1
|
Stevenson M, Hebron ML, Liu X, Balaraman K, Wolf C, Moussa C. c-KIT inhibitors reduce pathology and improve behavior in the Tg(SwDI) model of Alzheimer's disease. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202402625. [PMID: 39009412 PMCID: PMC11249953 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202402625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatments for Alzheimer's disease have primarily focused on removing brain amyloid plaques to improve cognitive outcomes in patients. We developed small compounds, known as BK40143 and BK40197, and we hypothesize that these drugs alleviate microglial-mediated neuroinflammation and induce autophagic clearance of neurotoxic proteins to improve behavior in models of neurodegeneration. Specificity binding assays of BK40143 and BK40197 showed primary binding to c-KIT/Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptors (PDGFR)α/β, whereas BK40197 also differentially binds to FYVE finger-containing phosphoinositide kinase (PIKFYVE). Both compounds penetrate the CNS, and treatment with these drugs inhibited the maturation of peripheral mast cells in transgenic mice, correlating with cognitive improvements on measures of memory and anxiety. In the brain, microglial activation was profoundly attenuated and amyloid-beta and tau were reduced via autophagy. Multi-kinase inhibition, including c-KIT, exerts multifunctional effects to reduce neurodegenerative pathology via autophagy and microglial activity and may represent a potential therapeutic option for neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max Stevenson
- Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Michaeline L Hebron
- Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Liu
- Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Kaluvu Balaraman
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Christian Wolf
- Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Department of Chemistry, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | - Charbel Moussa
- Translational Neurotherapeutics Program, Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang T, Kim BM, Lee TH. Death-associated protein kinase 1 as a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:4. [PMID: 38195518 PMCID: PMC10775678 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00395-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia in the elderly and represents a major clinical challenge in the ageing society. Neuropathological hallmarks of AD include neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau, senile plaques derived from the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, brain atrophy induced by neuronal loss, and synaptic dysfunctions. Death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is ubiquitously expressed in the central nervous system. Dysregulation of DAPK1 has been shown to contribute to various neurological diseases including AD, ischemic stroke and Parkinson's disease (PD). We have established an upstream effect of DAPK1 on Aβ and tau pathologies and neuronal apoptosis through kinase-mediated protein phosphorylation, supporting a causal role of DAPK1 in the pathophysiology of AD. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about how DAPK1 is involved in various AD pathological changes including tau hyperphosphorylation, Aβ deposition, neuronal cell death and synaptic degeneration. The underlying molecular mechanisms of DAPK1 dysregulation in AD are discussed. We also review the recent progress regarding the development of novel DAPK1 modulators and their potential applications in AD intervention. These findings substantiate DAPK1 as a novel therapeutic target for the development of multifunctional disease-modifying treatments for AD and other neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Basic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xuefu North Road, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China
| | - Byeong Mo Kim
- Research Center for New Drug Development, AgingTarget Inc., 10F Ace Cheonggye Tower, 53, Seonggogae-Ro, Uiwang-Si, 16006, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea.
| | - Tae Ho Lee
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Translational Research in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Basic Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, 1 Xuefu North Road, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cummings JL, Osse AML, Kinney JW. Alzheimer's Disease: Novel Targets and Investigational Drugs for Disease Modification. Drugs 2023; 83:1387-1408. [PMID: 37728864 PMCID: PMC10582128 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-023-01938-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Novel agents addressing non-amyloid, non-tau targets in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) comprise 70% of the AD drug development pipeline of agents currently in clinical trials. Most of the target processes identified in the Common Alzheimer's Disease Research Ontology (CADRO) are represented by novel agents in trials. Inflammation and synaptic plasticity/neuroprotection are the CADRO categories with the largest number of novel candidate therapies. Within these categories, there are few overlapping targets among the test agents. Additional categories being evaluated include apolipoprotein E [Formula: see text] 4 (APOE4) effects, lipids and lipoprotein receptors, neurogenesis, oxidative stress, bioenergetics and metabolism, vascular factors, cell death, growth factors and hormones, circadian rhythm, and epigenetic regulators. We highlight current drugs being tested within these categories and their mechanisms. Trials will be informative regarding which targets can be modulated to produce a slowing of clinical decline. Possible therapeutic combinations of agents may be suggested by trial outcomes. Biomarkers are evolving in concert with new targets and novel agents, and biomarker outcomes offer a means of supporting disease modification by the putative treatment. Identification of novel targets and development of corresponding therapeutics offer an important means of advancing new treatments for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Cummings
- Department of Brain Health, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
- Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
- , 1380 Opal Valley Street, Henderson, Nevada, 89052, USA.
| | - Amanda M Leisgang Osse
- Department of Brain Health, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Jefferson W Kinney
- Department of Brain Health, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jang HY, Oh JM, Kim IW. Drug repurposing using meta-analysis of gene expression in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:989174. [PMID: 36440278 PMCID: PMC9684643 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.989174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are disease that bring an increased global burden. However, the medicine developed to date remains limited. The purpose of this study is to predict drug repositioning candidates using a computational method that integrates gene expression profiles on Alzheimer's disease and compound-induced changes in gene expression levels. METHODS Gene expression data on Alzheimer's disease were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and we conducted a meta-analysis of their gene expression levels. The reverse scores of compound-induced gene expressions were computed based on the reversal relationship between disease and drug gene expression profiles. RESULTS Reversal genes and the candidate compounds were identified by the leave-one-out cross-validation procedure. Additionally, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of candidate compounds were obtained from ChEMBL and PubChem, respectively. CONCLUSION New therapeutic target genes and drug candidates against Alzheimer's disease were identified by means of drug repositioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ha Young Jang
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jung Mi Oh
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea,College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - In-Wha Kim
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea,*Correspondence: In-Wha Kim,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Marotta G, Basagni F, Rosini M, Minarini A. Role of Fyn Kinase Inhibitors in Switching Neuroinflammatory Pathways. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:4738-4755. [PMID: 34939537 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666211221153719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Fyn kinase is a member of the Src non-receptor tyrosine kinase family. Fyn is involved in multiple signaling pathways extending from cell proliferation and differentiation to cell adhesion and cell motility, and it has been found to be overexpressed in various types of cancers. In the central nervous system, Fyn exerts several different functions such as axon-glial signal transduction, oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination, and it is implicated in neuroinflammatory processes. Based on these premises, Fyn emerges as an attractive target in cancer and neurodegenerative disease therapy, particularly Alzheimer disease (AD), based on its activation by Aβ via cellular prion protein and its interaction with tau protein. However, Fyn is also a challenging target since the Fyn inhibitors discovered so far, due to the relevant homology of Fyn with other kinases, suffer from off-target effects. This review covers the efforts performed in the last decade to identify and optimize small molecules that effectively inhibit Fyn, both in enzymatic and in cell assays, including drug repositioning practices, as an opportunity of therapeutic intervention in neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giambattista Marotta
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126-Bologna. Italy
| | - Filippo Basagni
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126-Bologna. Italy
| | - Michela Rosini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126-Bologna. Italy
| | - Anna Minarini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126-Bologna. Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Guimarães TR, Swanson E, Kofler J, Thathiah A. G protein-coupled receptor kinases are associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 47:942-957. [PMID: 34164834 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by extracellular deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) in amyloid plaques and intracellular aggregation and accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Although several kinases have been identified to contribute to the pathological phosphorylation of tau, kinase-targeted therapies for AD have not been successful in clinical trials. Critically, the kinases responsible for numerous identified tau phosphorylation sites remain unknown. G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) have recently been implicated in phosphorylation of non-GPCR substrates, for example, tubulin and α-synuclein, and in neurological disorders, including schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Accordingly, we investigated the involvement of GRKs in the pathophysiology of AD. METHODS We performed a comprehensive immunohistochemical and biochemical analysis of the ubiquitously expressed GRKs, namely, GRK2, 3, 5 and 6, in postmortem human brain tissue of control subjects and AD patients. RESULTS GRKs display unique cell-type-specific expression patterns in neurons, astrocytes and microglia. Levels of GRKs 2, 5 and 6 are specifically decreased in the CA1 region of the AD hippocampus. Biochemical evidence indicates that the GRKs differentially associate with total, soluble and insoluble pools of tau in the AD brain. Complementary immunohistochemical studies indicate that the GRKs differentially colocalise with total tau, phosphorylated tau and NFTs. Notably, GRKs 3 and 5 also colocalise with amyloid plaques. CONCLUSION These studies establish a link between GRKs and the pathological phosphorylation and accumulation of tau and amyloid pathology in AD brains and suggest a novel role for these kinases in regulation of the pathological hallmarks of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thais Rafael Guimarães
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eric Swanson
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Julia Kofler
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Amantha Thathiah
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mass E, Gentek R. Fetal-Derived Immune Cells at the Roots of Lifelong Pathophysiology. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:648313. [PMID: 33708774 PMCID: PMC7940384 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.648313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-resident innate immune cells exert a wide range of functions in both adult homeostasis and pathology. Our understanding of when and how these cellular networks are established has dramatically changed with the recognition that many lineages originate at least in part from fetal sources and self-maintain independently from hematopoietic stem cells. Indeed, fetal-derived immune cells are found in most organs and serous cavities of our body, where they reside throughout the entire lifespan. At the same time, there is a growing appreciation that pathologies manifesting in adulthood may be caused by adverse early life events, a concept known as “developmental origins of health and disease” (DOHaD). Yet, whether fetal-derived immune cells are mechanistically involved in DOHaD remains elusive. In this review, we summarize our knowledge of fetal hematopoiesis and its contribution to adult immune compartments, which results in a “layered immune system.” Based on their ontogeny, we argue that fetal-derived immune cells are prime transmitters of long-term consequences of prenatal adversities. In addition to increasing disease susceptibility, these may also directly cause inflammatory, degenerative, and metabolic disorders. We explore this notion for cells generated from erythro-myeloid progenitors (EMP) produced in the extra-embryonic yolk sac. Focusing on macrophages and mast cells, we present emerging evidence implicating them in lifelong disease by either somatic mutations or developmental programming events resulting from maternal and early environmental perturbations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Mass
- Developmental Biology of the Immune System, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rebecca Gentek
- Centre for Inflammation Research & Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|