xanthohumol and Sepsis

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition arising from infection, often results in multi-organ failure, including cardiac dysfunction. This study investigated Xanthohumol, a natural compound, and its potential mechanism of action to enhance heart function following sepsis. A total of twenty-four adult male Swiss albino mice were allocated randomly to one of four equal groups (n=6): sham, CLP, vehicle Xanthohumol the same amount of DMSO injected IP 10 minutes before the CLP, and Xanthohumol group (0.4 mg/kg of Xanthohumol administered IP before the CLP process). Toll-like receptor 4, pro-inflammatory mediators, anti-inflammatory markers, oxidative stress indicators, apoptosis markers, and serum cardiac damage biomarkers were measured in the cardiac tissue using ELISA. Data with normal distribution were analyzed using t-test and ANOVA tests (p<0.05). In comparison to the sham group, the sepsis group had significantly higher levels of TLR-4, IL-6, TNF-α, MIF, F2-isoprostane, caspase-3, cTn-I, and CK-MB, while the pre-treated group with Xanthohumol had significantly lower levels (p<0.05) of these markers than the sepsis group. Bcl-2 showed no significant difference in Xanthohumol pre-treated group relative to the sepsis group, while IL-10 was significantly elevated. Xanthohumol dramatically reduced cardiac tissue injury (p<0.05) relative to the CLP group. By blocking the downstream signal transduction pathways of TLR-4 and NF-kB, Xanthohumol was shown to lessen cardiac damage in male mice during CLP-induced polymicrobial sepsis.

Topics: Animals; Male; Mice; NF-kappa B; Sepsis; Signal Transduction; Toll-Like Receptor 4

Myeloid differentiation 2 (MD2) is essential to the recognition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the subsequent mediation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-dependent acute inflammatory disorders including sepsis and acute lung injury. Inhibitors targeting MD2 may provide an alternative means to subdue acute inflammatory diseases. In the present study, 39 bisaryl-1,4-dien-3-one compounds with 5-carbon connection chains were designed and synthesized as MD2 inhibitors based on the analysis of the molecular docking of xanthohumol to MD2. The compound-MD2 interactions were measured by cell-free assays including bis-ANS displacement and SPR, and the active compounds were further tested for MD2 inhibition and anti-inflammatory activities in LPS-challenged macrophages. The most active compound, 1f, was shown to have remarkable protective effects against sepsis shock and pulmonary inflammation. Collectively, we present evidence that bisaryl-1,4-dien-3-one is a new lead structure for the development of anti-inflammatory agents targeting MD2.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Discovery; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Antigen 96; Macrophages; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred ICR; Molecular Structure; Sepsis; Structure-Activity Relationship

Acute inflammatory diseases, including acute lung injury and sepsis, remain the most common life-threatening illness in intensive care units worldwide. Cinnamamide has been incorporated in several synthetic compounds with therapeutic potentials including anti-inflammatory properties. However, the possible mechanism and direct molecular target of cinnamamides for their anti-inflammatory effects were rarely investigated. In this study, we synthesized a series of cinnamamides and evaluated their anti-inflammatory activities. The most active compound, 2i, was found to block LPS-induced MD2/TLR4 pro-inflammatory signaling activation in vitro and to attenuate LPS-caused sepsis and acute lung injury in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that 2i exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by directly targeting and binding MD2 in Arg90 and Tyr102 residues and inhibiting MD2/TLR4 complex formation. Taken together, this work presents a novel MD2 inhibitor, 2i, which has the potential to be developed as a candidate for the treatment of sepsis, and provides a new lead structure for the development of anti-inflammatory agents targeting MD2.

Topics: Acute Lung Injury; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Binding Sites; Cinnamates; Cytokines; Drug Discovery; Interleukin-6; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Antigen 96; Macrophages; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Molecular; RAW 264.7 Cells; Sepsis; Survival Analysis; Toll-Like Receptor 4