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Kamimura S, Smith M, Vogel S, Almeida LEF, Thein SL, Quezado ZMN. Mouse models of sickle cell disease: Imperfect and yet very informative. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2024; 104:102776. [PMID: 37391346 PMCID: PMC10725515 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2023.102776] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The root cause of sickle cell disease (SCD) has been known for nearly a century, however, few therapies to treat the disease are available. Over several decades of work, with advances in gene editing technology and after several iterations of mice with differing genotype/phenotype relationships, researchers have developed humanized SCD mouse models. However, while a large body of preclinical studies has led to huge gains in basic science knowledge about SCD in mice, this knowledge has not led to the development of effective therapies to treat SCD-related complications in humans, thus leading to frustration with the paucity of translational progress in the SCD field. The use of mouse models to study human diseases is based on the genetic and phenotypic similarities between mouse and humans (face validity). The Berkeley and Townes SCD mice express only human globin chains and no mouse hemoglobin. With this genetic composition, these models present many phenotypic similarities, but also significant discrepancies that should be considered when interpreting preclinical studies results. Reviewing genetic and phenotypic similarities and discrepancies and examining studies that have translated to humans and those that have not, offer a better perspective of construct, face, and predictive validities of humanized SCD mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Meghann Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sebastian Vogel
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Luis E F Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Swee Lay Thein
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zenaide M N Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Almeida LEF, Smith ML, Kamimura S, Vogel S, de Souza Batista CM, Quezado ZMN. Nitrite decreases sickle hemoglobin polymerization in vitro independently of methemoglobin formation. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 473:116606. [PMID: 37336294 PMCID: PMC10387360 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116606] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The root cause of sickle cell disease (SCD) is the polymerization of sickle hemoglobin (HbS) leading to sickling of red blood cells (RBC). Earlier studies showed that in patients with SCD, high-dose nitrite inhibited sickling, an effect originally attributed to HbS oxidation to methemoglobin-S even though the anti-sickling effect did not correlate with methemoglobin-S levels. Here, we examined the effects of nitrite on HbS polymerization and on methemoglobin formation in a SCD mouse model. In vitro, at concentrations higher than physiologic (>1 μM), nitrite increased the delay time for polymerization of deoxygenated HbS independently of methemoglobin-S formation, which only occurred at much higher concentrations (>300 μM). In vitro, higher nitrite concentrations oxidized 100% of normal hemoglobin A (HbA), but only 70% of HbS. Dimethyl adipimidate, an anti-polymerization agent, increased the fraction of HbS oxidized by nitrite to 82%, suggesting that polymerized HbS partially contributed to the oxidation-resistant fraction of HbS. At low concentrations (10 μM-1 mM), nitrite did not increase the formation of reactive oxygen species but at high concentrations (10 mM) it decreased sickle RBC viability. In SCD mice, 4-week administration of nitrite yielded no significant changes in methemoglobin or nitrite levels in plasma and RBC, however, it further increased leukocytosis. Overall, these data suggest that nitrite at supra-physiologic concentrations has anti-polymerization properties in vitro and that leukocytosis is a potential nitrite toxicity in vivo. Therefore, to determine whether the anti-polymerization effect of nitrite observed in vitro underlies the decreases in sickling observed in patients with SCD, administration of higher nitrite doses is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E F Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Meghann L Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sebastian Vogel
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Celia M de Souza Batista
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zenaide M N Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Khaibullina A, Almeida LEF, Kamimura S, Zerfas PM, Smith ML, Vogel S, Wakim P, Vasconcelos OM, Quezado MM, Horkayne-Szakaly I, Quezado ZMN. Sickle cell disease mice have cerebral oxidative stress and vascular and white matter abnormalities. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2021; 86:102493. [PMID: 32927249 PMCID: PMC7686096 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2020.102493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Strokes are feared complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) and yield significant neurologic and neurocognitive deficits. However, even without detectable strokes, SCD patients have significant neurocognitive deficits in domains of learning and memory, processing speed and executive function. In these cases, mechanisms unrelated to major cerebrovascular abnormalities likely underlie these deficits. While oxidative stress and stress-related signaling pathways play a role in SCD pathophysiology, their role in cerebral injury remains unknown. We have shown that Townes and BERK SCD mice, while not having strokes, recapitulate neurocognitive deficits reported in humans. We hypothesized that cognitive deficits in SCD mice are associated with cerebral oxidative stress. We showed that SCD mice have increased levels of reactive oxygen species, protein carbonylation, and lipid peroxidation in hippocampus and cortex, thus suggesting increased cerebral oxidative stress. Further, cerebral oxidative stress was associated with caspase-3 activity alterations and vascular endothelial abnormalities, white matter changes, and disruption of the blood brain barrier, similar to those reported after ischemic/oxidative injury. Additionally, after repeated hypoxia/reoxygenation exposure, homozygous Townes had enhanced microglia activation. Our findings indicate that oxidative stress and stress-induced tissue damage is increased in susceptible brain regions, which may, in turn, contribute to neurocognitive deficits in SCD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfia Khaibullina
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Luis E F Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Patricia M Zerfas
- Office of Research Services, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Meghann L Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Vogel
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Paul Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Olavo M Vasconcelos
- Neuromuscular Clinic, Electromyography Laboratory, Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring Sections, Veterans Health Administration Medical Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23249, United States of America
| | - Martha M Quezado
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - Iren Horkayne-Szakaly
- Neuropathology and Ophthalmic Pathology, Joint Pathology Center, Defense Health Agency, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States of America
| | - Zenaide M N Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America.
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Hallmark L, Almeida LE, Kamimura S, Smith M, Quezado ZM. Nitric oxide and sickle cell disease-Is there a painful connection? Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 246:332-341. [PMID: 33517776 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220976397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is the most common hemoglobinopathy and affects millions worldwide. The disease is associated with severe organ dysfunction, acute and chronic pain, and significantly decreased life expectancy. The large body of work demonstrating that hemolysis results in rapid consumption of the endogenous vasodilator nitric oxide, decreased nitric oxide production, and promotion of vaso-occlusion provides the basis for the hypothesis that nitric oxide bioavailability is reduced in sickle cell disease and that this deficit plays a role in sickle cell disease pain. Despite initial promising results, large clinical trials using strategies to increase nitric oxide bioavailability in sickle cell disease patients yielded no significant change in duration or frequency of acute pain crises. Further, recent investigations showed that sickle cell disease patients and mouse models have elevated baseline levels of blood nitrite, a reservoir for nitric oxide formation and a product of nitric oxide metabolism, regardless of pain phenotype. These conflicting results challenge the hypotheses that nitric oxide bioavailability is decreased and that it plays a significant role in the pathogenesis in sickle cell disease acute pain crises. Conversely, a large body of work demonstrates that nitric oxide, as a neurotransmitter, has a complex role in pain neurobiology, contributes to the development of central sensitization, and can mediate hyperalgesia in inflammatory and neuropathic pain. These results support an alternative hypothesis: one proposing that altered nitric oxide signaling may contribute to the development of neuropathic and/or inflammatory pain in sickle cell disease through its role as a neurotransmitter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Hallmark
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, 2511National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Luis Ef Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, 2511National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, 2511National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Meghann Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, 2511National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zenaide Mn Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, 2511National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Almeida LEF, Wang L, Kamimura S, Zerfas PM, Smith ML, Neto OLA, Vale T, Quezado MM, Horkayne-Szakaly I, Wakim P, Quezado ZMN. Locomotor mal-performance and gait adaptability deficits in sickle cell mice are associated with vascular and white matter abnormalities and oxidative stress in cerebellum. Brain Res 2020; 1746:146968. [PMID: 32533970 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can develop strokes and as a result, present neurologic and neurocognitive deficits. However, recent studies show that even without detectable cerebral parenchymal abnormalities on imaging studies, SCD patients can have significant cognitive and motor dysfunction, which can present as early as during infancy. As the cerebellum plays a pivotal role in motor and non-motor functions including sensorimotor processing and learning, we examined cerebellar behavior in humanized SCD mice using the Erasmus ladder. Homozygous (sickling) mice had significant locomotor malperformance characterized by miscoordination and impaired locomotor gait/stepping pattern adaptability. Conversely, Townes homozygous mice had no overall deficits in motor learning, as they were able to associate a conditioning stimulus (high-pitch warning tone) with the presentation of an obstacle and learned to decrease steptimes thereby increasing speed to avoid it. While these animals had no cerebellar strokes, these locomotor and adaptive gait/stepping patterns deficits were associated with oxidative stress, as well as cerebellar vascular endothelial and white matter abnormalities and blood brain barrier disruption, suggestive of ischemic injury. Taken together, these observations suggest that motor and adaptive locomotor deficits in SCD mice mirror some of those described in SCD patients and that ischemic changes in white matter and vascular endothelium and oxidative stress are biologic correlates of those deficits. These findings point to the cerebellum as an area of the central nervous system that is vulnerable to vascular and white matter injury and support the use of SCD mice for studies of the underlying mechanisms of cerebellar dysfunction in SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E F Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Center for Neuroscience Research and The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children's Research Institute, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Patricia M Zerfas
- Office of Research Services, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Meghann L Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Osorio L Abath Neto
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ticiana Vale
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Martha M Quezado
- Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Iren Horkayne-Szakaly
- Neuropathology and Ophthalmic Pathology, Joint Pathology Center, Defense Health Agency, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Paul Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zenaide M N Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Almeida LEF, Kamimura S, de Souza Batista CM, Spornick N, Nettleton MY, Walek E, Smith ML, Finkel JC, Darbari DS, Wakim P, Quezado ZMN. Sickle cell disease subjects and mouse models have elevated nitrite and cGMP levels in blood compartments. Nitric Oxide 2019; 94:79-91. [PMID: 31689491 DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2019.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The hypothesis of decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in sickle cell disease (SCD) proposes that multiple factors leading to decreased NO production and increased consumption contributes to vaso-occlusion, pulmonary hypertension, and pain. The anion nitrite is central to NO physiology as it is an end product of NO metabolism and serves as a reservoir for NO formation. However, there is little data on nitrite levels in SCD patients and its relationship to pain phenotype. We measured nitrite in SCD subjects and examined its relationship to SCD pain. In SCD subjects, median whole blood, red blood cell and plasma nitrite levels were higher than in controls, and were not associated with pain burden. Similarly, Townes and BERK homozygous SCD mice had elevated blood nitrite. Additionally, in red blood cells and plasma from SCD subjects and in blood and kidney from Townes homozygous mice, levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were higher compared to controls. In vitro, hemoglobin concentration, rather than sickle hemoglobin, was responsible for nitrite metabolism rate. In vivo, inhibition of NO synthases and xanthine oxidoreductase decreased nitrite levels in homozygotes but not in control mice. Long-term nitrite treatment in SCD mice further elevated blood nitrite and cGMP, worsened anemia, decreased platelets, and did not change pain response. These data suggest that SCD in humans and animals is associated with increased nitrite/NO availability, which is unrelated to pain phenotype. These findings might explain why multiple clinical trials aimed at increasing NO availability in SCD patients failed to improve pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E F Almeida
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sayuri Kamimura
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | | | - Nicholas Spornick
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Margaret Y Nettleton
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Elizabeth Walek
- The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children's National Research Institute, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Meghann L Smith
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Julia C Finkel
- The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children's National Research Institute, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Deepika S Darbari
- Division of Hematology, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Paul Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zenaide M N Quezado
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Sadler KE, Stucky CL. Neuronal transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and noxious sensory detection in sickle cell disease. Neurosci Lett 2018; 694:184-191. [PMID: 30508569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.11.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pain is the leading cause for hospitalization in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). While the characteristics of SCD pain can vary widely between patients and between phases of the disease (e.g. vasoocclusive crisis pain vs. chronic pain), similar neuronal mechanisms likely underlie the various aspects of nociceptive processing. In the peripheral nervous system, small unmyelinated C fibers and lightly-myelinated Aδ fibers detect and transmit noxious stimuli. Both classes of neurons express members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family, a group of ligand gated ion-channels that are activated by thermal, chemical, and mechanical stimuli. Promiscuous TRP channel family members are activated by a wide range of stimuli, many of which are dysregulated in patients with SCD and transgenic SCD mouse models. In 2011, our lab published the first report of TRP channel contributions to rodent SCD pain. Since that time, additional basic and clinical research efforts have investigated the genetic and biochemical status of TRP channels in SCD, placing particular focus on TRPV1. This review will discuss these advances and highlight the clinical SCD presentations that have not yet been studied, but which may be mediated by TRP channel activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn E Sadler
- Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States.
| | - Cheryl L Stucky
- Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
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