Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-04-23DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108207
Hongbing Wang , Taosheng Chen , Huichang Bi
{"title":"Nuclear receptors in metabolism and diseases: Mechanistic and therapeutic insights","authors":"Hongbing Wang , Taosheng Chen , Huichang Bi","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108207","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108207"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147778337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-05-25DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108262
Yang Yang , Zongshi Qin , Sijing Du , ShuangShuang Fang , Yanjun Ma , Zhaolan Liu , Weixun Zhou , Xiuli Liu , Alfred Chin Yen Tay , Yanping Tang , Chuijie Wang , Juanpin Su , Fengbin Liu , Jin Shu , Xudong Tian , Qian Yang , Huayi Liu , Li Liu , Tao Yu , Zhenhua Li , Wei Wei
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Efficacy of Chinese medicine WW-1 in managing gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” [Pharmacol. Res. 227 (2026) 108176]","authors":"Yang Yang , Zongshi Qin , Sijing Du , ShuangShuang Fang , Yanjun Ma , Zhaolan Liu , Weixun Zhou , Xiuli Liu , Alfred Chin Yen Tay , Yanping Tang , Chuijie Wang , Juanpin Su , Fengbin Liu , Jin Shu , Xudong Tian , Qian Yang , Huayi Liu , Li Liu , Tao Yu , Zhenhua Li , Wei Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108262","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108262"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148016685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-03-24DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108173
Luigia Cristino, Fabricio A. Moreira, Uwe Grether
{"title":"Editorial: Sixty years from THC: Landscape and perspectives on the pharmacology of cannabinoids","authors":"Luigia Cristino, Fabricio A. Moreira, Uwe Grether","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108173","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108173","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108173"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147521619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-13DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108139
Tianlin Deng , Xiuyan Li , Shuodong Wu , Jing Kong , Xiaodong Wu
{"title":"Targeting Acod1/itaconate in cancer therapy: Mechanisms and opportunities","authors":"Tianlin Deng , Xiuyan Li , Shuodong Wu , Jing Kong , Xiaodong Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Globally, cancer claims nearly 10 million lives annually, where tumor heterogeneity, the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and therapeutic resistance constitute fundamental clinical challenges. In recent years, immunometabolic reprogramming has emerged as a cutting-edge research frontier, revealing novel mechanisms by which metabolites orchestrate immune responses. Itaconate—an immunometabolite primarily synthesized by macrophages—serves as a pivotal molecular hub bridging metabolic stress and anti-tumor immunity. This review systematically traces the evolution of itaconate from an industrial chemical to a key immunometabolite; comprehensively elucidates its dual roles (pro-tumorigenic vs. anti-tumorigenic) within the tumor microenvironment; synthesizes preclinical evidence of itaconate and its derivatives across diverse tumor systems; and consolidates emerging adjuvant therapeutic strategies targeting the Acod1/itaconate pathway. Collectively, this work aims to provide innovative immunometabolic perspectives for overcoming current barriers in cancer therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 108139"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146202446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-13DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108140
Adriana M. Capucho , José Ponce de Leão , Karine Correa Flor , Gonçalo M. Melo , Marcos Vinicius Fernandes , Joana F. Sacramento , Sílvia V. Conde
{"title":"Chronic caffeine consumption prevents obesity-induced cognitive and memory impairments by reducing neuroinflammation and enhancing neuronal activity in the hippocampus","authors":"Adriana M. Capucho , José Ponce de Leão , Karine Correa Flor , Gonçalo M. Melo , Marcos Vinicius Fernandes , Joana F. Sacramento , Sílvia V. Conde","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obesity and its associated metabolic disturbances increase the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and anxiety-related disorders. Chronic caffeine consumption was suggested to prevent synaptic and cognitive deficits, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether caffeine protects against cognitive and memory deficits and anxiety induced by a hypercaloric diet, and explored the molecular mechanisms involved. Ten-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned to three groups: normal chow (control), high-fat high-sucrose (HFHSu, 25 weeks), and HFHSu plus caffeine (HFHSuCaff, 1 g/L last 11 weeks). Insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were assessed at weeks 14 and 25. Behavioral tests (open field, novel object recognition (NOR), Y-maze, block test, elevated plus maze (EPM)) evaluated memory, cognition, and anxiety. Hippocampal tissues were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry for insulin signaling, neuronal activity and microglia activation. HFHSu feeding promoted obesity, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance, accompanied by impaired memory and cognition (reductions in Y-maze, NOR, and block test), increased anxiety (54.5 % time in EPM open arms), reduced hippocampal glutamatergic (41.1 % VGlut) and adenosinergic signaling (22.4 %, 11.1 %, 22.6 % in A1, A2A, A2B receptors), and elevated neuroinflammation (elevated GFAP, IBA-1, IL-6 receptor levels; altered microglial morphology) compared with control. Caffeine intake ameliorated metabolic, cognitive, and neuroinflammatory alterations, except for anxiety. Notably, caffeine increased hippocampal neuronal activity by 25.22, 94.84 and 61.51 % in CA1, CA2 and CA3 areas. In conclusion, chronic caffeine consumption mitigates obesity-induced cognitive and memory deficits via modulation of hippocampal glutamatergic and adenosinergic signaling and reduced neuroinflammation, highlighting its potential as a neuroprotective intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 108140"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146202409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pharmacological researchPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-20DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108150
Sofia Parrasia , Carlotta Paoli , Tatiana Varanita , Valentina Brillo , Mostafa A.L. Abdel-Salam , Alberto Ongaro , Claudia Honisch , Beatrice Angi , Magdalena Bachmann , Filippo Bergamin , Vincenzo Corbo , Elena Fiorini , Andrea Rossa , Giovanna Bossio , Erich Gulbins , Alessandro Carrer , Mario Zoratti , Andrea Mattarei , Paolo Ruzza , Lucia Biasutto , Ildiko Szabo
{"title":"Tumor-specific targeting of a mitochondrial Kv1.3 channel inhibitor through conjugation to gastrin/cholecystokinin B receptor ligand strongly reduces pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in orthotopic models","authors":"Sofia Parrasia , Carlotta Paoli , Tatiana Varanita , Valentina Brillo , Mostafa A.L. Abdel-Salam , Alberto Ongaro , Claudia Honisch , Beatrice Angi , Magdalena Bachmann , Filippo Bergamin , Vincenzo Corbo , Elena Fiorini , Andrea Rossa , Giovanna Bossio , Erich Gulbins , Alessandro Carrer , Mario Zoratti , Andrea Mattarei , Paolo Ruzza , Lucia Biasutto , Ildiko Szabo","doi":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108150","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.phrs.2026.108150","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly chemoresistant and immunoresistant tumor with an overall five-year survival rate of less than 10 %. Current treatments for PDAC are rather limited, highlighting the importance of finding novel strategies. In this study, we investigated a strategy for the tumor-specific targeting of PAPTP, a small molecule that reduces PDAC growth by inhibiting the mitochondrial potassium channel mtKv1.3, thereby inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and killing cancer cells. PAPTP was reversibly conjugated to three tumor-penetrating peptides: iRGD, VH434, and a short version of minigastrin (CCK2p). These recognize neuropilin-1 and integrin (iRGD), the low-density lipoprotein receptor (VH434), and the gastrin/cholecystokinin B receptor (CCK2p). <em>In vivo</em> pharmacokinetic studies revealed that the PAPTP-bound iRGD peptide underwent rapid metabolic cleavage, which prevented optimal uptake of the construct into PDAC. The VH434 conjugate was highly hemolytic. However, CCK2p-PAPTP exhibited preferential distribution to the pancreas in animals bearing orthotopic PDAC. Efficacy studies revealed a reduction in mean tumor volume of up to 65 % in two independent orthotopic mouse models, with no tumor evident in some of the animals treated with the CCK2p-bound PAPTP construct. Our data suggest that tumor-specific targeting of small molecules may be a promising strategy for precision medicine against PDAC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19918,"journal":{"name":"Pharmacological research","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 108150"},"PeriodicalIF":10.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146776596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}