HMGB1 is a key late inflammatory mediator upregulated during air-pollution-induced oxidative stress. Extracellular HMGB1 accumulation in the airways and lungs plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory lung injury. Decreasing extracellular HMBG1 levels may restore innate immune cell functions to protect the lungs from harmful injuries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSupraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) can compromise host defense and increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, causing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Compromised host defense and inflammatory lung injury are mediated, in part, by high extracellular concentrations of HMGB1, which can be decreased by GTS-21, a partial agonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Here, we report that a novel α7nAChR agonistic positive allosteric modulator (ago-PAM), GAT107, at 3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClinical studies have shown a significant positive correlation between age and the likelihood of being infected with SARS-CoV-2. This increased susceptibility is positively correlated with chronic inflammation and compromised neurocognitive functions. Postmortem analyses suggest that acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with systemic and lung hyperinflammation, can cause significant morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is an alarmin following its release by immune cells upon cellular activation or stress. High levels of extracellular HMGB1 play a critical role in impairing the clearance of invading pulmonary pathogens and dying neutrophils in the injured lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A heparin derivative, 2-O, 3-O desulfated heparin (ODSH), has been shown to inhibit HMGB1 release from a macrophage cell line and is efficacious in increasing bacterial clearance in a mouse model of pneumonia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 of 2019 (COVID-19) causes a pandemic that has been diagnosed in more than 70 million people worldwide. Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms include coughing, fever, myalgia, shortness of breath, and acute inflammatory lung injury (ALI). In contrast, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and respiratory failure occur in patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSupplemental oxygen therapy with supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia; >21% O) is a life-saving intervention for patients experiencing respiratory distress. However, prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can compromise bacterial clearance processes, due to oxidative stress-mediated impairment of macrophages, contributing to the increased susceptibility to pulmonary infections. This study reports that the activation of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) with the delete allosteric agonistic-positive allosteric modulator, GAT107, decreases the bacterial burden in mouse lungs by improving hyperoxia-induced lung redox imbalance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mechanical ventilation, in combination with supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (i.e., hyperoxia), is routinely used to treat patients with respiratory distress, such as COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Oxygen therapy, using supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia), is routinely administered to patients who require respiratory support including mechanical ventilation (MV). However, prolonged exposure to hyperoxia results in acute lung injury (ALI) and accumulation of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the airways. We previously showed that airway HMGB1 mediates hyperoxia-induced lung injury in a mouse model of ALI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMechanical ventilation with hyperoxia is the major supportive measure to treat patients with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can induce oxidative inflammatory lung injury. Previously, we have shown that high levels of airway high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) mediate hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMechanical ventilation (MV) with supraphysiological levels of oxygen (hyperoxia) is a life-saving therapy for the management of patients with respiratory distress. However, a significant number of patients on MV develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Previously, we have reported that prolonged exposure to hyperoxia impairs the capacity of macrophages to phagocytize Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), which can contribute to the compromised innate immunity in VAP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-mobility group protein box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein, regulates chromatin structure and modulates the expression of many genes involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and many other lung diseases, including those that regulate cell cycle control, cell death, and DNA replication and repair. Extracellular HMGB1, whether passively released or actively secreted, is a danger signal that elicits proinflammatory responses, impairs macrophage phagocytosis and efferocytosis, and alters vascular remodeling. This can result in excessive pulmonary inflammation and compromised host defense against lung infections, causing a deleterious feedback cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Myocardial infarction (MI) has likely contributed to the increased prevalence of heart failure (HF). As a result of reduced cardiac function, splanchnic blood flow decreases, causing ischemia in villi and damage to the intestinal barrier. The induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) could prevent, or lessen the effects of stress and inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiological membrane stabilization is essential for maintenance of cellular homeostasis, functionality and appropriate response to various stimuli. Previous studies have showed that accumulation of PKCs in the cell membrane significantly downregulates the membrane fluidity and Ca(2+) influxes through the membranes in activated cells. In addition, membrane-inserted form of PKCs has been found in a variety of resting mammalian cells and tissues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF