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Post Y, Lu C, Fletcher RB, Yeh WC, Nguyen H, Lee SJ, Li Y. Design principles and therapeutic applications of novel synthetic WNT signaling agonists. iScience 2024; 27:109938. [PMID: 38832011 PMCID: PMC11145361 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Wingless-related integration site or Wingless and Int-1 or Wingless-Int (WNT) signaling is crucial for embryonic development, and adult tissue homeostasis and regeneration, through its essential roles in cell fate, patterning, and stem cell regulation. The biophysical characteristics of WNT ligands have hindered efforts to interrogate ligand activity in vivo and prevented their development as therapeutics. Recent breakthroughs have enabled the generation of synthetic WNT signaling molecules that possess characteristics of natural ligands and potently activate the pathway, while also providing distinct advantages for therapeutic development and manufacturing. This review provides a detailed discussion of the protein engineering of these molecular platforms for WNT signaling agonism. We discuss the importance of WNT signaling in several organs and share insights from the initial application of these new classes of molecules in vitro and in vivo. These molecules offer a unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of how WNT signaling agonism promotes tissue repair, enabling targeted development of tailored therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yorick Post
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Chenggang Lu
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Russell B. Fletcher
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Wen-Chen Yeh
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Huy Nguyen
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Sung-Jin Lee
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Patel M, Post Y, Hill N, Sura A, Ye J, Fisher T, Suen N, Zhang M, Cheng L, Pribluda A, Chen H, Yeh WC, Li Y, Baribault H, Fletcher RB. A WNT mimetic with broad spectrum FZD-specificity decreases fibrosis and improves function in a pulmonary damage model. Respir Res 2024; 25:153. [PMID: 38566174 PMCID: PMC10985870 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-024-02786-2] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wnt/β-catenin signaling is critical for lung development and AT2 stem cell maintenance in adults, but excessive pathway activation has been associated with pulmonary fibrosis, both in animal models and human diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). IPF is a detrimental interstitial lung disease, and although two approved drugs limit functional decline, transplantation is the only treatment that extends survival, highlighting the need for regenerative therapies. METHODS Using our antibody-based platform of Wnt/β-catenin modulators, we investigated the ability of a pathway antagonist and pathway activators to reduce pulmonary fibrosis in the acute bleomycin model, and we tested the ability of a WNT mimetic to affect alveolar organoid cultures. RESULTS A WNT mimetic agonist with broad FZD-binding specificity (FZD1,2,5,7,8) potently expanded alveolar organoids. Upon therapeutic dosing, a broad FZD-binding specific Wnt mimetic decreased pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis and increased lung function in the bleomycin model, and it impacted multiple lung cell types in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the unexpected capacity of a WNT mimetic to effect tissue repair after lung damage and support the continued development of Wnt/β-catenin pathway modulation for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehaben Patel
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yorick Post
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Natalie Hill
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Asmiti Sura
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Jay Ye
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Trevor Fisher
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Nicholas Suen
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Mengrui Zhang
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Leona Cheng
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Ariel Pribluda
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Hui Chen
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Wen-Chen Yeh
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Hélène Baribault
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Russell B Fletcher
- Surrozen, Inc., 171 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
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Sung EA, Song S, Park MH, Kelly L, Harada H, Chae WJ. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 ablation in macrophages differentially inhibits lung injury-mediated inflammation and metastasis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 695:149441. [PMID: 38176174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) is a receptor protein for Wnt ligands. Yet, their role in immune cell regulation remains elusive. Here we demonstrated that genetic deletion of LRP6 in macrophages using LysM-cre Lrp6fl/fl (Lrp6MKO) mice showed differential inhibition of inflammation in the bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung injury model and B16F10 melanoma lung metastasis model. Lrp6MKO mice showed normal immune cell populations in the lung and circulating blood in homeostatic conditions. In the BLM-induced lung injury model, Lrp6MKO mice showed a decreased number of monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, reduced collagen deposition and alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) protein levels in the lung. In B16F10 lung metastasis model, Lrp6MKO mice reduced lung tumor foci. Monocytic and granulocytic-derived myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs and G-MDSCs) were increased in the lung. In G-MDSCs, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α)+ PDL1+ population was markedly decreased but not in M-MDSCs. Taken together, our results show that the role of LRP6 in macrophages is differential depending on the inflammation microenvironment in the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ah Sung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - SuJeong Song
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Min Hee Park
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Lucianna Kelly
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Hisashi Harada
- Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States; Phillips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Wook-Jin Chae
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States; Phillips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Richmond, VA, United States.
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Bayati P, Taherian M, Soleimani M, Farajifard H, Mojtabavi N. Induced pluripotent stem cells modulate the Wnt pathway in the bleomycin-induced model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:343. [PMID: 38017561 PMCID: PMC10685538 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03581-4] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Wnt signaling pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrotic disorders and malignancies. Hence, we aimed to assess the potential of the induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS) in modulating the expression of the cardinal genes of the Wnt pathway in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). METHODS C57Bl/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups of Control, Bleomycin (BLM), and BLM + IPS; the BLM mice received intratracheal instillation of bleomycin, BLM + IPS mice received tail vein injection of IPS cells 48 h post instillation of the BLM; The Control group received Phosphate-buffered saline instead. After 3 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and Histologic assessments including hydroxy proline assay, Hematoxylin and Eosin, and Masson-trichrome staining were performed. The expression of the genes for Wnt, β-Catenin, Lef, Dkk1, and Bmp4 was assessed utilizing specific primers and SYBR green master mix. RESULTS Histologic assessments revealed that the fibrotic lesions and inflammation were significantly alleviated in the BLM + IPS group. Besides, the gene expression analyses demonstrated the upregulation of Wnt, β-Catenin, and LEF along with the significant downregulation of the Bmp4 and DKK1 in response to bleomycin treatment; subsequently, it was found that the treatment of the IPF mice with IPS cells results in the downregulation of the Wnt, β-Catenin, and Lef, as well as upregulation of the Dkk1, but not the Bmp4 gene (P values < 0.05). CONCLUSION The current study highlights the therapeutic potential of the IPS cells on the IPF mouse model in terms of regulating the aberrant expression of the factors contributing to the Wnt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paria Bayati
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marjan Taherian
- Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mansoureh Soleimani
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Farajifard
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nazanin Mojtabavi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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