Caffeic acid phenethyl ester is a potent inhibitor of HIF prolyl hydroxylase: structural analysis and pharmacological implication.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active component of propolis from honeybee. We investigated a potential molecular mechanism underlying a CAPE-mediated protective effect against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and analyzed the structure contributing to the CAPE effect. CAPE induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) alpha protein, concomitantly transactivating the HIF-1 target genes vascular endothelial growth factor and heme oxygenase-1, which play a protective role in I/R injury. CAPE delayed the degradation of HIF-1alpha protein in cells, which occurred by inhibition of HIF prolyl hydroxylase (HPH), the key enzyme for von Hippel-Lindau-dependent HIF-1alpha degradation. CAPE inhibition of HPH and induction of HIF-1alpha protein were neutralized by an elevated dose of iron. The catechol moiety, a chelating group, is essential for HPH inhibition, while hydrogenation of the double bond (-C=C-) in the Michael reaction acceptor markedly reduced potency. Removal of the phenethyl moiety of CAPE (substitution with the methyl moiety) severely deteriorated its inhibitory activity for HPH. Our data suggest that a beneficial effect of CAPE on I/R injury may be ascribed to the activation of HIF-1 pathway via inhibition of HPH and reveal that the chelating moiety of CAPE acted as a pharmacophore while the double bond and phenethyl moiety assisted in inhibiting HPH.

An anti-inflammatory mechanism of taurine conjugated 5-aminosalicylic acid against experimental colitis: taurine chloramine potentiates inhibitory effect of 5-aminosalicylic acid on IL-1beta-mediated NFkappaB activation.

Previously, we reported that oral administration of taurine conjugated 5-aminosalicylic acid, a colon-specific prodrug of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), is effective in ameliorating experimental colitis and taurine elicits an additive anti-inflammatory effect upon cotreatment with 5-ASA. To explore a molecular mechanism for the anti-inflammatory property of the prodrug, we investigated the effect of the conjugate on IL-1beta-mediated NFkappaB activation. In human colon carcinoma Caco-2 and HCT116 cells, NFkappaB activity was accessed by a luciferase reporter assay and IL-6 secretion. Protein levels were determined by Western blotting. IL-6 levels were monitored by an Elisa kit. Treatment with either 5-ASA or taurine chloramine (TauCl) inhibited IL-1beta-mediated NFkappaB dependent luciferase expression and IL-6 secretion. In HCT116 cells, the inhibitory effect by TauCl or 5-ASA was through preventing IL-1beta-induced IkappaB kinase activation and subsequently interfering with IkappaBalpha degradation and p65 nuclear accumulation. Furthermore, combined TauCl/5-ASA treatment interfered additively with the activation process, leading to additive inhibitory effect on IL-1beta-mediated NFkappaB activation. Our results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of the prodrug on experimental colitis is attributed to the inhibition of the IL-1beta-mediated NFkappaB activation and the taurine effect is through TauCl potentiating the ability of 5-ASA to inhibit IL-1beta dependent NFkappaB activation.

Sulfate-conjugated methylprednisolone as a colon-targeted methylprednisolone prodrug with improved therapeutic properties against rat colitis.

Methylprednisolone (MP) is one of the most widely used corticosteroids for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, systemic adverse effects of MP limit its availability for the disease. In present study, sulfate-conjugated methylprednisolone (MPS) was evaluated in vivo as a colon-targeted prodrug of MP and its therapeutic properties against 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced rat colitis were investigated. Upon oral administration, a large fraction of MPS reached the large intestine, where MPS was converted to MP implying that MPS would deliver MP effectively to the large intestine. The fecal recovery of MP (after MPS administration) was much greater than that after MP administration and the urinary recovery of MP (after MPS administration) was much less than that after MP administration, suggesting that MPS should exhibit enhanced therapeutic activity and reduced systemic adverse effects. Consistent with this notion, MPS was more effective than MP in ameliorating rat colitis. Moreover, the adverse effects of MPS on adrenal function and thymus were much lower than those of MP. Taken together, MPS may be therapeutically superior to MP in IBD treatment.

Manganese (II) induces chemical hypoxia by inhibiting HIF-prolyl hydroxylase: implication in manganese-induced pulmonary inflammation.

Manganese (II), a transition metal, causes pulmonary inflammation upon environmental or occupational inhalation in excess. We investigated a potential molecular mechanism underlying manganese-induced pulmonary inflammation. Manganese (II) delayed HIF-1alpha protein disappearance, which occurred by inhibiting HIF-prolyl hydroxylase (HPH), the key enzyme for HIF-1alpha hydroxylation and subsequent von Hippel-Lindau(VHL)-dependent HIF-1alpha degradation. HPH inhibition by manganese (II) was neutralized significantly by elevated dose of iron. Consistent with this, the induction of cellular HIF-1alpha protein by manganese (II) was abolished by pretreatment with iron. Manganese (II) induced the HIF-1 target gene involved in pulmonary inflammation, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in lung carcinoma cell lines.The induction of VEGF was dependent on HIF-1. Manganese-induced VEGF promoted tube formation of HUVEC. Taken together, these data suggest that HIF-1 may be a potential mediator of manganese-induced pulmonary inflammation.