1
|
Wang J, Li J, Zhong L. Current status and prospect of anti-amyloid fibril therapy in AL amyloidosis. Blood Rev 2024; 66:101207. [PMID: 38692939 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2024.101207] [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: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare hematological disease that produces abnormal monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains to form amyloid fibrils that are deposited in tissues, resulting in organ damage and dysfunction. Advanced AL amyloidosis has a very poor prognosis with a high risk of early mortality. The combination of anti-plasma cell therapy and amyloid fibrils clearance is the optimal treatment strategy, which takes into account both symptoms and root causes. However, research on anti-amyloid fibrils lags far behind research on anti-plasma cells, and there is currently no approved treatment that could clear amyloid fibrils. Nevertheless, anti-amyloid fibril therapies are being actively investigated recently and have shown potential in clinical trials. In this review, we aim to outline the preclinical work and clinical efficacy of fibril-directed therapies for AL amyloidosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Wang
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Hematology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Liye Zhong
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Aggregation mechanism and branched 3D morphologies of pathological human light chain proteins under reducing conditions. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 221:112983. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
3
|
Martinez-Rivas G, Bender S, Sirac C. Understanding AL amyloidosis with a little help from in vivo models. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1008449. [PMID: 36458006 PMCID: PMC9707859 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1008449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain amyloidosis (AL) is a rare but severe disease that may occur when a B or plasma cell clone secretes an excess of free Ig light chains (LCs). Some of these LCs tend to aggregate into organized fibrils with a β-sheet structure, the so-called amyloid fibrils, and deposit into the extracellular compartment of organs, such as the heart or kidneys, causing their dysfunction. Recent findings have confirmed that the core of the amyloid fibrils is constituted by the variable (V) domain of the LCs, but the mechanisms underlying the unfolding and aggregation of this fragment and its deposition are still unclear. Moreover, in addition to the mechanical constraints exerted by the massive accumulation of amyloid fibrils in organs, the direct toxicity of these variable domain LCs, full-length light chains, or primary amyloid precursors (oligomers) seems to play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Many in vitro studies have focused on these topics, but the variability of this disease, in which each LC presents unique properties, and the extent and complexity of affected organs make its study in vivo very difficult. Accordingly, several groups have focused on the development of animal models for years, with some encouraging but mostly disappointing results. In this review, we discuss the experimental models that have been used to better understand the unknowns of this pathology with an emphasis on in vivo approaches. We also focus on why reliable AL amyloidosis animal models remain so difficult to obtain and what this tells us about the pathophysiology of the disease.
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Opportunities and challenges in the field of systemic amyloidosis can be grouped into 4 categories. First, a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease is required. Second, a greater awareness of the disease, which will lead to an earlier diagnosis, is imperative. Third, end points for interventional trials are required to convey us to our fourth aspirations, which are novel therapies for patients with light chain amyloidosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Dispenzieri
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Giampaolo Merlini
- Amyloidosis Center, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Viale Golgi 19, Pavia 27100, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jordan TL, Maar K, Redhage KR, Misra P, Blancas-Mejia LM, Dick CJ, Wall JS, Williams A, Dietz AB, van Wijnen AJ, Lin Y, Ramirez-Alvarado M. Light chain amyloidosis induced inflammatory changes in cardiomyocytes and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells. Leukemia 2020; 34:1383-1393. [PMID: 31796914 PMCID: PMC7196017 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-019-0640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a progressive, degenerative disease characterized by the misfolding and amyloid deposition of immunoglobulin light chain (LC). The amyloid deposits lead to organ failure and death. Our laboratory is specifically interested in cardiac involvement of AL amyloidosis. We have previously shown that the fibrillar aggregates of LC proteins can be cytotoxic and arrest the growth of human RFP-AC16 cardiomyocytes in vitro. We showed that adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSC) can rescue the cardiomyocytes from the fibril-induced growth arrest through contact-dependent mechanisms. In this study, we examined the transcriptome changes of human cardiomyocytes and AMSC in the presence of AL amyloid fibrils. The presence of fibrils causes a 'priming' immune response in AMSC associated with interferon associated genes. Exposure to AL fibrils induced changes in the pathways associated with immune response and extracellular matrix components in cardiomyocytes. We also observed upregulation of innate immune-associated transcripts (chemokines, cytokines, and complement), suggesting that amyloid fibrils initiate an innate immune response on these cells, possibly due to phenotypic transformation. This study corroborates and expands our previous studies and identifies potential new immunologic mechanisms of action for fibril toxicity on human cardiomyocytes and AMSC rescue effect on cardiomyocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Torri L Jordan
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Khansaa Maar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Keely R Redhage
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Pinaki Misra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Luis M Blancas-Mejia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Christopher J Dick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jonathan S Wall
- Departments of Medicine and Radiology, the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Angela Williams
- Departments of Medicine and Radiology, the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Allan B Dietz
- Immune Progenitor Adoptive Cell Therapy (IMPACT) Lab, Division of Transfusion Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Andre J van Wijnen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Yi Lin
- Immune Progenitor Adoptive Cell Therapy (IMPACT) Lab, Division of Transfusion Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Marina Ramirez-Alvarado
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Misra P, Blancas-Mejia LM, Ramirez-Alvarado M. Mechanistic Insights into the Early Events in the Aggregation of Immunoglobulin Light Chains. Biochemistry 2019; 58:3155-3168. [PMID: 31287666 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the mechanism of amyloid assembly in immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis, in contrast to other amyloid diseases. Early events in the aggregation pathway are especially important, as these soluble species could be cytotoxic intermediates playing a critical role in the initiation of the amyloid assembly. In this work, we discuss the mechanism of the early events in in vitro fibril formation of immunoglobulin light chain AL-09 and AL-12 (involved in cardiac amyloidosis) and its germline (control) protein κI O18/O8. Previous work from our laboratory showed that AL-12 adopts a canonical dimer conformation (like the germline protein), whereas AL-09 presents an altered dimer interface as a result of somatic mutations. Both AL-12 and AL-09 aggregate with similar rates and significantly faster than the germline protein. AL-09 is the only protein in this study that forms stable oligomeric intermediates during the early stages of the aggregation reaction with some structural rearrangements that increase the thioflavin T fluorescence but maintain the same number of monomers in solution. The presence of the restorative mutation AL-09 H87Y changes the kinetics and the aggregation pathway compared to AL-09. The single restorative mutation AL-12 R65S slightly delayed the overall rate of aggregation as compared to AL-12. Collectively, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of species formed during amyloid nucleation in AL amyloidosis, shows a strong dependence between the altered dimer conformation and the formation of stable oligomeric intermediates, and sheds light on the structural features of amyloidogenic intermediates associated with cellular toxicity.
Collapse
|
7
|
Richey T, Foster JS, Williams AD, Williams AB, Stroh A, Macy S, Wooliver C, Heidel RE, Varanasi SK, Ergen EN, Trent DJ, Kania SA, Kennel SJ, Martin EB, Wall JS. Macrophage-Mediated Phagocytosis and Dissolution of Amyloid-Like Fibrils in Mice, Monitored by Optical Imaging. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 189:989-998. [PMID: 30735627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Light chain-associated amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils in abdominothoracic organs, skin, soft tissue, and peripheral nerves. Phagocytic cells of the innate immune system appear to be ineffective at clearing the material; however, human light chain amyloid extract, injected subcutaneously into mice, is rapidly cleared in a process that requires neutrophil activity. To better elucidate the phagocytosis of light chain fibrils, a potential method of cell-mediated dissolution, amyloid-like fibrils were labeled with the pH-sensitive dye pHrodo red and a near infrared fluorophore. After injecting this material subcutaneously in mice, optical imaging was used to quantitatively monitor phagocytosis and dissolution of fibrils concurrently. Histologic evaluation of the residual fibril masses revealed the presence of CD68+, F4/80+, ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1- macrophages containing Congo red-stained fibrils as well as neutrophil-associated proteins with no evidence of intact neutrophils. These data suggest an early infiltration of neutrophils, followed by extensive phagocytosis of the light chain fibrils by macrophages, leading to dissolution of the mass. Optical imaging of this novel murine model, coupled with histologic evaluation, can be used to study the cellular mechanisms underlying dissolution of synthetic amyloid-like fibrils and human amyloid extracts. In addition, it may serve as a test bed to evaluate investigational opsonizing agents that might serve as therapeutic agents for light chain-associated amyloidosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tina Richey
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - James S Foster
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Angela D Williams
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | | | - Alexa Stroh
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Sallie Macy
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Craig Wooliver
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - R Eric Heidel
- Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Siva K Varanasi
- Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Elizabeth N Ergen
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Dianne J Trent
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Stephen A Kania
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Stephen J Kennel
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Emily B Martin
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Jonathan S Wall
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Blancas-Mejia LM, Misra P, Dick CJ, Cooper SA, Redhage KR, Bergman MR, Jordan TL, Maar K, Ramirez-Alvarado M. Immunoglobulin light chain amyloid aggregation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:10664-10674. [PMID: 30087961 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc04396e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a devastating, complex, and incurable protein misfolding disease. It is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of plasma cells (fully differentiated B cells) producing an excess of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains that are secreted into circulation, where the light chains misfold, aggregate as amyloid fibrils in target organs, and cause organ dysfunction, organ failure, and death. In this article, we will review the factors that contribute to AL amyloidosis complexity, the findings by our laboratory from the last 16 years and the work from other laboratories on understanding the structural, kinetics, and thermodynamic contributions that drive immunoglobulin light chain-associated amyloidosis. We will discuss the role of cofactors and the mechanism of cellular damage. Last, we will review our recent findings on the high resolution structure of AL amyloid fibrils. AL amyloidosis is the best example of protein sequence diversity in misfolding diseases, as each patient has a unique combination of germline donor sequences and multiple amino acid mutations in the protein that forms the amyloid fibril.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Blancas-Mejia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Martin EB, Williams AD, Heidel RE, Foster JS, Lands RH, Kennel SJ, Wall JS. A functional assay to identify amyloidogenic light chains. Amyloid 2018; 25:93-100. [PMID: 29571269 PMCID: PMC6333307 DOI: 10.1080/13506129.2018.1456425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multiple myeloma (MM) and light chain monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (LCMGUS) are plasma cell disorders associated with the secretion of monoclonal free light-chain (LC) proteins. Due to the high concentrations of LC in circulation, both of these populations are at risk for developing LC-associated amyloidosis (AL) - a protein misfolding disease characterized by the deposition of LC protein fibrils in organs and tissues, leading to dysfunction and significant morbidity. At present, accurate identification of subjects at risk for developing amyloidosis is not possible, but with the advent of novel, amyloid-targeted therapies, identification of pre-symptomatic individuals is of clinical import. METHODS To address this, a competition assay has been developed to discern LC proteins with enhanced amyloidogenic potential. Numerous factors that may influence the efficacy of the assay have been evaluated to yield optimal conditions. RESULTS Using a panel of nine patient-derived LC, we have demonstrated that amyloid-associated LC inhibited the recruitment of a biotinyl-λ6 variable domain by homologous amyloid-like fibrils significantly more than MM LC (p < .01). CONCLUSION The assay accurately discriminated AL from MM patient populations, suggesting that it may aid in the identification of patients with monoclonal gammopathies who have an increased risk of developing amyloidosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily B Martin
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - Angela D Williams
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - R Eric Heidel
- b Department of Surgery , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - James S Foster
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - Ronald H Lands
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - Stephen J Kennel
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA.,c Department of Radiology , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| | - Jonathan S Wall
- a Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA.,c Department of Radiology , University of Tennessee Medical Center , Knoxville , TN , USA
| |
Collapse
|