Project description:Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including atherosclerosis, are globally the leading cause of death. Key factors contributing to onset and progression of atherosclerosis and plaque development include the pro-infslammatory cytokines Interferon (IFN)α and IFNγ and the Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Together, they trigger activation of members of the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) family. Searches for STAT3-targeting compounds, exploring the pTyr-SH2 interaction area of STAT3, yielded many small molecules, including STATTIC and STX-0119. However, many of these inhibitors do not seem STAT-specific. We hypothesized that non-specific STAT-inhibitors that simultaneously block STAT1, STAT2 and STAT3 activity and pro-inflammatory target gene expression may be a promising avenue for the treatment of CVD. We developed a pipeline approach combining comparative in silico docking of multiple STAT-SH2 models on multi-million Clean Lead and Clean Drug-Like libraries with in vitro STAT inhibition validation, as a novel STAT-inhibitory selection strategy. This approach allowed us to identify a new type of non-specific STAT inhibitor, C01L_F03 targeting the SH2 domain of STAT1, 2 and 3 with equal affinity. Moreover we observed a similar STAT cross-binding mechanism for STATTIC and STX-0119, leading to genome-wide inhibition of pro-atherogenic gene expression. Consequently, a multi-STAT inhibitory strategy was applied to inhibit endothelial cell (EC) migration, leukocyte adhesion to ECs and impairment of aortic ring contractility under inflammatory conditions. Together, this implicates that multi-STAT inhibition could provide a powerfull approach for the success of combating vascular inflammation in CVD
Project description:Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) include atherosclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease of large and medium vessels that leads to atherosclerotic plaque formation. Key factors contributing to onset and progression of atherosclerosis include the pro-inflammatory cytokines Interferon (IFN)α and IFNγ and the Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Together, they trigger activation of IFN Regulatory Factors (IRFs) as well as Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)s. Based on their promoting role in atherosclerosis, we hypothesized that combined inhibition of IRFs and STATs blocks pro-inflammatory target gene expression and may be a promising strategy to treat CVDs. Using comparative in silico docking of multiple IRF-DBD models on a multi-million natural compound library, we identified the novel multi-IRF inhibitor, ALEKSIN. This compound targets the DBD domain of IRF1, IRF2, and IRF8 with the same affinity and simultaneously inhibits expression of multiple IRF-target genes in HMECs in response to IFNa and IFNg. Under the same conditions, ALEKSIN was also shown to inhibit phosphorylation of STATs, potentially through low-affinity STAT-SH2 binding, however with lower potency as the known multi-STAT inhibitor STATTIC. This was in line with the common inhibition of ALEKSIN and STATTIC observed on genome-wide expression of pro-inflammatory IRF/STAT/NF-κB target genes, as well as on migration of HMECs. Finally, we identified a novel signature of 46 ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-atherogenic target genes, that was upregulated in atherosclerotic plaques in aorta's of high-fat diet fed APOE-/- mice and associated with inflammation, proliferation, adhesion, chemotaxis and response to lipid. Together, this suggests that ALEKSIN represents a novel class of multi-IRF inhibitors, which inhibit IRF- , STAT- and NF-κB-mediated transcription and could offer great promise for the treatment of CVDs. Also, the ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-inflammatory gene signature could serve to monitor plaque progression during experimental atherosclerosis.
Project description:Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) include atherosclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease of large and medium vessels that leads to atherosclerotic plaque formation. Key factors contributing to onset and progression of atherosclerosis include the pro-inflammatory cytokines Interferon (IFN)α and IFNγ and the Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Together, they trigger activation of IFN Regulatory Factors (IRFs) as well as Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)s. Based on their promoting role in atherosclerosis, we hypothesized that combined inhibition of IRFs and STATs blocks pro-inflammatory target gene expression and may be a promising strategy to treat CVDs. Using comparative in silico docking of multiple IRF-DBD models on a multi-million natural compound library, we identified the novel multi-IRF inhibitor, ALEKSIN. This compound targets the DBD domain of IRF1, IRF2, and IRF8 with the same affinity and simultaneously inhibits expression of multiple IRF-target genes in HMECs in response to IFNa and IFNg. Under the same conditions, ALEKSIN was also shown to inhibit phosphorylation of STATs, potentially through low-affinity STAT-SH2 binding, however with lower potency as the known multi-STAT inhibitor STATTIC. This was in line with the common inhibition of ALEKSIN and STATTIC observed on genome-wide expression of pro-inflammatory IRF/STAT/NF-κB target genes, as well as on migration of HMECs. Finally, we identified a novel signature of 46 ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-atherogenic target genes, that was upregulated in atherosclerotic plaques in aorta's of high-fat diet fed APOE-/- mice and associated with inflammation, proliferation, adhesion, chemotaxis and response to lipid. Together, this suggests that ALEKSIN represents a novel class of multi-IRF inhibitors, which inhibit IRF- , STAT- and NF-κB-mediated transcription and could offer great promise for the treatment of CVDs. Also, the ALEKSIN and STATTIC commonly inhibited pro-inflammatory gene signature could serve to monitor plaque progression during experimental atherosclerosis.
Project description:Cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) share common risk factors such as dyslipidemia, obesity and inflammation. However, the role of pro-atherogenic environment and its associated low-grade inflammation in tumor progression remains underexplored. Here we show that two-week feeding of wildtype C57BL/6J mice with a high fat high cholesterol atherogenic diet (HFHCD) increases the pool of circulating Ly6C hi monocytes available for initial melanoma development, under the control of IL-1. Descendants of circulating myeloid cells, which accumulate in the tumor microenvironment of mice under HFHCD, heighten pro-angiogenic and immunosuppressive activities locally. Limiting myeloid cell accumulation or targeting VEGF-A production by myeloid cells decrease tumor growth acceleration under HFHCD. Reverting the HFHCD to a chow diet at the time of tumor implantation slows down tumor growth. Together, these data shed light on cross-disease communication between cardiovascular pathologies and cancer.
Project description:Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation, a hallmark of both CKD and CV diseases (CVD), is believed to drive this association. Pro-inflammatory TLR agonists, Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs), have been found elevated in CKD patients’ plasma and suggested to promote CVD, however, confirmation of their involvement, the underlying mechanism(s), the extent to which individual DAMPs contribute to vascular pathology in CKD and the evaluation of potential therapeutic strategies, have remained largely undescribed. A multi-TLR inhibitor, soluble TLR2, abrogated chronic vascular inflammatory responses and the increased aortic atherosclerosis-associated gene expression observed in nephropathic mice, without compromising infection clearance. Mechanistically, we confirmed elevation of 4 TLR DAMPs in CKD patients’ plasma, namely Hsp70, Hyaluronic acid, HMGB-1 and Calprotectin, which displayed different abilities to promote key cellular responses associated with vascular inflammation and worsening of atherosclerosis in a TLR-dependent manner. These included loss of trans-endothelial resistance, enhanced monocyte migration, increased cytokine production, and foam cell formation by macrophages, the latter via cholesterol efflux inhibition. Calprotectin and Hsp70 most consistently affected these functions. Calprotectin was further elevated in CVD-diagnosed CKD patients and strongly correlated with the predictor of CV events CRP. In nephropathic mice, Calprotectin blockade robustly reduced vascular chronic inflammatory responses and pro-atherosclerotic gene expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the critical extent to which the DAMP-TLR pathway contributes to vascular inflammatory and atherogenic responses in CKD, revealed the mechanistic contribution of specific DAMPs and described two alternatives therapeutic approaches to reduce chronic vascular inflammation and lower CV pathology in CKD.
Project description:Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation, a hallmark of both CKD and CV diseases (CVD), is believed to drive this association. Pro-inflammatory TLR agonists, Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs), have been found elevated in CKD patients’ plasma and suggested to promote CVD, however, confirmation of their involvement, the underlying mechanism(s), the extent to which individual DAMPs contribute to vascular pathology in CKD and the evaluation of potential therapeutic strategies, have remained largely undescribed. A multi-TLR inhibitor, soluble TLR2, abrogated chronic vascular inflammatory responses and the increased aortic atherosclerosis-associated gene expression observed in nephropathic mice, without compromising infection clearance. Mechanistically, we confirmed elevation of 4 TLR DAMPs in CKD patients’ plasma, namely Hsp70, Hyaluronic acid, HMGB-1 and Calprotectin, which displayed different abilities to promote key cellular responses associated with vascular inflammation and worsening of atherosclerosis in a TLR-dependent manner. These included loss of trans-endothelial resistance, enhanced monocyte migration, increased cytokine production, and foam cell formation by macrophages, the latter via cholesterol efflux inhibition. Calprotectin and Hsp70 most consistently affected these functions. Calprotectin was further elevated in CVD-diagnosed CKD patients and strongly correlated with the predictor of CV events CRP. In nephropathic mice, Calprotectin blockade robustly reduced vascular chronic inflammatory responses and pro-atherosclerotic gene expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the critical extent to which the DAMP-TLR pathway contributes to vascular inflammatory and atherogenic responses in CKD, revealed the mechanistic contribution of specific DAMPs and described two alternatives therapeutic approaches to reduce chronic vascular inflammation and lower CV pathology in CKD.
Project description:Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Chronic inflammation, a hallmark of both CKD and CV diseases (CVD), is believed to drive this association. Pro-inflammatory TLR agonists, Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs), have been found elevated in CKD patients’ plasma and suggested to promote CVD, however, confirmation of their involvement, the underlying mechanism(s), the extent to which individual DAMPs contribute to vascular pathology in CKD and the evaluation of potential therapeutic strategies, have remained largely undescribed. A multi-TLR inhibitor, soluble TLR2, abrogated chronic vascular inflammatory responses and the increased aortic atherosclerosis-associated gene expression observed in nephropathic mice, without compromising infection clearance. Mechanistically, we confirmed elevation of 4 TLR DAMPs in CKD patients’ plasma, namely Hsp70, Hyaluronic acid, HMGB-1 and Calprotectin, which displayed different abilities to promote key cellular responses associated with vascular inflammation and worsening of atherosclerosis in a TLR-dependent manner. These included loss of trans-endothelial resistance, enhanced monocyte migration, increased cytokine production, and foam cell formation by macrophages, the latter via cholesterol efflux inhibition. Calprotectin and Hsp70 most consistently affected these functions. Calprotectin was further elevated in CVD-diagnosed CKD patients and strongly correlated with the predictor of CV events CRP. In nephropathic mice, Calprotectin blockade robustly reduced vascular chronic inflammatory responses and pro-atherosclerotic gene expression. Taken together, these findings demonstrated the critical extent to which the DAMP-TLR pathway contributes to vascular inflammatory and atherogenic responses in CKD, revealed the mechanistic contribution of specific DAMPs and described two alternatives therapeutic approaches to reduce chronic vascular inflammation and lower CV pathology in CKD.
Project description:Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is closely associated with obesity through risk factors such as dyslipidemia and chronic low-grade inflammation, which may be affected by diet. Dietary fats have been extensively studied in relation to CVD risk, however these studies have not always yielded consistent results, most likely due to lack in control of experimental conditions and confounding factors. Here we studied the effects of different plant and animal fats on dyslipidemia, inflammation and atherosclerosis. Ldlr-/-.Leiden mice were fed isocaloric energy-dense diets with translational macronutrient composition for 28 weeks. The diets were identical apart from the type of fat they contained: either 1) a mixture of olive and rapeseed oil; 2) sunflower oil; 3) pork fat; 4) beef fat; or 5) milk fat. The fatty acid composition of the diets was determined and effects on circulating lipid and inflammatory risk factors and atherosclerosis were examined, complemented by adipose tissue histology and liver transcriptomics. While visceral fat mass, adipocyte size and adipose tissue inflammation were not differentially affected by the diets, atherosclerotic lesion load and severity was more pronounced with increasing dietary saturated fatty acid content and decreasing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid content, and hence most pronounced with beef and milk fat. These differential effects were accompanied by increases in pro-atherogenic plasma lipids/lipoproteins (e.g., triglycerides, apolipoprotein B), activation of pro-atherogenic cytokine/chemokine signaling pathways in liver, and with circulating pro-atherogenic mediators of inflammation altogether providing a rationale for the differential effects of plant and animal fats.
Project description:Increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well recognized in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality. To date, no pharmacologic intervention has shown to reduce CV risk in SLE. Dysregulation of innate immune responses, including aberrant type I-Interferon (IFN)-neutrophil interactions, has been proposed to significantly contribute to enhanced CV risk in SLE. In lupus animal models, the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) inhibitor tofacitinib improves clinical features, immune dysregulation and vascular dysfunction. We hypothesized that JAK/STAT inhibition in SLE subjects would result in amelioration of cardiometabolic and immunologic parameters previously associated with enhanced CVD risk.
Project description:A favourable immunotherapeutic strategy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease, is to dampen the pro-inflammatory macrophage response and upregulate the anti-inflammatory macrophage response. Previous studies have shown that Arginase-2 (Arg2), a mitochondrial enzyme, is a key regulator of the macrophage anti-inflammatory response with an essential role in IL-10 signalling. Here we show that IL-10 in the presence of LPS increased Arg2 expression in human macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Target site blockers (TSBs) (locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides) specifically designed to target the 3’ UTR of Arg2 messenger RNA were used to inhibit binding of specific microRNAs thus enhancing Arg2 expression. Eleven Arg2-TSBs were screened and the TSB targeting miR-155 (TSB-155) and the TSB targeting miR-3202 (TSB-3202) were found to increase Arg2 expression in human macrophages resulting in decreased gene expression and cytokine production of TNF-α and CCL2. In addition, following TSB-3202 stimulation, there were statistically significant increases in the ‘M2-like’ macrophage marker, CD206; and CD16, associated with an IL-10 response, and a decrease in the ‘M1-like’ macrophage marker, HLA-DR, indicating a shift in the macrophage phenotype. Proteomic analysis demonstrated that multiple pro-inflammatory responsive proteins including Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 (STAT-1), Toll-like receptors, Signalling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule F7 (SLAMF7) and Interferon Induced Protein with Tetratricopeptide Repeats 3 (IFIT3), were downregulated by TSB-155 and TSB-3202 while Sequestomsome-1 (SQSTM1) was increased after treatment. In silico analysis of significantly dysregulated proteins predicted that TSB-3202 supressed several upstream pro-inflammatory regulators including STAT-1 and Interferon α2 (IFNA2) while enhancing anti-inflammatory associated interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) and STAT-3. Proteomic data was validated by confirming increased levels of SQSTM1, decreased levels of phosphoylated-STAT-1 and STAT-1, and downregulation of Ifit3 and Slamf7 by TSB treatment. In conclusion, upregulation of Arg2 protein by TSBs inhibits several pro-inflammatory signalling proteins resulting in reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, reduced ‘M1-like’ marker expression and enhanced ‘M2-like’ macrophage marker expression. Arg2 is a promising novel therapeutic target to modulate inflammatory signalling in macrophages.