ブレオマイシン肺線維症マウスに対するWnt/βカテニン/CBPシグナル新規阻害薬PRI-724の抗線維化効果

Purpose/Aim of the Study: Wnt/β-catenin signaling was reported to be activated in pulmonary fibrosis, and was focused on as a target for antifibrotic therapy. However, the mechanism how the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study is to explore the target cells of Wnt/β-catenin inhibition in pulmonary fibrosis and to examine the antifibrotic effect of the novel inhibitor PRI-724 specifically disrupting the interaction of β-catenin and CBP. Materials and Methods: The effect of C-82, an active metabolite of PRI-724, on the expression of TGF-β1 and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) was examined on fibroblasts and macrophages. We also examined the effects of PRI-724 in mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Results: The activation and increased accumulation of β-catenin in the canonical pathway were detected in lung fibroblasts as well as macrophages stimulated by Wnt3a using Western blotting. Treatment with C-82 reduced CBP protein and increased p300 protein binding to β-catenin in the nucleus of lung fibroblasts. In addition, C-82 inhibited the expression of SMA in lung fibroblasts treated with TGF-β, indicating the inhibition of myofibroblast differentiation. In the fibrotic lungs induced by bleomycin, β-catenin was stained strongly in macrophages, but the staining of β-catenin in alveolar epithelial cells and fibroblasts was weak. The administration of PRI-724 ameliorated pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice when administered with a late, but not an early, treatment schedule. Analysis of bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) showed a decreased number of alveolar macrophages. In addition, the level of TGF-β1 in BALF was decreased in mice treated with PRI-724. C-82 also inhibited the production of TGF-β1 by alveolar macrophages. Conclusions: These results suggest that the β-catenin/CBP inhibitor PRI-724 is a potent antifibrotic agent that acts by modulating the activity of macrophages in the lungs

Current status of space gravitational wave antenna DECIGO and B-DECIGO

The Deci-hertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO) is a future Japanese space mission with a frequency band of 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. DECIGO aims at the detection of primordial gravitational waves, which could have been produced during the inflationary period right after the birth of the Universe. There are many other scientific objectives of DECIGO, including the direct measurement of the acceleration of the expansion of the Universe, and reliable and accurate predictions of the timing and locations of neutron star/black hole binary coalescences. DECIGO consists of four clusters of observatories placed in heliocentric orbit. Each cluster consists of three spacecraft, which form three Fabry–Pérot Michelson interferometers with an arm length of 1000 km. Three DECIGO clusters will be placed far from each other, and the fourth will be placed in the same position as one of the other three to obtain correlation signals for the detection of primordial gravitational waves. We plan to launch B-DECIGO, which is a scientific pathfinder for DECIGO, before DECIGO in the 2030s to demonstrate the technologies required for DECIGO, as well as to obtain fruitful scientific results to further expand multi-messenger astronomy

Therapeutic Effects of Systemic Administration of the Novel RANKL-Modified Peptide, MHP1, for Ischemic Stroke in Mice

Microglial healing peptide 1, “MHP1”, is a newly developed synthetic peptide composed of the DE and a part of the EF loop of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-кB (NFκB) ligand (RANKL). Our previous report demonstrated that MHP1 significantly inhibits Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2- and 4-induced inflammation in microglia/macrophages through RANK signaling without osteoclast activation. However, its inhibitory effects on ischemic stroke when administered intravenously have not been clarified. First, we examined whether MHP1 could penetrate the brain parenchyma. Intravenous injection of FITC-conjugated MHP1 demonstrated that MHP1 could cross the blood-brain-barrier in peri-infarct regions, but not in intact regions. Because MHP1 in the parenchyma was reduced at 60 minutes after injection, we speculated that continuous injection was necessary to achieve the therapeutic effects. To check the possible deactivation of MHP1 by continuous injection, the anti-inflammatory effects were checked in MG6 cells after incubation in 37°C for 24 hours. Although the inhibitory effects for IL6 and TNFα were reduced compared to nonincubated MHP1, its anti-inflammatory efficacy remained, indicating that continuous administration with pump was possible. The single and successive continuous administration of MHP1 starting from 4 or 6 hours after cerebral ischemia successfully reduced infarct volume and prevented the exacerbation of neurological deficits with reduced activation of microglia/macrophages and inflammatory cytokines. Different from recombinant RANKL, MHP1 did not activate osteoclasts in the paralytic arm. Although further modification of MHP1 is necessary for stabilization, the MHP1 could be a novel agent for the treatment ischemic stroke