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Abstract Overcoming drug resistance is one of key issues in treating refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway is involved in many aspects of biological functions of AML cells, including the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine products, myeloid differentiation, and survival of AML cells. Thus, targeting TLR4 of AML patients for therapeutic purposes should be carefully addressed. In this regard, we investigated the possible role of TLR4 as a regulatory factor against fludarabine (FA) cytotoxicity activity. Here, we identified the differential expression of TLR4 and CD14 receptors in AML cell lines and examined their relationship to FA sensitivity. We found that the stimulation of TLR4 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a TLR4-expressing cell line, THP-1, increased cell viability under FA treatment condition and showed that TLR4 stimulation overcame FA sensitivity through the activation of NF-κB, which subsequently upregulated several anti-apoptotic genes. The inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling could partially or completely reverse LPS-induced cell survival under FA treatment conditions. Interestingly, we found that the expression of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), a well-known tumor suppressor, was induced by FA treatment; however, it was suppressed by LPS treatment. Furthermore, the expression level of TXNIP was critical for FA-induced cytotoxicity or LPS-induced FA resistance of THP-1 cells. Our data suggest that TXNIP plays an important role in FA-induced cytotoxicity and TLR4/NF-κB-mediated FA resistance of AML cells. Therefore, TXNIP may be a potential therapeutic target for AML treatment. Highlights • THP-1 cells highly express the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). • THP-1 cells overcome fludarabine (FA)-induced cytotoxicity by LPS treatment. • TLR4/NF-κB signaling regulates LPS-induced cell survival under FA treatment. • TXNIP is crucial for FA-induced cytotoxicity and TLR4/NF-κB-mediated FA resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GATA1 is a master transcription factor of megakaryopoiesis and erythropoiesis, and loss-of-function mutation can induce accumulation of megakaryocyte–erythroid progenitors (MEPs) in mice and humans. Accordingly, the murine MEP cell line (termed G1ME2 cells) encoding doxycycline (dox)-inducible anti - Gata1 shRNA on Hprt locus has been developed. The cells were CD41+CD71+KIT+, expand under dox, stem cell factor, and thrombopoietin (TPO), and terminally differentiate into erythroid cells or megakaryocytes upon removal of dox. Surprisingly, in this study, these Gata1 low murine MEPs displayed accelerated growth from around 90–100 days after cell culture, impeded megakaryocytic potential, and maintained erythropoiesis. We specified them as late G1ME2 cells and discovered that increased CD41−KIT+ population during long-term culture was the main reason for the delayed megakaryopoiesis. The CD41 expression level was partially de-repressed by PI3K/AKT inhibitors, suggesting that TPO-mediated cell survival signaling pathway might have impacted on CD41 in the late G1ME2 cells. Nevertheless, among the late cells, the CD41+KIT+ cells could still generate megakaryocytes on dox withdrawal. Taken together, G1ME2 cells could provide a good model to study molecular mechanism of hematopoiesis because of their ability to expand excessively without artificial immortalization. • GATA1 low mouse megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors expand excessively in vitro. • Long-term cultured GATA1 low MEP impeded megakaryopoiesis but retained erythropoiesis. • TPO-dependent PI3K/AKT pathway partially involve in CD41 reduction in the MEPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginsenoside Rg3, a specific biological effector, is well-known as a major bioactive ingredient of Panax ginseng . However, its role in the inflammasome activation process remains unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that ginsenosides 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3 are capable of suppressing both lethal endotoxic shock and the S-nitrosylation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production through the regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. In response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the reducing effect of 20(S)-Rg3 and 20(R)-Rg3 on nitric oxide led to an increase in the survival time of mice after lethal endotoxin-induced shock, and excess levels of NO inhibited IL-1β production via the S-nitrosylation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, ginsenosides 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3 had suppressive effects on the LPS- or UV-irradiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in macrophage and HaCaT cells and thereby prevented apoptosis of spleen cells in mice. Altogether, these results demonstrate that ginsenoside 20(R)-Rg3 and 20(S)-Rg3, a naturally occurring compound, might act as a dual therapeutic regulator for the treatment of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] TXNIP interacts with hEcd. [•] TXNIP enhances p53 stability in the presence of hEcd. [•] TXNIP increases cell death in the presence of hEcd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vitamin-D3 upregulated protein-1 (VDUP1) is a stress response protein. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infection is a leading cause of death. Mice infected with live P. aeruginosa exhibit significantly decreased VDUP1 expression. However, the function of VDUP1 during P. aeruginosa-induced mouse bacteremic shock is unknown. To address the function of VDUP1 in P. aeruginosa-infected mice, we constructed a bacteremic shock model wherein both wild-type and VDUP1-deficient mice were infected intra-peritoneally with live P. aeruginosa. We found that VDUP1-deficient mice were more resistant to P. aeruginosa-induced bacteremic shock than wild-type mice, as shown by the increased survival, accelerated bacterial clearance and suppression of cytokine overproduction of the VDUP1-deficient mice. VDUP1 promoted the recruitment of neutrophils into the peritoneal cavities of infected mice. VDUP1 impeded the phagocytosis of non-opsonized P. aeruginosa via phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway in macrophages. P. aeruginosa infection induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the increased production of ROS by the peritoneal cells of VDUP1-deficient mice was advantageous in clearing the bacteria. Overall, VDUP1 aggravates bacteremic shock; thus, VDUP1 can be considered a target molecule for the inhibition of P. aeruginosa-induced bacteremic shock. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are a subset of lymphocytes crucial for innate and adaptive immune responses. Here we show a stimulatory effect of cryptotanshinone (CTS) and tanshinone IIA (TS), isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, on the differentiation of NK cells. In the presence of IL-15, tanshinones increased NK cell maturation, NK cell differentiation and the expression of several transcription factors, including Id2, GATA3, T-bet, and Ets-1. Additionally, tanshinones increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation during NK cell differentiation. Furthermore, the p38 inhibitor SB203580 blocked the developmental effects of the tanshinones and suppressed Id2, T-bet, and Ets-1 expression during NK cell differentiation. These results suggest that tanshinones significantly increased IL-15-induced NK cell differentiation via enhancing the p38 phosphorylation and the expression of transcription factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The differentiation of natural killer (NK) cells is regulated by various factors including soluble growth factors and transcription factors. Here, we have demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a positive regulator of NK cell differentiation. TNF-α augmented the IL-15-induced expression of NK1.1 and CD122 in mature NK cells, and TNF-α alone also induced NK cell maturation as well as IL-15. TNF-α also increased IFN-γ production in NK cells in the presence of IL-15. Meanwhile, mRNA expression of several transcription factors, including T-bet and GATA-3, was increased by the addition of TNF-α and IL-15. In addition, TNF-α increased nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity in NK cells and inhibition of NF-κB impeded TNF-α-enhanced NK cell maturation. Overall, these data suggest that TNF-α significantly increased IL-15-driven NK cell differentiation by increasing the expression of transcription factors that play crucial roles in NK cell maturation and inducing the NF-κB activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]