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Abstract: Persistent recruitment of neutrophils in the bronchi of cystic fibrosis patients contributes to airway tissue damage, suggesting the importance of intervening on the expression of the neutrophil chemokine IL-8. Extracts from plants have been investigated to select components able to reduce IL-8 expression in bronchial epithelial cells challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Extracts and purified components have been added to cells 24h before pro-inflammatory challenge with P. aeruginosa and IL-8 transcription was quantified in the IB3-1 CF cells in vitro. P. aeruginosa-dependent IL-8 mRNA induction was increased by Argemone mexicana and Vernonia anthelmintica whereas no significant modification of transcription was observed with Aphanamixis polystachya, Lagerstroemia speciosa and Hemidesmus indicus. Finally, inhibition of IL-8 was observed with Polyalthia longifolia (IC50 =200μg/ml) and Aegle marmelos (IC50 =20μg/ml). Compounds from A. marmelos were isolated and identified by GC–MS. No significant effect was observed with butyl-p-tolyl sulphate, whereas the inhibition obtained with 6-methyl-4-chromanone concentration was accompanied by an anti-proliferative effect. On the contrary, 5-methoxypsoralen resulted in IL-8 inhibition at 10μM concentration, without effects on cell proliferation. In synthesis, 5-methoxypsoralen can be taken into consideration to investigate mechanisms of neutrophil chemotactic signalling and for its potential application in modulating the excessive CF lung inflammation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The most relevant cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is the lung pathology characterized by chronic infection and inflammation sustained mainly by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Innovative pharmacological approaches to control the excessive inflammatory process in the lung of CF patients are thought to be beneficial to reduce the extensive airway tissue damage. Medicinal plants from the so-called traditional Asian medicine are attracting a growing interest because of their potential efficacy and safety. Due to the presence of different active compounds in each plant extract, understanding the effect of each component is important to pursue selective and reproducible applications. Extracts from Emblica officinalis (EO) were tested in IB3-1 CF bronchial epithelial cells exposed to the P. aeruginosa laboratory strain PAO1. EO strongly inhibited the PAO1-dependent expression of the neutrophil chemokines IL-8, GRO-α, GRO-γ, of the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 and of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Pyrogallol, one of the compounds extracted from EO, inhibited the P. aeruginosa-dependent expression of these pro-inflammatory genes similarly to the whole EO extract, whereas a second compound purified from EO, namely 5-hydroxy-isoquinoline, had no effect. These results identify Pyrogallol as an active compound responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of EO and suggest to extend the investigation in pre-clinical studies in airway animal models in vivo, to test the efficacy and safety of this molecule in CF chronic lung inflammatory disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the frame of a research program aimed to explore the relationship between chirality of iminosugars and their therapeutic potential, herein we report the synthesis of N -akyl l -deoxyiminosugars and the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory properties of selected candidates for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Target glycomimetics were prepared by the shortest and most convenient approach reported to date, relying on the use of the well-known PS-TPP/I 2 reagent system to prepare reactive alkoxyalkyl iodides, acting as key intermediates. Iminosugars ent - 1-3 demonstrated to efficiently reduce the inflammatory response induced by P. aeruginosa in CuFi cells, either alone or in synergistic combination with their d -enantiomers, by selectively inhibiting NLGase. Surprisingly, the evaluation in murine models of lung disease showed that the amount of ent - 1 required to reduce the recruitment of neutrophils was 40-fold lower than that of the corresponding d -enantiomer. The remarkably low dosage of the l -iminosugar, combined with its inability to act as inhibitor for most glycosidases, is expected to limit the onset of undesired effects, which are typically associated with the administration of its d -counterpart. Biological results herein obtained place ent - 1 and congeners among the earliest examples of l -iminosugars acting as anti-inflammatory agents for therapeutic applications in Cystic Fibrosis. Image 1 • Alkoxyalkyl iodides were conveniently prepared by PS-TPP/I 2 reagent system. • N -alkyl- l -deoxyiminosugars were synthetized. • N -alkyl- l -deoxyiminosugars selectively inhibit NLGase activity. • l -NBDNJ reduces the inflammatory response to P.aeurginosa in CF bronchial cells. • l -NBDNJ reduces the recruitment of neutrophils in mice at low dosage (10 mg/kg). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of trimethylangelicin (TMA) derivatives were designed and synthesized to overcome the unwanted effects of TMA, promising agent for treatment of inflammation-related diseases and other pathologies, such as cystic fibrosis. The new generation TMA analogues bore hindered substituents at the 4 position in order to minimize or avoid the photoreactions with DNA. Among them, the 4-isopropyl-6-ethyl derivative 23 exhibited TMA-like inhibitory activity on NF-κB/DNA interactions but it proved unable to photoreact with pyrimidine bases of DNA, nor to induce any other DNA damage. The isopropyl analogue 23 was proven to lack mutagenicity when assayed through Ames test and exhibited no anti-proliferative activity on cystic fibrosis IB3-1 cells, displaying at the same time inhibition of the TNF-α induced release of the NF-κB regulated PDGF-B chain, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17 and IFN-γ. Therefore compound 23 deserves further assay to determine its anti-inflammatory properties, since it lacks photoreaction properties and mutagenicity-related side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystic fibrosis (CF), one of the most common lethal hereditary diseases of white European populations, is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the CF Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. One of the main causes of mortality is the onset of CF lung disease, which is characterized by chronic infection and inflammation resulting in the progressive remodelling, irreversible damage and fibrosis of the airways. An increasing number of studies indicate that sphingolipids are crucial players in pulmonary manifestations of CF, even if their direct involvement in CF lung disease is still unclear. In this review, we give an overview of the role of sphingolipids in CF pulmonary disease, focusing on the relationship between glycosphingolipids and lung inflammation, which represents the main hallmark of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cystic fibrosis is a lethal autosomal recessive condition caused by a defect of the transmembrane conductance regulator gene that has a key role in cell homeostasis. A dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator impairs the efflux of cell anions such as chloride and bicarbonate, and also that of other solutes such as reduced glutathione. This defect produces an increased viscosity of secretions together with other metabolic defects of epithelia that ultimately promote the obstruction and fibrosis of organs. Recurrent pulmonary infections and respiratory dysfunction are main clinical consequences of these pathogenetic events, followed by pancreatic and liver insufficiency, diabetes, protein-energy malnutrition, etc. This complex comorbidity is associated with the extensive injury of different biomolecular targets by reactive oxygen species, which is the biochemical hallmark of oxidative stress. These biological lesions are particularly pronounced in the lung, in which the extent of oxidative markers parallels that of inflammatory markers between chronic events and acute exacerbations along the progression of the disease. Herein, an abnormal flux of reactive oxygen species is present by the sustained activation of neutrophils and other cystic fibrosis-derived defects in the homeostatic processes of pulmonary epithelia and lining fluids. A sub-optimal antioxidant protection is believed to represent a main contributor to oxidative stress and to the poor control of immuno-inflammatory pathways in these patients. Observed defects include an impaired reduced glutathione metabolism and lowered intake and absorption of fat-soluble antioxidants (vitamin E, carotenoids, coenzyme Q-10, some polyunsaturated fatty acids, etc.) and oligoelements (such as Se, Cu and Zn) that are involved in reactive oxygen species detoxification by means of enzymatic defenses. Oral supplements and aerosolized formulations of thiols have been used in the antioxidant therapy of this inherited disease with the main aim of reducing the extent of oxidative lesions and the rate of lung deterioration. Despite positive effects on laboratory end points, poor evidence was obtained on the side of clinical outcome so far. These aspects examined in this critical review of the literature clearly suggest that further and more rigorous trials are needed together with new generations of pharmacological tools to a more effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy of cystic fibrosis patients. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antioxidants and Antioxidant Treatment in Disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by a deep inflammatory process, with production and release of cytokines and chemokines, among which interleukin 8 (IL-8) represents one of the most important. Accordingly, there is a growing interest in developing therapies against IL-8, with the aim of reducing the excessive inflammatory response in the airways of CF patients. Since transcription factor NF-kappaB plays a critical role in IL-8 expression, the transcription factor decoy (TFD) strategy might be of interest. TFD is based on biomolecules mimicking the target sites of transcription factors (TFs) and able to interfere with TF activity when delivered to target cells. Here, we review the inhibitory effects of decoy oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) on expression of IL-8 gene and secretion of IL-8 by cystic fibrosis cells infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, the effects of decoy molecules based on peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are discussed. In this respect PNA–DNA–PNA (PDP) chimeras are interesting: (a) unlike PNAs, they can be complexed with liposomes and microspheres; (b) unlike oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs), they are resistant to DNAses, serum and cytoplasmic extracts; (c) unlike PNA/PNA and PNA/DNA hybrids, they are potent decoy molecules. Interestingly, PDP/PDP NF-kappaB decoy chimeras inhibit accumulation of pro-inflammatory mRNAs (including IL-8 mRNA) in P. aeruginosa infected IB3-1, cells reproducing the effects of decoy oligonucleotides. The effects of PDP/PDP chimeras, unlike ODN-based decoys, are observed even in absence of protection with lipofectamine. Since IL-8 is pivotal in pro-inflammatory processes affecting cystic fibrosis, inhibition of its functions might have a clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the identification of microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the regulation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene, miRNAs known to down-regulate the expression of the CFTR and associated proteins have been investigated as potential therapeutic targets. Here we show that miR-101-3p, targeting the 3′-UTR sequence of the CFTR mRNA, can be selectively inhibited by a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) carrying a full complementary sequence. With respect to clinical relevance of microRNA targeting, it is expected that reduction in concentration of miRNAs (the anti-miRNA approach) could be associated with increasing amounts of target mRNAs. Consistently to this hypothesis, we report that PNA-mediated inhibition of miR-101-3p was accompanied by CFTR up-regulation. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed in order to verify the effects of the anti-miR-101-3p PNA on the Calu-3 miRNome. Upon inhibition of miR-101-3p we observed a fold change (FC) expression <2 of the majority of miRNAs (403/479, 84.13%), whereas we identified a list of dysregulated miRNAs, suggesting that specific miRNA inhibition (in our case miR-101-3p) might be accompanied by alteration of expression of other miRNAs, some of them known to be involved in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), such as miR-155-5p and miR-125b-5p. Image 1 • microRNAs are deeply involved in the regulation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. • miR-101-3p targets the 3′-UTR sequence of the CFTR mRNA. • In Calu-3 cells miR-101-3p can be selectively inhibited by a fully complementary peptide nucleic acid (PNA). • PNA-mediated inhibition of miR-101-3p was accompanied by CFTR up-regulation. • The effects of the anti-miR-101-3p PNA on the Calu-3 miRNome are accompanied by alteration of miRNAs involved in Cystic Fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]