A small cytotoxic peptide from frog elicits potent antitumor immunity to prevent local tumor growth and metastases

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (19) ◽  
pp. 2505-2525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Qiao ◽  
Huaixin Yang ◽  
Jiuxiang Gao ◽  
Shasha Cai ◽  
Nannan Shi ◽  
...  

Aim: Anticancer immunochemotherapy represents an attractive paradigm to improve therapeutic responses and reduce side effects. Results & methodology: Here, we show that a naturally occurring host defense peptide, HN-1 inhibited multiple malignant cells proliferation and tumor growth in a xenografted human breast tumor model. Acting through MAPK/NF-κB pathways, HN-1 induced a caspase-independent mitochondrial apoptosis, as indicated by a p53-dependent increase of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor. Besides, HN-1 augmented CD4+/CD8+ T cells in 4T1 mammary carcinoma model, by enhancing the serum levels of cancer immunity-associated effectors. Meanwhile, HN-1 decreased the angiogenesis and infiltration of the tumor-associated macrophages. Conclusion: HN-1 induces caspase-independent cancer cells apoptosis and boosts cancer-resolving immunity without inducing potentially harmful pro-inflammatory responses.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 934.3-934
Author(s):  
M. Kim ◽  
Y. Choe ◽  
H. Lee ◽  
Y. H. Cheon ◽  
S. I. Lee

Background:Histamine-releasing factor/translationally controlled tumor protein (HRF/TCTP) stimulates cancer progression and allergic responses. Increased expression of HRF/TCTP occurs in joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but the role of HRF/TCTP in RA remains undefinedObjectives:In this study, we explored the pathogenic significance of HRF/TCTP and evaluated therapeutic effects of HRF/TCTP blockade in RA.Methods:HRF/TCTP transgenic (TG) and knockdown (KD) mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were used to determine experimental phenotypes of RA. HRF/TCTP levels were measured in sera and joint fluids in patients with RA and compared to those with osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Behcet disease, and healthy controls. HRF/TCTP expression was also assessed in synovium and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) obtained from RA or OA patients. Finally, we assessed effects of HRF/TCTP and dimerized HRF/TCTP binding peptide-2 (dTBP2), an inhibitor of HRF/TCTP, in RA-FLS and CIA mice.Results:Our clinical, radiological, histological, and biochemical analyses indicate that inflammatory responses and joint destruction were increased in HRF/TCTP TG mice, and decreased in KD mice compared to wild-type littermates. HRF/TCTP levels were higher in sera, synovial fluid, synovium, and FLS of patients with RA than in control groups. Serum levels of HRF/TCTP correlated well with disease activity in RA. Tumor-like aggressiveness of RA-FLS was exacerbated by HRF/TCTP stimulation and ameliorated by dTBP2 treatment. dTBP2 exerted protective and therapeutic effects in CIA mice, and had no detrimental effect in a murine tuberculosis model.Conclusion:Our results indicate that HRF/TCTP represents a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for diagnosis and treatment of RA.References:N/AAcknowledgments :National Research Foundation of KoreaKorea Health Industry Development InstituteDisclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismael Luna-Reyes ◽  
Eréndira G. Pérez-Hernández ◽  
Blanca Delgado-Coello ◽  
Miguel Ángel Ávila-Rodríguez ◽  
Jaime Mas-Oliva

AbstractThe present investigation using Positron Emission Tomography shows how peptide VSAK can reduce the detrimental effects produced by lipopolysaccharides in Dutch dwarf rabbits, used to develop the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS). Animals concomitantly treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and peptide VSAK show important protection in the loss of radiolabeled-glucose uptake observed in diverse organs when animals are exclusively treated with LPS. Treatment with peptide VSAK prevented the onset of changes in serum levels of glucose and insulin associated with the establishment of SIRS and the insulin resistance-like syndrome. Treatment with peptide VSAK also allowed an important attenuation in the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory molecules in LPS-treated animals. As a whole, our data suggest that peptide VSAK might be considered as a candidate in the development of new therapeutic possibilities focused on mitigating the harmful effects produced by lipopolysaccharides during the course of SIRS.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 615
Author(s):  
Shang-En Huang ◽  
Erna Sulistyowati ◽  
Yu-Ying Chao ◽  
Bin-Nan Wu ◽  
Zen-Kong Dai ◽  
...  

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthropathy that is mainly characterized by dysregulation of inflammatory responses. KMUP-1, a derived chemical synthetic of xanthine, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here, we aimed to investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory and in vivo anti-osteoarthritis effects of KMUP-1. Protein and gene expressions of inflammation markers were determined by ELISA, Western blotting and microarray, respectively. RAW264.7 mouse macrophages were cultured and pretreated with KMUP-1 (1, 5, 10 μM). The productions of TNF-α, IL-6, MMP-2 and MMP- 9 were reduced by KMUP-1 pretreatment in LPS-induced inflammation of RAW264.7 cells. The expressions of iNOS, TNF-α, COX-2, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were also inhibited by KMUP-1 pretreatment. The gene expression levels of TNF and COX families were also downregulated. In addition, KMUP-1 suppressed the activations of ERK, JNK and p38 as well as phosphorylation of IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, SIRT1 inhibitor attenuated the inhibitory effect of KMUP-1 in LPS-induced NF-κB activation. In vivo study showed that KMUP-1 reduced mechanical hyperalgesia in monoiodoacetic acid (MIA)-induced rats OA. Additionally, KMUP-1 pretreatment reduced the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in MIA-injected rats. Moreover, macroscopic and histological observation showed that KMUP-1 reduced articular cartilage erosion in rats. Our results demonstrated that KMUP-1 inhibited the inflammatory responses and restored SIRT1 in vitro, alleviated joint-related pain and cartilage destruction in vivo. Taken together, KMUP-1 has the potential to improve MIA-induced articular cartilage degradation by inhibiting the levels and expression of inflammatory mediators suggesting that KMUP-1 might be a potential therapeutic agent for OA.


Parasite ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Jing Ding ◽  
Xiaolei Liu ◽  
Bin Tang ◽  
Xue Bai ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
...  

Excretory/Secretory Products (ESPs) of the nematode Trichinella spiralis contain antitumor-active substances that inhibit tumor growth. Mature dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in the antitumor immunity of the organism. As pathogen-derived products, it ought to be discussed whether T. spiralis ESPs will reduce the antitumor effect of mature DCs from the host before it is applied to patients’ tumors. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the immunological effect of DCs stimulated by T. spiralis ESPs in H22 tumor-bearing mice. H22 tumor model mice in this study were randomly divided into four groups according to the treatment: PBS control group, ESP group, DCs group, and DCs stimulated with T. spiralis ESP (ESP+DCs group). The antitumor effect was evaluated by tumor inhibition rate and cytokine detection using ELISA. The results showed significant inhibition in tumor growth in the ESP+DCs, DCs and ESP groups when compared with the PBS control group (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). However, no significant difference was observed on tumor inhibition rates between the ESP+DCs and DCs groups. The decrease in IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10, and the increase in IFN-γ between the DCs and ESP+DCs groups were also not significant. Therefore, DCs stimulated by ESP did not reduce the antitumor effect of mature DCs, which demonstrated that the T. spiralis ESP would not affect the antitumor effect of mature DCs by modulating the immune response of the host, and that ESPs are safe in antitumor immunology when applied in a tumor model mice.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (15) ◽  
pp. 3512-3519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Caruso ◽  
Carmine Stolfi ◽  
Massimiliano Sarra ◽  
Angelamaria Rizzo ◽  
Massimo C. Fantini ◽  
...  

Abstract IL-25, a member of the IL-17 cytokine family, is known to enhance Th2-like responses associated with increased serum levels of IgE, IgG1, IgA, blood eosinophilia, and eosinophilic infiltrates in various tissues. However, IL-25 also abrogates inflammatory responses driven by Th17 cells. However, the cell types that respond to IL-25 and the mechanisms by which IL-25 differentially regulates immune reactions are not well explored. To identify potential targets of IL-25, we initially examined IL-25 receptor (IL-25R) in human peripheral blood cells. IL-25R was predominantly expressed by CD14+ cells. We next assessed the functional role of IL-25 in modulating the response of CD14+ cells to various inflammatory signals. CD14+ cells responded to IL-25 by down-regulating the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines induced by toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and inflammatory cytokines. Inhibition of cytokine response by IL-25 occurred via a p38 Map kinase–driven Socs-3–dependent mechanism. In vivo, IL-25 inhibited monocyte-derived cytokines and protected against LPS-induced lethal endotoxemia in mice. These data indicate that IL-25 is a negative regulator of monocyte proinflammatory cytokine responses, which may have therapeutic implications.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 776
Author(s):  
Katarina Letkovska ◽  
Pavel Babal ◽  
Zuzana Cierna ◽  
Silvia Schmidtova ◽  
Veronika Liskova ◽  
...  

Apoptosis is a strictly regulated process essential for preservation of tissue homeostasis. This study aimed to evaluate expression of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) in testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) and to correlate expression patterns with clinicopathological variables. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of non-neoplastic testicular tissue and GCTs obtained from 216 patients were included in the study. AIF expression was detected by immunohistochemistry, scored by the multiplicative quickscore method (QS). Normal testicular tissue exhibits higher cytoplasmic granular expression of AIF compared to GCTs (mean QS = 12.77 vs. 4.80, p < 0.0001). Among invasive GCTs, mean QS was the highest in embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor and seminoma, lower in teratoma and the lowest in choriocarcinoma. No nuclear translocation of AIF was observed. Nonpulmonary visceral metastases were associated with lower AIF expression. Metastatic GCTs patients with high AIF expression had better overall survival compared to patients with low AIF expression (HR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.11–0.62, p = 0.048). We observed significantly lower AIF expression in GCTs compared to normal testicular tissue, which is an uncommon finding in malignant tumors. AIF downregulation might represent one of the mechanisms of inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of cell survival in GCTs.


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