Pharmacological antagonism of receptor for advanced glycation end products signaling promotes thermogenesis, healthful body mass and composition, and metabolism in mice

RAGE/DIAPH1 and atherosclerosis through an evolving lens: Viewing the cell from the "Inside - Out"

Background and aims

In hyperglycemia, inflammation, oxidative stress and aging, Damage Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) accumulate in conditions such as atherosclerosis. Binding of DAMPs to receptors such as the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) activates signal transduction cascades that contribute to cellular stress. The cytoplasmic domain (tail) of RAGE (ctRAGE) binds to the formin Diaphanous1 (DIAPH1), which is important for RAGE signaling. This Review will detail the evidence linking the RAGE/DIAPH1 signaling pathway to atherosclerosis and envisages future therapeutic opportunities from the "inside-out" point of view in affected cells.

Methods

PubMed was searched using a variety of search terms, including "receptor for advanced glycation end products" along with various combinations including "and atherosclerosis," "soluble RAGE and atherosclerosis," "statins and RAGE," "PPAR and RAGE" and "SGLT2 inhibitor and RAGE."

Results

In non-diabetic and diabetic mice, antagonism or global deletion of Ager (the gene encoding RAGE) retards progression and accelerates regression of atherosclerosis. Global deletion of Diaph1 in mice devoid of the low density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr) significantly attenuates atherosclerosis; mice devoid of both Diaph1 and Ldlr display significantly lower plasma and liver concentrations of cholesterol and triglyceride compared to mice devoid of Ldlr. Associations between RAGE pathway and human atherosclerosis have been identified based on relationships between plasma/serum concentrations of RAGE ligands, soluble RAGEs and atherosclerosis.

Conclusions

Efforts to target RAGE/DIAPH1 signaling through a small molecule antagonist therapeutic strategy hold promise to quell accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes and in other forms of cardiovascular disease.

Development of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) ligands through target directed dynamic combinatorial chemistry: a novel class of possible antagonists

RAGE is a transmembrane receptor of immunoglobulin family that can bind various endogenous and exogenous ligands, initiating the inflammatory downstream signaling pathways, including inflammaging. Therefore, RAGE represents an attractive drug target for age-related diseases. For the development of small-molecule RAGE antagonists, we employed protein-templated dynamic combinatorial chemistry (ptDCC) using RAGE's VC1 domain as a template, the first application of this approach in the context of RAGE. The affinities of DCC hits were validated using microscale thermophoresis. Subsequent screening against AGE2 (glyceraldehyde-modified AGE)-sRAGE (solubleRAGE) (AGE2-BSA/sRAGE) interaction using ELISA tests led to the identification of antagonists with micromolar potency. Our findings not only demonstrate the successful application of ptDCC on RAGE but also highlight its potential to address the pressing need for alternative strategies for the development of small-molecule RAGE antagonists, an area of research that has experienced a slowdown in recent years.

S100A4 reprofiles lipid metabolism in mast cells via RAGE and PPAR-γ signaling pathway

S100A4 is implicated in metabolic reprogramming across various cell types and is known to propel the progression of numerous diseases including allergies. Nonetheless, the influence of S100A4 on mast cell metabolic reprogramming during allergic disorders remains unexplored. Utilizing a mast cell line (C57), cells were treated with recombinant mouse S100A4 protein, with or without a PPAR-γ agonist (ROSI) or a RAGE inhibitor (FPS-ZM1). Subsequent assessments were conducted for mast cell activation and lipid metabolism. S100A4 induced mast cell activation and the release of inflammatory mediators, concurrently altering molecules involved in lipid metabolism and glycolysis over time. Furthermore, S100A4 stimulation resulted in cellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Alterations in the levels of pivotal molecules within the RAGE/Src/JAK2/STAT3/PPAR-γ and NF-κB signaling pathways were noted during this stimulation, which were partially counteracted by ROSI or FPS-ZMI. Additionally, a trend of metabolic alterations was identified in patients with allergic asthma who exhibited elevated serum S100A4 levels. Correlation analysis unveiled a positive association between serum S100A4 and serum IgE, implying an indirect association with asthma. Collectively, our findings suggest that S100A4 regulates the lipid-metabolic reprogramming of mast cells, potentially via the RAGE and PPAR-γ-involved signaling pathway, offering a novel perspective in the disease management in patients with allergic disorders.

Involvement of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) in high fat-high sugar diet-induced anhedonia in rats

Clinical and basic science investigation indicates a link between insulin resistance and anhedonia. Previous results of this laboratory point to impaired nucleus accumbens (NAc) insulin signaling as an underpinning of diet-induced anhedonia, based on use of a glucose lick microstructure assay. The present study evaluated whether advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE), known to mediate obesogenic diet-induced inflammation and pathological metabolic conditions, are involved in this behavioral change. Six weeks maintenance of male and female rats on a high fat-high sugar liquid diet (chocolate Ensure) increased body weight gain, and markedly increased circulating insulin and leptin, but induced anhedonia (decreased first minute lick rate and lick burst size) in males only. In these subjects, anhedonia correlated with plasma concentrations of insulin. Although the diet did not alter plasma or NAc AGEs, or the expression of RAGE in the NAc, marginally significant correlations were seen between anhedonia and plasma content of several AGEs and NAc RAGE. Importantly, a small molecule RAGE antagonist, RAGE229, administered twice daily by oral gavage, prevented diet-induced anhedonia. This beneficial effect was associated with improved adipose function, reflected in the adiponectin/leptin ratio, and increased pCREB/total CREB in the NAc, and a shift in the pCREB correlation with pThr34-DARPP-32 from near-zero to strongly positive, such that both phospho-proteins correlated with the rescued hedonic response. This set of findings suggests that the receptor/signaling pathway and cell type underlying the RAGE229-mediated increase in pCREB may mediate anhedonia and its prevention. The possible role of adipose tissue as a locus of diet-induced RAGE signaling, and source of circulating factors that target NAc to modify hedonic reactivity are discussed.