Benpyrine is a highly specific and orally active TNF-α inhibitor with a KD value of 82.1 μM. Benpyrine tightly binds to TNF-α and blocks its interaction with TNFR1, with an IC50 value of 0.109 μM. Benpyrine has the potential for TNF-α mediated inflammatory and autoimmune disease research[1]. Benpyrine (5-20 μM; 14 hours; RAW264.7 cells) pretreatment results in a dose-dependent decrease in the phosphorylation of IκBα in RAW264.7 cells (stimulated with 10 ng mL TNF-α or 1 μg mL LPS). Benpyrine abolishes the TNF-α-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 in RAW264.7 cells[1].Benpyrine only blocks cell death induced by TNF-αWT and Y119A, and increases the cell survival rate up to 80%. Benpyrine does not obviously affect L57A- and Y59L-induced cytotoxicity in L929 cells[1]. Benpyrine (25-50 mg kg; oral gavage; daily; for 2 weeks; Balb c mice) treatment significantly relieves the symptoms of collagen-induced arthritis. Benpyrine dose-dependently decreases the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IFN-γ, IL-1β and IL-6, and increases the concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10[1].Endotoxemia murine model shows that Benpyrine (25 mg kg) could attenuate TNF-α-induced inflammation, thereby reducing liver and lung injury[1]. [1]. Weiguang Sun, et al. Discovery of an Orally Active Small Molecule TNF-α Inhibitor. J Med Chem. 2020 Jul 15.
LL-37 is a cationic and α-helical antimicrobial peptide expressed in human bone marrow, testis, granulocytes, and gingival epithelium and is upregulated in psoriatic lesions. It inhibits growth of Gram-positive E. coli D21 and Gram-negative B. megatarium in a concentration-dependent manner and LL-37 expression is induced in A549 epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, and monocyte-derived macrophages following M. tuberculosis infection. LL-37 binds sheep erythrocytes coated with S. minnesota Re-LPS and induces agglutination with a minimal agglutinating concentration (MAC) of 12.1 μg/ml. It is a chemoattractant for, and can induce calcium mobilization in, human monocytes, neutrophils, and T cells that naturally express formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) and FPRL1-transfected HEK293 cells. LL-37 (10-15 μM) pretreatment of dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) reduces its infectivity as well as levels of viral genomic RNA and NS1 antigen. In vivo, LL-37 inhibits cecal ligation and puncture-induced caspase-1 activation and pyroptosis of peritoneal macrophages, reduces levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and improves survival in polybacterial septic mice.
β-Carboline-1-carboxylic acid is an alkaloid that has been found in P. quassioides and has diverse biological activities. It reduces LPS-induced increases in MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in RAW 264.7 cells when used at a concentration of 15 µg ml and inhibits the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by TGF-β1 in A549 cells. β-Carboline-1-carboxylic acid induces cytotoxicity in CT26.WT, K562, and SGC-7901 cells (IC50s = 14.96, 22.11, and 19.7 µg ml, respectively) but not HepG2 or A549 cells (IC50s = 36.41 and 41.51 µg ml, respectively). It also inhibits cAMP phosphodiesterase with an IC50 value of 96 µM.