Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) is a polyphenolic stilbene found in the skins of red fruits, including grapes, that may be responsible for some of the health benefits ascribed to consumption of red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to have antioxidant properties and can act as an estrogen agonist. This study examined the anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol on human airway epithelial cells. Resveratrol and the related molecule quercetin, but not deoxyrhapontin, inhibited IL-8 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor release from A549 cells. Neither the estrogen receptor antagonist tamoxifen nor the glucocorticoid antagonist mifepristone altered the inhibitory effect of resveratrol. The mechanism of resveratrol action was investigated further using luciferase reporter genes stably transfected into A549 cells. Resveratrol and quercetin inhibited NF-kappaB-, activator protein-1-, and cAMP response element binding protein-dependent transcription to a greater extent than the glucocorticosteroid dexamethasone. These compounds also had no significant effect on acetylation or deacetylation of core histones. Resveratrol, but not estradiol or N-acetyl cysteine, inhibited cytokine-stimulated inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nitrite production (IC50 = 3.6 +/- 2.9 microM) in human primary airway epithelial cells. Resveratrol also inhibited granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor release (IC50 = 0.44 +/- 0.17 microM), IL-8 release (IC50 = 4.7 +/- 3.3 microM), and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in these cells. This study demonstrates that resveratrol and quercetin have novel nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory activity that may have applications for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Early reports indicate that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are novel regulators of biological responses. However, their role in the human innate immune response, which provides the initial defence against infection, is largely unexplored. To address this issue, here we characterize the long non-coding RNA transcriptome in primary human monocytes using RNA sequencing. We identify 76 enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), 40 canonical lncRNAs, 65 antisense lncRNAs and 35 regions of bidirectional transcription (RBT) that are differentially expressed in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Crucially, we demonstrate that knockdown of nuclear-localized, NF-κB-regulated, eRNAs (IL1β-eRNA) and RBT (IL1β-RBT46) surrounding the IL1β locus, attenuates LPS-induced messenger RNA transcription and release of the proinflammatory mediators, IL1β and CXCL8. We predict that lncRNAs can be important regulators of the human innate immune response.

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The biochemical and pharmacological characteristics in human proinflammatory cells of BRL 50481 [3-(N,N-dimethylsulfonamido)-4-methyl-nitrobenzene], a novel and selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE) 7, are described. BRL 50481 inhibited the activity of hrPDE7A1 expressed in baculovirus-infected Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells in a competitive manner (K i value of 180 nM) and was 416 and 1884 times less potent against PDE3 and 38 and 238 times less potent against PDE4 at a substrate concentration of 1 M and 50 nM cAMP, respectively. Western blotting identified HSPDE7A1 but not HSPDE7A2 in three human cell types that are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease, namely, CD8 ϩ T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and lung macrophages. BRL 50481 had no effect on the proliferation of CD8 ϩ Tlymphocytes and only marginally (ϳ2-11%) reduced the generation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)␣ from blood monocytes and lung macrophages. However, in the presence of BRL 50481 the inhibitory effect of rolipram was enhanced on all three cell types. The expression of HSPDE7A1 was increased in a time-dependent manner in monocytes that were "aged" in culture medium. Under this condition, BRL 50481 now inhibited TNF␣ generation in a concentration-dependent manner. In aged monocytes, rolipram, Org 9935 (a PDE3 inhibitor), and prostaglandin E 2 inhibited TNF␣ generation in a concentrationdependent manner and interacted additively with BRL 50481. BRL 50481 is the first fully documented PDE7 inhibitor that has acceptable selectivity for in vitro studies. Furthermore, although BRL 50481 had only a modest inhibitory effect per se on the proinflammatory cells studied, it acted at least additively with other cAMP-elevating drugs, especially when HSPDE7A1 was up-regulated.

Research highlights► Nrf2 anti-oxidant function is impaired when HDAC activity is inhibited. ► HDAC inhibition decreases Nrf2 protein stability. ► HDAC2 is involved in reduced Nrf2 stability and both correlate in COPD samples. ► HDAC inhibition increases Nrf2 acetylation.

Background: The pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) features pulmonary inflammation with a predominant alveolar macrophage involvement. Bronchoalveolar macrophages from patients with COPD release increased amounts of inflammatory cytokines in vitro, an effect that is not inhibited by the glucocorticosteroid dexamethasone. Resveratrol (3,5,49-trihydroxystilbene) is a component of red wine extract that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. A study was undertaken to determine whether or not resveratrol would inhibit cytokine release in vitro by alveolar macrophages from patients with COPD. Methods: Alveolar macrophages were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from cigarette smokers and from patients with COPD (n = 15 per group). The macrophages were stimulated with either interleukin (IL)-1b or cigarette smoke media (CSM) to release IL-8 and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The effect of resveratrol was examined on both basal and stimulated cytokine release. Results: Resveratrol inhibited basal release of IL-8 in smokers and patients with COPD by 94% and 88% respectively, and inhibited GM-CSF release by 79% and 76% respectively. Resveratrol also inhibited stimulated cytokine release. Resveratrol reduced IL-1b stimulated IL-8 and GM-CSF release in both smokers and COPD patients to below basal levels. In addition, resveratrol inhibited CSM stimulated IL-8 release by 61% and 51% respectively in smokers and COPD patients, and inhibited GM-CSF release by 49% for both subject groups. Conclusions: Resveratrol inhibits inflammatory cytokine release from alveolar macrophages in COPD. Resveratrol or similar compounds may be effective pharmacotherapy for macrophage pathophysiology in COPD.

Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and SIRT6, NAD+-dependent Class III protein deacetylases, are putative anti-aging enzymes, down-regulated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is characterized by the accelerated ageing of the lung and associated with increased oxidative stress. Here, we show that oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide) selectively elevates microRNA-34a (miR-34a) but not the related miR-34b/c, with concomitant reduction of SIRT1/-6 in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS2B), which was also observed in peripheral lung samples from patients with COPD. Over-expression of a miR-34a mimic caused a significant reduction in both mRNA and protein of SIRT1/-6, whereas inhibition of miR-34a (antagomir) increased these sirtuins. Induction of miR-34a expression with H2O2 was phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) dependent as it was associated with PI3Kα activation as well as phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) reduction. Importantly, miR-34a antagomirs increased SIRT1/-6 mRNA levels, whilst decreasing markers of cellular senescence in airway epithelial cells from COPD patients, suggesting that this process is reversible. Other sirtuin isoforms were not affected by miR-34a. Our data indicate that miR-34a is induced by oxidative stress via PI3K signaling, and orchestrates ageing responses under oxidative stress, therefore highlighting miR-34a as a new therapeutic target and biomarker in COPD and other oxidative stress-driven aging diseases.

Background The mechanisms underlying altered susceptibility and propensity to severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease in at-risk groups such as patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are poorly understood. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are widely used in COPD but the extent to which these therapies protect or expose patients to risk of severe COVID-19 is unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ICS upon pulmonary expression of the SARS-CoV-2 viral entry receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2. Methods We evaluated the effect of ICS administration upon pulmonary ACE2 expression in vitro in human airway epithelial cell cultures and in vivo in mouse models of ICS administration. Mice deficient in the type I interferon-α/β receptor ( Ifnar1 −/− ) and exogenous interferon-β administration experiments were used to study the functional role of type-I IFN signalling in ACE2 expression. We compared sputum ACE2 expression in patients with COPD stratified according to use or non-use of ICS. Results ICS administration attenuated ACE2 expression in mice, an effect that was reversed by exogenous interferon-β administration and Ifnar1 −/− mice had reduced ACE2 expression, indicating that type I interferon contributes mechanistically to this effect. ICS administration attenuated expression of ACE2 in COPD airway epithelial cell cultures and in mice with elastase-induced COPD-like changes. COPD patients taking ICS also had reduced sputum expression of ACE2 compared to non-ICS users. Conclusion ICS therapies in COPD reduce expression of the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor ACE2. This effect may thus contribute to altered susceptibility to COVID-19 in patients with COPD.