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Gundam SR, Bansal A, Kethamreddy M, Ghatamaneni S, Lowe VJ, Murray ME, Pandey MK. Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of novel PET probes for GSK-3 imaging. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15960. [PMID: 38987294 PMCID: PMC11237012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65943-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive imaging of GSK-3 expression in the brain will help to understand the role of GSK-3 in disease pathology and progression. Herein, we report the radiosynthesis and evaluation of two novel isonicotinamide based 18F labeled PET probes, [18F]2 and [18F]6 for noninvasive imaging of GSK3. Among the developed PET probes, the in vitro blood-brain permeability coefficient of 2 (38 ± 20 × 10-6 cm/s, n = 3) was found to be better than 6 (8.75 ± 3.90 × 10-6 cm/s, n = 5). The reference compounds 2 and 6 showed nanomolar affinity towards GSK-3α and GSK-3β. PET probe [18F]2 showed higher stability (100%) in mouse and human serums compared to [18F]6 (67.01 ± 4.93%, n = 3) in mouse serum and 66.20 ± 6.38%, n = 3) in human serum at 120 min post incubation. The in vivo imaging and blocking studies were performed in wild-type mice only with [18F]2 due to its observed stability. [18F]2 showed a SUV of 0.92 ± 0.28 (n = 6) in mice brain as early as 5 min post-injection followed by gradual clearance over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Reddy Gundam
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Aditya Bansal
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Manasa Kethamreddy
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Sujala Ghatamaneni
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Val J Lowe
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Melissa E Murray
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Mukesh K Pandey
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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2
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Hall A, Chatzopoulou M, Frost J. Bioisoteres for carboxylic acids: From ionized isosteres to novel unionized replacements. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 104:117653. [PMID: 38579492 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Carboxylic acids are key pharmacophoric elements in many molecules. They can be seen as a problem by some, due to perceived permeability challenges, potential for high plasma protein binding and the risk of forming reactive metabolites due to acyl-glucuronidation. By others they are viewed more favorably as they can decrease lipophilicity by adding an ionizable center which can be beneficial for solubility, and can add enthalpic interactions with the target protein. However, there are many instances where the replacement of a carboxylic acid with a bioisosteric group is required. This has led to the development of a number of ionizable groups which sufficiently mimic the carboxylic acid functionality whilst improving, for example, the metabolic profile of the molecule in question. An alternative strategy involves replacement of the carboxylate by neutral functional groups. This review initially details carefully selected examples whereby tetrazoles, acyl sulfonamides or isoxazolols have been beneficially utilized as carboxylic acid bioisosteres altering physicohemical properties, interactions with the target and metabolism and/or pharmacokinetics, before delving further into the binding mode of carboxylic acid derivatives with their target proteins. This analysis highlights new ways to consider the replacement of carboxylic acids by neutral bioisosteric groups which either rely on hydrogen bonds or cation-π interactions. It should serve as a useful guide for scientists working in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Hall
- UCB, Chemin du Foriest, Braine l'Alleud, Belgium, 1420 UCB, 216 Bath Road, Slough SL1 3WE, UK.
| | - Maria Chatzopoulou
- UCB, Chemin du Foriest, Braine l'Alleud, Belgium, 1420 UCB, 216 Bath Road, Slough SL1 3WE, UK
| | - James Frost
- UCB, Chemin du Foriest, Braine l'Alleud, Belgium, 1420 UCB, 216 Bath Road, Slough SL1 3WE, UK
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3
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Nammalwar B, Bunce RA. Recent Advances in Pyrimidine-Based Drugs. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:104. [PMID: 38256937 PMCID: PMC10820437 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010104] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pyrimidines have become an increasingly important core structure in many drug molecules over the past 60 years. This article surveys recent areas in which pyrimidines have had a major impact in drug discovery therapeutics, including anti-infectives, anticancer, immunology, immuno-oncology, neurological disorders, chronic pain, and diabetes mellitus. The article presents the synthesis of the medicinal agents and highlights the role of the biological target with respect to the disease model. Additionally, the biological potency, ADME properties and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (if available) are discussed. This survey attempts to demonstrate the versatility of pyrimidine-based drugs, not only for their potency and affinity but also for the improved medicinal chemistry properties of pyrimidine as a bioisostere for phenyl and other aromatic π systems. It is hoped that this article will provide insight to researchers considering the pyrimidine scaffold as a chemotype in future drug candidates in order to counteract medical conditions previously deemed untreatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baskar Nammalwar
- Vividion Therapeutics, 5820 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
| | - Richard A. Bunce
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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4
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Aguila L, Nociti RP, Sampaio RV, Therrien J, Meirelles FV, Felmer RN, Smith LC. Haploid androgenetic development of bovine embryos reveals imbalanced WNT signaling and impaired cell fate differentiation†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:821-838. [PMID: 37788061 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Haploid embryos have contributed significantly to our understanding of the role of parental genomes in development and can be applied to important biotechnology for human and animal species. However, development to the blastocyst stage is severely hindered in bovine haploid androgenetic embryos (hAE). To further our understanding of such developmental arrest, we performed a comprehensive comparison of the transcriptomic profile of morula-stage embryos, which were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of transcripts associated with differentiation in haploid and biparental embryos. Among numerous disturbances, results showed that pluripotency pathways, especially the wingless-related integration site (WNT) signaling, were particularly unbalanced in hAE. Moreover, transcript levels of KLF4, NANOG, POU5F1, SOX2, CDX2, CTNNBL1, AXIN2, and GSK3B were noticeably altered in hAE, suggesting disturbance of pluripotency and canonical WNT pathways. To evaluate the role of WNT on hAE competence, we exposed early Day-5 morula stage embryos to the GSK3B inhibitor CHIR99021. Although no alterations were observed in pluripotency and WNT-related transcripts, exposure to CHIR99021 improved their ability to reach the blastocysts stage, confirming the importance of the WNT pathway in the developmental outcome of bovine hAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Aguila
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fértilité (CRRF), Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo P Nociti
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fértilité (CRRF), Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael V Sampaio
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fértilité (CRRF), Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Jacinthe Therrien
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fértilité (CRRF), Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Flavio V Meirelles
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo N Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Lawrence C Smith
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fértilité (CRRF), Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
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5
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Li Z, Yin B, Zhang S, Lan Z, Zhang L. Targeting protein kinases for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: Recent progress and future perspectives. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 261:115817. [PMID: 37722288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative disease characterized by memory impairment, mental retardation, impaired motor balance, loss of self-care and even death. Among the complex and diverse pathological changes in AD, protein kinases are deeply involved in abnormal phosphorylation of Tau proteins to form intracellular neuronal fiber tangles, neuronal loss, extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits to form amyloid plaques, and synaptic disturbances. As a disease of the elderly, the growing geriatric population is directly driving the market demand for AD therapeutics, and protein kinases are potential targets for the future fight against AD. This perspective provides an in-depth look at the role of the major protein kinases (GSK-3β, CDK5, p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and JNK3) in the pathogenesis of AD. At the same time, the development of different protein kinase inhibitors and the current state of clinical advancement are also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Li
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Bo Yin
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Shuangqian Zhang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Zhigang Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Lan Zhang
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
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6
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Myburgh PJ, Sai KKS. Development and Optimization of 11C-Labeled Radiotracers: A Review of the Modern Quality Control Design Process. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1616-1631. [PMID: 37974626 PMCID: PMC10644505 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Introduction - Several 11C-tracers have demonstrated high potential in early diagnostic PET imaging applications of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. These radiotracers often track critical biomarkers in disease pathogenesis such as tau fibrils ([11C]PBB3) or β-amyloid plaques ([11C]PiB) associated with such diseases. Purpose - The short review aims to serve as a guideline in the future development of radiotracers for students, postdocs and/or new radiochemists who will be synthesizing clinical grade or novel research 11C-tracers, including knowledge of regulatory requirements. We aim to bridge the gap between novel and established 11C-tracer quality control (QC) processes through exploring the design process and regulatory requirements for 11C-pharmaceuticals. Methods - A literature survey was undertaken to identify articles with a detailed description of the QC methodology and characterization for each of the sections of the review. Overview - First a general summary of 11C-tracer production was presented; this was used to establish possible places for contamination or assurances for a sterile final product. The key mandated QC analyses for clinical use were then discussed. Further, we assessed the QC methods used for established 11C-tracers and then reviewed the routine QC tests for preclinical translational and validation studies. Therefore, both mandated QC methods for clinical and preclinical animal studies were reviewed. Last, some examples of optimization and automation were reviewed, and implications of the QC practices associated with such procedures were considered. Conclusion - All of the common QC parameters associated with 11C-tracers under clinical and preclinical settings (along with a few exceptions) were discussed in detail. While it is important to establish standard, peer-reviewed QC testing protocols for a novel 11C-tracer entering the clinical umbrella, equal importance is needed on preclinical applications to address credibility and repeatability for the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Josef Myburgh
- Translational
Imaging Program, Atrium Health Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, United States
| | - Kiran Kumar Solingapuram Sai
- Translational
Imaging Program, Atrium Health Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, United States
- Department
of Radiology, Atrium Health Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, United States
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7
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Hartz RA, Ahuja VT, Luo G, Chen L, Sivaprakasam P, Xiao H, Krause CM, Clarke WJ, Xu S, Tokarski JS, Kish K, Lewis H, Szapiel N, Ravirala R, Mutalik S, Nakmode D, Shah D, Burton CR, Macor JE, Dubowchik GM. Discovery of 2-(Anilino)pyrimidine-4-carboxamides as Highly Potent, Selective, and Orally Active Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37235865 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase that serves as an important regulator of a broad range of cellular functions. It has been linked to Alzheimer's disease as well as various other diseases, including mood disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. There is considerable evidence indicating that GSK-3β in the central nervous system plays a role in the production of abnormal, hyperphosphorylated, microtubule-associated tau protein found in neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease. A series of analogues containing a pyrimidine-based hinge-binding heterocycle was synthesized and evaluated, leading to the identification of highly potent GSK-3 inhibitors with excellent kinase selectivity. Further evaluation of 34 and 40 in vivo demonstrated that these compounds are orally bioavailable, brain-penetrant GSK-3 inhibitors that lowered levels of phosphorylated tau in a triple-transgenic mouse Alzheimer's disease model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ramu Ravirala
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Plot No. 2 & 3, Bommasandra Phase IV, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Sayali Mutalik
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Plot No. 2 & 3, Bommasandra Phase IV, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Deepa Nakmode
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Plot No. 2 & 3, Bommasandra Phase IV, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
| | - Devang Shah
- Biocon-Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Biocon Park, Plot No. 2 & 3, Bommasandra Phase IV, Jigani Link Road, Bangalore 560099, India
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8
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Jia J, Yi L, Xia Z, Yang M, Qiu D, Zhao Z, Peng Z. Development of [18F]Thiazolylacylaminopyridine-Based Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Ligands for Positron Emission Tomography Imaging. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 88:129263. [PMID: 37004924 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) regulates numerous of CNS-specific signaling pathways, and is particularly implicated in various pathogenetic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A noninvasive method for detecting GSK-3β in AD brains via positron emission tomography (PET) imaging could enhance the understanding of AD pathogenesis and aid in the development of AD therapeutic drugs. In this study, an array of fluorinated thiazolyl acylaminopyridines (FTAAP) targeting GSK-3β were designed and synthesized. These compounds showed moderate to high affinities (IC50 = 6.0 - 426 nM) for GSK-3β in vitro. A potential GSK-3β tracer, [18F]8, was successfully radiolabeled. [18F]8 had unsatisfactory initial brain uptake despite its suitable lipophilicity, molecular size and good stability. Further structural refinement of the lead compound is needed to develop promising [18F]-labeled radiotracers for the detection of GSK-3β in AD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Jia
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China.
| | - Lan Yi
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Zhu Xia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Meixian Yang
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Dachuan Qiu
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Zhenghuan Zhao
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Zhiping Peng
- Department of Radiological Medicine, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China.
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Smart K, Zheng MQ, Holden D, Felchner Z, Zhang L, Han Y, Ropchan J, Carson RE, Vasdev N, Huang Y. In Vivo Imaging and Kinetic Modeling of Novel Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Radiotracers [ 11C]OCM-44 and [ 18F]OCM-50 in Non-Human Primates. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:194. [PMID: 37259346 PMCID: PMC9959234 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is a potential therapeutic target for a range of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. The goal of this work was to evaluate two leading GSK-3 positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands, [11C]OCM-44 and [18F]OCM-50, in non-human primates to assess their potential for clinical translation. A total of nine PET scans were performed with the two radiotracers using arterial blood sampling in adult rhesus macaques. Brain regional time-activity curves were extracted and fitted with one- and two-tissue compartment models using metabolite-corrected arterial input functions. Target selectivity was assessed after pre-administration of the GSK-3 inhibitor PF-04802367 (PF-367, 0.03-0.25 mg/kg). Both radiotracers showed good brain uptake and distribution throughout grey matter. [11C]OCM-44 had a free fraction in the plasma of 3% at baseline and was metabolized quickly. The [11C]OCM-44 volume of distribution (VT) values in the brain increased with time; VT values from models fitted to truncated 60-min scan data were 1.4-2.9 mL/cm3 across brain regions. The plasma free fraction was 0.6% for [18F]OCM-50 and VT values (120-min) were 0.39-0.87 mL/cm3 in grey matter regions. After correcting for plasma free fraction increases during blocking scans, reductions in regional VT indicated >80% target occupancy by 0.1 mg/kg of PF-367 for both radiotracers, supporting target selectivity in vivo. [11C]OCM-44 and [18F]OCM-50 warrant further evaluation as radioligands for imaging GSK-3 in the brain, though radio-metabolite accumulation may confound image analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Smart
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Ming-Qiang Zheng
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Daniel Holden
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Zachary Felchner
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Yanjiang Han
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Blvd North, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jim Ropchan
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Richard E. Carson
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Yale PET Center, Yale School of Medicine, 801 Howard Ave., New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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10
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Abstract
Wnt signaling pathways have been extensively studied in the context of several diseases, including cancer, coronary artery disease, and age-related disorders. β-Catenin plays a central role in the most studied Wnt pathways, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, commonly referred to as the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. β-catenin is a substrate of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), and the phosphorylated β-catenin by GSK-3β can be degraded by the proteasome through ubiquitination. Thus, GSK-3β inhibitors have become a widely used chemical biology tool to study the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Among the varied GSK-3β inhibitors, a compound known as CHIR-99021 is one of the most widely used. Although these inhibitors contribute greatly to our understanding of the canonical Wnt pathway, certain pitfalls associated with such an approach may have been overlooked. In many published studies, micromolar concentrations of CHIR-99021 are used to activate the canonical Wnt pathway. Although CHIR-99021 is a specific GSK-3β inhibitor, it specifically inhibits the kinase at the nanomolar level. Therefore, caution is required when micromolar levels of CHIR-99021 are used for the purpose of activating the canonical Wnt signaling pathway.
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11
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Boyle AJ, Narvaez A, Chassé M, Vasdev N. PET imaging of glycogen synthase kinase-3 in pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse models. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING 2022; 12:1-14. [PMID: 35295885 PMCID: PMC8918402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) contributes to tumorigenesis in pancreatic cancer by modulating cell proliferation and survival. This study evaluated the lead GSK-3 targeted PET radiotracers for neuro-PET imaging, [11C]PF-367 and [11C]OCM-44, in pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. Immunohistochemistry showed that GSK-3α and GSK-3β were overexpressed in PANC-1 xenografts. In autoradiography studies, higher specific binding was observed for [3H]PF-367 compared to [3H]OCM-44 when co-incubated with unlabeled PF-367 (59.2±1.8% vs 22.6±3.75%, respectively). Co-incubation of [11C]OCM-44 with OCM-44 did not improve the specific binding (25.5±30.2%). In dynamic PET imaging of PANC-1 xenograft mouse models, tumors were not visualized with [11C]PF-367 but were well visualized with [11C]OCM-44. Time-activity curves revealed no difference in accumulation in PANC-1 tumor tissue compared to muscle tissue in [11C]PF-367 baseline studies, while a significant difference was observed for [11C]OCM-44 with a tumor-to-muscle ratio of 1.6. Tumor radioactivity accumulation following injection with [11C]OCM-44 was not displaced by pre-treatment with unlabeled PF-367. Radiometabolite analysis showed that intact [11C]PF-367 accounted for 7.5% of tumor radioactivity, with >30% in plasma, at 40 min post-injection of the radiotracer, and that intact [11C]OCM-44 accounted for 20% of tumor radioactivity, with >60% in plasma. [11C]OCM-44 is superior to [11C]PF-367 for detecting lesions in preclinical mouse models of pancreatic cancer, however, both radiotracers undergo rapid metabolism in vivo. GSK-3 PET radiotracers with improved in vivo stability are needed for clinical translation. To our knowledge this work represents the first PET imaging study of GSK-3 in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Boyle
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Andrea Narvaez
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Melissa Chassé
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, M5T 1R8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
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12
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Varlow C, Knight AC, McQuade P, Vasdev N. Characterization of neuroinflammatory positron emission tomography biomarkers in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac019. [PMID: 35198978 PMCID: PMC8856182 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurological disorder associated with head trauma and is confirmed upon autopsy. PET imaging of chronic traumatic encephalopathy may provide a means to move towards ante-mortem diagnosis and therapeutic intervention following brain injuries. Characterization of the neuroinflammatory PET biomarkers, 18 kDa translocator protein and monoamine oxidase-B was conducted using [3H]PBR-28 and [3H]L-deprenyl, respectively, in post-mortem chronic traumatic encephalopathy brain tissue. [3H]PBR-28 displayed high specific binding in both chronic traumatic encephalopathy (95.40 ± 1.87%; n = 11 cases) and healthy controls (89.89 ± 8.52%, n = 3 cases). Cell-type expression of the 18 kDa translocator protein was confirmed by immunofluorescence to microglia, astrocyte and macrophage markers. [3H]L-deprenyl also displayed high specific binding in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (96.95 ± 1.43%; n = 12 cases) and healthy controls (93.24 ± 0.43%; n = 2 cases), with the distribution co-localized to astrocytes by immunofluorescence. Saturation analysis was performed to quantify the target density of the 18 kDa translocator protein and monoamine oxidase-B in both chronic traumatic encephalopathy and healthy control tissue. Using [3H]PBR-28, the target density of the 18 kDa translocator protein in healthy controls was 177.91 ± 56.96 nM (n = 7 cases; mean ± standard deviation); however, a highly variable target density (345.84 ± 372.42 nM; n = 11 cases; mean ± standard deviation) was measured in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. [3H]L-deprenyl quantified a monoamine oxidase-B target density of 304.23 ± 115.93 nM (n = 8 cases; mean ± standard deviation) in healthy control tissue and is similar to the target density in chronic traumatic encephalopathy tissues (365.80 ± 128.55 nM; n = 12 cases; mean ± standard deviation). A two-sample t-test determined no significant difference in the target density values of the 18 kDa translocator protein and monoamine oxidase-B between healthy controls and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (P > 0.05), albeit a trend towards increased expression of both targets was observed in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. To our knowledge, this work represents the first in vitro characterization of 18 kDa translocator protein and monoamine oxidase-B in chronic traumatic encephalopathy and reveals the variability in neuroinflammatory pathology following brain injuries. These preliminary findings will be considered when designing PET imaging studies after brain injury and for the ultimate goal of imaging chronic traumatic encephalopathy in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassis Varlow
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada M5T 1R8
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Ashley C. Knight
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada M5T 1R8
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8
| | - Paul McQuade
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada M5T 1R8
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A8
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13
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Cao L, Kong Y, Ji B, Ren Y, Guan Y, Ni R. Positron Emission Tomography in Animal Models of Tauopathies. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:761913. [PMID: 35082657 PMCID: PMC8784812 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.761913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathy diseases. The abnormal accumulation of tau contributes to the development of neurotoxicity, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cognitive deficits in tauopathy diseases. Tau synergically interacts with amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's disease leading to detrimental consequence. Thus, tau has been an important target for therapeutics development for Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathy diseases. Tauopathy animal models recapitulating the tauopathy such as transgenic, knock-in mouse and rat models have been developed and greatly facilitated the understanding of disease mechanisms. The advance in PET and imaging tracers have enabled non-invasive detection of the accumulation and spread of tau, the associated microglia activation, metabolic, and neurotransmitter receptor alterations in disease animal models. In vivo microPET studies on mouse or rat models of tauopathy have provided significant insights into the phenotypes and time course of pathophysiology of these models and allowed the monitoring of treatment targeting at tau. In this study, we discuss the utilities of PET and recently developed tracers for evaluating the pathophysiology in tauopathy animal models. We point out the outstanding challenges and propose future outlook in visualizing tau-related pathophysiological changes in brain of tauopathy disease animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cao
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Changes Technology Corporation Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Kong
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Ji
- Department of Radiopharmacy and Molecular Imaging, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yutong Ren
- Guangdong Robotics Association, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiqing Ni
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Xu M, Lantz MJ, Nichols RA, Li QX. Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects of a Semi-Synthetic Isoorientin-Based Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Inhibitor in Lipopolysaccharide-Activated Microglial Cells. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:43-52. [PMID: 34913695 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) regulates the release of proinflammatory cytokines and promotes inflammatory responses in immune cells. Microglia are the resident mononuclear immune cells of the central nervous system. Here, we investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of (2S,3S,4R,5R,6S)-6-(2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5,7-dimethoxy-4-oxo-4H-chromen-6-yl)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-N-((S)-1,1,1-trifluoropropan-2-yl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-carboxamide (TFGF-18), a semisynthetic GSK-3β inhibitor, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation of spontaneously immortalized SIM-A9 microglial cells and of mouse cortical microglia. TFGF-18 at 2.5 μM concentration inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide by 56.3% and the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β by 28.3 and 59.2% in SIM-A9 cells, respectively, relative to the LPS treatment control group. Pretreatment of mouse primary microglial cells with TFGF-18 at 2.5 μM concentration led to a reduction of 58.7% in TNF-α+ microglial cells at 24 h post-LPS stimulation. The migration of LPS-activated SIM-A9 cells was also reduced by 26.7% with pretreatment of TFGF-18 in a scratch assay. Analyses of signaling pathways demonstrated that TFGF-18 led to the suppression of LPS-induced GSK-3β activation and p65/NF-κB activity. Furthermore, the co-culture of SIM-A9 with SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells showed the suppression of TFGF-18 to microglia-mediated neurotoxicity in vitro. The findings indicate strong inhibitory effects of TFGF-18 on LPS-induced microglia activation via regulation of GSK-3β and downstream p65/NF-κB signaling. The results suggest a potential role of TFGF-18 in neuroprotection via its anti-neuroinflammatory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1955 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| | - Megan J. Lantz
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, John A. Burn School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, United States
| | - Robert A. Nichols
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, John A. Burn School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, United States
| | - Qing X. Li
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1955 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
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15
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Silva MC, Nandi G, Haggarty SJ. Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Cortical Neurons to Advance Precision Medicine. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2429:143-174. [PMID: 35507160 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1979-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A major obstacle in studying human central nervous system (CNS) diseases is inaccessibility to the affected tissue and cells. Even in limited cases where tissue is available through surgical interventions, differentiated neurons cannot be maintained for extended time frames, which is prohibitive for experimental repetition and scalability. Advances in methodologies for reprogramming human somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and directed differentiation of human neurons in culture now allow access to physiological and disease relevant cell types. In particular, patient iPSC-derived neurons represent unique ex vivo neuronal networks that allow investigating disease genetic and molecular pathways in physiologically accurate cellular microenvironments, importantly recapitulating molecular and cellular phenotypic aspects of disease. Generation of functional neural cells from iPSCs relies on manipulation of culture formats in the presence of specific factors that promote the conversion of pluripotent stem cells into neurons. To this end, several experimental protocols have been developed. Direct differentiation of stem cells into post-mitotic neurons is usually associated with low throughput, low yield, and high technical variability. Instead, methods relying on expansion of the intermediate neural progenitor cells (NPCs) show incredible potential for posterior generation of suitable neuronal cultures for cellular and biochemical assays, as well as drug screening. NPCs are expandable, self-renewable multipotent cells that can differentiate into astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and electrically active neurons. Here, we describe a protocol for generating iPSC-derived NPCs via formation of neural aggregates and selection of NPC precursor neural rosettes, followed by a simple and reproducible method for generating a mixed population of cortical-like neurons through growth factor withdrawal. Implementation of this protocol has the potential to advance the goals of precision medicine research for both neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Catarina Silva
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ghata Nandi
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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16
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Chen Z, Haider A, Chen J, Xiao Z, Gobbi L, Honer M, Grether U, Arnold SE, Josephson L, Liang SH. The Repertoire of Small-Molecule PET Probes for Neuroinflammation Imaging: Challenges and Opportunities beyond TSPO. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17656-17689. [PMID: 34905377 PMCID: PMC9094091 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is an adaptive response of the central nervous system to diverse potentially injurious stimuli, which is closely associated with neurodegeneration and typically characterized by activation of microglia and astrocytes. As a noninvasive and translational molecular imaging tool, positron emission tomography (PET) could provide a better understanding of neuroinflammation and its role in neurodegenerative diseases. Ligands to translator protein (TSPO), a putative marker of neuroinflammation, have been the most commonly studied in this context, but they suffer from serious limitations. Herein we present a repertoire of different structural chemotypes and novel PET ligand design for classical and emerging neuroinflammatory targets beyond TSPO. We believe that this Perspective will support multidisciplinary collaborations in academic and industrial institutions working on neuroinflammation and facilitate the progress of neuroinflammation PET probe development for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Chen
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Ahmed Haider
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Zhiwei Xiao
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Luca Gobbi
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Honer
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Uwe Grether
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Steven E. Arnold
- Department of Neurology and the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 114 16th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
| | - Lee Josephson
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Steven H. Liang
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
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17
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NRM 2021 Abstract Booklet. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:11-309. [PMID: 34905986 PMCID: PMC8851538 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211061050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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18
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Ni R. Positron Emission Tomography in Animal Models of Alzheimer's Disease Amyloidosis: Translational Implications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1179. [PMID: 34832961 PMCID: PMC8623863 DOI: 10.3390/ph14111179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis that recapitulate cerebral amyloid-beta pathology have been widely used in preclinical research and have greatly enabled the mechanistic understanding of Alzheimer's disease and the development of therapeutics. Comprehensive deep phenotyping of the pathophysiological and biochemical features in these animal models is essential. Recent advances in positron emission tomography have allowed the non-invasive visualization of the alterations in the brain of animal models and in patients with Alzheimer's disease. These tools have facilitated our understanding of disease mechanisms and provided longitudinal monitoring of treatment effects in animal models of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis. In this review, we focus on recent positron emission tomography studies of cerebral amyloid-beta accumulation, hypoglucose metabolism, synaptic and neurotransmitter receptor deficits (cholinergic and glutamatergic system), blood-brain barrier impairment, and neuroinflammation (microgliosis and astrocytosis) in animal models of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis. We further propose the emerging targets and tracers for reflecting the pathophysiological changes and discuss outstanding challenges in disease animal models and future outlook in the on-chip characterization of imaging biomarkers towards clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqing Ni
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, 8952 Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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High-content image-based analysis and proteomic profiling identifies Tau phosphorylation inhibitors in a human iPSC-derived glutamatergic neuronal model of tauopathy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17029. [PMID: 34426604 PMCID: PMC8382845 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96227-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD). MAPT mutations are associated with abnormal tau phosphorylation levels and accumulation of misfolded tau protein that can propagate between neurons ultimately leading to cell death (tauopathy). Recently, a p.A152T tau variant was identified as a risk factor for FTD, Alzheimer's disease, and synucleinopathies. Here we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from a patient carrying this p.A152T variant to create a robust, functional cellular assay system for probing pathophysiological tau accumulation and phosphorylation. Using stably transduced iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells engineered to enable inducible expression of the pro-neural transcription factor Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2), we generated disease-relevant, cortical-like glutamatergic neurons in a scalable, high-throughput screening compatible format. Utilizing automated confocal microscopy, and an advanced image-processing pipeline optimized for analysis of morphologically complex human neuronal cultures, we report quantitative, subcellular localization-specific effects of multiple kinase inhibitors on tau, including ones under clinical investigation not previously reported to affect tau phosphorylation. These results demonstrate the potential for using patient iPSC-derived ex vivo models of tauopathy as genetically accurate, disease-relevant systems to probe tau biochemistry and support the discovery of novel therapeutics for tauopathies.
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20
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Knight AC, Varlow C, Tong J, Vasdev N. In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of GSK-3 Radioligands in Alzheimer's Disease: Preliminary Evidence of Sex Differences. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1287-1294. [PMID: 34423266 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging target with implications in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This preliminary study evaluates human AD and transgenic P301L mouse brain tissues using the GSK-3-targeting radiotracers [3H]PF-367 and [3H]OCM-44 in radioligand binding assays. A saturation analysis showed decreased GSK-3 density in female human AD compared to a normal healthy brain. Equivalence in density (B max), affinity (K d), and apparent affinity (K i) of both radiotracers was demonstrated to enable their interchangeability for in vitro evaluations of GSK-3 expression. An evaluation of P301L mouse brain by [3H]/[11C]OCM-44 delineated differences in the B max of GSK-3 between the control and transgenic mice within male subjects. PET imaging showed similar trends to those observed in vitro. Sex differences are revealed as a potential parameter to consider in the development of GSK-3-targeted diagnostics and therapeutics and could guide recruitment for clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C Knight
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science & Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Cassis Varlow
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science & Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Junchao Tong
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science & Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
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21
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Varlow C, Mossine AV, Bernard-Gauthier V, Scott PJH, Vasdev N. Radiofluorination of oxazole-carboxamides for preclinical PET neuroimaging of GSK-3. J Fluor Chem 2021; 245. [PMID: 33840834 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfluchem.2021.109760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is an enzyme that is dysregulated in oncology neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation and several mental health illnesses. As such, GSK-3 is a long-sought after target for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and therapeutic intervention. Herein, we report on the development and radiofluorination of two oxazole-4-carboxamides, including one bearing a non-activated aromatic ring. Both compounds demonstrated excellent selectivity in a kinase screen and inhibit GSK-3 with high affinity. [18F]OCM-49 was synthesized from [18F]fluoride using a copper-mediated reaction of an aryl boronic acid precursor, while [18F]OCM-50 used a trimethylammonium triflate precursor, and both radiotracers were translated for preclinical PET imaging in rodents. Due to superior radiochemical yields and brain uptake (peak standardized uptake value of ~2.0), [18F]OCM-50 was further evaluated in non-human primate and also showed good brain uptake and rapid clearance. Further studies to consider clinical translation of both radiotracers are underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassis Varlow
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Andrew V Mossine
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Vadim Bernard-Gauthier
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Peter J H Scott
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
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22
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Zhong Y, Yang S, Cui J, Wang J, Li L, Chen Y, Chen J, Feng P, Huang S, Li H, Han Y, Tang G, Hu K. Novel 18F-Labeled Isonicotinamide-Based Radioligands for Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β. Mol Pharm 2021; 18:1277-1284. [PMID: 33492962 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c01133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase, is involved in several human pathologies including Alzheimer's disease, bipolar disorder, diabetes, and cancer. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of GSK-3β could aid in investigating GSK-3β levels under normal and pathological conditions. In this study, we designed and synthesized fluorinated PET radioligands starting with recently identified isonicotinamide derivatives that showed potent affinity to GSK-3β. After extensive in vitro inhibitory activity assays and analyzing U87 cell uptake, we identified [18F]10a-d as potential tracers with good specificity and high affinity. They were then subjected to further in vivo evaluation in rodent brain comprising PET imaging and metabolism studies. The radioligands [18F]10b-d penetrated the blood-brain barrier and accumulated in GSK-3β-rich regions, including amygdala, cerebellum, and hippocampus. Also, it could be specifically blocked using the corresponding standard compounds. With these results, this work sets the basis for further development of novel 18F-labeled GSK-3β PET probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Zhong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Shaoxi Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Jianyu Cui
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Junjie Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Pengju Feng
- Department of Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shun Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Hongsheng Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Yanjian Han
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Ganghua Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Kongzhen Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
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23
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Haggarty SJ, Karmacharya R, Perlis RH. Advances toward precision medicine for bipolar disorder: mechanisms & molecules. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:168-185. [PMID: 32636474 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0831-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Given its chronicity, contribution to disability and morbidity, and prevalence of more than 2%, the effective treatment, and prevention of bipolar disorder represents an area of significant unmet medical need. While more than half a century has passed since the introduction of lithium into widespread use at the birth of modern psychopharmacology, that medication remains a mainstay for the acute treatment and prevention of recurrent mania/hypomania and depression that characterize bipolar disorder. However, the continued limited understanding of how lithium modulates affective behavior and lack of validated cellular and animal models have resulted in obstacles to discovering more effective mood stabilizers with fewer adverse side effects. In particular, while there has been progress in developing new pharmacotherapy for mania, developing effective treatments for acute bipolar depression remain inadequate. Recent large-scale human genetic studies have confirmed the complex, polygenic nature of the risk architecture of bipolar disorder, and its overlap with other major neuropsychiatric disorders. Such discoveries have begun to shed light on the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. Coupled with broader advances in human neurobiology, neuropharmacology, noninvasive neuromodulation, and clinical trial design, we can envision novel therapeutic strategies informed by defined molecular mechanisms and neural circuits and targeted to the root cause of the pathophysiology. Here, we review recent advances toward the goal of better treatments for bipolar disorder, and we outline major challenges for the field of translational neuroscience that necessitate continued focus on fundamental research and discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Psychiatry & Neurology, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Rakesh Karmacharya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, USA.,Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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24
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Solnes LB, Jacobs AH, Coughlin JM, Du Y, Goel R, Hammoud DA, Pomper MG. Central Nervous System Molecular Imaging. Mol Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816386-3.00088-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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25
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Saundh SL, Patnaik D, Gagné S, Bishop JA, Lipsit S, Amat S, Pujari N, Nambisan AK, Bigsby R, Murphy M, Tsai LH, Haggarty SJ, Leung AKW. Identification and Mechanistic Characterization of a Peptide Inhibitor of Glycogen Synthase Kinase (GSK3β) Derived from the Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) Protein. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:4128-4138. [PMID: 33253521 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta (GSK3β) is a critical regulator of several cellular pathways involved in neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity and as such is a potential focus for the discovery of new neurotherapeutics toward the treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. The majority of efforts to develop inhibitors of GSK3β have been focused on developing small molecule inhibitors that compete with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through direct interaction with the ATP binding site. This strategy has presented selectivity challenges due to the evolutionary conservation of this domain within the kinome. The disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) protein has previously been shown to bind and inhibit GSK3β activity. Here, we report the characterization of a 44-mer peptide derived from human DISC1 (hDISCtide) that is sufficient to both bind and inhibit GSK3β in a noncompetitive mode distinct from classical ATP competitive inhibitors. Based on multiple independent biochemical and biophysical assays, we propose that hDISCtide interacts at two distinct regions of GSK3β: an inhibitory region that partially overlaps with the binding site of FRATide, a well-known GSK3β binding peptide, and a specific binding region that is unique to hDISCtide. Taken together, our findings present a novel avenue for developing a peptide-based selective inhibitor of GSK3β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L. Saundh
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Debasis Patnaik
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Steve Gagné
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Joshua A. Bishop
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Sean Lipsit
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Samat Amat
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Narsimha Pujari
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Anand Krishnan Nambisan
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Robert Bigsby
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Mary Murphy
- Reichert Technologies, 3362 Walden Avenue, Suite 100, Depew, New York 14043, United States
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Adelaine Kwun-Wai Leung
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
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Roca C, Campillo NE. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibitors: a patent update (2016–2019). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 30:863-872. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2020.1815706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Roca
- Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro De Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria E. Campillo
- Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro De Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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