Mitochondria in innate immunity signaling and its therapeutic implications in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by vast alterations in immune responses, but the pathogenesis remains sophisticated and yet to be fully elucidated. Multiple mechanisms regulating cell differentiation, maturation, and death are critical, among which mitochondria-related cellular organelle functions have recently gained accumulating attention. Mitochondria, as a highly preserved organelle in eukaryotes, have crucial roles in the cellular response to both exogenous and endogenous stress beyond their fundamental functions in chemical energy conversion. In this review, we aim to summarize recent findings on the function of mitochondria in the innate immune response and its aberrancy in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc., mainly focusing on its direct impact on cellular metabolism and its machinery on regulating immune response signaling pathways. More importantly, we summarize the status quo of potential therapeutic targets found in the mitochondrial regulation in the setting of autoimmune diseases and wish to shed light on future studies

Monoketone analogs of curcumin, a new class of Fanconi anemia pathway inhibitors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway is a multigene DNA damage response network implicated in the repair of DNA lesions that arise during replication or after exogenous DNA damage. The FA pathway displays synthetic lethal relationship with certain DNA repair genes such as <it>ATM </it>(Ataxia Telangectasia Mutated) that are frequently mutated in tumors. Thus, inhibition of FANCD2 monoubiquitylation (FANCD2-Ub), a key step in the FA pathway, might target tumor cells defective in ATM through synthetic lethal interaction. Curcumin was previously identified as a weak inhibitor of FANCD2-Ub. The aim of this study is to identify derivatives of curcumin with better activity and specificity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using a replication-free assay in <it>Xenopus </it>extracts, we screened monoketone analogs of curcumin for inhibition of FANCD2-Ub and identified analog EF24 as a strong inhibitor. Mechanistic studies suggest that EF24 targets the FA pathway through inhibition of the NF-kB pathway kinase IKK. In HeLa cells, nanomolar concentrations of EF24 inhibited hydroxyurea (HU)-induced FANCD2-Ub and foci in a cell-cycle independent manner. Survival assays revealed that EF24 specifically sensitizes FA-competent cells to the DNA crosslinking agent mitomycin C (MMC). In addition, in contrast with curcumin, ATM-deficient cells are twofold more sensitive to EF24 than matched wild-type cells, consistent with a synthetic lethal effect between FA pathway inhibition and ATM deficiency. An independent screen identified 4H-TTD, a compound structurally related to EF24 that displays similar activity in egg extracts and in cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that monoketone analogs of curcumin are potent inhibitors of the FA pathway and constitute a promising new class of targeted anticancer compounds.</p

Cuproptosis in stroke: focusing on pathogenesis and treatment

Annually, more than 15 million people worldwide suffer from stroke, a condition linked to high mortality and disability rates. This disease significantly affects daily life, impairing everyday functioning, executive function, and cognition. Moreover, stroke severely restricts patients’ ability to perform daily activities, diminishing their overall quality of life. Recent scientific studies have identified cuproptosis, a newly discovered form of cell death, as a key factor in stroke development. However, the role of cuproptosis in stroke remains unclear to researchers. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the mechanisms of cuproptosis in stroke’s pathogenesis. This review examines the physiological role of copper, the characteristics and mechanisms of cuproptosis, the differences and similarities between cuproptosis and other cell death types, and the pathophysiology of cuproptosis in stroke, focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction and immune infiltration. Further research is necessary to understand the relationship between previous strokes and cuproptosis and to clarify the mechanisms behind these associations

An Improved Model Predictive Torque Control for PMSM Drives Based on Discrete Space Vector Modulation

In this article, an improved model predictive torque control (MPTC) method based on discrete space vector modulation (DSVM) is proposed for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives. Aiming at solving the two problems of large torque ripples and high computational complexity in conventional MPTC, the proposed method adopts a second optimization and a new simplified search strategy. The key idea of second optimization is to make the output voltage vector closer to the actual optimal solution. In this case, a more suitable voltage vector is applied in each sampling period. The simplified search strategy reduces the calculation time by cutting down the number of candidate voltage vectors without affecting drives performance. Compared to the conventional MPTC without DSVM and with DSVM, the proposed method can produce superior steady-state performance and lower computational complexity. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method

Qingkailing Suppresses the Activation of BV2 Microglial Cells by Inhibiting Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Inflammatory Responses

Qingkailing (QKL) is a well-known composite extract used in traditional Chinese medicine. This extract has been extensively administered to treat the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease. Our previous experiments confirmed that QKL exerts an inhibitory effect on cerebral ischemia-induced inflammatory responses. However, whether QKL suppresses the activation of microglia, the primary resident immune cells in the brain, has yet to be determined. In this study, BV2 microglial cells were used to validate the protective effects of QKL treatment following ischemia-reperfusion injury simulated via hypoxia/reoxygenation in vitro. Under these conditions, high expression levels of ROS, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38 protein were detected. Following ischemia/reperfusion injury, QKL significantly increased the activity of BV2 cells to approximately the basal level by modulating microglial activation via inhibition of inflammatory factors, including TNF-, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38. However, QKL treatment also displayed dosedependent differences in its inhibitory effects on p38 phosphorylation and inflammatory factor expression

Qingkailing Suppresses the Activation of BV2 Microglial Cells by Inhibiting Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Inflammatory Responses

Qingkailing (QKL) is a well-known composite extract used in traditional Chinese medicine. This extract has been extensively administered to treat the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease. Our previous experiments confirmed that QKL exerts an inhibitory effect on cerebral ischemia-induced inflammatory responses. However, whether QKL suppresses the activation of microglia, the primary resident immune cells in the brain, has yet to be determined. In this study, BV2 microglial cells were used to validate the protective effects of QKL treatment following ischemia-reperfusion injury simulated via hypoxia/reoxygenation in vitro. Under these conditions, high expression levels of ROS, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38 protein were detected. Following ischemia/reperfusion injury, QKL significantly increased the activity of BV2 cells to approximately the basal level by modulating microglial activation via inhibition of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38. However, QKL treatment also displayed dose-dependent differences in its inhibitory effects on p38 phosphorylation and inflammatory factor expression

Effects of Wenxin Keli on the Action Potential and L-Type Calcium Current in Rats with Transverse Aortic Constriction-Induced Heart Failure

Objective. We investigated the effects of WXKL on the action potential (AP) and the L-type calcium current (ICa-L) in normal and hypertrophied myocytes. Methods. Forty male rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group and the transverse aortic constriction- (TAC-) induced heart failure group. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by TAC surgery, whereas the control group underwent a sham operation. Eight weeks after surgery, single cardiac ventricular myocytes were isolated from the hearts of the rats. The APs and ICa-L were recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Results. The action potential duration (APD) of the TAC group was prolonged compared with the control group and was markedly shortened by WXKL treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The current densities of the ICa-L in the TAC group treated with 5 g/L WXKL were significantly decreased compared with the TAC group. We also determined the effect of WXKL on the gating mechanism of the ICa-L in the TAC group. We found that WXKL decreased the ICa-L by accelerating the inactivation of the channels and delaying the recovery time from inactivation. Conclusions. The results suggest that WXKL affects the AP and blocked the ICa-L, which ultimately resulted in the treatment of arrhythmias

Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab in Patients Enrolled in KEYNOTE-030 in the United States: An Expanded Access Program.

KEYNOTE-030 (ClinicalTrials.gov ID, NCT02083484) was a global expanded access program that allowed access to pembrolizumab, an antiprogrammed death 1 antibody, for patients with advanced melanoma before its regulatory approval. Patients with unresectable stage III/IV melanoma that progressed after standard-of-care therapy, including ipilimumab and, if BRAF mutant, a BRAF inhibitor, were eligible to receive pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg every 3 weeks. Response was assessed by immune-related response criteria by investigator review. Adverse events (AEs) were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. In the United States, 979 patients enrolled between April and September 2014. Of the 947 evaluable patients, 621 (65.6%) remained on treatment and transitioned to receive commercial pembrolizumab following approval by the Food and Drug Administration, whereas 326 (34.4%) discontinued, most commonly for disease progression (39.6%) or death (26.4%). Objective response rate was 14.5% (95% confidence interval, 12.2%-16.8%) in the treated population (n=947) and 22.1% (95% confidence interval, 18.8%-25.5%) in patients who had ≥1 response assessment reported (n=619). Twelve patients achieved complete response. One hundred eighty-one (19.1%) patients experienced ≥1 treatment-related AE, most commonly general disorders (8.0%), skin/subcutaneous tissue disorders (7.3%), and gastrointestinal disorders (6.4%); 29 (3.1%) patients experienced ≥1 grade 3/4 treatment-related AE. Immune-mediated AEs were also reported. There were no treatment-related deaths. The safety and efficacy observed in this expanded access program were consistent with those previously reported for similar populations and support the use of pembrolizumab for patients with advanced melanoma

Wenxin-Keli Regulates the Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Signal Transduction Pathway and Inhibits Cardiac Arrhythmia in Rats with Myocardial Infarction

Wenxin-Keli (WXKL) is a Chinese herbal compound reported to be of benefit in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac inflammation, and heart failure. Amiodarone is a noncompetitive inhibitor of the α- and β-adrenergic receptors and prevents calcium influx in the slow-response cells of the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes. Overexpression of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in transgenic mice results in heart failure and arrhythmias. We hypothesised that administration of WXKL and amiodarone can reduce the incidence of arrhythmias by regulating CaMKII signal transduction. A total of 100 healthy Sprague Dawley rats were used in the study. The rats were randomly divided into four groups (a sham group, a myocardial infarction (MI) group, a WXKL-treated group, and an amiodarone-treated group). A myocardial infarction model was established in these rats by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 4 weeks. Western blotting was used to assess CaMKII, p-CaMKII (Thr-286), PLB, p-PLB (Thr-17), RYR2, and FK binding protein 12.6 (FKBP12.6) levels. The Ca2+ content in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the calcium transient amplitude were studied by confocal imaging using the fluorescent indicator Fura-4. In conclusion, WXKL may inhibit heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias by regulating the CaMKII signal transduction pathway similar to amiodarone