1
|
Faran M, Ray D, Nag S, Raucci U, Parrinello M, Bisker G. A Stochastic Landscape Approach for Protein Folding State Classification. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:5428-5438. [PMID: 38924770 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Protein folding is a critical process that determines the functional state of proteins. Proper folding is essential for proteins to acquire their functional three-dimensional structures and execute their biological role, whereas misfolded proteins can lead to various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Therefore, a deeper understanding of protein folding is vital for understanding disease mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies. This study introduces the Stochastic Landscape Classification (SLC), an innovative, automated, nonlearning algorithm that quantitatively analyzes protein folding dynamics. Focusing on collective variables (CVs) - low-dimensional representations of complex dynamical systems like molecular dynamics (MD) of macromolecules - the SLC approach segments the CVs into distinct macrostates, revealing the protein folding pathway explored by MD simulations. The segmentation is achieved by analyzing changes in CV trends and clustering these segments using a standard density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) scheme. Applied to the MD-based CV trajectories of Chignolin and Trp-Cage proteins, the SLC demonstrates apposite accuracy, validated by comparing standard classification metrics against ground-truth data. These metrics affirm the efficacy of the SLC in capturing intricate protein dynamics and offer a method to evaluate and select the most informative CVs. The practical application of this technique lies in its ability to provide a detailed, quantitative description of protein folding processes, with significant implications for understanding and manipulating protein behavior in industrial and pharmaceutical contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Faran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dhiman Ray
- Atomistic Simulations, Italian Institute of Technology, Via Enrico Melen 83, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Shubhadeep Nag
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Umberto Raucci
- Atomistic Simulations, Italian Institute of Technology, Via Enrico Melen 83, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Michele Parrinello
- Atomistic Simulations, Italian Institute of Technology, Via Enrico Melen 83, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Gili Bisker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- The Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The Center for Light-Matter Interaction, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Castro OL, De Franceschi L, Ganz T, Kanter J, Kato GJ, Pasricha SR, Rivella S, Wood JC. Iron restriction in sickle cell disease: When less is more. Am J Hematol 2024; 99:1349-1359. [PMID: 38400590 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.27267] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Primum non nocere! Can iron deficiency, an abnormality that causes anemia, benefit people with sickle cell disease (SCD) who already have an anemia? The published literature we review appears to answer this question in the affirmative: basic science considerations, animal model experiments, and noncontrolled clinical observations all suggest a therapeutic potential of iron restriction in SCD. This is because SCD's clinical manifestations are ultimately attributable to the polymerization of hemoglobin S (HbS), a process strongly influenced by intracellular HbS concentration. Even small decrements in HbS concentration greatly reduce polymerization, and iron deficiency lowers erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration. Thus, iron deficiency could improve SCD by changing its clinical features to those of a more benign anemia (i.e., a condition with fewer or no vaso-occlusive events). We propose that well-designed clinical studies be implemented to definitively determine whether iron restriction is a safe and effective option in SCD. These investigations are particularly timely now that pharmacologic agents are being developed, which may directly reduce red cell hemoglobin concentrations without the need for phlebotomies to deplete total body iron.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo L Castro
- Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Tomas Ganz
- Center for Iron Disorders, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Julie Kanter
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Gregory J Kato
- Hematology Therapeutic Area, CSL Behring, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sant-Rayn Pasricha
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefano Rivella
- Division of Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; RNA Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- RNA Gene Therapeutics Group, RNA Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John C Wood
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics and Radiology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
McCorvie TJ, Adamoski D, Machado RAC, Tang J, Bailey HJ, Ferreira DSM, Strain-Damerell C, Baslé A, Ambrosio ALB, Dias SMG, Yue WW. Architecture and regulation of filamentous human cystathionine beta-synthase. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2931. [PMID: 38575566 PMCID: PMC10995199 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46864-x] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) is an essential metabolic enzyme across all domains of life for the production of glutathione, cysteine, and hydrogen sulfide. Appended to the conserved catalytic domain of human CBS is a regulatory domain that modulates activity by S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and promotes oligomerisation. Here we show using cryo-electron microscopy that full-length human CBS in the basal and SAM-bound activated states polymerises as filaments mediated by a conserved regulatory domain loop. In the basal state, CBS regulatory domains sterically block the catalytic domain active site, resulting in a low-activity filament with three CBS dimers per turn. This steric block is removed when in the activated state, one SAM molecule binds to the regulatory domain, forming a high-activity filament with two CBS dimers per turn. These large conformational changes result in a central filament of SAM-stabilised regulatory domains at the core, decorated with highly flexible catalytic domains. Polymerisation stabilises CBS and reduces thermal denaturation. In PC-3 cells, we observed nutrient-responsive CBS filamentation that disassembles when methionine is depleted and reversed in the presence of SAM. Together our findings extend our understanding of CBS enzyme regulation, and open new avenues for investigating the pathogenic mechanism and therapeutic opportunities for CBS-associated disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J McCorvie
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
| | - Douglas Adamoski
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, 13083-970, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Raquel A C Machado
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, 13083-970, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Jiazhi Tang
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Henry J Bailey
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Douglas S M Ferreira
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Arnaud Baslé
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Andre L B Ambrosio
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Sandra M G Dias
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, 13083-970, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Wyatt W Yue
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
- Biosciences Institute, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Curk S, Krausser J, Meisl G, Frenkel D, Linse S, Michaels TCT, Knowles TPJ, Šarić A. Self-replication of A β42 aggregates occurs on small and isolated fibril sites. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2220075121. [PMID: 38335256 PMCID: PMC10873593 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220075121] [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: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Self-replication of amyloid fibrils via secondary nucleation is an intriguing physicochemical phenomenon in which existing fibrils catalyze the formation of their own copies. The molecular events behind this fibril surface-mediated process remain largely inaccessible to current structural and imaging techniques. Using statistical mechanics, computer modeling, and chemical kinetics, we show that the catalytic structure of the fibril surface can be inferred from the aggregation behavior in the presence and absence of a fibril-binding inhibitor. We apply our approach to the case of Alzheimer's A[Formula: see text] amyloid fibrils formed in the presence of proSP-C Brichos inhibitors. We find that self-replication of A[Formula: see text] fibrils occurs on small catalytic sites on the fibril surface, which are far apart from each other, and each of which can be covered by a single Brichos inhibitor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samo Curk
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, LondonWC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Krausser
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, LondonWC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Daan Frenkel
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Linse
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund22100, Sweden
| | - Thomas C. T. Michaels
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, LondonWC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich8093, Switzerland
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Anđela Šarić
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, LondonWC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dhillon AK, Sharma A, Yadav V, Singh R, Ahuja T, Barman S, Siddhanta S. Raman spectroscopy and its plasmon-enhanced counterparts: A toolbox to probe protein dynamics and aggregation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 16:e1917. [PMID: 37518952 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Protein unfolding and aggregation are often correlated with numerous diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and other debilitating neurological disorders. Such adverse events consist of a plethora of competing mechanisms, particularly interactions that control the stability and cooperativity of the process. However, it remains challenging to probe the molecular mechanism of protein dynamics such as aggregation, and monitor them in real-time under physiological conditions. Recently, Raman spectroscopy and its plasmon-enhanced counterparts, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), have emerged as sensitive analytical tools that have the potential to perform molecular studies of functional groups and are showing significant promise in probing events related to protein aggregation. We summarize the fundamental working principles of Raman, SERS, and TERS as nondestructive, easy-to-perform, and fast tools for probing protein dynamics and aggregation. Finally, we highlight the utility of these techniques for the analysis of vibrational spectra of aggregation of proteins from various sources such as tissues, pathogens, food, biopharmaceuticals, and lastly, biological fouling to retrieve precise chemical information, which can be potentially translated to practical applications and point-of-care (PoC) devices. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Arti Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Vikas Yadav
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Ruchi Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Tripti Ahuja
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Sanmitra Barman
- Center for Advanced Materials and Devices (CAMD), BML Munjal University, Haryana, India
| | - Soumik Siddhanta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Neto V, Victor BL, Galamba N. Cyclic Peptides as Aggregation Inhibitors for Sickle Cell Disease. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16062-16074. [PMID: 37988411 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is a missense genetic disorder characterized by the aggregation of deoxy-HbS into helical fibers that distort erythrocytes into a sickle-like shape. Herein, we investigate, through molecular dynamics, the effect of nine 5-mer cyclic peptides (CPs), tailor-designed to block key lateral contacts of the fibers. Our results show that the CPs bind orthogonally to the main HbS pocket involved in the latter contacts, with some revealing exceedingly long residence times. These CPs display moderate to high specificity, exhibiting molecular recognition events even at a HbS/CP (1:1) ratio. A much lower HbS-CP binding free energy, longer residence times, and higher specificity are also found relative to a previously reported CP with modest in vitro antisickling activity. These results indicate that some of these CPs have the potential to reduce the concentration of aggregation-competent deoxy-HbS, precluding or delaying the formation of lateral contact at the homogeneous nucleation stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasco Neto
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C8, Campo Grande 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Bruno Lourenço Victor
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C8, Campo Grande 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nuno Galamba
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C8, Campo Grande 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Worth EH, Fugate MK, Grasty KC, Loll PJ, Bishop MF, Ferrone FA. An α-chain modification rivals the effect of fetal hemoglobin in retarding the rate of sickle cell fiber formation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21997. [PMID: 38081985 PMCID: PMC10713580 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48919-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Adults with sickle cell disease bear a mutation in the β-globin gene, leading to the expression of sickle hemoglobin (HbS; α2βS2). Adults also possess the gene for γ-globin, which is a component of fetal hemoglobin (HbF, α2γ2); however, γ-chain expression normally ceases after birth. As HbF does not form the fibers that cause the disease, pharmacological and gene-modifying interventions have attempted to either reactivate expression of the γ chain or introduce a gene encoding a modified β chain having γ-like character. Here, we show that a single-site modification on the α chain, αPro114Arg, retards fiber formation as effectively as HbF. Because this addition to the repertoire of anti-sickling approaches acts independently of other modifications, it could be coupled with other therapies to significantly enhance their effectiveness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eli H Worth
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mark K Fugate
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kimberly C Grasty
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Patrick J Loll
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Marilyn F Bishop
- Deparment of Physics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284-2000, USA
| | - Frank A Ferrone
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Romero-Romero ML, Garcia-Seisdedos H. Agglomeration: when folded proteins clump together. Biophys Rev 2023; 15:1987-2003. [PMID: 38192350 PMCID: PMC10771401 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01172-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein self-association is a widespread phenomenon that results in the formation of multimeric protein structures with critical roles in cellular processes. Protein self-association can lead to finite protein complexes or open-ended, and potentially, infinite structures. This review explores the concept of protein agglomeration, a process that results from the infinite self-assembly of folded proteins. We highlight its differences from other better-described processes with similar macroscopic features, such as aggregation and liquid-liquid phase separation. We review the sequence, structural, and biophysical factors influencing protein agglomeration. Lastly, we briefly discuss the implications of agglomeration in evolution, disease, and aging. Overall, this review highlights the need to study protein agglomeration for a better understanding of cellular processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. L. Romero-Romero
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
| | - H. Garcia-Seisdedos
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li G, Qiang Y, Li H, Li X, Buffet PA, Dao M, Karniadakis GE. A combined computational and experimental investigation of the filtration function of splenic macrophages in sickle cell disease. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011223. [PMID: 38091361 PMCID: PMC10752522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011223] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Being the largest lymphatic organ in the body, the spleen also constantly controls the quality of red blood cells (RBCs) in circulation through its two major filtration components, namely interendothelial slits (IES) and red pulp macrophages. In contrast to the extensive studies in understanding the filtration function of IES, fewer works investigate how the splenic macrophages retain the aged and diseased RBCs, i.e., RBCs in sickle cell disease (SCD). Herein, we perform a computational study informed by companion experiments to quantify the dynamics of RBCs captured and retained by the macrophages. We first calibrate the parameters in the computational model based on microfluidic experimental measurements for sickle RBCs under normoxia and hypoxia, as those parameters are not available in the literature. Next, we quantify the impact of key factors expected to dictate the RBC retention by the macrophages in the spleen, namely, blood flow conditions, RBC aggregation, hematocrit, RBC morphology, and oxygen levels. Our simulation results show that hypoxic conditions could enhance the adhesion between the sickle RBCs and macrophages. This, in turn, increases the retention of RBCs by as much as four-fold, which could be a possible cause of RBC congestion in the spleen of patients with SCD. Our study on the impact of RBC aggregation illustrates a 'clustering effect', where multiple RBCs in one aggregate can make contact and adhere to the macrophages, leading to a higher retention rate than that resulting from RBC-macrophage pair interactions. Our simulations of sickle RBCs flowing past macrophages for a range of blood flow velocities indicate that the increased blood velocity could quickly attenuate the function of the red pulp macrophages on detaining aged or diseased RBCs, thereby providing a possible rationale for the slow blood flow in the open circulation of the spleen. Furthermore, we quantify the impact of RBC morphology on their tendency to be retained by the macrophages. We find that the sickle and granular-shaped RBCs are more likely to be filtered by macrophages in the spleen. This finding is consistent with the observation of low percentages of these two forms of sickle RBCs in the blood smear of SCD patients. Taken together, our experimental and simulation results aid in our quantitative understanding of the function of splenic macrophages in retaining the diseased RBCs and provide an opportunity to combine such knowledge with the current knowledge of the interaction between IES and traversing RBCs to apprehend the complete filtration function of the spleen in SCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guansheng Li
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Yuhao Qiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - He Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Xuejin Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics and Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pierre A. Buffet
- Université Paris Cité and Université des Antilles, Inserm, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Paris, France
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - George Em Karniadakis
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Williams DC, Wood DK. High-throughput quantification of red blood cell deformability and oxygen saturation to probe mechanisms of sickle cell disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2313755120. [PMID: 37983504 PMCID: PMC10691249 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313755120] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex, systemic pathology of sickle cell disease is driven by multiple mechanisms including red blood cells (RBCs) stiffened by polymerized fibers of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin. A critical step toward understanding the pathologic role of polymer-containing RBCs is quantifying the biophysical changes in these cells in physiologically relevant oxygen environments. We have developed a microfluidic platform capable of simultaneously measuring single RBC deformability and oxygen saturation under controlled oxygen and shear stress. We found that RBCs with detectable amounts of polymer have decreased oxygen affinity and decreased deformability. Surprisingly, the deformability of the polymer-containing cells is oxygen-independent, while the fraction of these cells increases as oxygen decreases. We also find that some fraction of these cells is present at most physiologic oxygen tensions, suggesting a role for these cells in the systemic pathologies. Additionally, the ability to measure these pathological cells should provide clearer targets for evaluating therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dillon C. Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455
| | - David K. Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Minton AP. Simplified Equilibrium Model for Exploring the Combined Influences of Concentration, Aggregate Shape, Excluded Volume, and Surface Adsorption upon Aggregation Propensity and Distribution of Globular Macromolecules. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9303-9311. [PMID: 37871252 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A mesoscopic model for the equilibrium self-association of a globular macromolecule that may form oligomers of various shapes and unlimited sizes is presented. Allowance is made within this model for the effects of variation in the free energy of subunit contact within an oligomer of specified size and different shapes, the free energy of adsorption of an oligomer of specified size and shape to a planar surface, and the free energy of nonspecific excluded volume interaction between an oligomer of specified size and shape and an inert species occupying a specified fraction of total volume. The model is analytically soluble and permits rapid calculation and analysis of the effects of variation in each of the three free energy parameters upon the concentration dependence of the weight-average stoichiometry of the oligomer, the fraction of total macromolecule that is adsorbed, and the fraction of differently shaped oligomers that are adsorbed and in free solution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allen P Minton
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda Maryland 20892-0830, United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lone BA, Sharma N, Kour D, Bhushan A, Rani D, Kumar A, Gupta PK, Gupta P. In-vitro anti-sickling potential of baicalin and naringenin isolated from Oroxylum indicum and Citrus aurantium on human sickle red blood cells. Nat Prod Res 2023; 37:3902-3908. [PMID: 36525466 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2022.2158330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare inherited disorder in which red blood cells (RBCs) under oxidative stress have altered sickle shape resulting in clinical complications. In this study, a library of pure natural products were screened to see their effectiveness in preventing sickling induced in blood samples of SCA patients, ex-vivo. The results indicated that baicalin (1) and naringenin (2), reduced sickling by 46.03 and 37.48 percent, respectively, compared to positive control, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), which inhibited RBC sickling by 56.87 percent. As a result of this screening, two compounds, baicalin (1) and naringenin (2), have been identified as potent sickling inhibitors. Study has clearly shown promising role of flavonoids for the management of SCD crisis for that not effective therapy is available. These phytochemicals or plant extracts can be explored further as an alternative anti-sickling remedy, owing to their high efficacy in the management of SCD crisis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Ahmad Lone
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Nitika Sharma
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Dilpreet Kour
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- PK-PD Toxicology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Anil Bhushan
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Dixhiya Rani
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- PK-PD Toxicology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Prashant Kumar Gupta
- Department of Horticulture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior, India
| | - Prasoon Gupta
- Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bartolucci P. Exploration de l’hémolyse associée à la drépanocytose et perspectives thérapeutiques spécifiques. Rev Med Interne 2023; 44:4S7-4S11. [PMID: 38049244 DOI: 10.1016/s0248-8663(23)01303-6] [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] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease with a strong vascular tropism. Beyond anemia, the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for hemolysis, directly affect both acute and chronic vascular damages, thus resulting in a systemic disease. Understanding the different types of hemolysis underline the need for novel specific biomarkers. Targeted therapeutic approaches for these pathophysiological pathways are necessary to improve Sickle Cell patients' prognosis. Finally, given its complexity, Sickle Cell Disease is often used as a "proof of concept" for other pathologies. It seems likely that the rapidly evolving knowledge in this field will also benefit other diseases. © 2023 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Bartolucci
- Recherche IH, EFS Créteil-Mondor, Créteil, France; IMRB Inserm 955, équipe Pirenne, Créteil, France; Centre de références des syndromes drépanocytaires majeures, hôpital Henri-Mondor, Créteil, France; Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Adam M, Musa MJ, Al-Qahtani SM, Alelyani M, Musa A, Elzaki M, Alzain AFH, Ali S, Medani A, Mukhtar EM, Gareeballah A. Ultrasound Imaging in Subjects with Sickle Cell Disease: The Saudi Arabia Experiences. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:4931-4942. [PMID: 37928952 PMCID: PMC10625387 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s419013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Abdominal organ sonography is a crucial part of the workup for treating sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Objective The main objective of this study was to evaluate the abdominal organs in SCD patients using ultrasonography. Methodology A non-interventional descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Asir region Saudi Arabia from April 2019 to July 2020. The study was conducted in 78 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Data were gathered using a data collection sheet included demographic information, clinical information including medication types, and complications linked to SCD. Furthermore, the study evaluated abdominal ultrasound findings pertaining to the liver, gall bladder, spleen, and kidneys. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results More than half of the study participants 43 (55.1%) were females. About 53.8% of the study participants received blood transfusions, and (11.5%) receive extra-vaccine. Concerning ultrasound findings, hepatomegaly was found in seventeen (21.8%), focal liver lesions in four (5.1%), gallstones in five (6.4%), splenomegaly in fifteen (19.3%), and the presence of splenic focal lesions was found in seven (9.0%). The most frequent complication associated with SCD was osteomyelitis sepsis in six cases (7.7%). The study revealed a significant correlation between the type of crisis and type of medication used and the size of the spleen (P-value <0.01), and no notable correlation was found between the types of crises and the size of the liver (P-value >0.05). Conclusion Abdominal sonography in SCD patients revealed a wide range of alterations in the liver, gallbladder, and spleen. The most frequently observed complications in SCD were hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, localized lesions in both organs, and the presence of gallstones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Adam
- Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa J Musa
- Department of Applied Radiologic Science, University of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh M Al-Qahtani
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magbool Alelyani
- Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alamin Musa
- Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maisa Elzaki
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madianah Al-Munawwarrah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amel F H Alzain
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madianah Al-Munawwarrah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarra Ali
- Department of Diagnostic Radiography Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afaf Medani
- Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emadeldedin Mohamed Mukhtar
- Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir, Saudi Arabia
| | - Awadia Gareeballah
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madianah Al-Munawwarrah, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
De Souza DC, Hebert N, Esrick EB, Ciuculescu MF, Archer NM, Armant M, Audureau É, Brendel C, Di Caprio G, Galactéros F, Liu D, McCabe A, Morris E, Schonbrun E, Williams D, Wood DK, Williams DA, Bartolucci P, Higgins JM. Genetic reversal of the globin switch concurrently modulates both fetal and sickle hemoglobin and reduces red cell sickling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5850. [PMID: 37730674 PMCID: PMC10511721 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40923-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported initial clinical results of post-transcriptional gene silencing of BCL11A expression (NCT03282656) reversing the fetal to adult hemoglobin switch. A goal of this approach is to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression while coordinately reducing sickle hemoglobin (HbS) expression. The resulting combinatorial effect should prove effective in inhibiting HbS polymerization at lower physiologic oxygen values thereby mitigating disease complications. Here we report results of exploratory single-cell analysis of patients in which BCL11A is targeted molecularly and compare results with cells of patients treated with hydroxyurea (HU), the current standard of care. We use single-cell assays to assess HbF, HbS, oxygen saturation, and hemoglobin polymer content in RBCs for nine gene therapy trial subjects (BCLshmiR, median HbF% = 27.9) and compare them to 10 HU-treated subjects demonstrating high and comparable levels of HbF (HU High Responders, median HbF% = 27.0). All BCL11A patients achieved the primary endpoint for NCT03282656, which was defined by an absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 0.5 × 109 cells/L for three consecutive days, achieved within 7 weeks following infusion. Flow cytometric assessment of single-RBC HbF and HbS shows fewer RBCs with high HbS% that would be most susceptible to sickling in BCLshmiR vs. HU High Responders: median 42% of RBCs with HbS%>70% in BCLshmiR vs. 61% in HU High Responders (p = 0.004). BCLshmiR subjects also demonstrate more RBCs resistant to HbS polymerization at lower physiologic oxygen tension: median 32% vs. 25% in HU High Responders (p = 0.006). Gene therapy-induced BCL11A down-regulation reverses the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch and induces RBCs with higher HbF%, lower HbS%, and greater resistance to deoxygenation-induced polymerization in clinical trial subjects compared with a cohort of highly responsive hydroxyurea-treated subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C De Souza
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicolas Hebert
- French Blood Establishment (EFS), Créteil, France
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France
| | - Erica B Esrick
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Natasha M Archer
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Myriam Armant
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Étienne Audureau
- INSERM U955 Team CEpiA, Paris-East Créteil University, Créteil, France
- Department of Public Health, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Créteil, France
| | - Christian Brendel
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giuseppe Di Caprio
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Frédéric Galactéros
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France
| | - Donghui Liu
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda McCabe
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily Morris
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ethan Schonbrun
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dillon Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David K Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David A Williams
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Pablo Bartolucci
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France.
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France.
| | - John M Higgins
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Shu P, You G, Li W, Chen Y, Chu Z, Qin D, Wang Y, Zhou H, Zhao L. Cefmetazole sodium as an allosteric effector that regulates the oxygen supply efficiency of adult hemoglobin. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-15. [PMID: 37555593 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2245043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric effectors play an important role in regulating the oxygen supply efficiency of hemoglobin for blood storage and disease treatment. However, allosteric effectors that are approved by the US FDA are limited. In this study, cefmetazole sodium (CS) was found to bind adult hemoglobin (HbA) from FDA library (1338 compounds) using surface plasmon resonance imaging high-throughput screening. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), the interaction between CS and HbA was verified. The oxygen dissociation curve of HbA after CS interaction showed a significant increase in P50 and theoretical oxygen-release capacity. Acid-base sensitivity (SI) exhibited a decreasing trend, although not significantly different. An oxygen dissociation assay indicated that CS accelerated HbA deoxygenation. Microfluidic modulated spectroscopy showed that CS changed the ratio of the alpha-helix to the beta-sheet of HbA. Molecular docking suggested CS bound to HbA's β-chains via hydrogen bonds, with key amino acids being N282, K225, H545, K625, K675, and V544.The results of molecular dynamics simulations (MD) revealed a stable orientation of the HbA-CS complex. CS did not significantly affect the P50 of bovine hemoglobin, possibly due to the lack of Valβ1 and Hisβ2, indicating that these were the crucial amino acids involved in HbA's oxygen affinity. Competition between the 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and CS in the HbA interaction was also determined by SPR, molecular docking and MD. In summary, CS could interact with HbA and regulate the oxygen supply efficiency via forming stable hydrogen bonds with the β-chains of HbA, and showed competition with 2,3-DPG.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peilin Shu
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Guoxing You
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Weidan Li
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Yuzhi Chen
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Zongtang Chu
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Dong Qin
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Ying Wang
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Hong Zhou
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| | - Lian Zhao
- Institute of Health Service and Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, P.R. C
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Li G, Qiang Y, Li H, Li X, Buffet PA, Dao M, Karniadakis GE. A combined computational and experimental investigation of the filtration function of splenic macrophages in sickle cell disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.543007. [PMID: 37398427 PMCID: PMC10312537 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.543007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Being the largest lymphatic organ in the body, the spleen also constantly controls the quality of red blood cells (RBCs) in circulation through its two major filtration components, namely interendothelial slits (IES) and red pulp macrophages. In contrast to the extensive studies in understanding the filtration function of IES, there are relatively fewer works on investigating how the splenic macrophages retain the aged and diseased RBCs, i.e., RBCs in sickle cell disease (SCD). Herein, we perform a computational study informed by companion experiments to quantify the dynamics of RBCs captured and retained by the macrophages. We first calibrate the parameters in the computational model based on microfluidic experimental measurements for sickle RBCs under normoxia and hypoxia, as those parameters are not available in the literature. Next, we quantify the impact of a set of key factors that are expected to dictate the RBC retention by the macrophages in the spleen, namely, blood flow conditions, RBC aggregation, hematocrit, RBC morphology, and oxygen levels. Our simulation results show that hypoxic conditions could enhance the adhesion between the sickle RBCs and macrophages. This, in turn, increases the retention of RBCs by as much as five-fold, which could be a possible cause of RBC congestion in the spleen of patients with SCD. Our study on the impact of RBC aggregation illustrates a 'clustering effect', where multiple RBCs in one aggregate can make contact and adhere to the macrophages, leading to a higher retention rate than that resulting from RBC-macrophage pair interactions. Our simulations of sickle RBCs flowing past macrophages for a range of blood flow velocities indicate that the increased blood velocity could quickly attenuate the function of the red pulp macrophages on detaining aged or diseased RBCs, thereby providing a possible rationale for the slow blood flow in the open circulation of the spleen. Furthermore, we quantify the impact of RBC morphology on their tendency to be retained by the macrophages. We find that the sickle and granular-shaped RBCs are more likely to be filtered by macrophages in the spleen. This finding is consistent with the observation of low percentages of these two forms of sickle RBCs in the blood smear of SCD patients. Taken together, our experimental and simulation results aid in our quantitative understanding of the function of splenic macrophages in retaining the diseased RBCs and provide an opportunity to combine such knowledge with the current knowledge of the interaction between IES and traversing RBCs to apprehend the complete filtration function of the spleen in SCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guansheng Li
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906
| | - Yuhao Qiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - He Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
| | - Xuejin Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics and Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
| | - Pierre A. Buffet
- Université Paris Cité and Université des Antilles, Inserm, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d′Excellence du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Donkor AK, Pagare PP, Mughram MHAL, Safo MK. X-ray crystallography and sickle cell disease drug discovery-a tribute to Donald Abraham. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1136970. [PMID: 37293554 PMCID: PMC10244664 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1136970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
X-ray crystallography and structure-based drug discovery have played a major role in the discovery of antisickling agents that target hemoglobin (Hb) for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Sickle cell disease, the most common inherited hematologic disorder, occurs as a result of a single point mutation of βGlu6 in normal human adult hemoglobin (HbA) to βVal6 in sickle hemoglobin (HbS). The disease is characterized by polymerization of HbS and sickling of red blood cells (RBCs), leading to several secondary pathophysiologies, including but not limited to vaso-occlusion, hemolytic anemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, stroke, pain crisis, and organ damage. Despite the fact that SCD was the first disease to have its molecular basis established, the development of therapies was for a very long time a challenge and took several decades to find therapeutic agents. The determination of the crystal structure of Hb by Max Perutz in the early 60s, and the pioneering X-ray crystallography research by Donald J. Abraham in the early 80s, which resulted in the first structures of Hb in complex with small molecule allosteric effectors of Hb, gave much hope that structure-based drug discovery (SBDD) could be used to accelerate development of antisickling drugs that target the primary pathophysiology of hypoxia-induced HbS polymerization to treat SCD. This article, which is dedicated to Donald J. Abraham, briefly reviews structural biology, X-ray crystallography and structure-based drug discovery from the perspective of Hb. The review also presents the impact of X-ray crystallography in SCD drug development using Hb as a target, emphasizing the major and important contributions by Don Abraham in this field.
Collapse
|
19
|
The Sickle-Cell Fiber Revisited. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030413. [PMID: 36979347 PMCID: PMC10046210 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is the consequence of a single point mutation on the surface of the β chains of the hemoglobin molecule leading to the formation of rigid polymers that disrupt circulation. It has long been established that the polymers are comprised of seven pairs of double strands that are twisted replicas of the double strands found in crystals. Here, we review several newer developments that elaborate on that simple model and provide deeper insights into the process.
Collapse
|
20
|
Xu X, Ghatge MS, Huang B, Alghamdi A, Wang H, Pierce BD, Abdulmalik O, Zhang Y, Safo MK, Venitz J. Quantitative assessment of the in-vitro binding kinetics of antisickling aromatic aldehydes with hemoglobin A: A universal HPLC-UV/Vis method to quantitate Schiff-base adduct formation. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 223:115152. [PMID: 36399908 PMCID: PMC9701171 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.115152] [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: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Aromatic aldehydes act as allosteric effectors of hemoglobin (AEH), forming Schiff-base adducts with the protein to increase its oxygen (O2) affinity; a desirable property in sickle cell disease (SCD) treatment, as the high-O2 affinity hemoglobin (Hb) does not polymerize and subsequently prevents erythrocytes sickling. This study reports the development, validation, and application of a weak cation-exchange HPLC assay - quantifying the appearance of Hb-AEH adduct - as a "universal" method, allowing for the prioritization of AEH candidates through an understanding of their Hb binding affinity and kinetics. Concentration- and time-dependent Hb binding profiles of ten AEHs were determined with HPLC, followed by the appropriate non-linear modeling to characterize their steady-state binding affinity (KDss), and binding kinetics second-order association (kon) and first-order dissociation (koff) rate constants. Vanillin-derived AEHs exhibited enhanced binding affinity to Hb, primarily due to their faster kon. Across AEH, kon and koff values are strongly correlated (r = 0.993, n = 7), suggesting that modifications of the AEH scaffold enhanced their interactions with Hb as intended, but inadvertently increased their Hb-AEH adduct dissociation. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to provide valuable insight into Hb binding kinetics of antisickling aromatic aldehydes, and the assay will be a useful platform in screening/prioritizing drug candidates for SCD treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Xu
- Division of Cardiometabolic and Endocrine Pharmacology, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center of Drug Evaluation and Research, US FDA, Silver spring, MD 20993, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Mohini S Ghatge
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Boshi Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Ahmed Alghamdi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Huiqun Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - B Daniel Pierce
- Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA 23173, USA
| | - Osheiza Abdulmalik
- Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Martin K Safo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and The Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
| | - Jürgen Venitz
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Sabatini L, Chinali M, Franceschini A, Di Mauro M, Marchesani S, Fini F, Arcuri G, Lodi M, Palumbo G, Ceglie G. Echocardiographic Evaluation in Paediatric Sickle Cell Disease Patients: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med 2022; 12:jcm12010007. [PMID: 36614810 PMCID: PMC9821745 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular involvement has a great impact on morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease (SCD). Currently, few studies are available regarding the paediatric setting and, moreover, current guidelines for the echocardiogram screening program in the asymptomatic paediatric population are controversial. We performed a retrospective observational monocentric study on 64 SCD patients (37 male and 27 female, median age 10) at the Bambino Gesù Childrens' Hospital, who had undergone a routine transthoracic echocardiogram. In total, 46 (72%) patients had at least one cardiac abnormality. Left atrial dilatation (LAD) was present in 41 (65%) patients and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was found in 29 (45%) patients. Patients with LAD showed lower median haemoglobin levels (p = 0.009), and a higher absolute reticulocyte count (p = 0.04). LVH was negatively correlated with the median haemoglobin value (p = 0.006) and positively with the reticulocyte count (p = 0.03). Moreover, we found that patients with cardiac anomalies had higher transfusion needs and a lower frequency of pain crises. In our setting, cardiac involvement has a high prevalence in the paediatric cohort and seems to be associated with specific laboratory findings, and with a specific clinical phenotype characterized by complications related to high haemodynamic load.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Sabatini
- Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-6859-2951
| | - Marcello Chinali
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children’s Research Hospital—IRCSS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Franceschini
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children’s Research Hospital—IRCSS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Margherita Di Mauro
- Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvio Marchesani
- Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Fini
- Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Arcuri
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Lodi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Palumbo
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Ceglie
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital—IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Crossley M, Christakopoulos GE, Weiss MJ. Effective therapies for sickle cell disease: are we there yet? Trends Genet 2022; 38:1284-1298. [PMID: 35934593 PMCID: PMC9837857 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.07.003] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common genetic blood disorder associated with acute and chronic pain, progressive multiorgan damage, and early mortality. Recent advances in technologies to manipulate the human genome, a century of research and the development of techniques enabling the isolation, efficient genetic modification, and reimplantation of autologous patient hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), mean that curing most patients with SCD could soon be a reality in wealthy countries. In parallel, ongoing research is pursuing more facile treatments, such as in-vivo-delivered genetic therapies and new drugs that can eventually be administered in low- and middle-income countries where most SCD patients reside.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Merlin Crossley
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2052.
| | | | - Mitchell J Weiss
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ferreira de Matos C, Comont T, Castex MP, Lafaurie M, Walter O, Moulis G, Dion J, Cougoul P. Risk of vaso-occlusive episodes in patients with sickle cell disease exposed to systemic corticosteroids: a comprehensive review. Expert Rev Hematol 2022; 15:1045-1054. [PMID: 36412212 DOI: 10.1080/17474086.2022.2149488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most frequent inherited disorder in the world. It is caused by a single amino acid mutation on the beta-globin chain, which lead to red blood cell deformation, haemolysis, and chronic inflammation. Clinical consequences are vaso-occlusives crisis, acute chest syndrome, thrombosis, infection, and chronic endothelial injury. AREAS COVERED Corticosteroids are an old therapeutic class, that are inexpensive and widely available, which can be administered in different forms. Their adverse effects are numerous and well-known. This class could appear to be useful in SCD treatment due to its anti-inflammatory effect. Moreover, corticosteroids remain an essential therapeutic class for many indications, besides SCD. Although specific adverse effects of corticosteroids have been suspected in SCD patients for decades, recent papers has reported strong evidence of specific and severe adverse effects in this population. Based on a literature review, we will discuss pathophysiological considerations, consequences, and practical use of corticosteroids in SCD. EXPERT OPINION High corticosteroid doses, for any indication , induce vaso-occlusive crises, acute chest syndrome, and re-hospitalization in patients with SCD. There is no evidence of any benefits of corticosteroid use in the SCD acute events. Prevention by hydroxyurea and/or red blood cell transfusion or exchange should be discussed when corticosteroid use is indispensable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thibault Comont
- Internal Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Castex
- Pediatric Oncology Immunology Hematology Unit, Children's University Hospital - Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Margaux Lafaurie
- CIC 1436, Team Pharmacologie en Population, Cohortes, Biobanques (PEPSS), Toulouse, France.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Ondine Walter
- Internal Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France.,CIC 1436, Team Pharmacologie en Population, Cohortes, Biobanques (PEPSS), Toulouse, France
| | - Guillaume Moulis
- Internal Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France.,CIC 1436, Team Pharmacologie en Population, Cohortes, Biobanques (PEPSS), Toulouse, France
| | - Jérémie Dion
- Internal Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Pierre Cougoul
- Internal Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Eaton WA. Drug discovery by a basic research scientist. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1062346. [DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1062346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
I was fortunate to do my military service during the Vietnam era as a medical officer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. My first research at NIH was concerned with making a variety of optical measurements on nucleic acid bases and proteins, including single crystal spectra in linearly polarized light and near infrared circular dichroism, interpreting the spectra using molecular orbital and crystal field theories. What I do now is drug discovery, a field at the opposite end of the scientific spectrum. This article gives a brief account of my transition from spectroscopy to sickle cell hemoglobin polymerization to protein folding to drug discovery for treating sickle cell disease. My lab recently developed a high throughput assay to screen the 12,657 compounds of the California Institute of Biomedical Research ReFrame drug repurposing library. This is a precious library because the compounds have either been FDA approved or have been tested in clinical trials. Since the 1970s numerous agents have been reported in the literature to inhibit HbS polymerization and/or sickling with only one successful drug, hydroxyurea, and another of dubious value, voxelotor, even though it has been approved by the FDA. Our screen has discovered 106 anti-sickling agents in the ReFrame compound library. We estimate that as many as 21 of these compounds could become oral drugs for treating sickle cell disease because they inhibit at concentrations typical of the free concentrations of oral drugs in human serum.
Collapse
|
25
|
Huang Y, Wang J, Wang N, Li X, Ji X, Yang J, Zhou L, Wang T, Huang X, Hao H. Molecular mechanism of liquid–liquid phase separation in preparation process of crystalline materials. Chem Eng Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2022.118005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
26
|
Hansen S, Wood DK. Simultaneous quantification of blood rheology and oxygen saturation to evaluate affinity-modifying therapies in sickle cell disease. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4141-4150. [PMID: 36134535 PMCID: PMC10165883 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00623e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell blood demonstrates oxygen-dependent flow behavior as a result of HbS polymerization during hypoxia, and these rheological changes provide a biophysical metric that can be used to quantify the pathological behavior of the blood. Relating these rheological changes directly to hemoglobin oxygen saturation would improve our understanding of SCD pathogenesis and the potential effects of therapeutic drugs. Towards this end, we have developed a microfluidic platform capable of spectrophotometric quantification of Hb-O2 saturation and simultaneous evaluation of the accompanying rheological changes in SCD blood flow. We demonstrated the ability to measure changes in Hb-O2 affinity and a restoration of oxygen-independent blood flow behavior after incubation with voxelotor, an oxygen affinity modifying drug approved for use in SCD. We also identified regimes in Hb-O2 saturation where the effects of HbS polymerization begin to take effect in contributing to pathological flow behavior, independent of voxelotor treatment. In contrast, incubation with voxelotor recovered oxygen-dependent blood flow over a range of PO2, providing a framework for understanding voxelotor's therapeutic effect in lowering the PO2 at which the requisite Hb-O2 saturation is reached to observe pathological blood flow. These results help explain the mechanistic effects of voxelotor and show the potential of this platform to identify affinity-modifying compounds and evaluate their therapeutic effect on blood flow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Hansen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55409, USA.
| | - David K Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55409, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Design, Synthesis, and Investigation of Novel Nitric Oxide (NO)-Releasing Aromatic Aldehyde as Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27206835. [PMID: 36296435 PMCID: PMC9610770 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27206835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a single-point mutation, and the ensuing deoxygenation-induced polymerization of sickle hemoglobin (HbS), and reduction in bioavailability of vascular nitric oxide (NO), contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. In a proof-of-concept study, we successfully incorporated nitrate ester groups onto two previously studied potent antisickling aromatic aldehydes, TD7 and VZHE039, to form TD7-NO and VZHE039-NO hybrids, respectively. These compounds are stable in buffer but demonstrated the expected release of NO in whole blood in vitro and in mice. The more promising VZHE039-NO retained the functional and antisickling activities of the parent VZHE039 molecule. Moreover, VZHE039-NO, unlike VZHE039, significantly attenuated RBC adhesion to laminin, suggesting this compound has potential in vivo RBC anti-adhesion properties relevant to vaso-occlusive events. Crystallographic studies show that, as with VZHE039, VZHE039-NO also binds to liganded Hb to make similar protein interactions. The knowledge gained during these investigations provides a unique opportunity to generate a superior candidate drug in SCD with enhanced benefits.
Collapse
|
28
|
Phenotypic screening of the ReFRAME drug repurposing library to discover new drugs for treating sickle cell disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2210779119. [PMID: 36161945 PMCID: PMC9546543 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210779119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell transplantation and genetic therapies offer potential cures for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but these options require advanced medical facilities and are expensive. Consequently, these treatments will not be available for many years to the majority of patients suffering from this disease. What is urgently needed now is an inexpensive oral drug in addition to hydroxyurea, the only drug approved by the FDA that inhibits sickle-hemoglobin polymerization. Here, we report the results of the first phase of our phenotypic screen of the 12,657 compounds of the Scripps ReFRAME drug repurposing library using a recently developed high-throughput assay to measure sickling times following deoxygenation to 0% oxygen of red cells from sickle trait individuals. The ReFRAME library is a very important collection because the compounds are either FDA-approved drugs or have been tested in clinical trials. From dose-response measurements, 106 of the 12,657 compounds exhibit statistically significant antisickling at concentrations ranging from 31 nM to 10 μM. Compounds that inhibit sickling of trait cells are also effective with SCD cells. As many as 21 of the 106 antisickling compounds emerge as potential drugs. This estimate is based on a comparison of inhibitory concentrations with free concentrations of oral drugs in human serum. Moreover, the expected therapeutic potential for each level of inhibition can be predicted from measurements of sickling times for cells from individuals with sickle syndromes of varying severity. Our results should motivate others to develop one or more of these 106 compounds into drugs for treating SCD.
Collapse
|
29
|
Brewin JN, Nardo-Marino A, Stuart-Smith S, El Hoss S, Hanneman A, Strouboulis J, Menzel S, Gibson JS, Rees DC. The pleiotropic effects of α-thalassemia on HbSS and HbSC sickle cell disease: Reduced erythrocyte cation co-transport activity, serum erythropoietin, and transfusion burden, do not translate into increased survival. Am J Hematol 2022; 97:1275-1285. [PMID: 35802781 PMCID: PMC9543574 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
α-Thalassemia is one of the most important genetic modulators of sickle cell disease (SCD). Both beneficial and detrimental effects have been described previously. We use a 12-year data set on a large cohort of patients with HbSS (n = 411) and HbSC (n = 146) to examine a wide range of these clinical and laboratory associations. Our novel findings are that α-thalassemia strongly reduces erythrocyte potassium chloride co-transporter (KCC) activity in both HbSS and HbSC (p = .035 and p = .00045 respectively), suggesting a novel mechanism through which α-thalassemia induces a milder phenotype by reducing red cell cation loss. This may be particularly important in HbSC where reduction in mean cell hemoglobin concentration is not seen and where KCC activity has previously been found to correlate with disease severity. Additionally, we show that α-thalassemia not only increases hemoglobin in patients with HbSS (p = .0009) but also reduces erythropoietin values (p = .0005), demonstrating a measurable response to improved tissue oxygenation. We confirm the reno-protective effect of α-thalassemia in patients with HbSS, with reduced proteinuria (p = .003) and demonstrate a novel association with increased serum sodium (p = .0004) and reduced serum potassium values (p = 5.74 × 10-10 ). We found patients with α-thalassemia had a reduced annualized transfusion burden in both HbSS and HbSC, but α-thalassemia had no impact on annualized admission rates in either group. Finally, in a larger cohort, we report a median survival of 62 years in patients with HbSS (n = 899) and 80 years in those with HbSC (n = 240). α-thalassemia did not influence survival in HbSS, but a nonsignificant trend was seen in those with HbSC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John N Brewin
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.,Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Amina Nardo-Marino
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.,Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.,Centre for Haemoglobinopathies, Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sara Stuart-Smith
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sara El Hoss
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anke Hanneman
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John Strouboulis
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stephan Menzel
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - John S Gibson
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David C Rees
- Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.,Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Meisl G, Xu CK, Taylor JD, Michaels TCT, Levin A, Otzen D, Klenerman D, Matthews S, Linse S, Andreasen M, Knowles TPJ. Uncovering the universality of self-replication in protein aggregation and its link to disease. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6831. [PMID: 35960802 PMCID: PMC9374340 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Fibrillar protein aggregates are a hallmark of a range of human disorders, from prion diseases to dementias, but are also encountered in several functional contexts. Yet, the fundamental links between protein assembly mechanisms and their functional or pathological roles have remained elusive. Here, we analyze the aggregation kinetics of a large set of proteins that self-assemble by a nucleated-growth mechanism, from those associated with disease, over those whose aggregates fulfill functional roles in biology, to those that aggregate only under artificial conditions. We find that, essentially, all such systems, regardless of their biological role, are capable of self-replication. However, for aggregates that have evolved to fulfill a structural role, the rate of self-replication is too low to be significant on the biologically relevant time scale. By contrast, all disease-related proteins are able to self-replicate quickly compared to the time scale of the associated disease. Our findings establish the ubiquity of self-replication and point to its potential importance across aggregation-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Catherine K. Xu
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Taylor
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Thomas C. T. Michaels
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Aviad Levin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Daniel Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- U.K. Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Steve Matthews
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sara Linse
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Maria Andreasen
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 3, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ross JM, Forté S, Soulières D. Emerging drugs for the treatment of sickle cell disease: a review of phase II/III trials. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2022; 27:211-224. [PMID: 35912835 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2022.2105835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The substitution of glutamic acid by valine on the ß-globin gene produces the hemoglobin S variant responsible for sickle cell disease (SCD), a disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and leads to acute and cumulative organ damage. Even though life expectancy has significantly improved where the best medical care is available, there are still few therapeutic options for SCD and those are limited by their availability, cost, and individual toxicities. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes the clinical data on current treatments for SCD and emerging therapies studied in the acute setting as well as potential disease-modifying agents, with an emphasis on the FDA-approved agents. EXPERT OPINION Hydroxyurea has been a gold standard for two decades, showing benefits in acute complications and overall survival in sickle cell anemia, although data is lacking for certain genotypes such as hemoglobin SC. As progress is made in our understanding of the pathophysiological networks characterizing SCD, numerous pathways appear to be targetable, with L-glutamine, Crizanlizumab and Voxelotor now approved by the FDA. Pursuing a multi-agent approach could alter the disease course in a more effective fashion and provide an alternative option to curative therapies, but longer clinical studies are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jules M Ross
- Centre Universitaire de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Forté
- Centre Universitaire de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Denis Soulières
- Centre Universitaire de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Brunori M, Gianni S. An Outlook on the Complexity of Protein Morphogenesis in Health and Disease. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:909567. [PMID: 35769915 PMCID: PMC9234464 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.909567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of the mechanisms whereby proteins achieve their native functionally competent conformation has been a key issue in molecular biosciences over the last 6 decades. Nevertheless, there are several debated issues and open problems concerning some aspects of this fundamental problem. By considering the emerging complexity of the so-called “native state,” we attempt hereby to propose a personal account on some of the key topics in the field, ranging from the relationships between misfolding and diseases to the significance of protein disorder. Finally, we briefly describe the recent and exciting advances in predicting protein structures from their amino acid sequence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Brunori
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli” and Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari del CNR, Sapienza Università, Rome, Italy
- Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Maurizio Brunori,
| | - Stefano Gianni
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli” and Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari del CNR, Sapienza Università, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Determinants of severity in sickle cell disease. Blood Rev 2022; 56:100983. [PMID: 35750558 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is a very variable condition, with outcomes ranging from death in childhood to living relatively symptom free into the 8th decade. Much of this variability is unexplained. The co-inheritance of α thalassaemia and factors determining HbF levels significantly modify the phenotype, but few other significant genetic variants have been identified, despite extensive studies. Environmental factors are undoubtedly important, with socio-economics and access to basic medical care explaining the huge differences in outcomes between many low- and high-income countries. Exposure to cold and windy weather seems to precipitate acute complications in many people, although these effects are unpredictable and vary with geography. Many studies have tried to identify prognostic factors which can be used to predict outcomes, particularly when applied in infancy. Overall, low haemoglobin, low haemoglobin F percentage and high reticulocytes in childhood are associated with worse outcomes, although again these effects are fairly weak and inconsistent.
Collapse
|
34
|
Nakagawa A, Cooper MK, Kost-Alimova M, Berstler J, Yu B, Berra L, Klings ES, Huang MS, Heeney MM, Bloch DB, Zapol WM. High-Throughput Assay to Screen Small Molecules for Their Ability to Prevent Sickling of Red Blood Cells. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:14009-14016. [PMID: 35559170 PMCID: PMC9089379 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c00541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin (Hb); approximately 300,000 babies are born worldwide with SCD each year. In SCD, fibers of polymerized sickle Hb (HbS) form in red blood cells (RBCs), which cause RBCs to develop their characteristic "sickled" shape, resulting in hemolytic anemia and numerous vascular complications including vaso-occlusive crises. The development of novel antisickling compounds will provide new therapeutic options for patients with SCD. We developed a high-throughput "sickling assay" that is based on an automated high-content imaging system to quantify the effects of hypoxia on the shape and size of RBCs from HbSS SCD patients (SS RBCs). We used this assay to screen thousands of compounds for their ability to inhibit sickling. In the assay, voxelotor (an FDA-approved medication used to treat SCD) prevented sickling with a z'-factor > 0.4, suggesting that the assay is capable of identifying compounds that inhibit sickling. We screened the Broad Repurposing Library of 5393 compounds for their ability to prevent sickling in 4% oxygen/96% nitrogen. We identified two compounds, SNS-314 mesylate and voxelotor itself, that successfully prevented sickling. SNS-314 mesylate prevented sickling in the absence of oxygen, while voxelotor did not, suggesting that SNS-314 mesylate acts by a mechanism that is different from that of voxelotor. The sickling assay described in this study will permit the identification of additional, novel antisickling compounds, which will potentially expand the therapeutic options for SCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akito Nakagawa
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Marissa K. Cooper
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Maria Kost-Alimova
- Center
for the Development of Therapeutics, Broad
Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - James Berstler
- Center
for the Development of Therapeutics, Broad
Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Binglan Yu
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Lorenzo Berra
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Elizabeth S. Klings
- Pulmonary
Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Mary S. Huang
- Division
of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts
General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Matthew M. Heeney
- Division
of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Donald B. Bloch
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
- Division
of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical
School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Warren M. Zapol
- Anesthesia
Center for Critical Care Research, Department of Anesthesia, Critical
Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
TGF-β1 Reduces Neutrophil Adhesion and Prevents Acute Vaso-Occlusive Processes in Sickle Cell Disease Mice. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071200. [PMID: 35406764 PMCID: PMC8998040 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients experience chronic inflammation and recurrent vaso-occlusive episodes during their entire lifetime. Inflammation in SCD occurs with the overexpression of several inflammatory mediators, including transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), a major immune regulator. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role played by TGF-β1 in vascular inflammation and vaso-occlusion in an animal model of SCD. Using intravital microscopy, we found that a daily dose of recombinant TGF-β1 administration for three consecutive days significantly reduced TNFα-induced leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and extravasation in the microcirculation of SCD mice. In contrast, immunological neutralization of TGF-β, in the absence of inflammatory stimulus, considerably increased these parameters. Our results indicate, for the first time, that TGF-β1 may play a significant ameliorative role in vascular SCD pathophysiology, modulating inflammation and vaso-occlusion. The mechanisms by which TGF-β1 exerts its anti-inflammatory effects in SCD, however, remains unclear. Our in vitro adhesion assays with TNFα-stimulated human neutrophils suggest that TGF-β1 can reduce the adhesive properties of these cells; however, direct effects of TGF-β1 on the endothelium cannot be ruled out. Further investigation of the wide range of the complex biology of this cytokine in SCD pathophysiology and its potential therapeutical use is needed.
Collapse
|
36
|
Aljahdali AS, Musayev FN, Burgner JW, Ghatge MS, Shekar V, Zhang Y, Omar AM, Safo MK. Molecular insight into 2-phosphoglycolate activation of the phosphatase activity of bisphosphoglycerate mutase. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 78:472-482. [PMID: 35362470 PMCID: PMC8972806 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322001802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Crystal structures of bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) with 2-phosphoglycolate in the presence and absence of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate are reported. The structures identified a novel binding site for 2-phosphoglycolate at the dimer interface of BPGM, as well as showing a snapshot of the catalytic activity of BPGM. Bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) is an erythrocyte-specific multifunctional enzyme that is responsible for the regulation of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-BPG) in red blood cells through its synthase and phosphatase activities; the latter enzymatic function is stimulated by the endogenous activator 2-phosphoglycolate (2-PG). 2,3-BPG is a natural allosteric effector of hemoglobin (Hb) that is responsible for decreasing the affinity of Hb for oxygen to facilitate tissue oxygenation. Here, crystal structures of BPGM with 2-PG in the presence and absence of 3-phosphoglycerate are reported at 2.25 and 2.48 Å resolution, respectively. Structure analysis revealed a new binding site for 2-PG at the dimer interface for the first time, in addition to the expected active-site binding. Also, conformational non-equivalence of the two active sites was observed as one of the sites was found in an open conformation, with the residues at the active-site entrance, including Arg100, Arg116 and Arg117, and the C-terminus disordered. The kinetic result is consistent with the binding of 2-PG to an allosteric or noncatalytic site as well as the active site. This study paves the way for the rational targeting of BPGM for therapeutic purposes, especially for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Collapse
|
37
|
Mutant libraries reveal negative design shielding proteins from supramolecular self-assembly and relocalization in cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2101117119. [PMID: 35078932 PMCID: PMC8812688 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101117119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic mutations fuel organismal evolution but can also cause disease. As proteins are the cell’s workhorses, the ways in which mutations can disrupt their structure, stability, function, and interactions have been studied extensively. However, proteins evolve and function in a cellular context, and our ability to relate changes in protein sequence to cell-level phenotypes remains limited. In particular, the molecular mechanism underlying most disease-associated mutations is unknown. Here, we show that mutations changing a protein’s surface chemistry can dramatically impact its supramolecular self-assembly and localization in the cell. These results highlight the complex nature of genotype–phenotype relationships with a simple system. Understanding the molecular consequences of mutations in proteins is essential to map genotypes to phenotypes and interpret the increasing wealth of genomic data. While mutations are known to disrupt protein structure and function, their potential to create new structures and localization phenotypes has not yet been mapped to a sequence space. To map this relationship, we employed two homo-oligomeric protein complexes in which the internal symmetry exacerbates the impact of mutations. We mutagenized three surface residues of each complex and monitored the mutations’ effect on localization and assembly phenotypes in yeast cells. While surface mutations are classically viewed as benign, our analysis of several hundred mutants revealed they often trigger three main phenotypes in these proteins: nuclear localization, the formation of puncta, and fibers. Strikingly, more than 50% of random mutants induced one of these phenotypes in both complexes. Analyzing the mutant’s sequences showed that surface stickiness and net charge are two key physicochemical properties associated with these changes. In one complex, more than 60% of mutants self-assembled into fibers. Such a high frequency is explained by negative design: charged residues shield the complex from self-interacting with copies of itself, and the sole removal of the charges induces its supramolecular self-assembly. A subsequent analysis of several other complexes targeted with alanine mutations suggested that such negative design is common. These results highlight that minimal perturbations in protein surfaces’ physicochemical properties can frequently drive assembly and localization changes in a cellular context.
Collapse
|
38
|
Christopher H, Burns A, Josephat E, Makani J, Schuh A, Nkya S. Using DNA testing for the precise, definite, and low-cost diagnosis of sickle cell disease and other Haemoglobinopathies: findings from Tanzania. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:902. [PMID: 34915846 PMCID: PMC8679995 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08220-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an important cause of under-five mortality. Tanzania is the 5th country in the world with the highest births prevalence of SCD individuals. Significant advances in the neonatal diagnosis of SCD using rapid point-of-care testing have been made. However genetic confirmation is still required for positive cases, in uncertain cases, in multiply transfused patients, to resolve compound heterozygosity (Hb S/ β0 Thal or Hb S/ β+ thal) not uncommon in the coastal regions of East Africa and increasingly also for pre-marital counselling and potentially for future curative approaches such as gene therapy. The currently available DNA tests are prohibitively expensive. Here, we describe an easy-to-use, affordable and accurate β-globin sequencing approach that can be easily integrated within existing NBS for SCD and other haemoglobinopathies especially in Low- and Middle-income Countries. Aim To evaluate an affordable DNA technology for the diagnosis of Sickle cell disease and other haemoglobinopathies in a resource-limited setting. Methods Laboratory-based validation study was conducted by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and the University of Oxford involving sequencing of the entire β -haemoglobin locus using the Oxford Nanopore MinION platform. A total number of 36 Dried blood spots and whole blood samples were subjected to conventional protein-based methods (isoelectric focusing, HPLC), and/or sequenced by the Sanger method as comparators. Results Sequencing results for SCD using the MinION were 100% concordant with those from the Sanger method. In addition, the long-read DNA sequencing method enabled the resolution of cases with unusual phenotypes which make up 1% of all children in Tanzania. The cost is £11/ sample for consumables, which is cheaper compared to other sequencing platforms. Conclusions This is the first report of a comprehensive single DNA assay as a definitive diagnostic test for SCD and other haemoglobinopathies. The test is fast, precise, accurate and affordable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heavenlight Christopher
- Sickle cell programme, Department of haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
| | - Adam Burns
- Oxford Molecular Diagnostics Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emmanuel Josephat
- Sickle cell programme, Department of haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Julie Makani
- Sickle cell programme, Department of haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Anna Schuh
- Sickle cell programme, Department of haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Oxford Molecular Diagnostics Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Siana Nkya
- Sickle cell programme, Department of haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.,Department of Biological Sciences, Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Suriany S, Xu I, Liu H, Ulker P, Fernandez GE, Sposto R, Borzage M, Wenby R, Meiselman HJ, Forman HJ, Coates TD, Detterich JA. Individual red blood cell nitric oxide production in sickle cell anemia: Nitric oxide production is increased and sickle shaped cells have unique morphologic change compared to discoid cells. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 171:143-155. [PMID: 33974976 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is characterized by decreased red blood cell (RBC) deformability due to polymerization of deoxygenated hemoglobin, leading to abnormal mechanical properties of RBC, increased cellular adhesion, and microcirculatory obstruction. Prior work has demonstrated that NO• influences RBC hydration and deformability and is produced at a basal rate that increases under shear stress in normal RBC. Nevertheless, the origin and physiological relevance of nitric oxide (NO•) production and scavenging in RBC remains unclear. We aimed to assess the basal and shear-mediated production of NO• in RBC from SCA patients and control (CTRL) subjects. RBCs loaded with a fluorescent NO• detector, DAF-FM (4-Amino-5-methylamino- 2',7'-difluorofluorescein diacetate), were imaged in microflow channels over 30-min without shear stress, followed by a 30-min period under 0.5Pa shear stress. We utilized non-specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blockade and carbon monoxide (CO) saturation of hemoglobin to assess the contribution of NOS and hemoglobin, respectively, to NO• production. Quantification of DAF-FM fluorescence intensity in individual RBC showed an increase in NO• in SCA RBC at the start of the basal period; however, both SCA and CTRL RBC increased NO• by a similar quantity under shear. A subpopulation of sickle-shaped RBC exhibited lower basal NO• production compared to discoid RBC from SCA group, and under shear became more circular in the direction of shear when compared to discoid RBC from SCA and CTRL, which elongated. Both CO and NOS inhibition caused a decrease in basal NO• production. Shear-mediated NO• production was decreased by CO in all RBC, but was decreased by NOS blockade only in SCA. In conclusion, total NO• production is increased and shear-mediated NO• production is preserved in SCA RBC in a NOS-dependent manner. Sickle shaped RBC with inclusions have higher NO• production and they become more circular rather than elongated with shear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvie Suriany
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA
| | - Iris Xu
- Division of Hematology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA
| | - Honglei Liu
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA
| | - Pinar Ulker
- Department of Physiology, Akdeniz University, Turkey
| | | | - Richard Sposto
- Division of Hematology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA
| | - Matthew Borzage
- Fetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USA
| | - Rosalinda Wenby
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Herbert J Meiselman
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Henry Jay Forman
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Thomas D Coates
- Division of Hematology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jon A Detterich
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA; Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Eaton WA. Impact of hemoglobin biophysical studies on molecular pathogenesis and drug therapy for sickle cell disease. Mol Aspects Med 2021; 84:100971. [PMID: 34274158 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.100971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Basic research on hemoglobin has been essential for understanding the origin and treatment of many hematological disorders due to abnormal hemoglobins. The most important of the hemoglobinopathies is sickle cell disease - Linus Pauling's "molecular disease" that gave birth to molecular medicine. In this review, I will describe the contributions of basic biophysical research on normal and sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS) to understanding the molecular pathogenesis of the disease and providing the conceptual basis for the various approaches to drug therapy that target HbS polymerization. Most prominent among these are the experimental results on the solubility of HbS as a function of oxygen saturation explained by the allosteric model of Monod, Wyman, and Changeux and the Gill-Wyman thermodynamic linkage relation between solubility and oxygen binding, the solubility of mixtures of HbS with normal or fetal hemoglobin explained by Minton's thermodynamic model, and the highly unusual kinetics of HbS polymerization explained by a novel double nucleation mechanism that also accounts for the aggregation kinetics of the Alzheimer's peptide. The HbS polymerization kinetics are of great importance to understanding the pathophysiology and clinical course, as well as guiding drug development for treating this common and severe disease. The article focuses primarily on experimental and theoretical results from my lab, so it is not a comprehensive review of the subject.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William A Eaton
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, 5/104, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Treatment of sickle cell disease by increasing oxygen affinity of hemoglobin. Blood 2021; 138:1172-1181. [PMID: 34197597 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The issue of treating sickle cell disease with drugs that increase hemoglobin oxygen affinity has come to the fore with the FDA approval in 2019 of voxelotor, the only anti-sickling drug approved since hydroxyurea in 1998. Voxelotor reduces sickling by increasing the concentration of the non-polymerizing, high oxygen affinity R (oxy) conformation of HbS. Treatment of sickle cell patients with voxelotor increases Hb levels and decreases indicators of hemolysis, but with no indication as yet that it reduces the frequency of pain episodes. Here we use the allosteric model of Monod, Wyman, and Changeux to simulate whole blood oxygen dissociation curves and red cell sickling in the absence and presence of voxelotor under the in vivo conditions of rapid oxygen pressure decreases. Our modeling agrees with experiments using a new robust assay, which shows the very large, expected decrease in sickling from the drug. The modeling indicates, however, that the increase in oxygen delivery from reduced sickling is largely offset by the increase in oxygen affinity. The net result is that the drug increases overall oxygen delivery only at the very lowest oxygen pressures. Reduction of sickling does, however, mitigate against red cell damage and explains the observed decrease in hemolysis. More importantly, our modeling of in vivo oxygen dissociation, sickling, and oxygen delivery suggests that drugs that increase fetal hemoglobin or decrease MCHC, should be more therapeutically effective than drugs that increase oxygen affinity.
Collapse
|
42
|
Brown CD, Aprelev AM, Aliprando M, Harkness EA, Ferrone FA. The flow of sickle blood in glass capillaries: Fundamentals and potential applications. Biophys J 2021; 120:2138-2147. [PMID: 33861996 PMCID: PMC8390806 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We have characterized the imbibed horizontal flow of sickle blood into 100-μm-diameter glass capillaries. We find that blood containing sickled cells typically traverses the capillaries between three and four times as slowly as oxygenated cells from the same patient for all genotypes tested, including SS, AS, SC and Sβ+ thalassemia blood. Blood from SS patients treated with hydroxyurea has a viscosity intermediate between the SS and AA values. Blood containing cells that are not rigidified, such as normal red cells or oxygenated sickle cells, follows a simple Lucas-Washburn flow throughout the length of the 3-cm capillary. By fitting the flexible-cell data to the Lucas-Washburn model, a viscosity can be derived that is in good agreement with previous measurements over a range of volume fractions and is obtained using an apparatus that is far more complex. Deoxygenation sickles and thus rigidifies the cells, and their flow begins as Lucas-Washburn, albeit with higher viscosity than flexible cells. However, the flow further slows as a dense mass of cells forms behind the meniscus and increases in length as flow progresses. By assuming that the dense mass of cells exerts a frictional force proportional to its length, we derive an equation that is formally equivalent to vertical imbibition, even though the flow is horizontal, and this equation reproduces the observed behavior well. We present a simple theory using activity coefficients that accounts for this viscosity and its variation without adjustable parameters. In the course of control experiments, we have found that deoxygenation increases the flexibility of normal human red cells, an observation only recently published for mouse cells and previously unreported for human erythrocytes. Together, these studies form the foundation for an inexpensive and rapid point-of-care device to diagnose sickle cell disease or to determine blood viscosity in resource-challenged settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexey M Aprelev
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Maura Aliprando
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Emily A Harkness
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Frank A Ferrone
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Salinas Cisneros G, Thein SL. Research in Sickle Cell Disease: From Bedside to Bench to Bedside. Hemasphere 2021; 5:e584. [PMID: 34095767 PMCID: PMC8171370 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an exemplar of bidirectional translational research, starting with a remarkable astute observation of the abnormally shaped red blood cells that motivated decades of bench research that have now translated into new drugs and genetic therapies. Introduction of hydroxyurea (HU) therapy, the only SCD-modifying treatment for >30 years and now standard care, was initiated through another clinical observation by a pediatrician. While the clinical efficacy of HU is primarily due to its fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction, the exact mechanism of how it increases HbF remains not fully understood. Unraveling of the molecular mechanism of how HU increases HbF has provided insights on the development of new HbF-reactivating agents in the pipeline. HU has other salutary effects, reduction of cellular adhesion to the vascular endothelium and inflammation, and dissecting these mechanisms has informed bench-both cellular and animal-research for development of the 3 recently approved agents: endari, voxelotor, and crizanlizumab; truly, a bidirectional bench to bedside translation. Decades of research to understand the mechanisms of fetal to adult hemoglobin have also culminated in promising anti-sickling genetic therapies and the first-in-human studies of reactivating an endogenous (γ-globin) gene HBG utilizing innovative genomic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Salinas Cisneros
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Swee Lay Thein
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pavan AR, Dos Santos JL. Advances in Sickle Cell Disease Treatments. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:2008-2032. [PMID: 32520675 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666200610175400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder of red blood cells that is caused by a single mutation in the β -globin gene. The disease, which afflicts millions of patients worldwide mainly in low income countries, is characterized by high morbidity, mortality and low life expectancy. The new pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for SCD is urgent in order to promote treatments able to reduce patient's suffering and improve their quality of life. Since the FDA approval of HU in 1998, there have been few advances in discovering new drugs; however, in the last three years voxelotor, crizanlizumab, and glutamine have been approved as new therapeutic alternatives. In addition, new promising compounds have been described to treat the main SCD symptoms. Herein, focusing on drug discovery, we discuss new strategies to treat SCD that have been carried out in the last ten years to discover new, safe, and effective treatments. Moreover, non-pharmacological approaches, including red blood cell exchange, gene therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation will be presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aline Renata Pavan
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Jean Leandro Dos Santos
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Alp G, Oztas Y. Facile L-Glutamine delivery to erythrocytes via DOPC-DPPG mixed liposomes. J Liposome Res 2021; 31:409-419. [PMID: 33944651 DOI: 10.1080/08982104.2021.1918152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a mortal erythrocyte-based disease which is hard to treat effectively. Development of a treatment method that can prevent deoxygenation of erythrocytes or reduce the oxidative stress of sickle erythrocytes is one of the important issues towards SCD. Among a wide variety of potential drug carriers, liposomes are advantageous and preferable with their easy preparation and biocompatibility. In this study, L-Glutamine (Gln) loaded liposomes were prepared with 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) sodium salt (DPPG). Liposomes were characterized via zeta potential, size measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy and they were visualized via transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Effect of the encapsulated amount of Gln was investigated by encapsulating Gln at three different concentrations (i.e0.20 mM, 40 mM and 60 mM). Drug encapsulation and release studies were implemented with high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The encapsulation efficiency of Gln was determined to be the higher than the ones reported in the literature: 83.6%, 87.1% and 84.9% for 20 mM, 40 mM and 60 mM Gln, respectively. It was found that after 6 hours, liposomes loaded with 60 mM of Gln had released 45.7% of Gln. Optical microscopy images of the erythrocytes after 3 hours of incubation and haemolysis measurements proved that presence of liposomes did not cause any structural changes on the erythrocyte shape. Overall, it was concluded that L-Gln loaded PC/PG liposomes provide promising results in terms of developing a new drug delivery platform for SCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gokce Alp
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yesim Oztas
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Henry ER, Harper J, Glass KE, Metaferia B, Louis JM, Eaton WA. MWC allosteric model explains unusual hemoglobin-oxygen binding curves from sickle cell drug binding. Biophys J 2021; 120:2543-2551. [PMID: 33932439 PMCID: PMC8390878 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An oxygen-affinity-modifying drug, voxelotor, has very recently been approved by the FDA for treatment of sickle cell disease. The proposed mechanism of action is by preferential binding of the drug to the R quaternary conformation, which cannot copolymerize with the T conformation to form sickle fibers. Here, we report widely different oxygen dissociation and oxygen association curves for normal blood in the presence of voxelotor and interpret the results in terms of the allosteric model of Monod, Wyman, and Changeux with the addition of drug binding. The model does remarkably well in quantitatively explaining a complex data set with just the addition of drug binding and dissociation rates for the R and T conformations. Whereas slow dissociation of the drug from R results in time-independent dissociation curves, the changing association curves result from slow dissociation of the drug from T, as well as extremely slow binding of the drug to T. By calculating true equilibrium curves from the model parameters, we show that there would be a smaller decrease in oxygen delivery from the left shift in the dissociation curve caused by drug binding if drug binding and dissociation for both R and T were rapid. Our application of the Monod, Wyman, and Changeux model demonstrates once more its enormous power in explaining many different kinds of experimental results for hemoglobin. It should also be helpful in analyzing oxygen binding and in vivo delivery in future investigations of oxygen-affinity-modifying drugs for sickle cell disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Henry
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Julia Harper
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | - John M Louis
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Evers TMJ, Holt LJ, Alberti S, Mashaghi A. Reciprocal regulation of cellular mechanics and metabolism. Nat Metab 2021; 3:456-468. [PMID: 33875882 PMCID: PMC8863344 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00384-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metabolism and mechanics are intrinsically intertwined. External forces, sensed through the cytoskeleton or distortion of the cell and organelles, induce metabolic changes in the cell. The resulting changes in metabolism, in turn, feed back to regulate every level of cell biology, including the mechanical properties of cells and tissues. Here we examine the links between metabolism and mechanics, highlighting signalling pathways involved in the regulation and response to cellular mechanosensing. We consider how forces and metabolism regulate one another through nanoscale molecular sensors, micrometre-scale cytoskeletal networks, organelles and dynamic biomolecular condensates. Understanding this cross-talk will create diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities for metabolic disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular pathologies and obesity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom M J Evers
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Liam J Holt
- Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Simon Alberti
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Flick AC, Leverett CA, Ding HX, McInturff E, Fink SJ, Mahapatra S, Carney DW, Lindsey EA, DeForest JC, France SP, Berritt S, Bigi-Botterill SV, Gibson TS, Liu Y, O'Donnell CJ. Synthetic Approaches to the New Drugs Approved during 2019. J Med Chem 2021; 64:3604-3657. [PMID: 33783211 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
New drugs introduced to the market are privileged structures having affinities for biological targets implicated in human diseases and conditions. These new chemical entities (NCEs), particularly small molecules and antibody-drug conjugates, provide insight into molecular recognition and simultaneously function as leads for the design of future medicines. This review is part of a continuing series presenting the most likely process-scale synthetic approaches to 40 NCEs approved for the first time anywhere in the world in 2019.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Flick
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Carolyn A Leverett
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Hong X Ding
- Pharmacodia (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing 100085, China
| | - Emma McInturff
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Sarah J Fink
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 125 Binney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Subham Mahapatra
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Daniel W Carney
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Erick A Lindsey
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Jacob C DeForest
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 10777 Science Center Drive, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Scott P France
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Simon Berritt
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | | | - Tony S Gibson
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 9625 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Yiyang Liu
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Christopher J O'Donnell
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 445 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Bush A, Vu C, Choi S, Borzage M, Miao X, Li W, Qin Q, Nederveen AJ, Coates TD, Wood JC. Calibration of T 2 oximetry MRI for subjects with sickle cell disease. Magn Reson Med 2021; 86:1019-1028. [PMID: 33719133 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28757] [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: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cerebral T2 oximetry is a non-invasive imaging method to measure blood T2 and cerebral venous oxygenation. Measured T2 values are converted to oximetry estimates using carefully validated and potentially disease-specific calibrations. In sickle cell disease, red blood cells have abnormal cell shape and membrane properties that alter T2 oximetry calibration relationships in clinically meaningful ways. Previous in vitro works by two independent groups established potentially competing calibration models. METHODS This study analyzed pooled datasets from these two studies to establish a unified and more robust sickle-specific calibration to serve as a reference standard in the field. RESULTS Even though the combined calibration did not demonstrate statistical superiority compared to previous models, the calibration was unbiased compared to blood-gas co-oximetry and yielded limits of agreement of (-10.1%, 11.6%) in non-transfused subjects with sickle cell disease. In transfused patients, this study proposed a simple correction method based on individual hemoglobin S percentage that demonstrated reduced bias in saturation measurement compared to previous uncorrected sickle calibrations. CONCLUSION The combined calibration is based on a larger range of hematocrit, providing greater confidence in the hematocrit-dependent model parameters, and yielded unbiased estimates to blood-gas co-oximetry measurements from both sites. Additionally, this work also demonstrated the need to correct for transfusion in T2 oximetry measurements for hyper-transfused sickle cell disease patients and proposes a correction method based on patient-specific hemoglobin S concentration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Bush
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Chau Vu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Soyoung Choi
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Matthew Borzage
- Fetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xin Miao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Wenbo Li
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Qin Qin
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Aart J Nederveen
- Amsterdam UMC, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas D Coates
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - John C Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Departments of Pediatrics and Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Liu J, Qiang Y, Du E. Dielectric spectroscopy of red blood cells in sickle cell disease. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:667-675. [PMID: 33314275 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia-induced polymerization of sickle hemoglobin and the related ion diffusion across cell membrane can lead to changes in cell dielectric properties, which can potentially serve as label-free, diagnostic biomarkers for sickle cell disease. This article presents a microfluidic-based approach with on-chip gas control for the impedance spectroscopy of suspended cells within the frequency range of 40 Hz to 110 MHz. A comprehensive bioimpedance of sickle cells under both normoxia and hypoxia is achieved rapidly (within ∼7 min) and is appropriated by small sample volumes (∼2.5 μL). Analysis of the sensing modeling is performed to obtain optimum conditions for dielectric spectroscopy of sickle cell suspensions and for extraction of single cell properties from the measured impedance spectra. The results of sickle cells show that upon hypoxia treatment, cell interior permittivity and conductivity increase, while cell membrane capacitance decreases. Moreover, the relative changes in cell dielectric parameters are found to be dependent on the sickle and fetal hemoglobin levels. In contrast, the changes in normal red blood cells between the hypoxia and normoxia states are unnoticeable. The results of sickle cells may serve as a reference to design dielectrophoresis-based cell sorting and electrodeformation testing devices that require cell dielectric characteristics as input parameters. The demonstrated method for dielectric characterization of single cells from the impedance spectroscopy of cell suspensions can be potentially applied to other cell types and under varied gas conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Yuhao Qiang
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - E Du
- Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|