells and to target and had no effect on the cardiac channel hERG. TAI-1 is synergistic with doxorubicin, topotecan and paclitaxel in leukemia, breast and liver cancer cells. Sensitivity to TAI-1 was associated with the status of RB and P53 gene. Knockdown of RB and P53 in cancer cells increased sensitivity to TAI-1. Hec1-overexpressing molecular subtypes of human lung cancer were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The excellent potency, safety and synergistic profiles of this potent first-in-class Hec1-targeted small molecule TAI-1 show its potential for clinically utility in anti-cancer treatment regimens.

Osthole mitigates progressive IgA nephropathy by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation and NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Renal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mononuclear leukocyte infiltration are involved in the progressive stage (exacerbation) of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), which is characterized by glomerular proliferation and renal inflammation. The identification of the mechanism responsible for this critical stage of IgAN and the development of a therapeutic strategy remain a challenge. Osthole is a pure compound isolated from Cnidiummonnieri (L.) Cusson seeds, which are used as a traditional Chinese medicine, and is anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-fibrotic both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, we showed that osthole acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by reducing nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in and ROS release by activated macrophages. In this study, we examined whether osthole could prevent the progression of IgAN using a progressive IgAN (Prg-IgAN) model in mice. Our results showed that osthole administration resulted in prevention of albuminuria, improved renal function, and blocking of renal progressive lesions, including glomerular proliferation, glomerular sclerosis, and periglomerular mononuclear leukocyte infiltration. These findings were associated with (1) reduced renal superoxide anion levels and increased Nrf2 nuclear translocation, (2) inhibited renal activation of NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome, (3) decreased renal MCP-1 expression and mononuclear leukocyte infiltration, (4) inhibited ROS production and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in cultured, activated macrophages, and (5) inhibited ROS production and MCP-1 protein levels in cultured, activated mesangial cells. The results suggest that osthole exerts its reno-protective effects on the progression of IgAN by inhibiting ROS production and activation of NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome in the kidney. Our data also confirm that ROS generation and activation of NF-κB and the NLRP3 inflammasome are crucial mechanistic events involved in the progression of the renal disorder.

Mesenteric lymphatic absorption and the pharmacokinetics of naringin and naringenin in the rat.

The hypothesis for this study was that flavanoids and their glycoside are absorbed mainly through the portal vein to enter the liver for biotransformation and are only partially absorbed through the lymphatic duct. To verify this hypothesis, an unconscious, mesenteric lymphatic/portal vein/jugular vein/bile duct/duodenum-cannulated rat model was developed. Naringin was administered at dosages of 600 and 1000 mg/kg, and naringenin was given at 100 and 300 mg/kg by intraduodenal administration. Blood samples collected from the portal vein and jugular vein as well as lymphatic fluid were prepared by protein precipitation and then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Analyses of these samples were doubly confirmed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results show that, after intraduodenal administration, both compounds were mainly absorbed into portal blood rather than mesenteric lymph, and most of the intact analyte would be eliminated through bile excretion. The area under the concentration (AUC) ratio was defined to represent the absorption ratio for portal vein [AUC(portal)/AUC((portal+lymph))] and lymph fluid [AUC(lymph)/AUC((portal+lymph))]. The results indicate that the portal and lymphatic absorptions for naringin were around 95 and 5.0%, respectively. The respective absorptions for naringenin were around 98 and 2%, respectively.

Pharmacokinetics of adenosine and cordycepin, a bioactive constituent of Cordyceps sinensis in rat.

Cordycepin is a bioactive constituent of Cordyceps sinensis that has been shown to regulate homeostatic function. As an adenosine analogue, it is possible cordycepin goes through a similar metabolic pathway to that of adenosine. To investigate this hypothesis, a sensitive liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detector (HPLC-PDA) coupled to a microdialysis sampling system was developed to monitor cordycepin and adenosine in rat blood and liver. Other endogenous nucleosides were simultaneously measured to further understand the downstream metabolic pathway. The experiments were divided into six parallel groups for drug administration: (1) normal saline vehicle, (2) adenosine, (3) cordycepin, (4) normal saline + erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine (EHNA; a potent adenosine deaminase inhibitor), (5) adenosine + EHNA, and (6) cordycepin + EHNA. The pharmacokinetic results suggest that the levels of both adenosine and cordycepin decreased rapidly in blood around 30 min after drug administration. When adenosine was given, the concentrations of adenosine metabolites, hypoxanthinosine and hypoxanthine, increased in rat blood. This phenomenon was inhibited by EHNA pretreatment. An unidentified peak was observed in the blood and liver samples after cordycepin administration. The decline of this unidentified peak paralleled the decreased of the concentration of cordycepin, and it was not observed in the presence of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor. It is concluded that adenosine and cordycepin had short elimination half-lives and high rates of clearance and their biotransformation was suppressed by EHNA.

Lymphatic absorption of quercetin and rutin in rat and their pharmacokinetics in systemic plasma.

Substances and macromolecules absorbed by the lymphatic system avoid hepatic first-pass effect and directly enter the blood circulation system. In this study, an anesthetized, mesenteric lymphatic/duodenum-cannulated rat model was used to investigate the role of lymphatic absorption with intraduodenally administered drugs. Quercetin and rutin were administered, respectively, at dosages of 30 and 300 mg/kg intraduodenally. Lymph and plasma samples were collected every 30 min. These samples were prepared by protein precipitation and then analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and verified by LC tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Quercetin was separated by a C18 reversed-phase column, and rutin was separated by a phenyl reverse-phase column. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the software WinNonlin Standard Edition Version. The maximum concentration (Cmax) of quercetin recovered in lymph, 1.97+/-0.96 microg/mL, was about 5-fold higher than that in plasma, 0.41+/-0.08 microg/mL. The time to reach the highest concentration (Tmax) of quercetin in lymph was 30 min longer than that in plasma. The maximum concentration (Cmax) of rutin recovered in lymph, 0.86+/-0.13 microg/mL, was slightly lower than that in plasma, 1.35+/-0.37 microg/mL. The area under curve (AUC) of rutin recovered in lymph, 359+/-41 min microg/mL, was about 2-fold higher than the AUC of rutin in plasma, 150+/-22 min microg/mL. This phenomenon was due to the milder concentration decline of rutin in the lymphatic system. These results demonstrate the pharmacokinetic data of lymphatic and systemic absorption after intraduodenally administered quercetin and rutin. It is also the first report revealing the lymphatic absorption of rutin. Although both quercetin and rutin are absorbed and transported mainly via the blood circulation system, the AUC of these two drugs in lymph fluid appeared higher than their respective AUC in plasma.

Evaluation of anti-Fas ligand-induced apoptosis and neural differentiation of PC12 cells treated with nerve growth factor using small interfering RNA method and sampling by microdialysis.

The small interfering RNA (siRNA) method is an effective technique for silencing gene expression and is a useful tool for screening the gene functions in drug discovery. Our study found that nerve growth factor (NGF) can increase the cell viability of PC12 cells and that NGF induction up-regulates the expression of Bcl-2 detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To further investigate the role of Bcl-2 expression in NGF-treated PC12 cells, the plasmid of Bcl-2 siRNA was then transfected into PC12 cells. Moreover, to investigate and continuously monitor the real-time dynamic neurotransmitter release, and to compare with the time course of Bcl-2 expression, a liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection (LC-ED) and with a microdialysis device was used. After 6h of NGF being added to the PC12 cell culture medium, the dopamine (DA) concentrations were significantly increased (P<0.05). This result is simultaneously compatible with the up-regulated messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), aromatic acid decarboxylase (AADC), and Bcl-2 by RT-PCR. Using the Bcl-2 siRNA method, our data revealed that NGF can inhibit Fas ligand (FasL)-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells through the activation of Bcl-2. The in vitro observation further demonstrated that NGF can stimulate the neurite development in PC12 cells through the activation of Bcl-2. Moreover, the DA concentrations of NGF induction were decreased specifically by Bcl-2 siRNA (P<0.05). In sum, our data support that NGF prevents Fas-induced apoptosis, facilitates neural differentiation, promotes dendritic formation, and increases DA release in PC12 cells through activation of Bcl-2.