{"title":"Gut Microbiota Metabolite Messengers in Brain Function and Pathology at a View of Cell Type-Based Receptor and Enzyme Reaction.","authors":"Bada Lee, Soo Min Lee, Jae Won Song, Jin Woo Choi","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.009","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract houses a diverse microbial community, known as the gut microbiome comprising bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining the body's equilibrium and has recently been discovered to influence the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). The communication between the nervous system and the GI tract occurs through a two-way network called the gut-brain axis. The nervous system and the GI tract can modulate each other through activated neuronal cells, the immune system, and metabolites produced by the gut microbiome. Extensive research both in preclinical and clinical realms, has highlighted the complex relationship between the gut and diseases associated with the CNS, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This review aims to delineate receptor and target enzymes linked with gut microbiota metabolites and explore their specific roles within the brain, particularly their impact on CNS-related diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"403-423"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214962/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141426261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chaemoon Lim, Mei Jing Piao, Kyoung Ah Kang, Pincha Devage Sameera Madushan Fernando, Herath Mudiyanselage Udari Lakmini Herath, Dae Whan Kim, Joo Mi Yi, Yung Hyun Choi, Jin Won Hyun
{"title":"Inhibitory Action of 1,3,5-Trihydroxybenzene on UVB-Induced NADPH Oxidase 4 through AMPK and JNK Signaling Pathways.","authors":"Chaemoon Lim, Mei Jing Piao, Kyoung Ah Kang, Pincha Devage Sameera Madushan Fernando, Herath Mudiyanselage Udari Lakmini Herath, Dae Whan Kim, Joo Mi Yi, Yung Hyun Choi, Jin Won Hyun","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.054","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Specific sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays is one of the mechanisms responsible for widespread skin damage. This study tested whether 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene (THB), a compound abundant in marine products, might inhibit UVB radiation-induced NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) in both human HaCaT keratinocytes and mouse dorsal skin and explore its cytoprotective mechanism. The mechanism of action was determined using western blotting, immunocytochemistry, NADP<sup>+</sup>/NADPH assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, and cell viability assay. THB attenuated UVB-induced NOX4 expression both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>, and suppressed UVB-induced ROS generation via NADP<sup>+</sup> production, resulting in increased cell viability with decreased apoptosis. THB also reduced the expression of UVB-induced phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). THB suppressed UVB-induced NOX4 expression and ROS generation by inhibiting AMPK and JNK signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting cellular damage. These results showed that THB could be developed as a UV protectant.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":"32 4","pages":"499-507"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214967/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141445358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Anti-Inflammatory Activities of (+)-Afzelechin against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation.","authors":"In-Chul Lee, Jong-Sup Bae","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.204","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this study, we investigated the potential protective effects of (+)-afzelechin (AZC), a natural compound that is derived from Bergenia ligulata, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses. AZC is known to have antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and cardiovascular protective properties. However, knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of AZC against LPS-induced inflammatory responses is limited. Thus, we investigated the protective attributes of AZC against inflammatory damage caused by LPS exposure. We examined the effects of AZC on heme oxygenase (HO)-1, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In addition, the effects of AZC on the expression of iNOS, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1β were analyzed in the lung tissues of LPS-injected mice. Data revealed that AZC promoted the production of HO-1, inhibited the interaction between luciferase and nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and reduced the levels of COX-2/PGE2 and iNOS/NO, thereby leading to a decrease in the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1 phosphorylation. Moreover, AZC facilitated the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, increased the binding activity between Nrf2 and the antioxidant response elements (AREs), and lowered the expression of IL-1β in the LPS-treated HUVECs. In the animal model, AZC significantly reduced the expression of iNOS in the lung tissue structure and the TNF-α level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings demonstrate that AZC possesses anti-inflammatory properties that regulate iNOS through the inhibition of both NF-κB expression and p-STAT-1. Consequently, AZC has potential as a future candidate for the development of new clinical substances for the treatment of pathological inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"467-473"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141282897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structure-Activity Relationship and Functional Evaluation of Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptor.","authors":"Shujie Wang, Xinru Tian, Suresh Paudel, Sungho Ghil, Choon-Gon Jang, Kyeong-Man Kim","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.205","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.205","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB<sub>1</sub>R) is a potential therapeutic target in several pathological conditions, including neuropsychological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Owing to their structural diversity, it is not easy to derive general structure-activity relationships (SARs) for CB<sub>1</sub>R ligands. In this study, CB<sub>1</sub>R ligands were classified into six structural families, and the corresponding SAR was determined for their affinities for CB<sub>1</sub>R. In addition, we determined their functional activities for the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). Among derivatives of indol-3-yl-methanone, the highest ligand affinity was observed when a pentyl and a naphthalenyl group were attached to the N1 position of the indole ring and the carbon site of the methanone moiety, respectively. In the case of adamantane indazole-3-carboxamide derivatives, the presence of fluorine in the pentyl group, the substituent at the N1 position of the indazole ring, strongly increased the affinity for CB<sub>1</sub>R. For (naphthalen-1-yl) methanone derivatives, the presence of 4-alkoxynaphthalene in the methanone moiety was more beneficial for the affinity to CB<sub>1</sub>R than that of a heterocyclic ring. The functional activities of the tested compounds, evaluated through ERK assay, were correlated with their affinity for CB<sub>1</sub>R, suggesting their agonistic nature. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insight for designing novel ligands for CB<sub>1</sub>R, which can be used to control psychiatric disorders and drug abuse.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"442-450"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214964/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141282949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eunae Kim, Hark Kyun Kim, Jae Hoon Sul, Jeongmi Lee, Seung Hyun Baek, Yoonsuk Cho, Jihoon Han, Junsik Kim, Sunyoung Park, Jae Hyung Park, Yong Woo Cho, Dong-Gyu Jo
{"title":"Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Adipose Stem Cells Alleviate Systemic Sclerosis by Inhibiting TGF-β Pathway.","authors":"Eunae Kim, Hark Kyun Kim, Jae Hoon Sul, Jeongmi Lee, Seung Hyun Baek, Yoonsuk Cho, Jihoon Han, Junsik Kim, Sunyoung Park, Jae Hyung Park, Yong Woo Cho, Dong-Gyu Jo","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.191","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2023.191","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory reactions and fibrosis. Myofibroblasts are considered therapeutic targets for preventing and reversing the pathogenesis of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis. Although the mechanisms that differentiate into myofibroblasts are diverse, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is known to be a key mediator of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis. This study investigated the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from human adipose stem cells (ASC-EVs) in an <i>in vivo</i> systemic sclerosis model and <i>in vitro</i> TGF-β1-induced dermal fibroblasts. The therapeutic effects of ASC-EVs on the <i>in vivo</i> systemic sclerosis model were evaluated based on dermal thickness and the number of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-expressing cells using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. Administration of ASC-EVs decreased both the dermal thickness and α-SMA expressing cell number as well as the mRNA levels of fibrotic genes, such as <i>Acta2, Ccn2, Col1a1</i> and <i>Comp.</i> Additionally, we discovered that ASC-EVs can decrease the expression of α-SMA and CTGF and suppress the TGF-β pathway by inhibiting the activation of SMAD2 in dermal fibroblasts induced by TGF-β1. Finally, TGF-β1-induced dermal fibroblasts underwent selective death through ASC-EVs treatment. These results indicate that ASC-EVs could provide a therapeutic approach for preventing and reversing systemic sclerosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"432-441"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214968/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eunseo Jeong, Vitchan Kim, Changmin Kim, Yoo-Bin Lee, Donghak Kim
{"title":"Structural Insights into the Interaction of Terpenoids with <i>Streptomyces avermitilis</i> CYP107P2.","authors":"Eunseo Jeong, Vitchan Kim, Changmin Kim, Yoo-Bin Lee, Donghak Kim","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.045","DOIUrl":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Streptomyces avermitilis</i> genome includes 33 genes encoding monooxygenation-catalyzing cytochrome P450 enzymes. We investigated the structure of CYP107P2 and its interactions with terpenoid compounds. The recombinant CYP107P2 protein was expressed in <i>Escherichia coli</i> and the purified enzyme exhibited a typical P450 spectrum upon CO-binding in its reduced state. Type-I substrate-binding spectral titrations were observed with various terpenoid compounds, including α-pinene, β-pinene, α-terpinyl acetate, and (+)-3-carene. The calculated binding affinities (<i>K</i><sub>d</sub>) ranged from 15.9 to 50.8 μM. The X-ray crystal structure of CYP107P2 was determined at 1.99 Å resolution, with a well-conserved overall P450 folding conformation. The terpenoid compound docking models illustrated that the structural interaction between monoterpenes and CYP107P2, with the distance between heme and terpenes ranging from 3.4 to 5.4 Å, indicates potential substrate binding for P450 enzyme. This study suggests that CYP107P2 is a <i>Streptomyces</i> P450 enzyme capable of catalyzing terpenes as substrates, signifying noteworthy advancements in comprehending a novel P450 enzyme's involvement in terpene reactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"474-480"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11214959/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hae Ran Lee, Seong-Min Hong, Kyohee Cho, Seon Hyeok Kim, Eunji Ko, Eunyoo Lee, Hyun Jin Kim, Se Yeong Jeon, Seon Gil Do, Sun Yeou Kim
{"title":"Erratum to \"Potential Role of Dietary Salmon Nasal Cartilage Proteoglycan on UVB-Induced Photoaged Skin\" [Biomol. Ther. 32 (2024) 249-260].","authors":"Hae Ran Lee, Seong-Min Hong, Kyohee Cho, Seon Hyeok Kim, Eunji Ko, Eunyoo Lee, Hyun Jin Kim, Se Yeong Jeon, Seon Gil Do, Sun Yeou Kim","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2024.004","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":"32 3","pages":"399"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11063478/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140861980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 1 Plays a Pathogenic Role in Permanent Brain Ischemic Stroke by Modulating Neuroinflammatory Responses.","authors":"Supriya Tiwari, Nikita Basnet, Ji Woong Choi","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2024.052","url":null,"abstract":"Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA<sub>1</sub>) plays a critical role in brain injury following a transient brain ischemic stroke. However, its role in permanent brain ischemic stroke remains unknown. To address this, we investigated whether LPA<sub>1</sub> could contribute to brain injury of mice challenged by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). A selective LPA<sub>1</sub> antagonist (AM152) was used as a pharmacological tool for this investigation. When AM152 was given to pMCAO-challenged mice one hour after occlusion, pMCAO-induced brain damage such as brain infarction, functional neurological deficits, apoptosis, and blood-brain barrier disruption was significantly attenuated. Histological analyses demonstrated that AM152 administration attenuated microglial activation and proliferation in injured brain after pMCAO challenge. AM152 administration also attenuated abnormal neuroinflammatory responses by decreasing expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines while increasing expression levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines in the injured brain. As underlying effector pathways, NF-κB, MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38, and JNKs), and PI3K/Akt were found to be involved in LPA<sub>1</sub>-dependent pathogenesis. Collectively, these results demonstrate that LPA<sub>1</sub> can contribute to brain injury by permanent ischemic stroke, along with relevant pathogenic events in an injured brain.","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":"184 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140613610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hyun Hwangbo, Cheol Park, EunJin Bang, Hyuk Soon Kim, Sung-Jin Bae, Eunjeong Kim, Youngmi Jung, Sun-Hee Leem, Young Rok Seo, Su Hyun Hong, Gi-Young Kim, Jin Won Hyun, Yung Hyun Choi
{"title":"Morroniside Protects C2C12 Myoblasts from Oxidative Damage Caused by ROS-Mediated Mitochondrial Damage and Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.","authors":"Hyun Hwangbo, Cheol Park, EunJin Bang, Hyuk Soon Kim, Sung-Jin Bae, Eunjeong Kim, Youngmi Jung, Sun-Hee Leem, Young Rok Seo, Su Hyun Hong, Gi-Young Kim, Jin Won Hyun, Yung Hyun Choi","doi":"10.4062/biomolther.2024.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2024.012","url":null,"abstract":"Oxidative stress contributes to the onset of chronic diseases in various organs, including muscles. Morroniside, a type of iridoid glycoside contained in <i>Cornus officinalis</i>, is reported to have advantages as a natural compound that prevents various diseases. However, the question of whether this phytochemical exerts any inhibitory effect against oxidative stress in muscle cells has not been well reported. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate whether morroniside can protect against oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) in murine C2C12 myoblasts. Our results demonstrate that morroniside pretreatment was able to inhibit cytotoxicity while suppressing H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced DNA damage and apoptosis. Morroniside also significantly improved the antioxidant capacity in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-challenged C2C12 cells by blocking the production of cellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide and increasing glutathione production. In addition, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced mitochondrial damage and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were effectively attenuated by morroniside pretreatment, inhibiting cytoplasmic leakage of cytochrome c and expression of ER stress-related proteins. Furthermore, morroniside neutralized H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-mediated calcium (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) overload in mitochondria and mitigated the expression of calpains, cytosolic Ca<sup>2+</sup>-dependent proteases. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that morroniside protected against mitochondrial impairment and Ca<sup>2+</sup>-mediated ER stress by minimizing oxidative stress, thereby inhibiting H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced cytotoxicity in C2C12 myoblasts.","PeriodicalId":8949,"journal":{"name":"Biomolecules & Therapeutics","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140602951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}