ABSTRACT
Lung surfactant protein A (SP-A) is critical for immunomodulation. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)-activated dendritic cells (DCs) drive T follicular helper (Tfh) cells differentiation in allergic asthma. We employed wild-type (WT) and SP-A-/- mice injected with TSLP and ovalbumin (OVA)-activated DCs and challenged with OVA. Compared with WT mice, we showed that allergic inflammation was dramatically increased in SP-A-/- mice. In parallel, both IL-4-producing CD45RA-CXCR5+PD-1+CD4+ cells (Tfh2) and IgE were markedly increased in SP-A-/- mice. Further study showed that SP-A prohibited TSLP activated-DCs from expressing OX40L. When we blocked OX40L-OX40 and IL-4R signaling, the differentiation of Tfh2 and IgE responses in SP-A-/- mice was significantly inhibited. In severe asthma patients, SP-A is dysfunctional in modulating the TSLP-DCs-mediated differentiation of Tfh cells. This study suggests that SP-A acts as a modulator of Tfh differentiation and IgE generation in asthma.
Subject(s)
Asthma/immunology , Cytokines/immunology , Immunoglobulin E/biosynthesis , Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A/immunology , T Follicular Helper Cells/immunology , Adult , Aged , Animals , Asthma/metabolism , Cell Differentiation/immunology , Cytokines/metabolism , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/immunology , Lymphocyte Activation/immunology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A/metabolism , T Follicular Helper Cells/metabolism , Thymic Stromal LymphopoietinABSTRACT
Based on the co-crystal structures of tubulin with plinabulin and Compound 1 (a derivative of plinabulin), a total of 18 novel plinabulin derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their biological activities were evaluated against human pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cell lines. Two novel Compounds 13d and 13e exhibited potent activities with IC50 at 1.56 and 1.72â¯nM, respectively. The tubulin polymerization assay indicated that these derivatives could inhibit microtubule polymerization. Furthermore, the interaction between tubulin and these compounds were elucidated by molecular docking. The binding modes of Compounds 13d and 13e were similar to the co-crystal structure of Compound 1. H-π interaction was observed between the aromatic hydrogen of thiophene moiety with Phe20, which could enhance their binding affinities.