Bioprospecting Sponge-Associated Marine Cyanobacteria to Produce Bioactive Compounds.

Marine cyanobacteria are considered a prolific source of bioactive natural products with a range of biotechnological and pharmacological applications. However, data on the production of natural compounds from sponge-associated cyanobacteria are scarce. This study aimed to assess the potential of sponge-associated cyanobacteria strains representing different taxonomic groups for the production of bioactive compounds and the biological activity of their extracts. Phylogenetic analysis of sponge-associated cyanobacteria and screening for the presence of genes encoding non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs) were performed. Methanol extracts of the sponge-associated strains were analyzed for cyanotoxin production and tested for antioxidant activity and cytotoxic activity against several human cancer cell lines and pathogenic bacteria. PKS were detected in all sponge-associated strains examined, indicating the metabolic potential of the isolates. PKS genes were more ubiquitous than NRPS genes. Cyanotoxins (i.e., cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a, nodularin, and microcystins) were not detected in any of the sponge-associated cyanobacterial strains. Strains belonging to Leptothoe, Pseudanabaena, and Synechococcus were found to have activity mainly against Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, sponge-associated Leptothoe strains (TAU-MAC 0915, 1015, 1115, and 1215) were found to be highly cytotoxic and in most cases more effective against human cancer cell lines than against normal cells. Extracts with the most promising bioactivity deserve further investigation in order to isolate and identify the bioactive molecule(s).

Identification of a novel interaction between corticotropin releasing hormone (Crh) and macroautophagy.

In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), compromised restitution of the epithelial barrier contributes to disease severity. Owing to the complexity in the pathogenesis of IBD, a variety of factors have been implicated in its progress. In this study, we report a functional interaction between macroautophagy and Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (Crh) in the gut. For this purpose we used DSS colitis model on Crh -/- or wild-type (wt) with pharmacological inhibition of autophagy. We uncovered sustained basal autophagy in the gut of Crh -/- mice, which persisted over the course of DSS administration. Autophagy inhibition resulted in partial rescue of Crh -/- mice, while it increased the expression of Crh in the wt gut. Similarly, Crh deficiency was associated with sustained activation of base line autophagy. In vitro models of amino acid deprivation- and LPS-induced autophagy confirmed the in vivo findings. Our results indicate a novel role for Crh in the intestinal epithelium that involves regulation of autophagy, while suggesting the complementary action of the two pathways. These data suggest the intriguing possibility that targeting Crh stimulation in the intestine may provide a novel therapeutic approach to support the integrity of the epithelial barrier and to protect from chronic colitis.

cGMP-dependent protein kinase contributes to hydrogen sulfide-stimulated vasorelaxation.

A growing body of evidence suggests that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a signaling molecule in mammalian cells. In the cardiovascular system, H2S enhances vasodilation and angiogenesis. H2S-induced vasodilation is hypothesized to occur through ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP)); however, we recently demonstrated that it also increases cGMP levels in tissues. Herein, we studied the involvement of cGMP-dependent protein kinase-I in H2S-induced vasorelaxation. The effect of H2S on vessel tone was studied in phenylephrine-contracted aortic rings with or without endothelium. cGMP levels were determined in cultured cells or isolated vessel by enzyme immunoassay. Pretreatment of aortic rings with sildenafil attenuated NaHS-induced relaxation, confirming previous findings that H2S is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. In addition, vascular tissue levels of cGMP in cystathionine gamma lyase knockouts were lower than those in wild-type control mice. Treatment of aortic rings with NaHS, a fast releasing H2S donor, enhanced phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein in a time-dependent manner, suggesting that cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is activated after exposure to H2S. Incubation of aortic rings with a PKG-I inhibitor (DT-2) attenuated NaHS-stimulated relaxation. Interestingly, vasodilatory responses to a slowly releasing H2S donor (GYY 4137) were unaffected by DT-2, suggesting that this donor dilates mouse aorta through PKG-independent pathways. Dilatory responses to NaHS and L-cysteine (a substrate for H2S production) were reduced in vessels of PKG-I knockout mice (PKG-I⁻/⁻). Moreover, glibenclamide inhibited NaHS-induced vasorelaxation in vessels from wild-type animals, but not PKG-I⁻/⁻, suggesting that there is a cross-talk between K(ATP) and PKG. Our results confirm the role of cGMP in the vascular responses to NaHS and demonstrate that genetic deletion of PKG-I attenuates NaHS and L-cysteine-stimulated vasodilation.

Corticotropin-releasing factor regulates TLR4 expression in the colon and protects mice from colitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Defects in the colonic innate immune response have been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, or corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) is a neuropeptide that mediates the stress response in humans, is an immunomodulatory factor with proinflammatory effects, and regulates transcription of Toll-like receptors (TLR)-2 and TLR4. We investigated the role of CRF in an innate immunity-dependent mouse model of IBD. METHODS: Crh(-/-) and wild-type (Crh(+/+)) mice, which are glucocorticoid insufficient, were given dextran sodium sulfate in their drinking water to induce colitis; in some experiments, mice were also given glucocorticoids. Phenotypes of mice were compared; tissues were analyzed by histology and for expression of immune mediators. RESULTS: Crh(-/-) mice had more colonic inflammation than Crh(+/+) mice, characterized by reduced numbers of crypts and severe epithelial damage and ulcerations. Colonic tissue levels of the proinflammatory factors interleukin-12 and prostaglandin E(2) were increased in the Crh(-/-) mice. Colons of Crh(-/-) mice expressed lower levels of Tlr4 than wild-type mice before, but not after, colitis was induced. Administration of glucocorticoid at low levels did not prevent Crh(-/-) mice from developing severe colitis. Crh(-/-) mice were unable to recover from acute colitis, as indicated by their increased death rate. CONCLUSIONS: Mice deficient in CRF down-regulate TLR4 and are more susceptible to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. CRF has anti-inflammatory effects in innate immunity-dependent colitis and its recovery phase; these are independent of glucocorticoid administration. CRF might therefore be developed as a therapeutic target for patients with IBD.

Mechanisms of obesity and related pathology: linking immune responses to metabolic stress.

There is a tightly regulated interaction, which is well-conserved in evolution, between the metabolic and immune systems that is deranged in states of over- or under-nutrition. Obesity, an energy-rich condition, is characterized by the activation of an inflammatory process in metabolically active sites such as adipose tissue, liver and immune cells. The consequence of this response is a sharp increase in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, adipokines and other inflammatory markers. Activation of the immune response in obesity is mediated by specific signaling pathways, with Jun N-terminal kinase and IkappaB kinase beta/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells being the most well studied. It is known that the above events modify insulin signaling and result in the development of insulin resistance. The nutrient overload characterizing obesity is a metabolic stressor associated with intracellular organelle (e.g. the endoplasmic reticulum) stress. The exact characterization of the series of events and the mechanisms that integrate the inflammatory response with metabolic homeostasis at the cellular and systemic level is a very active research field. In this minireview, we discuss the signaling pathways and molecules associated with the development of obesity-induced inflammation, as well as the evidence that supports a critical role for the stress response in this process.