https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4960-7850
Figures & data
Figure 1 Screening of safe concentrations of CSE and cryptotanshinone (CPT).
Notes: (A) Structure of cryptotanshinone. (B and C) Survival of U937 cells in the presence of different concentrations of CSE or CPT for 24h and 48h. (D) U937 cells were pretreated with CPT or CPT and dexamethasone for 4 h. Then stimulated with CSE (0.5%) and TNF-α (10 ng/ml) overnight. IL8 release was determined by ELISA. Results shown as means±SEM. **p < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 compared to control (0% CSE in (B); 0μM in (C); 0.5%CSE and 10ng/mL TNF-α in (D)).
Abbreviations: CSE, Cigarette smoke extract; CPT, cryptotanshinone; Dex, dexamethasone; IL-8, interleukin 8; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Table 1 Clinical Features of Study Participants
Table 2 The Primer Pairs are Listed as Following
Table 3 Effects of Cryptotanshinone and IC87114 on Corticosteroid Sensitivity in U937 Cells
Figure 2 Cryptotanshinone is able to reverse corticosteroid insensitivity by PI3Kδ inhibition in U937 cells.
Notes: (A) U937 cells were pretreated with CPT(2μM) or IC87114 (1μM) for 4h and incubated with CSE (0.5%) for additional 2h. Cells were seeded in the presence of the different concentrations of dexamethasone for 1h before overnight stimulation with 10ng/mL TNFα. IL8 expression in supernatant was measured by ELISA. (B) U937 cells were treated with CSE (0.5%) at various time points (10 to 60min). Western blotting was used to determine p-Akt and total Akt levels. (C and D) U937 cells were pretreated with CPT(2μM) or IC87114 (1μM) for 4 h, and then stimulated with CSE (0.5%) for 10 min. Western blotting was used to determine p-Akt and total Akt levels. qPCR was used to determine Akt mRNA levels. Results shown as means±SEM.*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
Abbreviations: NT, not treated with anything; CPT, cryptotanshinone; CSE, cigarette smoke extract; IC87114, a selective PI3K-δ inhibitor; Dex, dexamethasone; IL-8, interleukin 8; ns, no significance; p-Akt, phosphorylated Akt; t-Akt, total Akt.
Figure 3 Effects of pretreatment with CPT or IC87114 on HDAC2 mRNA, protein, and total HDAC activity after CSE exposure in U937 cells.
Notes: (A and B) U937 cells were pretreated with CPT(2μM) or IC87114 (1μM) for 4 h, and then stimulated with CSE (0.5%) for 18 h. qPCR was used to determine HDAC2 mRNA levels. Western blotting was used to determine HDAC2 protein levels. (C) U937 cells were pretreated with CPT(2μM) or IC87114 (1μM) for 4 h, and then stimulated with CSE (0.5%) for 10 min. HDAC activity was measured by a Fluo-Lys HDAC activity assay kit. Results shown as means±SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001.
Abbreviations: NT, not treated with anything; CPT, cryptotanshinone; CSE, cigarette smoke extract; IC87114, a selective PI3K-δ inhibitor.
Figure 4 Analysis corticosteroid sensitivity of PBMCs from Healthy volunteers and patients with COPD.
Notes: (A and B) PBMCs were seeded in the presence of various concentrations of dexamethasone for 1 h before overnight stimulation TNFα at 1 ng/ml. IL8 expression in supernatant was measured by ELISA. The rate of inhibition of IL8 by dexamethasone was calculated, and corticosteroid sensitivity was measured as the concentration inducing 30% inhibition and percent inhibition at maximal concentration, and plotted individually. Results shown as means±SEM. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001.
Abbreviations: Dex-IC30, dexamethasone concentration inducing 30% inhibition of TNFα–induced IL8 production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Emax, percentage inhibition at maximal concentration; HV, healthy volunteer; PBMCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Figure 5 Analysis PI3K/Akt pathway activity and HDAC2 protein levels of PBMCs from Healthy volunteers and patients with COPD.
Notes: (A) Baseline phosphorylated and total Akt expression in PBMCs of healthy volunteers and COPD patients. PI3K/Akt pathway activity was evaluated as the relative ratio of phosphorylated Akt at Ser-473 to total Akt. Western blotting was used to determine p-Akt and total Akt levels. (B) Baseline HDAC2 protein levels in PBMCs of healthy volunteers and COPD patients. HDAC2 protein levels from the total lysates of PBMCs were detected by western blotting. Results shown as means±SEM. **** P < 0.0001.
Abbreviations: HV, healthy volunteer; HDAC2, Histone deacetylase-2; PBMCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Figure 6 Effects of cryptotanshinone on corticosteroid sensitivity of PBMCs in healthy volunteers and COPD patients.
Notes: (A and B) PBMCs were pretreated with CPT(2μM) for 4 h, followed by dexamethasone (10−11-10−6M) for 1 h before overnight stimulation with 1ng/mL TNFα. IL-8 production in supernatant was measured by ELISA. The rate of inhibition of IL8 by dexamethasone was calculated, and corticosteroid sensitivity was measured as the concentration inducing 30% inhibition and percent inhibition at maximal concentration, and plotted individually. Results shown as means±SEM. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
Abbreviations: NT, not treated with anything; CPT, cryptotanshinone; Dex, dexamethasone; Dex-IC30, dexamethasone concentration inducing 30% inhibition of TNFα–induced IL8 production in PBMCs; Emax, percentage inhibition at maximal concentration; HV, healthy volunteer; PBMCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Figure 7 Effects of cryptotanshinone on PI3K/Akt pathway activity and HDAC2 protein levels in PBMCs from healthy volunteers and patients with COPD.
Notes: (A) PBMCs were incubated with CPT (2μM) for 4 h, and PI3K/Akt pathway activity was calculated. (B) Immunoblot of HDAC2 level in PBMCs after CPT (2μM, 4h) treatment. Results shown as means±SEM. ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.
Abbreviations: NT, not treated with anything; CPT, cryptotanshinone; HV, healthy volunteer; PBMCs, peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Data Availability Statement
All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supporting information.