Characterisation of EFV12 a bio-active small peptide produced by the human intestinal isolate Lactobacillus gasseri SF1109

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 815-824
Author(s):  
M. Di Napoli ◽  
B. Di Luccia ◽  
G. Vitiello ◽  
G. D’Errico ◽  
A. Carpentieri ◽  
...  

EFV12 is a small bioactive peptide produced by Lactobacillus gasseri SF1109, a human intestinal isolate with probiotic features. In this study, EFV12 antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are characterised. In particular, we propose a possible mechanism of action for EFV12 involving bacterial membranes targeting. Moreover, we show that this small peptide is able to bind lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and to counteract its inflammatory insult preventing LPS action on Toll-like receptor 4, thus interfering with extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 and Jun N-terminal kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinases signalling pathways. Altogether these observations suggest that the bioactive peptide EFV12 is a good candidate to promote L. gasseri induced gut homeostasis and counteracting intestinal pathogens.

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Stella Baliou ◽  
Maria Goulielmaki ◽  
Petros Ioannou ◽  
Christina Cheimonidi ◽  
Ioannis P. Trougakos ◽  
...  

Background: Taurine (Tau) ameliorates cancer pathogenesis. Researchers have focused on the functional properties of bromamine T (BAT), a stable active bromine molecule. Both N-bromotaurine (TauNHBr) and BAT exert potent anti-inflammatory properties, but the landscape remains obscure concerning the anti-cancer effect of BAT. Methods: We used Crystal Violet, colony formation, flow cytometry and Western blot experiments to evaluate the effect of BAT and Tau on the apoptosis and autophagy of cancer cells. Xenograft experiments were used to determine the in vivo cytotoxicity of either agent. Results: We demonstrated that both BAT and Tau inhibited the growth of human colon, breast, cervical and skin cancer cell lines. Among them, BAT exerted the greatest cytotoxic effect on both RKO and MDA-MB-468 cells. In particular, BAT increased the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK½), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK½), thereby inducing mitochondrial apoptosis and autophagy in RKO cells. In contrast, Tau exerted its cytotoxic effect by upregulating JNK½ forms, thus triggering mitochondrial apoptosis in RKO cells. Accordingly, colon cancer growth was impaired in vivo. Conclusions: BAT and Tau exerted their anti-tumor properties through the induction of (i) mitochondrial apoptosis, (ii) the MAPK family, and iii) autophagy, providing novel anti-cancer therapeutic modalities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 312-341
Author(s):  
Maria Neus Ballester Roig ◽  
Tanya Leduc ◽  
Cassandra C. Areal ◽  
Valérie Mongrain

Uncaria rhynchophylla is a plant highly used in the traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines. It has numerous health benefits, which are often attributed to its alkaloid components. Recent studies in humans show that drugs containing Uncaria ameliorate sleep quality and increase sleep time, both in physiological and pathological conditions. Rhynchophylline (Rhy) is one of the principal alkaloids in Uncaria species. Although treatment with Rhy alone has not been tested in humans, observations in rodents show that Rhy increases sleep time. However, the mechanisms by which Rhy could modulate sleep have not been comprehensively described. In this review, we are highlighting cellular pathways that are shown to be targeted by Rhy and which are also known for their implications in the regulation of wakefulness and sleep. We conclude that Rhy can impact sleep through mechanisms involving ion channels, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, tyrosine kinase receptors, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/RAC serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathways. In modulating multiple cellular responses, Rhy impacts neuronal communication in a way that could have substantial effects on sleep phenotypes. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of action of Rhy will have implications for sleep pharmacology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4350
Author(s):  
Hyunjin Yeo ◽  
Younghan Lee ◽  
Sungshin Ahn ◽  
Euitaek Jung ◽  
Yoongho Lim ◽  
...  

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an epithelial cell-derived cytokine that acts as a critical mediator in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Various therapeutic agents that prevent TSLP function can efficiently relieve the clinical symptoms of AD. However, the downregulation of TSLP expression by therapeutic agents remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the mode of action of chrysin in TSLP suppression in an AD-like inflammatory environment. We observed that the transcription factor early growth response (EGR1) contributed to the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)-induced transcription of TSLP. Chrysin attenuated TNFα-induced TSLP expression by downregulating EGR1 expression in HaCaT keratinocytes. We also showed that the oral administration of chrysin improved AD-like skin lesions in the ear and neck of BALB/c mice challenged with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. We also showed that chrysin suppressed the expression of EGR1 and TSLP by inhibiting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Collectively, the findings of this study suggest that chrysin improves AD-like skin lesions, at least in part, through the downregulation of the ERK1/2 or JNK1/2-EGR1-TSLP signaling axis in keratinocytes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 251-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A. Lochhead ◽  
Rebecca Gilley ◽  
Simon J. Cook

The MEK5 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 5]/ERK5 pathway is the least well studied MAPK signalling module. It has been proposed to play a role in the pathology of cancer. In the present paper, we review the role of the MEK5/ERK5 pathway using the ‘hallmarks of cancer’ as a framework and consider how this pathway is deregulated. As well as playing a key role in endothelial cell survival and tubular morphogenesis during tumour neovascularization, ERK5 is also emerging as a regulator of tumour cell invasion and migration. Several oncogenes can stimulate ERK5 activity, and protein levels are increased by a novel amplification at chromosome locus 17p11 and by down-regulation of the microRNAs miR-143 and miR-145. Together, these finding underscore the case for further investigation into understanding the role of ERK5 in cancer.


2004 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Chau Long ◽  
Ulrika Widegren ◽  
Juleen R. Zierath

Exercise training improves glucose homeostasis through enhanced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. Muscle contraction through physical exercise is a physiological stimulus that elicits multiple biochemical and biophysical responses and therefore requires an appropriate control network. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways constitute a network of phosphorylation cascades that link cellular stress to changes in transcriptional activity. MAPK cascades are divided into four major subfamilies, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, p38 MAPK, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5. The present review will present the current understanding of parallel MAPK signalling in human skeletal muscle in response to exercise and muscle contraction, with an emphasis on identifying potential signalling mechanisms responsible for changes in gene expression.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 771-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoshi Nishida ◽  
Masayuki Kitano ◽  
Toshiharu Sakurai ◽  
Masatoshi Kudo

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and prognosis remains unsatisfactory when the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage. Many molecular targeted agents are being developed for the treatment of advanced HCC; however, the only promising drug to have been developed is sorafenib, which acts as a multi-kinase inhibitor. Unfortunately, a subgroup of HCC is resistant to sorafenib, and the majority of these HCC patients show disease progression even after an initial satisfactory response. To date, a number of studies have examined the underlying mechanisms involved in the response to sorafenib, and trials have been performed to overcome the acquisition of drug resistance. The anti-tumor activity of sorafenib is largely attributed to the blockade of the signals from growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and the downstream RAF/mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)/ERK cascade. The activation of an escape pathway from RAF/MEK/ERK possibly results in chemoresistance. In addition, there are several features of HCCs indicating sorafenib resistance, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition and positive stem cell markers. Here, we review the recent reports and focus on the mechanism and prediction of chemoresistance to sorafenib in HCC.


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