The effects of inhibitors of TNF alpha converting enzyme (TACE) on TNF alpha secretion were studied to develop an approach to interfere inflammation processes. The HL-60 cell lines were stimulated in vitro with LPS intravenously for different time to establish the cellular model of inflammation and simultaneously induce in vivo inflammation animal model by LPS The cytotoxic effects of soluble TNF alpha were checked using MTT colorimetric method to determine the rate of cell proliferation. The level of expression of TACE was detected by using RT-PCR, FCM and immuno-histochemical technique respectively. It was found Chinese medicine Reduqing (RDQ) could inhibit the transcription of TNF alpha mRNA induced by LPS stimulation (P < 0.01, compared with the control). The antioligodeoxyribonucleotide (anti-ODN) of TNF alpha mRNA could inhibit 78.9% of TNF alpha secretion. The mimic peptides of TACE substrates with hydroxamine group showed potency in vivo and in vitro against converting of pro-TNF alpha. It was concluded that all the three types of TACE inhibitors can regulate the expression of TACE at different levels and inhibit sTNF alpha secretion, indicating TACE is a novel target for inflammation therapy.
ADAM Proteins ; ADAM17 Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Metalloendopeptidases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Protein Precursors ; antagonists & inhibitors ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription, Genetic ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; secretion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of small hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE)-1 in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats. Ninty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 24), MCT (n = 35) and shRNA (n = 35). Four-week survival rate in the shRNA group was significantly increased compared to that in the MCT group. The shRNA group showed a significant improvement of right ventricular (RV) pressure compared with the MCT group. The MCT and shRNA groups also showed an increase in RV/(left ventricle + septum) ratio and lung/body weight. Plasma endothelin (ET)-1 concentrations in the shRNA group were lower than those in the MCT group. Medial wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles were increased after MCT injection and was significantly decreased in the shRNA group. The number of intra-acinar muscular pulmonary arteries was decreased in the shRNA group. The mRNA expressions of ET-1 and ET receptor A (ETA) were significantly decreased in the shRNA group in week 4. The protein levels of ETA were decreased in the shRNA group in week 2. The protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor were decreased in the shRNA group in week 4. In conclusion, the gene silencing with lentiviral vector targeting ECE-1 could be effective against hemodynamic, histopathological and gene expression changes in pulmonary hypertension.
Animals ; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases/*antagonists & inhibitors/blood/genetics ; Body Weight ; Heart Ventricles/physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/chemically induced/*enzymology/mortality ; Lentivirus/genetics ; Lung/anatomy & histology/metabolism/pathology ; Male ; Metalloendopeptidases/*antagonists & inhibitors/blood/genetics ; Monocrotaline/toxicity ; Pulmonary Artery/drug effects/physiopathology ; RNA, Small Interfering/*metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Endothelin A/genetics/metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism