Vasoactive intestinal peptide induces cell cycle arrest and regulatory functions in human T cells at multiple levels

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a potent anti-inflammatory neuropeptide that, by inhibiting Th1-driven responses and inducing the emergence of regulatory T cells (Treg), has been proven successful in the induction of tolerance in various experimental models of autoimmune disorders. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in VIP-induced tolerance. VIP treatment in the presence of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling and CD28 costimulation induced cell cycle arrest in human T cells. VIP blocked G1/S transition and inhibited the synthesis of cyclins D3 and E and the activation of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) cdk2 and cdk4. This effect was accompanied by maintenance of threshold levels of the CDK inhibitor p27kip1 and impairment of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling. Inhibition of interleukin 2 (IL-2) transcription and downregulation of signaling through NFAT, AP-1, and Ras-Raf paralleled the VIPinduced cell cycle arrest. Noteworthy from a functional point of view is the fact that VIP-treated T cells show a regulatory phenotype characterized by high expression of CD25, cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and Forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and potent suppressive activities against effector T cells. CTLA4 appears to be critically involved in the generation and suppressive activities of VIP-induced Treg. Finally, cyclic AMP (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) activation seems to mediate the VIP-induced cell cycle arrest and Treg generation

Apoptosis induced by parasitic diseases

Fatalities caused by parasitic infections often occur as a result of tissue injury that results from a form of host-cell death known as apoptosis. However, instead of being pathogenic, parasite-induced apoptosis may facilitate host survival. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to decipher and understand the process and the role of apoptosis induced or controlled by parasites in humans. Despite this, few studies provide definitive knowledge of parasite-induced host-cell apoptosis. Here, the focus is on a consideration of host-cell apoptosis as either a pathogenic feature or as a factor enabling parasite survival and development

New Enzymes as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Trypanosomiases and Leishmaniasis

Infections caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania spp. are among the most relevant public health problems in the developing countries.Fil: Pereira, Claudio Alejandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Medicas; ArgentinaFil: Silber, Ariel. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Gonzalez Rey, Elena. Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina “Lopez-Neyra”; Españ

Cortistatin, a new antiinflammatory peptide with therapeutic effect on lethal endotoxemia

Cortistatin is a recently discovered cyclic neuropeptide related to somatostatin that has emerged as a potential endogenous antiinflammatory factor based on its production by and binding to immune cells. Because human septic shock involves excessive inflammatory cytokine production, we investigated the effect of cortistatin on the production of inflammatory mediators and its therapeutic action in various murine models of endotoxemia. Cortistatin down-regulated the production of inflammatory mediators by endotoxin-activated macrophages. The administration of cortistatin protected against lethality after cecal ligation and puncture, or injection of bacterial endotoxin or Escherichia coli, and prevented the septic shock-associated histopathology, such as infiltration of inflammatory cells and intravascular disseminated coagulation in various target organs. The therapeutic effect of cortistatin was mediated by decreasing the local and systemic levels of a wide spectrum of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase proteins. The combined use of cortistatin and other antiinflammatory peptides was very efficient treating murine septic shock. This work provides the first evidence of cortistatin as a new immunomodulatory factor with the capacity to deactivate the inflammatory response. Cortistatin represents a potential multistep therapeutic agent for human septic shock, to be used in combination with other immunomodulatory agents or as a complement to other therapies

Toll-like receptor stimulation differentially regulates vasoactive intestinal peptide type 2 receptor in macrophages

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was originally isolated as a vasodilator intestinal peptide, then as a neuropeptide. In the immune system, VIP is described as an endogenous macrophage-deactivating factor. VIP exerts its immunological actions in a paracrine and/or autocrine manner, through specific receptors. However, very little is known about the molecular regulation of VIP type 2 receptor (VPAC2) in the immune system. We now report that different toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands selectively regulate the VPAC2 receptor gene and show a gene repression system controlled by key protein kinase signalling cascades in macrophages. VPAC2 gene expression is regulated by gram-positive (TLR2 ligands) and gram-negative bacteria wall constituents (TLR4 ligands). Moreover, VPAC2 is tightly regulated: TLR2- or TLR2/6- but not TLR2/1-mediated mechanisms are responsible for the induction of VPAC2. TLR stimulation by viral or bacterial nucleic acids did not modify the VPAC2 mRNA levels. Remarkably, imiquimod – a synthetic TLR7 ligand – led to a potent up-regulation of VPAC2 gene expression. TLR5 stimulation by flagellin present in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria did not affect VPAC2 mRNA. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity accounted for the TLR4-mediated induction of VPAC2 gene expression. Surprisingly, our data strongly suggest for the first time a tightly repressed control of VPAC2 mRNA induction by elements downstream of MAPK kinase 1/2, PI3K/Akt, and particularly Jun-NH2-terminal kinase signalling pathways

Osteoarticular Expression of Musashi-1 in an Experimental Model of Arthritis

Background. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a murine experimental disease model induced by immunization with type II collagen (CII), is used to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies for rheumatoid arthritis. Adult stem cell marker Musashi-1 (Msi1) plays an important role in regulating the maintenance and differentiation of stem/precursor cells. The objectives of this investigation were to perform a morphological study of the experimental CIA model, evaluate the effect of TNFα-blocker (etanercept) treatment, and determine the immunohistochemical expression of Msi1 protein. Methods. CIA was induced in 50 male DBA1/J mice for analyses of tissue and serum cytokine; clinical and morphological lesions in limbs; and immunohistochemical expression of Msi1. Results. Clinically, TNFα-blocker treatment attenuated CIA on day 32 after immunization (). Msi1 protein expression was significantly higher in joints damaged by CIA than in those with no lesions () and was related to the severity of the lesions (Spearman’s rho = 0.775, ). Conclusions. Treatment with etanercept attenuates osteoarticular lesions in the murine CIA model. Osteoarticular expression of Msi1 protein is increased in joints with CIA-induced lesion and absent in nonlesioned joints, suggesting that this protein is expressed when the lesion is produced in order to favor tissue repair.This investigation was partially supported by Research Group #CTS-138 (Junta de Andalucía, Spain)

Cortistatin reduces atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic ApoE-deficient mice and the formation of foam cells

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory cardiovascular disease that is responsible of high mortality worldwide. Evidence indicates that maladaptive autoimmune responses in the arterial wall play critical roles in the process of atherosclerosis. Cortistatin is a neuropeptide expressed in the vascular system and atherosclerotic plaques that regulates vascular calcification and neointimal formation, and inhibits inflammation in different experimental models of autoimmune diseases. Its role in inflammatory cardiovascular disorders is largely unexplored. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of cortistatin in two well-established preclinical models of atherosclerosis, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved. Systemic treatment with cortistatin reduced the number and size of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid artery, heart, aortic arch and aorta in acute and chronic atherosclerosis induced in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-lipid diet. This effect was exerted at multiple levels. Cortistatin reduced Th1/Th17-driven inflammatory responses and increased regulatory T cells in atherosclerotic arteries and lymphoid organs. Moreover, cortistatin reduced the capacity of endothelial cells to bind and recruit immune cells to the plaque and impaired the formation of foam cells by enhancing cholesterol efflux from macrophages. Cortistatin emerges as a new candidate for the treatment of the clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis

Structure-based design of a Cortistatin analogue with immunomodulatory activity in models of inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are forms of inflammatory bowel disease whose incidence and prevalence are increasing worldwide. These diseases lead to chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract as a result of an abnormal response of the immune system. Recent studies positioned Cortistatin, which shows low stability in plasma, as a candidate for IBD treatment. Here, using NMR structural information, we design five Cortistatin analogs adopting selected native Cortistatin conformations in soln. One of them, A5, preserves the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of Cortistatin in vitro and in mouse models of the disease. Addnl., A5 displays an increased half-life in serum and a unique receptor binding profile, thereby overcoming the limitations of the native Cortistatin as a therapeutic agent. This study provides an efficient approach to the rational design of Cortistatin analogs and opens up new possibilities for the treatment of patients that fail to respond to other therapies

Therapeutic Effect of a Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 Inhibitor on Experimental Arthritis by Downregulating Inflammation and Th1 Response

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) synthesizes and transfers ADP ribose polymers to target proteins, and regulates DNA repair and genomic integrity maintenance. PARP-1 also plays a crucial role in the progression of the inflammatory response, and its inhibition confers protection in several models of inflammatory disorders. Here, we investigate the impact of a selective PARP-1 inhibitor in experimental arthritis. PARP-1 inhibition with 5-aminoisoquinolinone (AIQ) significantly reduces incidence and severity of established collagen-induced arthritis, completely abrogating joint swelling and destruction of cartilage and bone. The therapeutic effect of AIQ is associated with a striking reduction of the two deleterious components of the disease, i.e. the Th1-driven autoimmune and inflammatory responses. AIQ downregulates the production of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, decreases the antigen-specific Th1-cell expansion, and induces the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Our results provide evidence of the contribution of PARP-1 to the progression of arthritis and identify this protein as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Glial Innate Immunity Generated by Non-Aggregated Alpha-Synuclein in Mouse: Differences between Wild-type and Parkinson's Disease-Linked Mutants

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized pathologically by the presence in the brain of intracellular protein inclusions highly enriched in aggregated alpha-synuclein (alpha-Syn). Although it has been established that progression of the disease is accompanied by sustained activation of microglia, the underlying molecules and factors involved in these immune-triggered mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Lately, accumulating evidence has shown the presence of extracellular alpha-Syn both in its aggregated and monomeric forms in cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma. However, the effect of extracellular alpha-Syn on cellular activation and immune mediators, as well as the impact of familial PD-linked alpha-Syn mutants on this stimulation, are still largely unknown.Methods and Findings: In this work, we have compared the activation profiles of non-aggregated, extracellular wild-type and PD-linked mutant alpha-Syn variants on primary glial and microglial cell cultures. After stimulation of cells with alpha-Syn, we measured the release of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines as well as IP-10/CXCL10, RANTES/CCL5, MCP-1/CCL2 and MIP-1 alpha/CCL3 chemokines. Contrary to what had been observed using cell lines or for the case of aggregated alpha-Syn, we found strong differences in the immune response generated by wild-type alpha-Syn and the familial PD mutants (A30P, E46K and A53T).Conclusions: These findings might contribute to explain the differences in the onset and progression of this highly debilitating disease, which could be of value in the development of rational approaches towards effective control of immune responses that are associated with PD