Studies In Animal Models Research Articles

The Role of TNF-α in Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review.

This review analyzes the role of TNF-α and its increase in biological fluids in mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The potential inhibition of TNF-α with pharmacological strategies paves the way for preventing AD and improving cognitive function in people at risk for dementia. We conducted a narrative review to characterize the evidence in relation to the involvement of TNF-α in AD and its possible therapeutic inhibition. Several studies report that patients with RA and systemic inflammatory diseases treated with TNF-α blocking agents reduce the probability of emerging dementia compared with the general population. Animal model studies also showed interesting results and are discussed. An increasing amount of basic scientific data and clinical studies underscore the importance of inflammatory processes and subsequent glial activation in the pathogenesis of AD. TNF-α targeted therapy is a biologically plausible approach for cognition preservation and further trials are necessary to investigate the potential benefits of therapy in populations at risk of developing AD.

Using Helminths to Fight Cancer: An Innovative Approach

As an alternative treatment in cancer therapy, there has been a growing interest in using helminths, such as Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis), Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus), Toxocara canis (T. canis), and Taenia solium (T. solium). This study aimed to investigate the antigens and mechanisms that contribute to the anticancer properties of helminths, providing insights into how helminths may be used as a new and innovative treatment modality for cancer. The current review analyzed preclinical and clinical studies published between 2000 and 2023. The present study sought to obtain information on helminths, such as E. granulosus, T. spiralis, T. canis, and T. solium, to treat cancers of the breast, pancreas, melanoma, and leukemia by exploring databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Studies focusing on helminth therapy against particular cancer types for in vitro and animal models were included. Several studies have shown the possibility of inhibiting breast, colon, melanoma, and leukemia tumor growth, inducing apoptosis, and modulating the tumor microenvironment with E. granulosus, T. spiralis, T. canis, and T. solium based on in vitro and animal models studies. Some studies have indicated that helminth therapy can improve survival rates, reduce tumor growth, and stimulate the immune system in cancer patients. A potential improvement in treatment outcomes can be used for combination therapies, such as antigen selection, immune profiling, and individualized approaches based on helminth therapy. Helminth therapy is an additional option for cancer treatment, emphasizing T. spiralis, E. granulosus, T. canis, and T. solium. These helminth antigens could modulate immune responses and directly cause cytotoxicity in cancer cells.

Immunogenicity of a recombinant plant-produced respiratory syncytial virus F subunit vaccine in mice

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly infectious respiratory virus that causes serious illness, particularly in young children, elderly people, and those with immunocompromised individuals. RSV infection is the leading cause of infant hospitalization and can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Currently, there is an RSV vaccine approved exclusively for the elderly population, but no approved vaccine specifically designed for infants or any other age groups. Therefore, it is crucial to continue the development of an RSV vaccine specifically tailored for these populations. In this study, the immunogenicity of the two plant-produced RSV-F Fc fusion proteins (Native construct and structural stabilized construct) were examined to assess them as potential vaccine candidates for RSV. The RSV-F Fc fusion proteins were transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and purified using protein A affinity column chromatography. The recombinant RSV-F Fc fusion protein was recognized by the monoclonal antibody Motavizumab specific against RSV-F protein. Moreover, the immunogenicity of the two purified RSV-F Fc proteins were evaluated in mice by formulating with different adjuvants. According to our results, the plant-produced RSV-F Fc fusion protein is immunogenic in mice. These preliminary findings, demonstrate the immunogenicity of plant-based RSV-F Fc fusion protein, however, further preclinical studies such as antigen dose and adjuvant optimization, safety, toxicity, and challenge studies in animal models are necessary in order to prove the vaccine efficacy.

Cytokines in Immune-mediated "Non-infectious" Uveitis.

Uveitis is a significant cause of ocular morbidity and accounts for approximately 5 - 10% of visual impairments worldwide, particularly among the working-age population. Infections are the cause of ~ 50% cases of uveitis, but it has been suggested that infection might also be implicated in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated "non-infectious" uveitis. There is growing evidence that cytokines (i.e., interleukins, interferons, etc.) are key mediators of immune-mediated "non-infectious" uveitis. For example, activation of the interleukin-23/interleukin-17 signalling pathway is involved in immune-mediated "non-infectious" uveitis. Studies in animal models have been important in investigating the role of cytokines in uveitis. Recent studies of clinical samples from patients with uveitis have allowed the measurement of a considerable array of cytokines even from very small sample volumes (e.g., aqueous and vitreous humour). The identification of complex patterns of cytokines may contribute to a better understanding of their potential pathogenetic role in uveitis as well as to an improved diagnostic and therapeutic approach to treat these potentially blinding pathologies. This review provides further insights into the putative pathobiological role of cytokines in immune-mediated "non-infectious" uveitis.

Rebuilding insight into the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease through new blood-brain barrier models.

The blood-brain barrier is a unique function of the microvasculature in the brain parenchyma that maintains homeostasis in the central nervous system. Blood-brain barrier breakdown is a common pathology in various neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Traditionally, it has been considered a consequence of neuroinflammation or neurodegeneration, but recent advanced imaging techniques and detailed studies in animal models show that blood-brain barrier breakdown occurs early in the disease process and may precede neuronal loss. Thus, the blood-brain barrier is attractive as a potential therapeutic target for neurological diseases that lack effective therapeutics. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying blood-brain barrier breakdown and translate them into therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases, there is a growing demand for experimental models of human origin that allow for functional assessments. Recently, several human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have been established and various in vitro blood-brain barrier models using microdevices have been proposed. Especially in the Alzheimer's disease field, the human evidence for blood-brain barrier dysfunction has been demonstrated and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier models have suggested the putative molecular mechanisms of pathological blood-brain barrier. In this review, we summarize recent evidence of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease from pathological analyses, imaging studies, animal models, and stem cell sources. Additionally, we discuss the potential future directions for blood-brain barrier research.

Role of dopamine neuron activity in Parkinson's disease pathophysiology

Neural activity is finely tuned to produce normal behaviors, and disruptions in activity likely occur early in the course of many neurodegenerative diseases. However, how neural activity is altered, and how these changes influence neurodegeneration is poorly understood. Here, we focus on evidence that the activity of dopamine neurons is altered in Parkinson's disease (PD), either as a compensatory response to degeneration or as a result of circuit dynamics or pathologic proteins, based on available human data and studies in animal models of PD. We then discuss how this abnormal activity may augment other neurotoxic phenomena in PD, including mitochondrial deficits, protein aggregation and spread, dopamine toxicity, and excitotoxicity. A more complete picture of how activity is altered and the resulting effects on dopaminergic neuron health and function may inform future therapeutic interventions to target and protect dopamine neurons from degeneration.

Molecular Mechanisms of Curcumin in the Pathogenesis of Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a multifactorial condition characterized by insulin resistance, oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation, and sometimes fibrosis. To date, no effective pharmacological therapy has been approved for the treatment of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), the progressive form of MASLD. Recently, numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have described the efficacy of nutraceutical compounds in the diet has been tested. Among them, curcumin is the most widely used polyphenol in the diet showing potent anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic activities. This review aims to summarize the most important basic studies (in vitro and animal models studies), describing the molecular mechanisms by which curcumin acts in the context of MASLD, providing the rationale for its effective translational use in humans.

Antimicrobial and biocompatibility nature of methanol extract of Lannea coromandelica bark and edible coating film preparation for fruit preservation

This research was performed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of Lannea coromandelica bark against fruit damage causing microbes such as fungi: Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Botrytis sp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., Phytophthora sp., and Trichoderma sp. The bacteria: such as Chromobacter sp., Enterobacter sp., Erwinia sp., Flavobacterium sp., Lactobacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Xanthomonas sp. was investigated. Furthermore, their biocompatibility nature was determined through animal (rat) model study and their fruit preserving potential was determined by edible coating preparation with chitosan and other substances. Interestingly, the extract showed dose dependent (1000 μg mL−1) activity against these microbes in the following order: Enterobacter sp. (26.4 ± 1.5) > Chromobacter sp. (25.4 ± 1.6) > Pseudomonas sp. (24.5 ± 1.3) > Flavobacterium sp. (24.3 ± 1.4) > Xanthomonas sp. (23.6 ± 1.6) > Erwinia sp. (23.6 ± 1.6) > Lactobacillus sp. (19.6 ± 1.3). Similarly, the antifungal activity was found as Penicillium sp. (32.6 ± 1.3) > Cladosporium sp. (32.6 ± 1.5) > Alternaria sp. (30.3 ± 1.2) > Aspergillus sp. (29.9 ± 1.8) > Botrytis sp. (29.8 ± 1.2) > Fusarium sp. (28.6 ± 1.5) > Trichoderma sp. (19.8 ± 1.4) > Phytophthora sp. (16.2 ± 1.1). The acute toxicity and histopathological study results revealed that the extract possesses biocompatible in nature. The illumination transmittance and active functional groups involved in interaction among test methanol extract and chitosan investigated by UV–vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses and found average light transmittance and few vital functional groups accountable for optimistic interaction to creak edible coating. Approximately four (set I-IV) treatment sets were prepared, and it was discovered that all of the coated Citrus maxima fruit quality characteristics including total soluble solids (TSS), weight loss (%), pH of fruit pulp juice, and decay percentage were significantly (p>0.05) better than uncoated fruit.

AlzPED: Raising the Standards for Preclinical Efficacy Testing of Candidate Therapeutics in Alzheimer’s Disease

AbstractBackgroundPositive findings of therapeutics and interventions from studies conducted in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) animal models are often not translated to effective treatments. Assessments of these studies highlight the lack of methodological rigor and inadequate reporting practices as contributive to the preclinical to clinical translation gap in AD therapy development. AlzPED/Alzheimer’s Disease Preclinical Efficacy Database, developed by the NIA, is a searchable and publicly available knowledgebase that prioritizes and promotes the use of rigorous methodology in the planning of animal studies through its Rigor Report Card. The Rigor Report Card, through its checklist of experimental design elements, creates awareness of reporting recommendations and standards early in the research process and provides a practical and easy approach to planning a therapeutic study in animals.MethodUsing key word‐driven literature searches published studies are acquired and curated by two experts for bibliographic details, funding source, study goals and principal findings, data on relevant translational criteria like therapy type, therapeutic agent, therapeutic target, animal models, and AD‐related outcome measures, prior to publication in the database. Rigor in study design and methodology is evaluated with the Rigor Report Card.ResultAlzPED hosts curated summaries from nearly 1300 published preclinical therapeutic studies in AD animal models, and data related to 251 therapeutic targets, 1123 therapeutic agents, 210 animal models, more than 2000 AD‐related outcome measures, and thousands of principal findings. Evaluation of Rigor Report Cards from each study demonstrates significant under‐reporting of critical elements of methodology such as power/sample size calculation, blinding, randomization, balancing for sex, animal genetic background, and inclusion/exclusion criteria, these being reported by fewer than 35% of the nearly 1300 curated studies. These serious deficiencies in reporting critical elements of methodology diminish the scientific rigor, reproducibility, and translational value of the preclinical studies.ConclusionRigorous experimental design and transparent reporting are clearly essential if animal studies are to inform future research, science policies, and successful clinical trials. Adopting a standardized set of best practices like those proposed by AlzPED can improve the predictive power of preclinical studies in AD animal models and promote the effective translation of preclinical drug testing data to the clinic.

Protective effect of novel angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor S086 on target organ injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats

BackgroundHypertension is a clinical syndrome characterized by elevated systemic arterial blood pressure associated with injury to the heart, kidney, brain, and other organs. Angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNi), including angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and neprilysin inhibitors (NEPi), have been shown to be safe and effective at reducing blood pressure and alleviating development of target organ injury. This study was used to develop S086 as a novel ARNi and conducted preclinical studies in animal models to evaluate the protective effects of S086 on target organs. MethodsThis study used a 14-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model to evaluate the protective effects of S086 on the cardiovascular system and organs such as heart and kidney by blood pressure monitoring, urine and blood examination, pathological examination, and immunological index detection. ResultsAfter administering S086 orally to the SHR, their blood pressure and levels of renal injury indicators such as serum creatinine and urinary microalbumin were reduced, and myocardial cell necrosis and cardiac fibrosis of the heart were significantly improved. In addition, there were also significantly improvements in the histological lesions of blood vessels and the kidneys. ConclusionsThe findings showed that S086 effectively reduced the blood pressure of SHR and had effects on alleviating development of heart, blood vessels and kidney.

Masupirdine (SUVN‐502) for the Potential Treatment of Agitation in Patients with Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type: Preliminary Efficacy and Phase‐3 Study Design

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with manifestations in cognitive, functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). Agitation is one of the most prevalent and challenging NPS to manage. Antipsychotics are widely used for the pharmacological management of agitation. However, they offer modest efficacy, and the side effects are substantial.Serotonin‐6 receptor (5‐HT6) blockade may have therapeutic utility in the management of disorders associated with mood and behavior. Masupirdine is a potent and selective 5‐HT6 receptor antagonist.MethodMasupirdine has been evaluated in a phase‐2, 26‐week proof‐of‐concept clinical study (NCT02580305). Subgroup analyses of study results based on the neuropsychiatric inventory scale was carried out. Masupirdine was also evaluated in animal models to assess its effect on behavior and brain neurotransmitters modulations.A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, parallel group, adequately powered global phase‐3 study is in progress to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of masupirdine for the treatment of agitation in participants with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (NCT05397639). A total of 375 patients are planned to be enrolled in the study who will be randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg masupirdine or 100 mg masupirdine or placebo. Patients will be treated for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint of this study is the Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory items score aligning to the international psychogeriatric association agitation criteria domains (physical aggression, excessive motor activity, and verbal aggression) and the key secondary endpoint is improvement in modified Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study‐Clinical Global Impression of Change score as related to agitation.ResultThe observations from the post hoc analysis of phase‐2 clinical study in AD patients and animal models support the potential beneficial effects of masupirdine on agitation.The phase‐3 study has been initiated in USA and Europe, and the subject enrolment is expected to be completed by Q3 2024.ConclusionThe need for new treatments for the management of agitation is significant and unmet. The Phase‐3 study results will inform the utility of masupirdine for the potential treatment of agitation in patients with dementia of Alzheimer’s type. Phase‐3 study data readout is anticipated in Q1/Q2 2025.

Abstract A030: Blood-based screening panel for lung cancer based on clonal hematopoietic mutations in tumor infiltrating immune cells

Abstract Early detection can significantly reduce mortality due to lung cancer. However, the high cost of the currently approved screening protocol has limited its uptake. Presented here is a blood-based screening panel based on clonal hematopoietic mutations. Mutations in tumor cells that inhibit immune destruction have been extensively studied. However, mutations in immune cells that may prevent an effective anti-tumor immune response remain relatively unstudied. Animal model studies suggest that clonal hematopoietic mutations in tumor infiltrating immune cells can modulate cancer progression, representing potential predictive biomarkers. The goal of this study was to determine if the clonal expansion of these mutations in blood samples could predict the occurrence of lung cancer. We identified a set of 98 potentially pathogenic clonal hematopoietic mutations in tumor infiltrating immune cells. A logistic regression machine learning model based on these mutations correctly classified lung cancer and non-cancer blood samples with 94.12% sensitivity (95% Confidence Interval: 92.20-96.04%) and 85.96% specificity (95% Confidence Interval: 82.98-88.95%) in a test set of 578 lung cancer and 545 non-cancer samples from 18 different cohorts. More importantly, 89.98% of the cancer cases were unambiguously predicted with probability of cancer >0.90 and 74.86% of the non-cancer cases with probability of cancer <0.10. These results suggest that it may be possible to develop an accurate blood-based lung cancer screening panel. Unlike most other “liquid biopsies” currently under development, the assay presented here is based on standard sequencing protocols and uses a relatively small number of rationally selected mutations as predictors. Citation Format: Ramu Anandakrishnan, Ryan Shahidi, Andrew Dai, Veneeth Antony. Blood-based screening panel for lung cancer based on clonal hematopoietic mutations in tumor infiltrating immune cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2023 Oct 1-4; Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2023;11(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A030.

Effects of Ottonia anisum plant extract on local anesthetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and HCl‑induced acute lung injury activities: a study in animal models

Ottonia anisum (O. anisum), belonging to the family Piperaceae, is renowned for its medicinal properties. The plant is rich in alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids with recorded bioactivities. The stems, roots, and leaves, of the O. anisum have been extensively used in the folk medicine. Therefore, the present study was conducted to examine the pharmacological activities of O. anisum root extract. Methanolic root extract of O. anisum was assessed for local anesthetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and HCl-induced acute lung injury activities in animal models. Local anesthetic activity assessed in frog and guinea pigs through foot withdrawal reflex and intradermal wheal method, respectively, revealed the dose-dependent onset time of anesthesia response. In the case of HCl-induced ALI, the mice group orally administered with O. anisum extract were assessed for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BLF) contents, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory molecules. The analysis revealed the reduction in inflammatory molecules, neutrophils, and oxidative stress in the extract treated mice group. In addition, the redox homeostasis, reduced GSH and the catalase activity was found to be restored in the treated groups. Intriguingly, the genes associated with the NFkB expression was found to be downregulated in O. anisum extract treated groups. Moreover, the extract unveiled the significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Overall, the findings emphasize the clinical applicability of O. anisum extract in the treatment of ALI as well as the potential usage in local anesthetic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory agents during the treatments.Graphical

The effects of prolonged stress exposure on the brain of rats and insights to understand the impact of work-related stress on caregivers

IntroductionStress exposure is a significant concern in the healthcare sector. This animal model study aims to reproduce caregivers’ working conditions and determine their impact on the brain.MethodTwenty-four healthy male rats of the Wistar strain were divided into four groups. Three groups were submitted each to one stressor for 21 days, while the fourth group was used as a control. Stressors were food and water deprivation (FW), permanent illumination (PI), and forced swimming (FS). At the end of the experiment, rats were euthanized, and stress biomarkers, biological parameters, and DNA damage were measured.ResultsProoxidant biomarker rates increased in the different groups (+50 to +75%) compared to the control (p < 0.0001). Urinary corticosterone rates increased in all stressed animals, mainly in the PI group, with changes of up to +50% compared to the control group. Acetylcholinesterase levels decreased to −50% (p < 0.0001 for the three exposed groups). Total ATPase, (Na+/K+)-ATPase, and Mg2+-ATPase activities decreased in all stressed groups. The percentage of brain cell congestion and apoptosis was 3% for the FW group (p < 0.0001), 2% for the PI group (p < 0.0001), and 4% for the FS group (p < 0.0001) compared to the control (0.8%). DNA damage was observed in all exposed groups. Finally, we noticed behavioral changes and a depression-like syndrome in all stressed rats.ConclusionStressful conditions such as the working environment of caregivers can trigger several pathophysiological processes leading to oxidative, neurochemical, and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal disorders. These changes can progress to cell damage and apoptosis in the brain and trigger psychological and physical disorders.

Aerobic Exercise and Neuropathic Pain: Insights from Animal Models and Implications for Human Therapy.

This narrative review explores the complex relationship between aerobic exercise (AE) and neuropathic pain (NP), particularly focusing on peripheral neuropathies of mechanical origin. Pain, a multifaceted phenomenon, significantly impacts functionality and distress. The International Association for the Study of Pain's definition highlights pain's biopsychosocial nature, emphasizing the importance of patient articulation. Neuropathic pain, arising from various underlying processes, presents unique challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Our methodology involved a comprehensive literature search in the PubMed and SCOPUS databases, focusing on studies relating AE to NP, specifically in peripheral neuropathies caused by mechanical forces. The search yielded 28 articles and 1 book, primarily animal model studies, providing insights into the efficacy of AE in NP management. Results from animal models demonstrate that AE, particularly in forms like no-incline treadmill and swimming, effectively reduces mechanical allodynia and thermal hypersensitivity associated with NP. AE influences neurophysiological mechanisms underlying NP, modulating neurotrophins, cytokines, and glial cell activity. These findings suggest AE's potential in attenuating neurophysiological alterations in NP. However, human model studies are scarce, limiting the direct extrapolation of these findings to human neuropathic conditions. The few available studies indicate AE's potential benefits in peripheral NP, but a lack of specificity in these studies necessitates further research. In conclusion, while animal models show promising results regarding AE's role in mitigating NP symptoms and influencing underlying neurophysiological mechanisms, more human-centric research is required. This review underscores the need for targeted clinical trials to fully understand and harness AE's therapeutic potential in human neuropathic pain, especially of mechanical origin.

Preliminary evaluation of the antiglycoxidant activity of verapamil using various in vitro and in silico biochemical/biophysical methods

Introduction: Glycoxidative stress is essential for linking glucose disturbances and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, contemporary antidiabetic drugs do not have an antiglycative effect but only lower blood glucose levels. Therefore, there is an intense search for substances that could inhibit protein glycation and prevent diabetic complications. A potential antioxidant activity has been demonstrated with verapamil, a phenylalkylamine derivative belonging to selective calcium channel blockers. Verapamil has a well-established position in cardiology due to its wide range of indications and good safety profile. Nevertheless, the antidiabetic activity of verapamil is still unclear. We are the first to comprehensively evaluate the verapamil’s effect on protein glycoxidation using various in vitro and in silico models.Methods: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to assess the rate of glycoxidation inhibition by verapamil. As glycating factors, sugars (glucose, fructose, and ribose) and aldehyde (glyoxal) were used. Chloramine T was used as an oxidizing agent. Aminoguanidine (protein glycation inhibitor) and Trolox (antioxidant) were used as control substances. The biomarkers of oxidation (total thiols, protein carbonyls, advanced oxidation protein products), glycation (Amadori products, β-amyloid, advanced glycation end products [AGEs]), and glycoxidation (tryptophan, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, dityrosine) were evaluated using colorimetric and fluorimetric methods. The mechanism of antiglycative activity of verapamil was assessed using in silico docking to study its interaction with BSA, glycosidases, and seventeen AGE pathway proteins.Results: In all in vitro models, biomarkers of protein glycation, oxidation, and glycoxidation were significantly ameliorated under the influence of verapamil. The glycoxidation inhibition rate by verapamil is comparable to that of potent antiglycating agents and antioxidants. The molecular docking simulations showed that verapamil bound preferentially to amino acids prone to glycoxidative damage out of an α-glucosidase’s active center. Among all AGE pathway proteins, verapamil was best docked with the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB).Discussion: The results of our study confirm the antiglycoxidant properties of verapamil. The drug’s action is comparable to recognized substances protecting against oxidative and glycation modifications. Verapamil may be particularly helpful in patients with cardiovascular disease and concomitant diabetes. Studies in animal models and humans are needed to confirm verapamil’s antiglycative/antidiabetic activity.

Antibacterial, antidiabetic, acute toxicity, antioxidant, and nephroproductive competence of extracts of Lannea coromandelica fruit through in-vitro and in-vivo animal model investigation

The anti-dermatophytic (Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes) and nephroprotective activities of methanol and aqueous extracts obtained from Lannea coromandelica fruit were investigated through in-vitro (agar well diffusion method) and in-vivo (animal model) study. The methanol extract showed considerable antibacterial activity against selective bacterial pathogens at increased concentration (15.0 mg mL−1) in the following order P. vulgaris (35.2 ± 1.6 mm) > E. aerogenes (32.1 ± 2.1 mm) > K. pneumoniae (29.3±2 mm) > P. acnes (28.2 ± 2.4 mm) > S. aureus (25.5 ± 2.4 mm) > S. pyogenes (24.3 ± 2.1 mm) than aqueous extract. The MIC values of this methanol and aqueous extract was found as 2.5–7.5 mg mL−1 and 5.0 to 1.0 mg mL−1 respectively. Different treatment sets (A-E) on a rat-based animal model study revealed that the methanol extract has excellent antioxidant and nephroprotective activity, as well as favorable effects on essential biochemical substances involved in active metabolic activities. As demonstrated by histopathological and microscopic examination, the biologically active chemical present in methanol extract had a positive effect on serum markers, enzyme, and non-enzyme-based antioxidant activities, as well as lowering the toxicity caused by EG in the rat (as nephroprotective activity) renal cells.

IGF2BP1 Promotes Multiple Myeloma with Chromosome 1q Gain Via Increasing CDC5L Expression in an m6A-Dependent Manner

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) patients with chromosome 1q gain (1q+) are clinically and biologically heterogeneous. The underlying molecular mechanisms are still under investigation, while identification of targets for effective therapy of this subgroup of MM patients is urgently needed. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance and the regulatory mechanisms of insulin-like growth factor 2 messenger RNA (mRNA) binding proteins 1 (IGF2BP1), a N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader, in MM patients with 1q+. Methods: Comprehensive in silico analyses of existed public datasets (MMRF CoMMpass study) and in-house generated high-throughput sequencing datasets (RNA-sequencing, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, and crosslinking immunoprecipitation sequencing), along with routine molecular and cellular in vitro assays, as well as in vivo animal model studies, were conducted. Results: IGF2BP1 displays a high expression level in MM patients with 1q+ and its high expression predicts poor prognosis in these patients. IGF2BP1 overexpression promoted cell proliferation and G1-to-S phase transition of the cell cycle in H929 cells. Combinatory analyses of MeRIP-seq, RNA-seq, CLIP-seq and patients' survival data identified CDC5L as a target of IGF2BP1, which can bind the m6A sites of CDC5L mRNA to upregulate its protein abundance. Higher CDC5L expression also predicted worse prognosis of MM patients with 1q+. Moreover, both knockdown and mutation of CDC5L attenuated the pro-proliferative effect of IGF2BP1. Furthermore, IGF2BP1 inhibitor BTYNB effectively inhibited CDC5L expression in MM cells with 1q+, and suppressed the proliferation of these cells in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: IGF2BP1 acts as a post-transcriptional enhancer of CDC5L in an m6A manner to promote the proliferation of MM cells with 1q+. Our work identified a novel IGF2BP1-CDC5L axis and provided new insight in developing targeted therapeutics for MM patients with 1q+.

Neuronal-type-specific epigenome editing to decrease SNCA expression: Implications for precision medicine in synucleinopathies

Overexpression of SNCA has been implicated in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies, particularly Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). While PD and DLB share some clinical and pathological similarities, each disease presents distinct characteristics, including the primary affected brain region and neuronal type. We aimed to develop neuronal-type-specific SNCA-targeted epigenome therapies for synucleinopathies. The system is based on an all-in-one lentiviral vector comprised of CRISPR-dSaCas9 and guide RNA (gRNA) targeted at SNCA intron 1 fused with a synthetic repressor molecule of Krüppel-associated box (KRAB)/ methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCp2) transcription repression domain (TRD). To achieve neuronal-type specificity for dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons, the system was driven by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) promoters, respectively. Delivering the system into human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons from a patient with the SNCA triplication resulted in efficient and neuronal-type-specific downregulation of SNCA-mRNA and protein. Furthermore, the reduction in SNCA levels by the gRNA-dSaCas9-repressor system rescued disease-related cellular phenotypes including Ser129-phophorylated α-synuclein, neuronal viability, and mitochondrial dysfunction. We established a novel neuronal-type-specific SNCA-targeted epigenome therapy and provided invitro proof of concept using human-based disease models. Our results support the therapeutic potential of our system for PD and DLB and provide the foundation for further preclinical studies in animal models toward investigational new drug (IND) enablement and clinical trials.

Neurodevelopmental Programming of Adiposity: Contributions to Obesity Risk.

This review analyzes the published evidence regarding maternal factors that influence the developmental programming of long-term adiposity in humans and animals via the central nervous system (CNS). We describe the physiological outcomes of perinatal underfeeding and overfeeding and explore potential mechanisms that may mediate the impact of such exposures on the development of feeding circuits within the CNS-including the influences of metabolic hormones and epigenetic changes. The perinatal environment, reflective of maternal nutritional status, contributes to the programming of offspring adiposity. The in utero and early postnatal periods represent critically sensitive developmental windows during which the hormonal and metabolic milieu affects the maturation of the hypothalamus. Maternal hyperglycemia is associated with increased transfer of glucose to the fetus driving fetal hyperinsulinemia. Elevated fetal insulin causes increased adiposity and consequently higher fetal circulating leptin concentration. Mechanistic studies in animal models indicate important roles of leptin and insulin in central and peripheral programming of adiposity, and suggest that optimal concentrations of these hormones are critical during early life. Additionally, the environmental milieu during development may be conveyed to progeny through epigenetic marks and these can potentially be vertically transmitted to subsequent generations. Thus, nutritional and metabolic/endocrine signals during perinatal development can have lifelong (and possibly multigenerational) impacts on offspring body weight regulation.