scholarly journals A small molecule binding HMGB1 inhibits caspase-11-mediated lethality in sepsis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyu Wang ◽  
Zhaozheng Li ◽  
Yang Bai ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Ran Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
Peritoneal Macrophages ◽  
Screening Strategy ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Cytosolic Delivery ◽  
Lps Treatment

AbstractCaspase-11, a cytosolic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor, mediates lethal immune responses and coagulopathy in sepsis, a leading cause of death worldwide with limited therapeutic options. We previously showed that over-activation of caspase-11 is driven by hepatocyte-released high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), which delivers extracellular LPS into the cytosol of host cells during sepsis. Using a phenotypic screening strategy with recombinant HMGB1 and peritoneal macrophages, we discovered that FeTPPS, a small molecule selectively inhibits HMGB1-mediated caspase-11 activation. The physical interaction between FeTPPS and HMGB1 disrupts the HMGB1-LPS binding and decreases the capacity of HMGB1 to induce lysosomal rupture, leading to the diminished cytosolic delivery of LPS. Treatment of FeTPPS significantly attenuates HMGB1- and caspase-11-mediated immune responses, organ damage, and lethality in endotoxemia and bacterial sepsis. These findings shed light on the development of HMGB1-targeting therapeutics for lethal immune disorders and might open a new avenue to treat sepsis.

scholarly journals Combining Oncolytic Viruses and Small Molecule Therapeutics: Mutual Benefits

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3386
Author(s):  
Bart Spiesschaert ◽  
Katharina Angerer ◽  
John Park ◽  
Guido Wollmann
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Antiviral Immunity ◽  
Oncolytic Viruses ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Antiviral Responses ◽  
Small Molecule Therapeutics ◽  
Immunosuppressive Factors

The focus of treating cancer with oncolytic viruses (OVs) has increasingly shifted towards achieving efficacy through the induction and augmentation of an antitumor immune response. However, innate antiviral responses can limit the activity of many OVs within the tumor and several immunosuppressive factors can hamper any subsequent antitumor immune responses. In recent decades, numerous small molecule compounds that either inhibit the immunosuppressive features of tumor cells or antagonize antiviral immunity have been developed and tested for. Here we comprehensively review small molecule compounds that can achieve therapeutic synergy with OVs. We also elaborate on the mechanisms by which these treatments elicit anti-tumor effects as monotherapies and how these complement OV treatment.

scholarly journals The Immune Tolerance Role of the HMGB1-RAGE Axis

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 564
Author(s):  
Haruki Watanabe ◽  
Myoungsun Son
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Immune Tolerance ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Advanced Glycation Endproducts ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Chromatin Binding ◽  
Advanced Glycation ◽  
Glycation Endproducts ◽  
Extracellular Milieu

The disruption of the immune tolerance induces autoimmunity such as systemic lupus erythematosus and vasculitis. A chromatin-binding non-histone protein, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), is released from the nucleus to the extracellular milieu in particular environments such as autoimmunity, sepsis and hypoxia. Extracellular HMGB1 engages pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE). While the HMGB1-RAGE axis drives inflammation in various diseases, recent studies also focus on the anti-inflammatory effects of HMGB1 and RAGE. This review discusses current perspectives on HMGB1 and RAGE’s roles in controlling inflammation and immune tolerance. We also suggest how RAGE heterodimers responding microenvironments functions in immune responses.

High-Throughput Screening to Identify Small Molecules That Selectively Inhibit APOL1 Protein Level in Podocytes

2021 ◽  
pp. 247255522110262
Author(s):  
Jonathan Choy ◽  
Yanqing Kan ◽  
Steve Cifelli ◽  
Josephine Johnson ◽  
Michelle Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Screening Strategy ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Compound Screening ◽  
High Throughput Screens ◽  
Screening Library

High-throughput phenotypic screening is a key driver for the identification of novel chemical matter in drug discovery for challenging targets, especially for those with an unclear mechanism of pathology. For toxic or gain-of-function proteins, small-molecule suppressors are a targeting/therapeutic strategy that has been successfully applied. As with other high-throughput screens, the screening strategy and proper assays are critical for successfully identifying selective suppressors of the target of interest. We executed a small-molecule suppressor screen to identify compounds that specifically reduce apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) protein levels, a genetically validated target associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease. To enable this study, we developed homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assays to measure intracellular APOL1 and apolipoprotein L2 (APOL2) protein levels and miniaturized them to 1536-well format. The APOL1 HTRF assay served as the primary assay, and the APOL2 and a commercially available p53 HTRF assay were applied as counterscreens. Cell viability was also measured with CellTiter-Glo to assess the cytotoxicity of compounds. From a 310,000-compound screening library, we identified 1490 confirmed primary hits with 12 different profiles. One hundred fifty-three hits selectively reduced APOL1 in 786-O, a renal cell adenocarcinoma cell line. Thirty-one of these selective suppressors also reduced APOL1 levels in conditionally immortalized human podocytes. The activity and specificity of seven resynthesized compounds were validated in both 786-O and podocytes.

MIP-1α and MIP-1β differentially mediate mucosal and systemic adaptive immunity

Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 807-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. Lillard ◽  
Udai P. Singh ◽  
Prosper N. Boyaka ◽  
Shailesh Singh ◽  
Dennis D. Taub ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Adaptive Immunity ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Secretory Iga ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cellular Immune Responses ◽  
Cc Chemokines ◽  
Cellular Immune

AbstractMacrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) and MIP-1β are distinct but highly homologous CC chemokines produced by a variety of host cells in response to various external stimuli and share affinity for CCR5. To better elucidate the role of these CC chemokines in adaptive immunity, we have characterized the affects of MIP-1α and MIP-1β on cellular and humoral immune responses. MIP-1α stimulated strong antigen (Ag)–specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM responses, while MIP-1β promoted lower IgG and IgM but higher serum IgA and IgE antibody (Ab) responses. MIP-1α elevated Ag-specific IgG1 and IgG2b followed by IgG2a and IgG3 subclass responses, while MIP-1β only stimulated IgG1 and IgG2b subclasses. Correspondingly, MIP-1β produced higher titers of Ag-specific mucosal secretory IgA Ab levels when compared with MIP-1α. Splenic T cells from MIP-1α– or MIP-1β–treated mice displayed higher Ag-specific Th1 (interferon-γ [IFN-γ]) as well as selective Th2 (interleukin-5 [IL-5] and IL-6) cytokine responses than did T cells from control groups. Interestingly, mucosally derived T cells from MIP-1β–treated mice displayed higher levels of IL-4 and IL-6 compared with MIP-1α–treated mice. However, MIP-1α effectively enhanced Ag-specific cell-mediated immune responses. In correlation with their selective effects on humoral and cellular immune responses, these chemokines also differentially attract CD4+ versus CD8+ T cells and modulate CD40, CD80, and CD86 expressed by B220+ cells as well as CD28, 4-1BB, and gp39 expression by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Taken together, these studies suggest that these CC chemokines differentially enhance mucosal and serum humoral as well as cellular immune responses.

scholarly journals Granzyme B is not required for regulatory T cell–mediated suppression of graft-versus-host disease

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (9) ◽  
pp. 1669-1677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng F. Cai ◽  
Xuefang Cao ◽  
Anjum Hassan ◽  
Todd A. Fehniger ◽  
Timothy J. Ley
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Treg Cell ◽  
Graft Versus Host Disease ◽  
Granzyme B ◽  
Target Organ Damage ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
Treg Cells ◽  
Host Disease ◽  
Graft Versus Host

Abstract Regulatory T (Treg) cells can suppress a wide variety of immune responses, including antitumor and alloimmune responses. The mechanisms by which Treg cells mediate their suppressive effects depend on the context of their activation. We previously reported that granzyme B is important for Treg cell–mediated suppression of antitumor immune responses. We therefore hypothesized that granzyme B may likewise be important for suppression of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We found that allogeneic mismatch induces the expression of granzyme B in mixed lymphocyte reactions and in a model of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, wild-type and granzyme B–deficient Treg cells were equally able to suppress effector T (Teff) cell proliferation driven by multiple stimuli, including allogeneicantigen-presenting cells. Surprisingly, adoptive transfer of granzyme B–deficient Treg cells prevented GVHD lethality, suppressed serum cytokine production in vivo, and prevented target organ damage. These data contrast strikingly with our previous study, which demonstrated that granzyme B plays a nonredundant role in Treg cell–mediated suppression of antitumor responses. Taken together, these findings suggest that targeting specific Treg cell–suppressive mechanisms, such as granzyme B, may be therapeutically beneficial for segregating GVHD and graft-versus-tumor immune responses.

scholarly journals Role of HMGB1 in apoptosis-mediated sepsis lethality

2006 ◽  
Vol 203 (7) ◽  
pp. 1637-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shixin Qin ◽  
Haichao Wang ◽  
Renqi Yuan ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Mahendar Ochani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Sepsis ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
The United States ◽  
Apoptotic Cells ◽  
Caspase Inhibitor ◽  
Common Pathway ◽  
The Third

Severe sepsis, a lethal syndrome after infection or injury, is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States. The pathogenesis of severe sepsis is characterized by organ damage and accumulation of apoptotic lymphocytes in the spleen, thymus, and other organs. To examine the potential causal relationships of apoptosis to organ damage, we administered Z-VAD-FMK, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, to mice with sepsis. We found that Z-VAD-FMK–treated septic mice had decreased levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a critical cytokine mediator of organ damage in severe sepsis, and suppressed apoptosis in the spleen and thymus. In vitro, apoptotic cells activate macrophages to release HMGB1. Monoclonal antibodies against HMGB1 conferred protection against organ damage but did not prevent the accumulation of apoptotic cells in the spleen. Thus, our data indicate that HMGB1 production is downstream of apoptosis on the final common pathway to organ damage in severe sepsis.

scholarly journals Hierarchy of Susceptibility of Dendritic Cell Subsets to Infection by Leishmania major: Inverse Relationship to Interleukin-12 Production

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 3874-3880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Henri ◽  
Joan Curtis ◽  
Hubertus Hochrein ◽  
David Vremec ◽  
Ken Shortman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Mhc Class Ii ◽  
Leishmania Major ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Interleukin 12 ◽  
Histocompatibility Complex ◽  
T Cell Immune Responses ◽  
Antigen Presenting

ABSTRACT Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells which initiate and regulate T-cell immune responses. Here we show that murine splenic DCs can be ranked on the basis of their ability to phagocytose and harbor the obligately intracellular parasite Leishmania major. CD4+ CD8− DCs are the most permissive host cells for L. major amastigotes, followed by CD4− CD8− DCs; CD4− CD8+ cells are the least permissive. However, the least susceptible CD4− CD8+ DC subset was the best interleukin-12 producer in response to infection. Infection did not induce in any DC subset production of the proinflammatory cytokine gamma interferon and nitric oxide associated with the induction of Th1 responses. The number of parasites phagocytosed by DCs was low, no more than 3 organisms per cell, compared to more than 10 organisms per macrophage. In infected DCs, the parasites are located in a parasitophorous vacuole containing both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 molecules, similar to their location in the infected macrophage. The parasite-driven redistribution of MHC class II to this compartment indicates that infected DCs should be able to present parasite antigen.

scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles from Different Pneumococcal Serotypes Are Internalized by Macrophages and Induce Host Immune Responses

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1530
Author(s):  
Alfonso Olaya-Abril ◽  
Rafael Prados-Rosales ◽  
José A. González-Reyes ◽  
Arturo Casadevall ◽  
Liise-anne Pirofski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Biological Activity ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Pneumococcal Serotypes ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Host Immune Responses ◽  
Serotype 1 ◽  
Transient Loss

Bacterial extracellular vesicles are membranous ultrastructures released from the cell surface. They play important roles in the interaction between the host and the bacteria. In this work, we show how extracellular vesicles produced by four different serotypes of the important human pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae, are internalized by murine J774A.1 macrophages via fusion with the membrane of the host cells. We also evaluated the capacity of pneumococcal extracellular vesicles to elicit an immune response by macrophages. Macrophages treated with the vesicles underwent a serotype-dependent transient loss of viability, which was further reverted. The vesicles induced the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which was higher for serotype 1 and serotype 8-derived vesicles. These results demonstrate the biological activity of extracellular vesicles of clinically important pneumococcal serotypes.

scholarly journals Identification of unrecognized host factors promoting HIV-1 latency

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e1009055
Author(s):  
Zichong Li ◽  
Cyrus Hajian ◽  
Warner C. Greene
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Screening Strategy ◽  
Host Factors ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Hiv Latency ◽  
New Host ◽  
High Background ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Host Genes

To counter HIV latency, it is important to develop a better understanding of the full range of host factors promoting latency. Their identification could suggest new strategies to reactivate latent proviruses and subsequently kill the host cells (“shock and kill”), or to permanently silence these latent proviruses (“block and lock”). We recently developed a screening strategy termed “Reiterative Enrichment and Authentication of CRISPRi Targets” (REACT) that can unambiguously identify host genes promoting HIV latency, even in the presence of high background “noise” produced by the stochastic nature of HIV reactivation. After applying this strategy in four cell lines displaying different levels of HIV inducibility, we identified FTSJ3, TMEM178A, NICN1 and the Integrator Complex as host genes promoting HIV latency. shRNA knockdown of these four repressive factors significantly enhances HIV expression in primary CD4 T cells, and active HIV infection is preferentially found in cells expressing lower levels of these four factors. Mechanistically, we found that downregulation of these newly identified host inhibitors stimulates different stages of RNA Polymerase II-mediated transcription of HIV-1. The identification and validation of these new host inhibitors provide insight into the novel mechanisms that maintain HIV latency even when cells are activated and undergo cell division.

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