Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0024141 (systemic lupus erythematosus)
 44,322 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects of the crude extract of Solanum lyratum (SLE) on human colon cancer colo 205 cells were investigated. The cell viability, morphological changes of the cells, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (deltapsi(m)) and cell cycle- and apoptosis-associated protein levels and gene expressions were examined in colo 205 cells after exposure to various concentrations of SLE for different time periods. The results indicated that SLE decreased the percentage of viable colo 205 cells accompanied by morphological changes. The most effective concentration of SLE was 300 pg/ml (SLE 300) and this concentration was used for further investigations. SLE induced S-phase arrest and apoptosis (sub-G1) in the colo 205 cells and those effects were dose- and time-dependent. DAPI staining and DNA gel electrophoresis confirmed that SLE induced apoptosis in colo 205 cells. Flow cytometric analysis also showed that SLE 300 promoted ROS production and decreased the deltapsi(m). Western blotting analysis indicated that SLE 300 increased Bax levels and decreased Bcl-2 levels, which caused the loss of deltapsi(m) followed by cytochrome c release and caspase-9 and -3 activation, finally leading to apoptosis. SLE 300 also promoted p53 and p27, but decreased the levels of cyclin B1 thus causing S-phase arrest. The gene expression associated with those proteins was also confirmed by PCR methods. The findings show that SLE might be used as a colon cancer therapeutic agent in the future.
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PMID:Crude extracts of Solanum lyratum induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (colo 205). 1850 53

Bz-423 is a proapoptotic 1,4-benzodiazepine with potent therapeutic properties in murine models of lupus and psoriasis. Bz-423 modulates the F(1)F(0)-ATPase, inducing the formation of superoxide within the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which then functions as a second messenger initiating apoptosis. Herein, we report the signaling pathway activated by Bz-423 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts containing knockouts of key apoptotic proteins. Bz-423-induced superoxide activates cytosolic ASK1 and its release from thioredoxin. A mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade follows, leading to the specific phosphorylation of JNK. JNK signals activation of Bax and Bak which then induces mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization to cause the release of cytochrome c and a commitment to apoptosis. The response of these cells to Bz-423 is critically dependent on both superoxide and JNK activation as antioxidants and the JNK inhibitor SP600125 prevents Bax translocation, cytochrome c release, and cell death. These results demonstrate that superoxide generated from the mitochondrial respiratory chain as a consequence of a respiratory transition can signal a sequential and specific apoptotic response. Collectively, these data suggest that the selectivity of Bz-423 observed in vivo results from cell-type specific differences in redox balance and signaling by ASK1 and Bcl-2 proteins.
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PMID:Bz-423 superoxide signals apoptosis via selective activation of JNK, Bak, and Bax. 1871 27

Previous studies have shown that treatment of ovariectomized females with 17-beta estradiol (E2) accelerates the development of autoimmunity in the (NZBxNZW)F(1) murine lupus model. Treatment with estrogenic organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) such as chlordecone produces a similar effect. Although it is reasonable to postulate that the effects of chlordecone and related OCPs on autoimmunity are due to their estrogenic effects, this has not been clearly demonstrated. The objective of this study was to compare effects of chlordecone and E2 on splenic T lymphocyte parameters plausibly related to autoimmunity; specifically, on T-cell phenotype and functions. Ovariectomized (NZBxNZW)F(1) mice were treated for 6 weeks with implanted sustained-release pellets containing chlordecone or E2 at dosing rates shown previously to significantly shorten time to onset of disease. E2, but not chlordecone, increased the percentage of activated and memory CD4 T-cells, and reduced naive CD4 T-cells. E2 also elevated CD25 and glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR) levels in CD4 T-cells, an effect not shared by chlordecone. On the other hand, both chlordecone and E2 increased Bcl-2 expression in CD4 T-cells and reduced CD4 T-cell apoptosis without affecting their proliferation. Although both treatments increased TNF-alpha and IL-2 secretion by CD4 T-cells, only chlordecone increased secretion of IFN-gamma and GM-CSF. E2, but not chlordecone, increased IL-10 secretion. These observations indicate that although it is considered an estrogenic OCP, chlordecone exerts effects on splenic T-cells that are different in a number of ways from E2.
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PMID:Comparison of chlordecone and estradiol effects on splenic T-cells in (NZBxNZW)F(1) mice. 1895 62

The Bcl-2 family of proteins plays a critical role in controlling immune responses by regulating the expansion and contraction of activated lymphocyte clones by apoptosis. ABT-737, which was originally developed for oncology, is a potent inhibitor of Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and Bcl-w protein function. There is evidence that Bcl-2-associated dysregulation of lymphocyte apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmunity and lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we report that ABT-737 treatment resulted in potent inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation as measured by in vitro mitogenic or ex vivo Ag-specific stimulation. More importantly, ABT-737 significantly reduced disease severity in tissue-specific and systemic animal models of autoimmunity. Bcl-2 family antagonism by ABT-737 was efficacious in treating animal models of arthritis and lupus. Our results suggest that treatment with a Bcl-2 family antagonist represents a novel and potentially attractive therapeutic approach for the clinical treatment of autoimmunity.
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PMID:The Bcl-2 family antagonist ABT-737 significantly inhibits multiple animal models of autoimmunity. 1949 71

Autoimmunity affects a substantial fraction of our population. In patients with autoimmune disease, the immune system recognizes self-tissues as foreign. Common autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, lupus and multiple sclerosis. Though different target organs may be affected in different autoimmune diseases, aberrations in adaptive or innate immunity underlie all of these diseases. Abnormal functioning, differentiation and/or activation of T-cells, B-cells and myeloid cells have been documented in various autoimmune diseases. More recent studies have also detailed anomalous activation of various signaling axes including various MAPK, AKT, NF-kappaB, Bcl-2 family members, and JAK/STAT molecules in these cells, in the context of systemic autoimmunity. Among these, one molecular pathway that appears to be particularly attractive for therapeutic targeting is the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis. In this review, we summarize how the AKT axis affects multiple molecular processes in autoimmune diseases and discuss the potential of targeting this axis in these diseases.
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PMID:The AKT axis as a therapeutic target in autoimmune diseases. 1951 64

Dysregulated expression of Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 may initiate the development of autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A tolerogenic peptide designated hCDR1 was shown to ameliorate manifestations of spontaneous and induced murine SLE. Recently, we demonstrated that Bcl-xL plays a critical role in the modulating effects of hCDR1, as manifested by reducing the state of activation of lymphocytes and by down-regulating the secretion of the pathogenic cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-10. Here we studied the role of Bcl-xL in the development and function of CD4 regulatory T-cells (Treg) from hCDR1-treated, SLE-afflicted (New-Zealand-Black x New-Zealand-White) F1 mice. We report that Bcl-xL was up-regulated in CD4 Treg of tolerized mice, where it played a role in inducing the regulatory/inhibitory molecules Foxp3, CTLA-4, and TGF-beta and in repressing PD-1. Further, Bcl-xL mediated the induction of CTLA-4 and TGF-beta in effector T cells (Teff) by CD4 Treg of the tolerized mice. The induction of Bcl-xL in Teff by Treg was TGF-beta dependent and CTLA-4 independent, leading to inhibition of proliferation and to a decrease in activated Teff. We conclude that Bcl-xL is required for the development and function of CD4 Treg, which ameliorate lupus following treatment with a tolerogenic peptide.
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PMID:Bcl-xL is required for the development of functional regulatory CD4 cells in lupus-afflicted mice following treatment with a tolerogenic peptide. 1959 83

7-Chloro-5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl-3-(napthalen-2-ylmetyl)-4,5,-dihydro-1H-benzo[b][1,4]diazepin-2(3H)-one (Bz-423) is a proapoptotic 1,4-benzodiazepine that potently suppresses disease in the murine model of lupus by selectively killing pathogenic lymphocytes. In MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr) (MRL-lpr) mice, Bz-423 overcomes deficient expression of the Fas death receptor and hyperactivation of antiapoptotic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling to specifically kill pathogenic CD4(+) T cells. Bz-423 binds to the oligomycin-sensitivity-conferring protein component of the mitochondrial F(0)F(1)-ATPase, which modulates the enzyme leading to formation of superoxide by the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Scavenging this reactive oxygen species blocks all subsequent components of the apoptotic cascade. To gain insight into how apoptotic signaling activated by Bz-423-induced superoxide contributes to the selective depletion of MRL-lpr CD4(+) T cells, we characterized the death mechanism in a CD4(+) T cell leukemia line (Jurkat). Although Bz-423-induced superoxide indirectly inactivates Akt, this response is not required for T cell death. Apoptosis instead results from parallel increases in levels of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins Noxa and Bak leading to specific activation of Bak, mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, and a commitment to apoptosis. By directly up-regulating proteins that trigger loss of mitochondrial outer membrane integrity, Bz-423 bypasses defective Fas function and antiapoptotic PI3K-Akt signaling in MRL-lpr CD4(+) T cells. Moreover, because disease-associated abnormalities should sensitize autoreactive CD4(+) T cells to transcriptional up-regulation of Noxa by redox signals and to Bak-dependent apoptosis, the apoptotic mechanism elucidated in Jurkat cells provides important clues into the cell-type- and disease-selective effects of Bz-423 in MRL-lpr mice.
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PMID:Apoptotic signaling activated by modulation of the F0F1-ATPase: implications for selective killing of autoimmune lymphocytes. 1970 92

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a prototypical autoimmune disease characterized by the deregulation of T and B cells, tissue infiltration by mononuclear cells, tissue damage and the production of autoantibodies. There is a consensus that accelerated apoptosis of circulating lymphocytes and/or impaired clearance of apoptotic bodies may increase the amount of nuclear antigens presented to T lymphocytes. This process is accompanied by autoimmune responses that can lead to the development of lupus. The dysfunction of apoptosis may be a direct consequence of alterations in proteins/genes such as Fas, Bcl-2 and C1q. Increased expression of Fas antigen could intensify the exposure of hidden antigens. The overexpression of Bcl-2 protein might inhibit the removal of auto-reactive cells, and the lack of C1q could impair the clearance of self-antigens. The complete knowledge of the role of apoptosis components in the etiopathogenesis of lupus could lead to the development of new therapies targeting the apoptotic threshold, which could result in a more specific and effective disease response compared to global immunosuppression. This review summarizes the role of each component of the apoptotic process in the pathogenesis of lupus.
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PMID:The role of apoptosis proteins and complement components in the etiopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. 2036 Sep 25

Increased macrophage vulnerability is associated with progression of systemic lupus erythematosus. Our previous studies have shown that cystamine, an inhibitor of transglutaminase 2 (TG2), alleviated the apoptosis of hepatocyte and brain cell in lupus-prone mice NZB/W-F1. In present study, we further investigated the effects of cystamine on apoptosis-prone macrophages (APMs) in the lupus mice. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis, we found that cystamine induced a differential protein expression pattern of APM as comparing to the PBS control. The protein spots presenting differential level between cystamine and PBS treatment were then identified by peptide-mass fingerprinting (PMF). After bioinformatic analysis, these identified proteins were found involved in mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, oxidative stress, and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-mediated pathway. Further investigation revealed that cystamine significantly decreased the levels of apoptotic Bax and Apaf-1 and the activity of caspase-3, and increased the levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in APM. We also found that these apoptotic mediators were up-regulated in a correlation with the progression of lupus severity in NZB/W-F1, which were little affected in BALB/c mice. We also found that the reduced serum glutathione was restored by cystamine in NZB/W-F1. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in APM and the phagocytic ability was diminished in presence of cystamine. In conclusion, our findings indicate that cystamine significantly inhibited mitochondrial pathway, induced antioxidant proteins, and diminished phosphorylation of extracellular ERK1/2, which may alleviate the apoptosis and the phagocytic ability of APM.
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PMID:Proteomic analysis for the anti-apoptotic effects of cystamine on apoptosis-prone macrophage. 2051 26

During a T cell-dependent Ab response, B cells undergo Ab class switching and V region hypermutation, with the latter process potentially rendering previously innocuous B cells autoreactive. Class switching and hypermutation are temporally and anatomically linked with both processes dependent on the enzyme, activation-induced deaminase, and occurring principally, but not exclusively, in germinal centers. To understand tolerance regulation at this stage, we generated a new transgenic mouse model expressing a membrane-tethered gamma2a-reactive superantigen (gamma2a-macroself Ag) and assessed the fate of emerging IgG2a-expressing B cells that have, following class switch, acquired self-reactivity of the Ag receptor to the macroself-Ag. In normal mice, self-reactive IgG2a-switched B cells were deleted, leading to the selective absence of IgG2a memory responses. These findings identify a novel negative selection mechanism for deleting mature B cells that acquire reactivity to self-Ag. This process was only partly dependent on the Bcl-2 pathway, but markedly inefficient in MRL-Fas(lpr) lupus mice, suggesting that defective apoptosis of isotype-switched autoreactive B cells is central to Fas mutation-associated systemic autoimmunity.
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PMID:Deletion of IgG-switched autoreactive B cells and defects in Fas(lpr) lupus mice. 2055 53


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