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A rapid reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methodology for chiral separation of three profen compounds has been developed and then applied to enantiomeric impurity testing of their corresponding enantiopure drugs. The assay is specific, allowing quantitation of the enantiomeric impurities at levels of 0.0078%, 0.0105%, and 0.0416% relative to S-ibuprofen, S-naproxen, and S-ketoprofen, respectively. In order to gain a better insight into the chiral recognition mechanisms of chiral profens on an FLM Chiral NQ(2)-RH column, molecular docking studies were carried out using AutoDock 4.0 software. It was found that hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and π-π stacking were all involved in stereoselective interactions, and the calculated binding energy (BE) obtained reflected the binding strength of each enantiomer interacting with a chiral selector. The higher the BE value, the harder it was to elute the corresponding enantiomer, which also accorded with the enantiomer elution order observed in the actual enantiomeric separation. Additionally, thermodynamic analysis revealed that the enantioseparation process at 15-40°C was driven mainly by entropic contributions. The methodology was further validated according to the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guideline Q2 (R1) and proved to be sensitive, linear, precise, and accurate for determining R-profen impurities in three commercially available single-enantiomer S-profen drugs. As expected, in the case of products acquired in actual pharmacies, the levels of all of the monitored impurities were found to be lower than the allowable impurity limits., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Following acute injury to the kidney, macrophages play an important role in recovery of functional and structural integrity, but organ fibrosis and progressive functional decline occur with incomplete recovery. Pro-resolving macrophages are characterized by increased cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression and this expression was selectively increased in kidney macrophages following injury and myeloid-specific COX-2 deletion inhibited recovery. Deletion of the myeloid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor, E-type prostanoid receptor 4 (EP4), mimicked effects seen with myeloid COX-2-/- deletion. PGE2-mediated EP4 activation induced expression of the transcription factor MafB in kidney macrophages, which upregulated anti-inflammatory genes and suppressed pro-inflammatory genes. Myeloid Mafb deletion recapitulated the effects seen with either myeloid COX-2 or EP4 deletion following acute kidney injury, with delayed recovery, persistent presence of pro-inflammatory kidney macrophages, and increased kidney fibrosis. Thus, our studies identified a previously unknown mechanism by which prostaglandins modulate macrophage phenotype following acute organ injury and provide new insight into mechanisms underlying detrimental kidney effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that inhibit cyclooxygenase activity., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) has been shown to attenuate unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced kidney fibrosis. It remains unknown whether HSP72 has direct effects on fibroblast proliferation in the renal fibrotic evolution. Herein, we first confirmed that increased HSP72 expression occurred in fibrotic human kidneys. Using three different animal models of kidney fibrosis, pharmacological down-regulation or genetic deletion of endogenous HSP72 expression exacerbated STAT3 phosphorylation, fibroblast proliferation, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In contrast, treatment with geranylgeranyl acetone, a specific inducer of HSP72, reduced phosphorylated STAT3 and protected animals from kidney fibrosis. In cultured renal interstitial fibroblasts, overexpression of HSP72 blocked transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced cell activation and proliferation, as evidenced by inhibiting expression of α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin, and collagen I/III, as well as by reducing cell numbers and DNA synthesis. Mechanical studies showed that overexpressed HSP72 attenuated TGF-β-induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT3 and its downstream protein expression. However, siRNA knockdown of HSP72 increased TGF-β-induced STAT3 activity and fibroblast proliferation. Ectopic expression of a constitutively active STAT3 conferred resistance to HSP72 inhibition of fibroblast proliferation. Thus, HSP72 blocks fibroblast activation and proliferation in renal fibrosis via targeting the STAT3 pathway and may serve as a novel therapeutic agent for chronic kidney disease regardless of the etiology., (Copyright © 2016 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis causes the denudation of mesothelial cells and, ultimately, membrane integrity alterations and peritoneal dysfunction. Because heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) confers protection against apoptosis and because autophagy mediates survival in response to cellular stresses, we examined whether autophagy contributes to HSP72-mediated cytoprotection in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peritonitis. Exposure of cultured peritoneal mesothelial cells to LPS resulted first in autophagy and later, apoptosis. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine or Beclin-1 small-interfering RNA sensitized cells to apoptosis and abolished the antiapoptotic effect of HSP72, suggesting that autophagy activation acts as a prosurvival mechanism. Overexpression of HSP72 augmented autophagy through c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation and Beclin-1 up-regulation. Suppression of JNK activity reversed HSP72-mediated Beclin-1 up-regulation and autophagy, indicating that HSP72-mediated autophagy is JNK dependent. In a rat model of LPS-associated peritonitis, autophagy occurred before apoptosis in peritoneum. Up-regulation of HSP72 by geranylgeranylacetone increased autophagy, inhibited apoptosis, and attenuated peritoneal injury, and these effects were blunted by down-regulation of HSP72 with quercetin. Additionally, blocking autophagy by chloroquine promoted apoptosis and aggravated LPS-associated peritoneal dysfunction. Thus, HSP72 protects peritoneum from LPS-induced mesothelial cells injury, at least in part by enhancing JNK activation-dependent autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis. These findings imply that HSP72 induction might be a potential therapy for peritonitis., (Copyright © 2011 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)