1
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Wilke GA, Apte RS. Complement regulation in the eye: implications for age-related macular degeneration. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e178296. [PMID: 38690727 PMCID: PMC11060743 DOI: 10.1172/jci178296] [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: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Careful regulation of the complement system is critical for enabling complement proteins to titrate immune defense while also preventing collateral tissue damage from poorly controlled inflammation. In the eye, this balance between complement activity and inhibition is crucial, as a low level of basal complement activity is necessary to support ocular immune privilege, a prerequisite for maintaining vision. Dysregulated complement activation contributes to parainflammation, a low level of inflammation triggered by cellular damage that functions to reestablish homeostasis, or outright inflammation that disrupts the visual axis. Complement dysregulation has been implicated in many ocular diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the last two decades, complement activity has been the focus of intense investigation in AMD pathogenesis, leading to the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of atrophic AMD. This Review outlines recent advances and challenges, highlighting therapeutic approaches that have advanced to clinical trials, as well as providing a general overview of the complement system in the posterior segment of the eye and selected ocular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia A. Wilke
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
| | - Rajendra S. Apte
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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2
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Mastellos DC, Hajishengallis G, Lambris JD. A guide to complement biology, pathology and therapeutic opportunity. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:118-141. [PMID: 37670180 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00926-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Complement has long been considered a key innate immune effector system that mediates host defence and tissue homeostasis. Yet, growing evidence has illuminated a broader involvement of complement in fundamental biological processes extending far beyond its traditional realm in innate immunity. Complement engages in intricate crosstalk with multiple pattern-recognition and signalling pathways both in the extracellular and intracellular space. Besides modulating host-pathogen interactions, this crosstalk guides early developmental processes and distinct cell trajectories, shaping tissue immunometabolic and regenerative programmes in different physiological systems. This Review provides a guide to the system-wide functions of complement. It highlights illustrative paradigm shifts that have reshaped our understanding of complement pathobiology, drawing examples from evolution, development of the central nervous system, tissue regeneration and cancer immunity. Despite its tight spatiotemporal regulation, complement activation can be derailed, fuelling inflammatory tissue pathology. The pervasive contribution of complement to disease pathophysiology has inspired a resurgence of complement therapeutics with major clinical developments, some of which have challenged long-held dogmas. We thus highlight major therapeutic concepts and milestones in clinical complement intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George Hajishengallis
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Lamers C, Xue X, Smieško M, van Son H, Wagner B, Berger N, Sfyroera G, Gros P, Lambris JD, Ricklin D. Insight into mode-of-action and structural determinants of the compstatin family of clinical complement inhibitors. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5519. [PMID: 36127336 PMCID: PMC9488889 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33003-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
With the addition of the compstatin-based complement C3 inhibitor pegcetacoplan, another class of complement targeted therapeutics have recently been approved. Moreover, compstatin derivatives with enhanced pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles are in clinical development (e.g., Cp40/AMY-101). Despite this progress, the target binding and inhibitory modes of the compstatin family remain incompletely described. Here, we present the crystal structure of Cp40 complexed with its target C3b at 2.0-Å resolution. Structure-activity-relationship studies rationalize the picomolar affinity and long target residence achieved by lead optimization, and reveal a role for structural water in inhibitor binding. We provide explanations for the narrow species specificity of this drug class and demonstrate distinct target selection modes between clinical compstatin derivatives. Functional studies provide further insight into physiological complement activation and corroborate the mechanism of its compstatin-mediated inhibition. Our study may thereby guide the application of existing and development of next-generation compstatin analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Lamers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Drug Discovery, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Brüderstrasse 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Xiaoguang Xue
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Smieško
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henri van Son
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bea Wagner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nadja Berger
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, 19104, PA, USA
| | - Georgia Sfyroera
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, 19104, PA, USA
| | - Piet Gros
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, 19104, PA, USA.
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
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4
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Liu W, Jiang J, Lin Y, You Q, Wang L. Insight into Thermodynamic and Kinetic Profiles in Small-Molecule Optimization. J Med Chem 2022; 65:10809-10847. [PMID: 35969687 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Structure-activity relationships (SARs) and structure-property relationships (SPRs) have been considered the most important factors during the drug optimization process. For medicinal chemists, improvements in the potencies and druglike properties of small molecules are regarded as their major goals. Among them, the binding affinity and selectivity of small molecules on their targets are the most important indicators. In recent years, there has been growing interest in using thermodynamic and kinetic profiles to analyze ligand-receptor interactions, which could provide not only binding affinities but also detailed binding parameters for small-molecule optimization. In this perspective, we are trying to provide an insight into thermodynamic and kinetic profiles in small-molecule optimization. Through a highlight of strategies on the small-molecule optimization with specific cases, we aim to put forward the importance of structure-thermodynamic relationships (STRs) and structure-kinetic relationships (SKRs), which could provide more guidance to find safe and effective small-molecule drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jingsheng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yating Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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5
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Wong RS. Safety and efficacy of pegcetacoplan in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Ther Adv Hematol 2022; 13:20406207221114673. [PMID: 35923770 PMCID: PMC9340389 DOI: 10.1177/20406207221114673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired, hematologic disease characterized by complement-mediated hemolysis, thrombosis, and various degrees of bone marrow dysfunction. Until recently, C5 inhibition with eculizumab or ravulizumab represented the only therapies approved for patients with PNH by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). Although C5-inhibitors reduce PNH-related signs and symptoms, many patients continue to exhibit persistent anemia and require frequent blood transfusions. In May 2021, pegcetacoplan became the third US FDA-approved treatment for adults with PNH, and the first to target C3, a complement component upstream of C5. The novel strategy of inhibiting proximal complement activity with pegcetacoplan controls C5-mediated intravascular hemolysis and prevents C3-mediated extravascular hemolysis. Here, we review the results from multiple pegcetacoplan clinical studies on the efficacy and safety of pegcetacoplan treatment in adults with PNH. This review summarizes findings from three studies in complement-inhibitor-naïve patients with PNH (PADDOCK [phase Ib], PALOMINO [phase IIa], PRINCE [phase III; pegcetacoplan versus standard treatment excluding complement-inhibitors]), and one phase III study (PEGASUS) that compared eculizumab to pegcetacoplan in patients who remained anemic (hemoglobin levels < 10.5 g/dL) despite stable eculizumab treatment (⩾3 months). These studies found that pegcetacoplan contributed to superior improvements in primary and secondary endpoints related to hemoglobin levels and other hematologic parameters and provided effective management of anemia and anemia-related complications (i.e. transfusion burden, reticulocyte production, and fatigue). Furthermore, we summarize results from the 32-week open-label period from the PEGASUS trial, which confirmed the long-term safety and durable efficacy of pegcetacoplan as demonstrated by sustained improvements in clinical and hematologic outcomes in pegcetacoplan-treated patients. Pegcetacoplan is approved for the treatment of adults with PNH in the United States (Empaveli™) and for adult patients who remain anemic after at least 3 months of stable C5-inhibitor therapy in the European Union (Aspaveli®) and Australia (Empaveli; also approved for patients intolerant to C5-inhibitors).
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond S.M. Wong
- Sir Y.K. Pao Centre for Cancer and Department
of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, 30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, Hong Kong
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6
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Deciphering the conformational landscape of few selected aromatic noncoded amino acids (NCAAs) for applications in rational design of peptide therapeutics. Amino Acids 2022; 54:1183-1202. [PMID: 35723743 PMCID: PMC9207436 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-022-03175-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Amino acids are the essential building blocks of both synthetic and natural peptides, which are crucial for biological functions and also important as biological probes for mapping the complex protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Mapping the PPIs through the chemical biology approach provides pharmacologically relevant peptides, which can have agonistic or antagonistic effects on the targeted biological systems. It is evidenced that ≥ 60 peptide-based drugs have been approved by the US-FDA so far, and the number will improve further in the foreseeable future, as ≥ 140 peptides are currently in clinical trials. However, natural peptides often require fine-tuning of their pharmacological properties by strategically replacing the αL-amino acids of the peptides with non-coded amino acids (NCAA), for which codons are absent in the genetic code for biosynthesis of proteins, prior to their applications as therapeutics. Considering the diverse repertoire of the NCAAs, the conformational space of many NCAAs is yet to be explored systematically in the context of the rational design of therapeutic peptides. The current study deciphers the conformational landscape of a few such Cα-substituted aromatic NCAAs (Ing: 2-indanyl-L-Glycine; Bpa: 4-benzoyl-L-phenylalanine; Aic: 2-aminoindane-2-carboxylic acid) both in the context of tripeptides and model synthetic peptide sequences, using alanine (Ala) and proline (Pro) as the reference. The combined data obtained from the computational and biophysical studies indicate the general success of this approach, which can be exploited further to rationally design optimized peptide sequences of unusual architecture with potent antimicrobial, antiviral, gluco-regulatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities.
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7
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Mastellos DC, Lambris JD. Recent developments in C3-targeted complement therapeutics. Semin Immunol 2022; 60:101645. [PMID: 35915008 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101645] [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: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios C Mastellos
- National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece.
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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8
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Mollnes TE, Storm BS, Brekke OL, Nilsson PH, Lambris JD. Application of the C3 inhibitor compstatin in a human whole blood model designed for complement research - 20 years of experience and future perspectives. Semin Immunol 2022; 59:101604. [PMID: 35570131 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The complex molecular and cellular biological systems that maintain host homeostasis undergo continuous crosstalk. Complement, a component of innate immunity, is one such system. Initially regarded as a system to protect the host from infection, complement has more recently been shown to have numerous other functions, including involvement in embryonic development, tissue modeling, and repair. Furthermore, the complement system plays a major role in the pathophysiology of many diseases. Through interactions with other plasma cascades, including hemostasis, complement activation leads to the broad host-protective response known as thromboinflammation. Most complement research has been limited to reductionistic models of purified components and cells and their interactions in vitro. However, to study the pathophysiology of complement-driven diseases, including the interaction between the complement system and other inflammatory systems, holistic models demonstrating only minimal interference with complement activity are needed. Here we describe two such models; whole blood anticoagulated with either the thrombin inhibitor lepirudin or the fibrin polymerization peptide blocker GPRP, both of which retain complement activity and preserve the ability of complement to be mutually reactive with other inflammatory systems. For instance, to examine the relative roles of C3 and C5 in complement activation, it is possible to compare the effects of the C3 inhibitor compstatin effects to those of inhibitors of C5 and C5aR1. We also discuss how complement is activated by both pathogen-associated molecular patterns, inducing infectious inflammation caused by organisms such as Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and by sterile damage-associated molecular patterns, including cholesterol crystals and artificial materials used in clinical medicine. When C3 is inhibited, it is important to determine the mechanism by which inflammation is attenuated, i.e., whether the attenuation derives directly from C3 activation products or via downstream activation of C5, since the mechanism involved may determine the appropriate choice of inhibitor under various conditions. With some exceptions, most inflammatory responses are dependent on C5 and C5aR1; one exception is venous air embolism, in which air bubbles enter the blood circulation and trigger a mainly C3-dependent thromboembolism, with the formation of an active C3 convertase, without a corresponding C5 activation. Under such conditions, an inhibitor of C3 is needed to attenuate the inflammation. Our holistic blood models will be useful for further studies of the inhibition of any complement target, not just C3 or C5. The focus here will be on targeting the critical complement component, activation product, or receptor that is important for the pathophysiology in a variety of disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom E Mollnes
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway; Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Norway; Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Benjamin S Storm
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | - Ole L Brekke
- Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Per H Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Norway; Linnaeus Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, 39182 Kalmar, Sweden; Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, 39182 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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9
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Risitano AM, Peffault de Latour R, Marano L, Frieri C. Discovering C3 targeting therapies for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Achievements and pitfalls. Semin Immunol 2022; 59:101618. [PMID: 35764467 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) was revolutionized by the introduction of the anti-C5 agent eculizumab, which resulted in sustained control of intravascular hemolysis, leading to transfusion avoidance and hemoglobin stabilization in at least half of all patients. Nevertheless, extravascular hemolysis mediated by C3 has emerged as inescapable phenomenon in PNH patients on anti-C5 treatment, frequently limiting its hematological benefit. More than 10 years ago we postulated that therapeutic interception of the complement cascade at the level of C3 should improve the clinical response in PNH. Compstatin is a 13-residue disulfide-bridged peptide binding to both human C3 and C3b, eventually disabling the formation of C3 convertases and thereby preventing complement activation via all three of its activating pathways. Several generations of compstatin analogs have been tested in vitro, and their clinical evaluation has begun in PNH and other complement-mediated diseases. Pegcetacoplan, a pegylated form of the compstatin analog POT-4, has been investigated in two phase I/II and one phase III study in PNH patients. In the phase III study, PNH patients with residual anemia already on eculizumab were randomized to receive either pegcetacoplan or eculizumab in a head-to-head comparison. At week 16, pegcetacoplan was superior to eculizumab in terms of hemoglobin change from baseline (the primary endpoint), as well as in other secondary endpoints tracking intravascular and extravascular hemolysis. Pegcetacoplan showed a good safety profile, even though breakthrough hemolysis emerged as a possible risk requiring additional attention. Here we review all the available data regarding this innovative treatment that has recently been approved for the treatment of PNH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio M Risitano
- AORN San Giuseppe Moscati Avellino, Italy; Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy; Severe Aplastic Anemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Regis Peffault de Latour
- Severe Aplastic Anemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Leiden, Netherlands; French Reference Center for Aplastic Anemia and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria, Saint-Louis Hospital and Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Camilla Frieri
- AORN San Giuseppe Moscati Avellino, Italy; Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy; French Reference Center for Aplastic Anemia and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria, Saint-Louis Hospital and Université de Paris, Paris, France
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10
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Compstatins: the dawn of clinical C3-targeted complement inhibition. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:629-640. [PMID: 35090732 PMCID: PMC9553322 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite the growing recognition of the complement system as a major contributor to a variety of clinical conditions, the therapeutic arsenal has remained scarce. The introduction of an anti-C5 antibody in 2007 raised confidence in complement-targeted therapy. However, it became apparent that inhibition of late-stage effector generation might not be sufficient in multifactorial complement disorders. Upstream intervention at the level of C3 activation has therefore been considered promising. The approval of pegcetacoplan, a C3 inhibitor of the compstatin family, in 2021 served as critical validation of C3-targeted treatment. This review delineates the evolution of the compstatin family from its academic origins to the clinic and highlights current and potential future applications of this promising drug class in complement diseases.
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11
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Abstract
The eye presents a unique opportunity for complement component 3 (C3) therapeutics. Drugs can be delivered directly to specific parts of the eye, and growing evidence has established a pivotal role for C3 in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Emerging data show that C3 may be important to the pathophysiology of other eye diseases as well. This article will discuss the location of C3 expression in the eye as well as the preclinical and clinical data regarding C3's functions in AMD. We will provide a comprehensive review of developing C3 inhibitors for the eye, including the Phase 2 and 3 data for the C3 inhibitor pegcetacoplan as a treatment for the geographic atrophy of AMD. Developing evidence also points toward C3 as a therapeutic target for stages of AMD preceding geographic atrophy. We will also discuss data illuminating C3's relationship to other eye diseases, such as Stargardt disease, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. In addition to being a converging point and centerpiece of the complement cascade, C3 has broad effects as a multifaceted controller of opsonophagocytosis, microglia/macrophage recruitment, and downstream terminal pathway activity. C3 is a crucial player in the pathophysiology of AMD but also seems to have importance in other diseases that are major causes of blindness. Directions for further investigation will be highlighted, as culminating evidence suggests that we may be approaching an era of C3 therapeutics for the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Kim
- Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Tianyu Liu
- Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - John D Lambris
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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12
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Advancing therapeutic complement inhibition in hematologic diseases: PNH and beyond. Blood 2021; 139:3571-3582. [PMID: 34482398 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement is an elaborate system of the innate immunity. Genetic variants and autoantibodies leading to excessive complement activation are implicated in a variety of human diseases. Among them, the hematologic disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) remains the prototype model of complement activation and inhibition. Eculizumab, the first-in-class complement inhibitor, was approved for PNH in 2007. Addressing some of the unmet needs, a long-acting C5 inhibitor, ravulizumab, and a C3 inhibitor, pegcetacoplan have been also now approved with PNH. Novel agents, such as factor B and factor D inhibitors, are under study with very promising results. In this era of several approved targeted complement therapeutics, selection of the proper drug needs to be based on a personalized approach. Beyond PNH, complement inhibition has also shown efficacy and safety in cold agglutinin disease (CAD), primarily with the C1s inhibitor of the classical complement pathway, sutimlimab, but also with pegcetacoplan. Furthermore, C5 inhibition with eculizumab and ravulizumab, as well as inhibition of the lectin pathway with narsoplimab, are investigated in transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA). With this revolution of next-generation complement therapeutics, additional hematologic entities, such as delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction (DHTR) or immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), might also benefit from complement inhibitors. Therefore, this review aims to describe state-of-the-art knowledge of targeting complement in hematologic diseases focusing on: a) complement biology for the clinician, b) complement activation and therapeutic inhibition in prototypical complement-mediated hematologic diseases, c) hematologic entities under investigation for complement inhibition, and d) other complement-related disorders of potential interest to hematologists.
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13
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Internalisation and Biological Activity of Nucleic Acids Delivering Cell-Penetrating Peptide Nanoparticles Is Controlled by the Biomolecular Corona. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14070667. [PMID: 34358093 PMCID: PMC8308718 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid molecules can be transferred into cells to alter gene expression and, thus, alleviate certain pathological conditions. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are vectors that can be used for transfecting nucleic acids as well as many other compounds. CPPs associate nucleic acids non-covalently, forming stable nanoparticles and providing efficient transfection of cells in vitro. However, in vivo, expected efficiency is achieved only in rare cases. One of the reasons for this discrepancy is the formation of protein corona around nanoparticles, once they are exposed to a biological environment, e.g., blood stream. In this study, we compared protein corona of CPP-nucleic acid nanoparticles formed in the presence of bovine, murine and human serum. We used Western blot and mass-spectrometry to identify the major constituents of protein corona forming around nanoparticles, showing that proteins involved in transport, haemostasis and complement system are its major components. We investigated physical features of nanoparticles and measured their biological efficiency in splice-correction assay. We showed that protein corona constituents might alter the fate of nanoparticles in vivo, e.g., by subjecting them to phagocytosis. We demonstrated that composition of protein corona of nanoparticles is species-specific that leads to dissimilar transfection efficiency and should be considered while developing delivery systems for nucleic acids.
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14
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From discovery to approval: A brief history of the compstatin family of complement C3 inhibitors. Clin Immunol 2021; 235:108785. [PMID: 34147650 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2021.108785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The FDA approval of pegcetacoplan (Empaveli), a PEGylated compstatin-based C3 therapeutic, as a new treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) marks a milestone in the history of complement drug discovery. Almost 15 years after the approval of the first complement-specific drug for PNH, the anti-C5 antibody eculizumab, a novel class of complement inhibitors with a distinct mechanism of action finally enters the clinic. This landmark decision broadens the spectrum of available complement therapeutics, offering patients with unmet clinical needs or insufficient responses to anti-C5 therapy an alternative treatment option with a broad activity profile. Here we present a brief historical account of this newly approved complement drug, consolidating its approval within the long research record of the compstatin family of peptidic C3 inhibitors.
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15
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Saur JS, Wirtz SN, Schilling NA, Krismer B, Peschel A, Grond S. Distinct Lugdunins from a New Efficient Synthesis and Broad Exploitation of Its MRSA-Antimicrobial Structure. J Med Chem 2021; 64:4034-4058. [PMID: 33779184 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A new solid-phase peptide synthesis and bioprofiling of the antimicrobial activity of lugdunin, a fibupeptide, enable a comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study (MRSA Staphylococcus aureus). Distinct lugdunin analogues with variation of the three important amino acids Val2, Trp3, and Leu4 are readily available based on the established high-output synthesis. This efficient synthesis concept takes advantage of the presynthesized thiazolidine building block. To gain further knowledge of SAR, d-Val2, and d-Leu4 were replaced with aliphatic amino acids. For l-Trp3 derivatization, a set of non-natural aromatic amino acids with manifold substitution and annulation patterns precisely shows structural imperatives, starting from the exchange of d-Val6 → d-Trp6 with a 2-fold improved biological activity. d-Trp6-lugdunin analogues with additional variation of d-Val2 and d-Leu4 residues were designed and synthesized followed by antimicrobial profiling. For the first time, these SAR studies deliver valuable information on the tolerance of other amino acids to d-Val2, l-Trp3, and d-Leu4 in the sequence of lugdunin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian S Saur
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian N Wirtz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Nadine A Schilling
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Krismer
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Grond
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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16
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Han AR, Durgannavar T, Ahn D, Chung SJ. A FRET-Based Fluorescent Probe to Screen Anticancer Drugs, Inhibiting p73 Binding to MDM2. Chembiochem 2020; 22:830-833. [PMID: 33103305 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The protein p73 acts as a transcription factor, resulting in tumour suppression. MDM2, an oncogenic protein, can negatively influence p73-mediated apoptosis by binding to p73 transactivation domains (TAD). Inhibition of the protein-protein interaction between p73 and oncogenic proteins is an attractive strategy for promoting p73-mediated apoptosis. Herein, we describe the use of a modified p73-TAD peptide for the FRET-based assay of the binding of p73-TAD to MDM2. The FRET probe, equipped with 1-naphthylamine (λex =330 nm, λem =445 nm), serves as a FRET acceptor, and the tryptophan of the protein acts as FRET donor (λex =280 nm, λem =340 nm). Sensitized emission from the FRET probe was observed upon excitation of the protein-FRET-probe complex at the excitation wavelength of Trp. Furthermore, addition of the MDM2 inhibitor Nutiln-3 drastically reduced the FRET signal, thus indicating that the FRET probe competes with Nutiln-3 for MDM2 binding. The developed FRET binding assay might be applicable in high-throughput screening of novel drugs that inhibit interactions between p73 and MDM2.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ro Han
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419 (Republic of, Korea
| | | | - Dohee Ahn
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419 (Republic of, Korea
| | - Sang J Chung
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419 (Republic of, Korea
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17
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Ding Y, Ting JP, Liu J, Al-Azzam S, Pandya P, Afshar S. Impact of non-proteinogenic amino acids in the discovery and development of peptide therapeutics. Amino Acids 2020; 52:1207-1226. [PMID: 32945974 PMCID: PMC7544725 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-020-02890-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
With the development of modern chemistry and biology, non-proteinogenic amino acids (NPAAs) have become a powerful tool for developing peptide-based drug candidates. Drug-like properties of peptidic medicines, due to the smaller size and simpler structure compared to large proteins, can be changed fundamentally by introducing NPAAs in its sequence. While peptides composed of natural amino acids can be used as drug candidates, the majority have shown to be less stable in biological conditions. The impact of NPAA incorporation can be extremely beneficial in improving the stability, potency, permeability, and bioavailability of peptide-based therapies. Conversely, undesired effects such as toxicity or immunogenicity should also be considered. The impact of NPAAs in the development of peptide-based therapeutics is reviewed in this article. Further, numerous examples of peptides containing NPAAs are presented to highlight the ongoing development in peptide-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Ding
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Joey Paolo Ting
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Jinsha Liu
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Shams Al-Azzam
- Professional Scientific Services, Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Lancaster, PA, 17605, USA
| | - Priyanka Pandya
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Sepideh Afshar
- Protein Engineering, Lilly Biotechnology Center, Eli Lilly and Company, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA.
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18
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Computational analysis of complement inhibitor compstatin using molecular dynamics. J Mol Model 2020; 26:231. [PMID: 32789582 PMCID: PMC8851517 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-020-04472-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The complement system plays a major role in human immunity, but its abnormal activation can have severe pathological impacts. By mimicking a natural mechanism of complement regulation, the small peptide compstatin has proven to be a very promising complement inhibitor. Over the years, several compstatin analogs have been created, with improved inhibitory potency. A recent analog is being developed as a candidate drug against several pathological conditions, including COVID-19. However, the reasons behind its higher potency and increased binding affinity to complement proteins are not fully clear. This computational study highlights the mechanistic properties of several compstatin analogs, thus complementing previous experimental studies. We perform molecular dynamics simulations involving six analogs alone in solution and two complexes with compstatin bound to complement component 3. These simulations reveal that all the analogs we consider, except the original compstatin, naturally adopt a pre-bound conformation in solution. Interestingly, this set of analogs adopting a pre-bound conformation includes analogs that were not known to benefit from this behavior. We also show that the most recent compstatin analog (among those we consider) forms a stronger hydrogen bond network with its complement receptor than an earlier analog.
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19
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Ramyar KX, Xu X, White NM, Keightley A, Geisbrecht BV. Expression, purification, and characterization of a human complement component C3 analog that lacks the C-terminal C345c domain. J Immunol Methods 2019; 473:112633. [PMID: 31319063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2019.07.005] [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: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The complement system consists of a series of soluble and cell-surface proteins that serve numerous roles in innate immunity, development, and homeostasis. Despite its many functions, the central event in the complement system is the proteolytic activation of the 185 kDa complement component 3 (C3) into its opsonin and anaphylatoxin fragments known as C3b (175 kDa) and C3a (10 kDa), respectively. The C3 protein is comprised of thirteen separate structural domains, several of which undergo extensive structural rearrangement upon activation to C3b. In addition to this, the C-terminal C345c domain found in C3, C3b, and the terminal degradation product, C3c (135 kDa), appears to adopt multiple conformations relative to the remainder of the molecule. To facilitate various structure/function studies, we designed two C3 analogs that could be activated to a C345c-less, C3c-like state following treatment with Tobacco Etch Virus (TEV) protease. We generated stably transfected Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines that secrete approximately 1.5 mg of the highest-expressing C3 analog per liter of conditioned culture medium. We purified this C3 analog by sequential immobilized metal ion affinity and size exclusion chromatographies, activated the protein by digestion with TEV protease, and purified the resulting C3c analog by a final size exclusion chromatography. The conformations and activities of our C3 and C3c analogs were assessed by measuring their binding profiles to known C3/b/c ligands by surface plasmon resonance. Together, this work demonstrates the feasibility of producing a C3 analog that can be site-specifically activated by an exogenous proteolytic enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra X Ramyar
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, 1711 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States of America
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, 1711 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States of America
| | - Natalie M White
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, 1711 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States of America
| | - Andrew Keightley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States of America
| | - Brian V Geisbrecht
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, 1711 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States of America.
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20
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Shen S, Zhang X, Li Z. Development of an engineered carbamoyl phosphate synthetase with released sensitivity to feedback inhibition by site-directed mutation and casting error-prone PCR. Enzyme Microb Technol 2019; 129:109354. [PMID: 31307577 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) is a key enzyme in both pyrimidine and arginine biosynthesis. However, it is inhibited strongly by uridine monophosphate (UMP), which is an intermediate of the de-novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleoside. In this study, the native carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, from Escherichia coli, was evolved by site-directed mutation and casting error-prone PCR. Compared with the wild-type, the variant N1015 F had released sensitivity to UMP and exhibited 100% of the initial activity in the presence of UMP. Variant K1006A exhibited 0.14-fold improvement in initial activity and kept above 65% of relative activity under the saturated concentration of inhibitor. Structure analysis of variants demonstrated that the reduced sensitivity to inhibitor was largely attributed to the decreased hydrogen bonds, which could reduce the binding affinity with UMP. Also, Phe with large side chain could narrow the binding pocket and generate more steric hindrance. Based on the results in this study, N1015F was an ideal alternative catalyst for the wild-type CPS for pyrimidine biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China.
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21
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Tobola F, Lelimousin M, Varrot A, Gillon E, Darnhofer B, Blixt O, Birner-Gruenberger R, Imberty A, Wiltschi B. Effect of Noncanonical Amino Acids on Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions: Structure, Dynamics, and Carbohydrate Affinity of a Lectin Engineered with Fluorinated Tryptophan Analogs. ACS Chem Biol 2018; 13:2211-2219. [PMID: 29812892 PMCID: PMC6102642 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Protein–carbohydrate
interactions play crucial roles in
biology. Understanding and modifying these interactions is of major
interest for fighting many diseases. We took a synthetic biology approach
and incorporated noncanonical amino acids into a bacterial lectin
to modulate its interactions with carbohydrates. We focused on tryptophan,
which is prevalent in carbohydrate binding sites. The exchange of
the tryptophan residues with analogs fluorinated at different positions
resulted in three distinctly fluorinated variants of the lectin from Ralstonia solanacearum. We observed differences in stability
and affinity toward fucosylated glycans and rationalized them by X-ray
and modeling studies. While fluorination decreased the aromaticity
of the indole ring and, therefore, the strength of carbohydrate–aromatic
interactions, additional weak hydrogen bonds were formed between fluorine
and the ligand hydroxyl groups. Our approach opens new possibilities
to engineer carbohydrate receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Tobola
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Emilie Gillon
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Barbara Darnhofer
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Research Unit of Functional Proteomics and Metabolomics, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Stiftingtalstrasse 24, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Omics Center Graz, BioTechMed-Graz, Stiftingtalstrasse 24, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ola Blixt
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Ruth Birner-Gruenberger
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Research Unit of Functional Proteomics and Metabolomics, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Stiftingtalstrasse 24, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Omics Center Graz, BioTechMed-Graz, Stiftingtalstrasse 24, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Anne Imberty
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Birgit Wiltschi
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
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22
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Berger N, Alayi TD, Resuello RRG, Tuplano JV, Reis ES, Lambris JD. New Analogs of the Complement C3 Inhibitor Compstatin with Increased Solubility and Improved Pharmacokinetic Profile. J Med Chem 2018; 61:6153-6162. [PMID: 29920096 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Improper regulation of complement is associated with various pathologies, and the clinical demand for compounds that can regulate complement activation is therefore imperative. Cp40, an analog of the peptide compstatin, inhibits all complement pathways at the level of the central component C3. We have further developed Cp40, using either PEGylation at the N-terminus or insertion of charged amino acids at the C-terminus. The PEGylated analogs are highly soluble and retained their inhibitory activity, with C3b binding affinity dependent on the length of the PEG chain. The addition of two or three residues of lysine, in turn, not only improved the peptide's solubility but also increased the binding affinity for C3b while retaining its inhibitory potency. Three of the new derivatives showed improved pharmacokinetic profiles in vivo in non-human primates. Given their compelling solubility and pharmacokinetic profiles, these new Cp40 analogs should broaden the spectrum of administration routes, likely reducing dosing frequency during chronic treatment and potentially expanding their range of clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Berger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Tchilabalo Dilezitoko Alayi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Ranillo R G Resuello
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC) , Makati City 1231 , Philippines
| | - Joel V Tuplano
- Simian Conservation Breeding and Research Center (SICONBREC) , Makati City 1231 , Philippines
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
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23
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Fletcher EAK, van Maren W, Cordfunke R, Dinkelaar J, Codee JDC, van der Marel G, Melief CJM, Ossendorp F, Drijfhout JW, Mangsbo SM. Formation of Immune Complexes with a Tetanus-Derived B Cell Epitope Boosts Human T Cell Responses to Covalently Linked Peptides in an Ex Vivo Blood Loop System. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 201:87-97. [PMID: 29752315 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Enhancing T cell responses against both viral and tumor Ags requires efficient costimulation and directed delivery of peptide Ags into APCs. Long peptide vaccines are considered favorable vaccine moieties from a clinical perspective, as they can harbor more than one immunogenic epitope enabling treatment of a broader target population. In addition, longer peptides are not extracellularly loaded on MHC class I; rather, they require intracellular processing and will thereby be presented to T cells mainly by professional APCs, thereby avoiding the risk of tolerance induction. The drawback of peptide vaccines regardless of peptide length is that naked peptides are not actively targeted to and taken up by APCs, and the standard nonconjugated adjuvant-peptide mixtures do not ensure cotargeting of the two to the same APC. We have identified a tetanus toxin-derived B cell epitope that can mediate the formation of immune complexes in the presence of circulating Abs. In this study, we show that these immune complexes improve both Ag uptake by APCs (blood monocytes and CD1c+ dendritic cells) and consequently improve CD8+ T cell recall responses in a human ex vivo blood loop system. The uptake of the peptide conjugate by blood monocytes is dependent on Abs and the complement component C1q. We envision that this strategy can be used to facilitate active uptake of Ags into APCs to improve T cell responses against pathogens or cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika A K Fletcher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Science for Life Laboratory, 751 24 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Immuneed AB, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wendy van Maren
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; and
| | - Robert Cordfunke
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; and
| | - Jasper Dinkelaar
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen D C Codee
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs van der Marel
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis J M Melief
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; and
| | - Ferry Ossendorp
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; and
| | - Jan Wouter Drijfhout
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands; and
| | - Sara M Mangsbo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Science for Life Laboratory, 751 24 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; .,Immuneed AB, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
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24
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Chen K, Duan W, Han Q, Sun X, Li W, Hu S, Wan J, Wu J, Ge Y, Liu D. Identification of the hot spot residues for pyridine derivative inhibitor CCT251455 and ATP substrate binding on monopolar spindle 1 (MPS1) kinase by molecular dynamic simulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2018; 37:611-622. [PMID: 29380674 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2018.1433552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinase monopolar spindle 1 plays an important role in spindle assembly checkpoint at the onset of mitosis. Over expression of MPS1 correlated with a wide range of human tumors makes it an attractive target for finding an effective and specific inhibitor. In this work, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of protein MPS1 itself as well as protein bound systems with the inhibitor and natural substrate based on crystal structures. The reported orally bioavailable 1 h-pyrrolo [3,2-c] pyridine inhibitors of MPS1 maintained stable binding in the catalytic site, while natural substrate ATP could not stay. Comparative study of stability and flexibility of three systems reveals position shifting of β-sheet region within the catalytic site, which indicates inhibition mechanism was through stabilizing the β-sheet region. Binding free energies calculated with MM-GB/PBSA method shows different binding affinity for inhibitor and ATP. Finally, interactions between protein and inhibitor during molecular dynamic simulations were measured and counted. Residue Gly605 and Leu654 were suggested as important hot spots for stable binding of inhibitor by molecular dynamic simulation. Our results reveal an important position shifting within catalytic site for non-inhibited proteins. Together with hot spots found by molecular dynamic simulation, the results provide important information of inhibition mechanism and will be referenced for designing novel inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Wenxiu Duan
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Qianqian Han
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Xuan Sun
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Wenqian Li
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Shuangyun Hu
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Jiajia Wan
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Jiang Wu
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Yushu Ge
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
| | - Dan Liu
- a Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences , University of Sciences and Technology of China , Hefei , 230027 , P. R. China
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25
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Therapeutic modulation of complement activation is considered as a promising approach for the treatment of host tissue damage in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Complement component protein C3 is a particularly attractive drug target for complement inhibitors, due to its central role in three pathways of complement activation cascade. Areas covered: The author provides a comprehensive review on compstatin family peptides which have been discovered and optimized as potent and selective C3 inhibitors via a combination of chemical, biophysical and computational approaches. New generations of the compstatin family with improved potency and therapeutic properties have been developed in recent years. Over two decades, compstatin demonstrated therapeutic potential as a first-of-its-kind complement inhibitor in a series of disease models, with encouraging efforts in clinical trials. Expert opinion: Compstatin holds promise for new therapeutic implications in blocking the effect of the complement cascade in a variety of disease conditions. The development of cost-effective treatment options with suitable dosing route and schedule will be critical for patients with complement mediated chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Huang
- a WuXi AppTec Inc ., Philadelphia , PA , USA
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26
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Fletcher EA, Eltahir M, Lindqvist F, Rieth J, Törnqvist G, Leja-Jarblad J, Mangsbo SM. Extracorporeal human whole blood in motion, as a tool to predict first-infusion reactions and mechanism-of-action of immunotherapeutics. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 54:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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27
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Abstract
The increasing number of clinical conditions that involve a pathological contribution from the complement system - many of which affect the kidneys - has spurred a regained interest in therapeutic options to modulate this host defence pathway. Molecular insight, technological advances, and the first decade of clinical experience with the complement-specific drug eculizumab, have contributed to a growing confidence in therapeutic complement inhibition. More than 20 candidate drugs that target various stages of the complement cascade are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, and additional agents are in preclinical development. Such diversity is clearly needed in view of the complex and distinct involvement of complement in a wide range of clinical conditions, including rare kidney disorders, transplant rejection and haemodialysis-induced inflammation. The existing drugs cannot be applied to all complement-driven diseases, and each indication has to be assessed individually. Alongside considerations concerning optimal points of intervention and economic factors, patient stratification will become essential to identify the best complement-specific therapy for each individual patient. This Review provides an overview of the therapeutic concepts, targets and candidate drugs, summarizes insights from clinical trials, and reflects on existing challenges for the development of complement therapeutics for kidney diseases and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios C Mastellos
- National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Patr. Gregoriou E & 27 Neapoleos Str, 15341 Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar Chance, 422 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Iyer A, Xu W, Reid RC, Fairlie DP. Chemical Approaches to Modulating Complement-Mediated Diseases. J Med Chem 2017; 61:3253-3276. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abishek Iyer
- Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Weijun Xu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Robert C. Reid
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David P. Fairlie
- Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Ricklin D, Reis ES, Mastellos DC, Gros P, Lambris JD. Complement component C3 - The "Swiss Army Knife" of innate immunity and host defense. Immunol Rev 2016; 274:33-58. [PMID: 27782325 PMCID: PMC5427221 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As a preformed defense system, complement faces a delicate challenge in providing an immediate, forceful response to pathogens even at first encounter, while sparing host cells in the process. For this purpose, it engages a tightly regulated network of plasma proteins, cell surface receptors, and regulators. Complement component C3 plays a particularly versatile role in this process by keeping the cascade alert, acting as a point of convergence of activation pathways, fueling the amplification of the complement response, exerting direct effector functions, and helping to coordinate downstream immune responses. In recent years, it has become evident that nature engages the power of C3 not only to clear pathogens but also for a variety of homeostatic processes ranging from tissue regeneration and synapse pruning to clearing debris and controlling tumor cell progression. At the same time, its central position in immune surveillance makes C3 a target for microbial immune evasion and, if improperly engaged, a trigger point for various clinical conditions. In our review, we look at the versatile roles and evolutionary journey of C3, discuss new insights into the molecular basis for C3 function, provide examples of disease involvement, and summarize the emerging potential of C3 as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dimitrios C Mastellos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Athens, Greece
| | - Piet Gros
- Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Wang J, Wang L, Xiang Y, Ricklin D, Lambris JD, Chen G. Using an in vitro xenoantibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity model to evaluate the complement inhibitory activity of the peptidic C3 inhibitor Cp40. Clin Immunol 2015; 162:37-44. [PMID: 26548839 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple and reliable methods for evaluating the inhibitory effects of drug candidates on complement activation are essential for preclinical development. Here, using an immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cell line (iPEC) as target, we evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of an in vitro xenoantibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) model for evaluating the complement inhibitory activity of Cp40, a potent analog of the peptidic C3 inhibitor compstatin. The binding of human xenoantibodies to iPECs led to serum dilution-dependent cell death. Pretreatment of the human serum with Cp40 almost completely inhibited the deposition of C3 fragments and C5b-9 on the cells, resulting in a dose-dependent inhibition of CDC against the iPECs. Using the same method to compare the effects of Cp40 on complement activation in humans, rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys, we found that the inhibitory patterns were similar overall. Thus, the in vitro xenoantibody-mediated CDC assay may have considerable potential for future clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiang Wang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ying Xiang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, China
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gang Chen
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, China.
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Silasi-Mansat R, Zhu H, Georgescu C, Popescu N, Keshari RS, Peer G, Lupu C, Taylor FB, Pereira HA, Kinasewitz G, Lambris JD, Lupu F. Complement inhibition decreases early fibrogenic events in the lung of septic baboons. J Cell Mol Med 2015; 19:2549-63. [PMID: 26337158 PMCID: PMC4627561 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by severe sepsis can trigger persistent inflammation and fibrosis. We have shown that experimental sepsis in baboons recapitulates ARDS progression in humans, including chronic inflammation and long-lasting fibrosis in the lung. Complement activation products may contribute to the fibroproliferative response, suggesting that complement inhibitors are potential therapeutic agents. We have been suggested that treatment of septic baboons with compstatin, a C3 convertase inhibitor protects against ARDS-induced fibroproliferation. Baboons challenged with 109 cfu/kg (LD50) live E. coli by intravenous infusion were treated or not with compstatin at the time of challenge or 5 hrs thereafter. Changes in the fibroproliferative response at 24 hrs post-challenge were analysed at both transcript and protein levels. Gene expression analysis showed that sepsis induced fibrotic responses in the lung as early as 24 hrs post-bacterial challenge. Immunochemical and biochemical analysis revealed enhanced collagen synthesis, induction of profibrotic factors and increased cell recruitment and proliferation. Specific inhibition of complement with compstatin down-regulated sepsis-induced fibrosis genes, including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1), various collagens and chemokines responsible for fibrocyte recruitment (e.g. chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) and 12 (CCL12)). Compstatin decreased the accumulation of myofibroblasts and proliferating cells, reduced the production of fibrosis mediators (TGF-β, phospho-Smad-2 and CTGF) and inhibited collagen deposition. Our data demonstrate that complement inhibition effectively attenuates collagen deposition and fibrotic responses in the lung after severe sepsis. Inhibiting complement could prove an attractive strategy for preventing sepsis-induced fibrosis of the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Silasi-Mansat
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Hua Zhu
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Constantin Georgescu
- Programs in Clinical Immunology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Narcis Popescu
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Ravi S Keshari
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Glenn Peer
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Cristina Lupu
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Fletcher B Taylor
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Pathology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Heloise Anne Pereira
- Department of Pathology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Gary Kinasewitz
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Florea Lupu
- Programs in Cardiovascular Biology, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Pathology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Cell Biology, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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Thermodynamics of Calcium binding to the Calmodulin N-terminal domain to evaluate site-specific affinity constants and cooperativity. J Biol Inorg Chem 2015; 20:905-19. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-015-1275-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Mastellos DC, Yancopoulou D, Kokkinos P, Huber-Lang M, Hajishengallis G, Biglarnia AR, Lupu F, Nilsson B, Risitano AM, Ricklin D, Lambris JD. Compstatin: a C3-targeted complement inhibitor reaching its prime for bedside intervention. Eur J Clin Invest 2015; 45:423-40. [PMID: 25678219 PMCID: PMC4380746 DOI: 10.1111/eci.12419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing awareness that complement plays an integral role in human physiology and disease, transcending its traditional perception as an accessory system for pathogen clearance and opsonic cell killing. As the list of pathologies linked to dysregulated complement activation grows longer, it has become clear that targeted modulation of this innate immune system opens new windows of therapeutic opportunity for anti-inflammatory drug design. Indeed, the introduction of the first complement-targeting drugs has reignited a vibrant interest in the clinical translation of complement-based inhibitors. Compstatin was discovered as a cyclic peptide that inhibits complement activation by binding C3 and interfering with convertase formation and C3 cleavage. As the convergence point of all activation pathways and a molecular hub for crosstalk with multiple pathogenic pathways, C3 represents an attractive target for therapeutic modulation of the complement cascade. A multidisciplinary drug optimization effort encompassing rational 'wet' and in silico synthetic approaches and an array of biophysical, structural and analytical tools has culminated in an impressive structure-function refinement of compstatin, yielding a series of analogues that show promise for a wide spectrum of clinical applications. These new derivatives have improved inhibitory potency and pharmacokinetic profiles and show efficacy in clinically relevant primate models of disease. This review provides an up-to-date survey of the drug design effort placed on the compstatin family of C3 inhibitors, highlighting the most promising drug candidates. It also discusses translational challenges in complement drug discovery and peptide drug development and reviews concerns related to systemic C3 interception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios C Mastellos
- Division of Biodiagnostic Sciences and Technologies, INRASTES, National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, Greece
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Lau C, Nygård S, Fure H, Olstad OK, Holden M, Lappegård KT, Brekke OL, Espevik T, Hovig E, Mollnes TE. CD14 and complement crosstalk and largely mediate the transcriptional response to Escherichia coli in human whole blood as revealed by DNA microarray. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117261. [PMID: 25706641 PMCID: PMC4338229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic inflammation like in sepsis is still lacking specific diagnostic markers and effective therapeutics. The first line of defense against intruding pathogens and endogenous damage signals is pattern recognition by e.g., complement and Toll-like receptors (TLR). Combined inhibition of a key complement component (C3 and C5) and TLR-co-receptor CD14 has been shown to attenuate certain systemic inflammatory responses. Using DNA microarray and gene annotation analyses, we aimed to decipher the effect of combined inhibition of C3 and CD14 on the transcriptional response to bacterial challenge in human whole blood. Importantly, combined inhibition reversed the transcriptional changes of 70% of the 2335 genes which significantly responded to heat-inactivated Escherichia coli by on average 80%. Single inhibition was less efficient (p<0.001) but revealed a suppressive effect of C3 on 21% of the responding genes which was partially counteracted by CD14. Furthermore, CD14 dependency of the Escherichia coli-induced response was increased in C5-deficient compared to C5-sufficient blood. The observed crucial distinct and synergistic roles for complement and CD14 on the transcriptional level correspond to their broad impact on the inflammatory response in human blood, and their combined inhibition may become inevitable in the early treatment of acute systemic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Lau
- Research Laboratory and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Ståle Nygård
- Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Bioinformatics Core Facility and Institute for Medical Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hilde Fure
- Research Laboratory and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | | | | | - Knut Tore Lappegård
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Division of Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
| | - Ole-Lars Brekke
- Research Laboratory and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Terje Espevik
- Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eivind Hovig
- Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Bioinformatics Core Facility and Institute for Medical Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tom Eirik Mollnes
- Research Laboratory and Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
- Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Institute of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Sfyroera G, Ricklin D, Reis ES, Chen H, Wu EL, Kaznessis YN, Ekdahl KN, Nilsson B, Lambris JD. Rare loss-of-function mutation in complement component C3 provides insight into molecular and pathophysiological determinants of complement activity. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 194:3305-16. [PMID: 25712219 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1402781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The plasma protein C3 is a central element in the activation and effector functions of the complement system. A hereditary dysfunction of C3 that prevents complement activation via the alternative pathway (AP) was described previously in a Swedish family, but its genetic cause and molecular consequences have remained elusive. In this study, we provide these missing links by pinpointing the dysfunction to a point mutation in the β-chain of C3 (c.1180T > C; p.Met(373)Thr). In the patient's plasma, AP activity was completely abolished and could only be reconstituted with the addition of normal C3. The M373T mutation was localized to the macroglobulin domain 4 of C3, which contains a binding site for the complement inhibitor compstatin and is considered critical for the interaction of C3 with the AP C3 convertase. Structural analyses suggested that the mutation disturbs the integrity of macroglobulin domain 4 and induces conformational changes that propagate into adjacent regions. Indeed, C3 M373T showed an altered binding pattern for compstatin and surface-bound C3b, and the presence of Thr(373) in either the C3 substrate or convertase-affiliated C3b impaired C3 activation and opsonization. In contrast to known gain-of-function mutations in C3, patients affected by this loss-of-function mutation did not develop familial disease, but rather showed diverse and mostly episodic symptoms. Our study therefore reveals the molecular mechanism of a relevant loss-of-function mutation in C3 and provides insight into the function of the C3 convertase, the differential involvement of C3 activity in clinical conditions, and some potential implications of therapeutic complement inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sfyroera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Edimara S Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Emilia L Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Yiannis N Kaznessis
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Kristina N Ekdahl
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden; and Linnæus Center of Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Linnæus Center of Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - John D Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
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Gorham R, Forest DL, Khoury GA, Smadbeck J, Beecher CN, Healy ED, Tamamis P, Archontis G, Larive C, Floudas CA, Radeke MJ, Johnson LV, Morikis D. New compstatin peptides containing N-terminal extensions and non-natural amino acids exhibit potent complement inhibition and improved solubility characteristics. J Med Chem 2015; 58:814-26. [PMID: 25494040 PMCID: PMC4306506 DOI: 10.1021/jm501345y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Compstatin peptides are complement inhibitors that bind and inhibit cleavage of complement C3. Peptide binding is enhanced by hydrophobic interactions; however, poor solubility promotes aggregation in aqueous environments. We have designed new compstatin peptides derived from the W4A9 sequence (Ac-ICVWQDWGAHRCT-NH2, cyclized between C2 and C12), based on structural, computational, and experimental studies. Furthermore, we developed and utilized a computational framework for the design of peptides containing non-natural amino acids. These new compstatin peptides contain polar N-terminal extensions and non-natural amino acid substitutions at positions 4 and 9. Peptides with α-modified non-natural alanine analogs at position 9, as well as peptides containing only N-terminal polar extensions, exhibited similar activity compared to W4A9, as quantified via ELISA, hemolytic, and cell-based assays, and showed improved solubility, as measured by UV absorbance and reverse-phase HPLC experiments. Because of their potency and solubility, these peptides are promising candidates for therapeutic development in numerous complement-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald
D. Gorham
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - David L. Forest
- Center
for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - George A. Khoury
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - James Smadbeck
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Consuelo N. Beecher
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Evangeline D. Healy
- Center
for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Department
of Physics, University of Cyprus, PO20537, CY1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Georgios Archontis
- Department
of Physics, University of Cyprus, PO20537, CY1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Cynthia
K. Larive
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Christodoulos A. Floudas
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Monte J. Radeke
- Center
for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Lincoln V. Johnson
- Center
for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Dimitrios Morikis
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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Khoury GA, Smadbeck J, Tamamis P, Vandris AC, Kieslich CA, Floudas CA. Forcefield_NCAA: ab initio charge parameters to aid in the discovery and design of therapeutic proteins and peptides with unnatural amino acids and their application to complement inhibitors of the compstatin family. ACS Synth Biol 2014; 3:855-69. [PMID: 24932669 PMCID: PMC4277759 DOI: 10.1021/sb400168u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
We describe the development and testing of ab initio derived, AMBER ff03 compatible charge parameters for a large library of 147 noncanonical amino acids including β- and N-methylated amino acids for use in applications such as protein structure prediction and de novo protein design. The charge parameter derivation was performed using the RESP fitting approach. Studies were performed assessing the suitability of the derived charge parameters in discriminating the activity/inactivity between 63 analogs of the complement inhibitor Compstatin on the basis of previously published experimental IC50 data and a screening procedure involving short simulations and binding free energy calculations. We found that both the approximate binding affinity (K*) and the binding free energy calculated through MM-GBSA are capable of discriminating between active and inactive Compstatin analogs, with MM-GBSA performing significantly better. Key interactions between the most potent Compstatin analog that contains a noncanonical amino acid are presented and compared to the most potent analog containing only natural amino acids and native Compstatin. We make the derived parameters and an associated web interface that is capable of performing modifications on proteins using Forcefield_NCAA and outputting AMBER-ready topology and parameter files freely available for academic use at http://selene.princeton.edu/FFNCAA . The forcefield allows one to incorporate these customized amino acids into design applications with control over size, van der Waals, and electrostatic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A. Khoury
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - James Smadbeck
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Andrew C. Vandris
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Chris A. Kieslich
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Christodoulos A. Floudas
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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Sandholm K, Henningsson AJ, Säve S, Bergström S, Forsberg P, Jonsson N, Ernerudh J, Ekdahl KN. Early cytokine release in response to live Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Spirochetes is largely complement independent. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108013. [PMID: 25265036 PMCID: PMC4180076 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim Here we investigated the role of complement activation in phagocytosis and the release of cytokines and chemokines in response to two clinical isolates: Borrelia afzelii K78, which is resistant to complement-mediated lysis, and Borrelia garinii LU59, which is complement-sensitive. Methods Borrelia spirochetes were incubated in hirudin plasma, or hirudin-anticoagulated whole blood. Complement activation was measured as the generation of C3a and sC5b-9. Binding of the complement components C3, factor H, C4, and C4BP to the bacterial surfaces was analyzed. The importance of complement activation on phagocytosis, and on the release of cytokines and chemokines, was investigated using inhibitors acting at different levels of the complement cascade. Results 1) Borrelia garinii LU59 induced significantly higher complement activation than did Borrelia afzelii K78. 2) Borrelia afzelii K78 recruited higher amounts of factor H resulting in significantly lower C3 binding. 3) Both Borrelia strains were efficiently phagocytized by granulocytes and monocytes, with substantial inhibition by complement blockade at the levels of C3 and C5. 4) The release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF, CCL20, and CXCL8, together with the anti-inflammatory IL-10, were increased the most (by>10-fold after exposure to Borrelia). 5) Both strains induced a similar release of cytokines and chemokines, which in contrast to the phagocytosis, was almost totally unaffected by complement blockade. Conclusions Our results show that complement activation plays an important role in the process of phagocytosis but not in the subsequent cytokine release in response to live Borrelia spirochetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Sandholm
- Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Anna J. Henningsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Infection Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Susanne Säve
- Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Sven Bergström
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pia Forsberg
- Department of Infection Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Nina Jonsson
- Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Rudbeck Laboratory C5, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Kristina N. Ekdahl
- Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Rudbeck Laboratory C5, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Selective HDAC inhibition for the disruption of latent HIV-1 infection. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102684. [PMID: 25136952 PMCID: PMC4138023 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have emerged as a potential anti-latency therapy for persistent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. We utilized a combination of small molecule inhibitors and short hairpin (sh)RNA-mediated gene knockdown strategies to delineate the key HDAC(s) to be targeted for selective induction of latent HIV-1 expression. Individual depletion of HDAC3 significantly induced expression from the HIV-1 promoter in the 2D10 latency cell line model. However, depletion of HDAC1 or −2 alone or in combination did not significantly induce HIV-1 expression. Co-depletion of HDAC2 and −3 resulted in a significant increase in expression from the HIV-1 promoter. Furthermore, concurrent knockdown of HDAC1, −2, and −3 resulted in a significant increase in expression from the HIV-1 promoter. Using small molecule HDAC inhibitors of differing selectivity to ablate the residual HDAC activity that remained after (sh)RNA depletion, the effect of depletion of HDAC3 was further enhanced. Enzymatic inhibition of HDAC3 with the selective small-molecule inhibitor BRD3308 activated HIV-1 transcription in the 2D10 cell line. Furthermore, ex vivo exposure to BRD3308 induced outgrowth of HIV-1 from resting CD4+ T cells isolated from antiretroviral-treated, aviremic HIV+ patients. Taken together these findings suggest that HDAC3 is an essential target to disrupt HIV-1 latency, and inhibition of HDAC2 may also contribute to the effort to purge and eradicate latent HIV-1 infection.
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Huang Y, Reis ES, Knerr PJ, van der Donk WA, Ricklin D, Lambris JD. Conjugation to albumin-binding molecule tags as a strategy to improve both efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of the complement inhibitor compstatin. ChemMedChem 2014; 9:2223-6. [PMID: 25056114 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201402212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The compstatin family of complement inhibitors has shown promise in various immuno-inflammatory disorders. Although recent analogues show beneficial pharmacokinetics, further extension of the plasma half-life is expected to benefit systemic application of these peptidic inhibitors. We therefore synthesized conjugates of compstatin analogues and albumin-binding molecules (ABM) to increase circulatory residence. Equilibrium dialysis in complement-depleted serum showed a marked increase in plasma protein binding from <8 % to >99 % for a resulting chimera (ABM2-Cp20). Further analysis confirmed interaction with albumin from different species, primarily via site II. Importantly, ABM2-Cp20 bound 20-fold stronger to its target protein C3b (KD =150 pM) than the parent peptide. Kinetic and in silico analysis suggested that ABM2 occupies a secondary site on C3b and improves the dissociation rate via additional contacts. Addition of an ABM modifier thereby not only improved plasma protein binding but also produced the most potent compstatin analogue to date with potential implications for the treatment of systemic complement-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 401 Stellar-Chance Laboratories, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)
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41
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Seo YJ, Kang Y, Muench L, Reid A, Caesar S, Jean L, Wagner F, Holson E, Haggarty SJ, Weiss P, King P, Carter P, Volkow ND, Fowler JS, Hooker JM, Kim SW. Image-guided synthesis reveals potent blood-brain barrier permeable histone deacetylase inhibitors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2014; 5:588-96. [PMID: 24780082 DOI: 10.1021/cn500021p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that several histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which are used to study/treat brain diseases, show low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. In addition to low HDAC potency and selectivity observed, poor brain penetrance may account for the high doses needed to achieve therapeutic efficacy. Here we report the development and evaluation of highly potent and blood-brain barrier permeable HDAC inhibitors for CNS applications based on an image-guided approach involving the parallel synthesis and radiolabeling of a series of compounds based on the benzamide HDAC inhibitor, MS-275 as a template. BBB penetration was optimized by rapid carbon-11 labeling and PET imaging in the baboon model and using the imaging derived data on BBB penetration from each compound to feed back into the design process. A total of 17 compounds were evaluated, revealing molecules with both high binding affinity and BBB permeability. A key element conferring BBB penetration in this benzamide series was a basic benzylic amine. These derivatives exhibited 1-100 nM inhibitory activity against recombinant human HDAC1 and HDAC2. Three of the carbon-11 labeled aminomethyl benzamide derivatives showed high BBB penetration (∼0.015%ID/cc) and regional binding heterogeneity in the brain (high in thalamus and cerebellum). Taken together this approach has afforded a strategy and a predictive model for developing highly potent and BBB permeable HDAC inhibitors for CNS applications and for the discovery of novel candidate molecules for small molecule probes and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Jun Seo
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, South Korea
| | - Yeona Kang
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Lisa Muench
- Laboratory
of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Alicia Reid
- Physical,
Environmental and Computer Sciences, Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, New York 11225, United States
| | - Shannon Caesar
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Logan Jean
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Florence Wagner
- Stanley Center
for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute
of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Edward Holson
- Stanley Center
for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute
of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- Center for
Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Philipp Weiss
- Institut
für Organische Chemie, Johannes-Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, Mainz 55122, Germany
| | - Payton King
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Pauline Carter
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- Laboratory
of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- National Institute
on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Joanna S. Fowler
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Jacob M. Hooker
- Biosciences
Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Athinoula
A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, United States
| | - Sung Won Kim
- Laboratory
of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Upton, New York 11973, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
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42
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Mediation of a non-proteolytic activation of complement component C3 by phospholipid vesicles. Biomaterials 2014; 35:3688-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.12.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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43
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Peptide inhibitors of C3 activation as a novel strategy of complement inhibition for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Blood 2014; 123:2094-101. [PMID: 24497537 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2013-11-536573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis due to the lack of CD55 and CD59 on affected erythrocytes. The anti-C5 antibody eculizumab has proven clinically effective, but uncontrolled C3 activation due to CD55 absence may result in opsonization of erythrocytes, possibly leading to clinically meaningful extravascular hemolysis. We investigated the effect of the peptidic C3 inhibitor, compstatin Cp40, and its long-acting form (polyethylene glycol [PEG]-Cp40) on hemolysis and opsonization of PNH erythrocytes in an established in vitro system. Both compounds demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of hemolysis with IC50 ∼4 µM and full inhibition at 6 µM. Protective levels of either Cp40 or PEG-Cp40 also efficiently prevented deposition of C3 fragments on PNH erythrocytes. We further explored the potential of both inhibitors for systemic administration and performed pharmacokinetic evaluation in nonhuman primates. A single intravenous injection of PEG-Cp40 resulted in a prolonged elimination half-life of >5 days but may potentially affect the plasma levels of C3. Despite faster elimination kinetics, saturating inhibitor concentration could be reached with unmodified Cp40 through repetitive subcutaneous administration. In conclusion, peptide inhibitors of C3 activation effectively prevent hemolysis and C3 opsonization of PNH erythrocytes, and are excellent, and potentially cost-effective, candidates for further clinical investigation.
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44
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El Kerdawy A, Tautermann CS, Clark T, Fox T. Economical and Accurate Protocol for Calculating Hydrogen-Bond-Acceptor Strengths. J Chem Inf Model 2013; 53:3262-72. [DOI: 10.1021/ci4006222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed El Kerdawy
- Computer-Chemie-Centrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nägelsbachstraße 25, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christofer S. Tautermann
- Computational Chemistry, Lead Identification and Optimization Support, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Timothy Clark
- Computer-Chemie-Centrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nägelsbachstraße 25, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
- Interdisciplinary
Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nägelsbachstraße 49, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
- Centre
for Molecular Design, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Fox
- Computational Chemistry, Lead Identification and Optimization Support, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach, Germany
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45
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Gorham RD, Forest DL, Tamamis P, López de Victoria A, Kraszni M, Kieslich CA, Banna CD, Bellows-Peterson ML, Larive CK, Floudas CA, Archontis G, Johnson LV, Morikis D. Novel compstatin family peptides inhibit complement activation by drusen-like deposits in human retinal pigmented epithelial cell cultures. Exp Eye Res 2013; 116:96-108. [PMID: 23954241 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2013.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2013] [Revised: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We have used a novel human retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cell-based model that mimics drusen biogenesis and the pathobiology of age-related macular degeneration to evaluate the efficacy of newly designed peptide inhibitors of the complement system. The peptides belong to the compstatin family and, compared to existing compstatin analogs, have been optimized to promote binding to their target, complement protein C3, and to enhance solubility by improving their polarity/hydrophobicity ratios. Based on analysis of molecular dynamics simulation data of peptide-C3 complexes, novel binding features were designed by introducing intermolecular salt bridge-forming arginines at the N-terminus and at position -1 of N-terminal dipeptide extensions. Our study demonstrates that the RPE cell assay has discriminatory capability for measuring the efficacy and potency of inhibitory peptides in a macular disease environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald D Gorham
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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46
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Schroeder FA, Lewis MC, Fass DM, Wagner FF, Zhang YL, Hennig KM, Gale J, Zhao WN, Reis S, Barker DD, Berry-Scott E, Kim SW, Clore EL, Hooker JM, Holson EB, Haggarty SJ, Petryshen TL. A selective HDAC 1/2 inhibitor modulates chromatin and gene expression in brain and alters mouse behavior in two mood-related tests. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71323. [PMID: 23967191 PMCID: PMC3743770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, are projected to lead global disease burden within the next decade. Pharmacotherapy, the primary – albeit often ineffective – treatment method, has remained largely unchanged over the past 50 years, highlighting the need for novel target discovery and improved mechanism-based treatments. Here, we examined in wild type mice the impact of chronic, systemic treatment with Compound 60 (Cpd-60), a slow-binding, benzamide-based inhibitor of the class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) family members, HDAC1 and HDAC2, in mood-related behavioral assays responsive to clinically effective drugs. Cpd-60 treatment for one week was associated with attenuated locomotor activity following acute amphetamine challenge. Further, treated mice demonstrated decreased immobility in the forced swim test. These changes are consistent with established effects of clinical mood stabilizers and antidepressants, respectively. Whole-genome expression profiling of specific brain regions (prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus) from mice treated with Cpd-60 identified gene expression changes, including a small subset of transcripts that significantly overlapped those previously reported in lithium-treated mice. HDAC inhibition in brain was confirmed by increased histone acetylation both globally and, using chromatin immunoprecipitation, at the promoter regions of upregulated transcripts, a finding consistent with in vivo engagement of HDAC targets. In contrast, treatment with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a non-selective fast-binding, hydroxamic acid HDAC 1/2/3/6 inhibitor, was sufficient to increase histone acetylation in brain, but did not alter mood-related behaviors and had dissimilar transcriptional regulatory effects compared to Cpd-60. These results provide evidence that selective inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC2 in brain may provide an epigenetic-based target for developing improved treatments for mood disorders and other brain disorders with altered chromatin-mediated neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A. Schroeder
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Lewis
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Daniel M. Fass
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Florence F. Wagner
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yan-Ling Zhang
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Krista M. Hennig
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Gale
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Wen-Ning Zhao
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Surya Reis
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Douglas D. Barker
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erin Berry-Scott
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sung Won Kim
- Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth L. Clore
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jacob M. Hooker
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Edward B. Holson
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SJH); (TLP)
| | - Tracey L. Petryshen
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SJH); (TLP)
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47
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Qu H, Ricklin D, Bai H, Chen H, Reis ES, Maciejewski M, Tzekou A, DeAngelis RA, Resuello RRG, Lupu F, Barlow PN, Lambris JD. New analogs of the clinical complement inhibitor compstatin with subnanomolar affinity and enhanced pharmacokinetic properties. Immunobiology 2013; 218:496-505. [PMID: 22795972 PMCID: PMC3518557 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic modulation of the complement system has become increasingly important in line with the growing recognition of the role of complement in numerous diseases. Compstatin, a peptidic inhibitor that acts at the central level of the complement cascade, is currently in clinical evaluation but routes to improve its efficacy have not yet been fully explored. Here, we report improvements in both the inhibitory potency and pharmacokinetic parameters of compstatin that broaden its clinical applications. Selective modification of the compstatin N-terminus with non-proteinogenic amino acids resulted in the first analogue with subnanomolar binding affinity (KD=0.5nM) and other similarly potent derivatives with improved solubility in clinically relevant solvents. Detailed structure-activity relationship studies based on biophysical and computational methods revealed key structural determinants for the observed improvements. Importantly, pharmacokinetic evaluation in non-human primates revealed target-driven elimination kinetics with plasma half-life values exceeding expectations for peptidic drugs (close to 12h). This successful optimization strategy is expected to pave the way for systemic administration of compstatin in a range of clinical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchang Qu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Daniel Ricklin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Hongjun Bai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Edimara S. Reis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Mateusz Maciejewski
- School of Chemistry and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Apostolia Tzekou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Robert A. DeAngelis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | | | - Florea Lupu
- Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, USA
| | - Paul N. Barlow
- School of Chemistry and School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - John D. Lambris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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Targeted complement inhibition as a promising strategy for preventing inflammatory complications in hemodialysis. Immunobiology 2013; 217:1097-105. [PMID: 22964235 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Hemodialysis is the most common method used to remove waste and hazardous products of metabolism in patients suffering from renal failure. Hundreds of thousands of people with end-stage renal disease undergo hemodialysis treatment in the United States each year. Strikingly, the 5-year survival rate for all dialysis patients is only 35%. Most of the patients succumb to cardiovascular disease that is exacerbated by the chronic induction of inflammation caused by contact of the blood with the dialysis membrane. The complement system, a strong mediator of pro-inflammatory networks, is a key contributor to such biomaterial-induced inflammation. Though only evaluated in experimental ex vivo settings, specific targeting of complement activation during hemodialysis has uncovered valuable information that points toward the therapeutic use of complement inhibitors as a means to control the unwelcomed inflammatory responses and consequent pathologies in hemodialysis patients.
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49
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Brekke OL, Waage C, Christiansen D, Fure H, Qu H, Lambris JD, Østerud B, Nielsen EW, Mollnes TE. The effects of selective complement and CD14 inhibition on the E. coli-induced tissue factor mRNA upregulation, monocyte tissue factor expression, and tissue factor functional activity in human whole blood. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2013; 735:123-36. [PMID: 23402023 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-4118-2_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The complement pathway and CD14 play essential roles in inflammation, but little is known about the relative roles of complement and CD14 in E. coli-induced tissue factor (TF) mRNA upregulation, expression by monocytes, and functional activity in human whole blood. METHODS Whole E. coli bacteria were incubated for up to 4 h in human whole blood containing the anticoagulant lepirudin, which does not affect complement activation. TF mRNA levels were analyzed using reverse transcription, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and the expression of TF on the cell surface was analyzed using flow cytometry. Complement was selectively inhibited using the C3 convertase inhibitor compstatin or a C5a receptor antagonist (C5aRa), while CD14 was blocked by an anti-CD14 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS The E. coli-induced TF mRNA upregulation was reduced to virtually background levels by compstatin, whereas anti-CD14 had no effect. Monocyte TF expression and TF activity in plasma microparticles were significantly reduced by C5aRa. Anti-CD14 alone only slightly reduced E. coli-induced monocyte TF expression but showed a modest additive effect when combined with the complement inhibitors. Inhibiting complement and CD14 efficiently reduced the expression of the E. coli-induced cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and platelet-derived growth factor bb. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that E. coli-induced TF mRNA upregulation is mainly dependent on complement activation, while CDI4 plays a modest role in monocyte TF expression and the plasma TF activity in human whole blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- O L Brekke
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, N-8092, Norway
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50
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Christiansen D, Brekke OL, Stenvik J, Lambris JD, Espevik T, Mollnes TE. Differential effect of inhibiting MD-2 and CD14 on LPS- versus whole E. coli bacteria-induced cytokine responses in human blood. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2012; 946:237-51. [PMID: 21948372 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-0106-3_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis is a major world-wide medical problem with high morbidity and mortality. Gram-negative bacteria are among the most important pathogens of sepsis and their LPS content is regarded to be important for the systemic inflammatory reaction. The CD14/myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2)/TLR4 complex plays a major role in the immune response to LPS . The aim of this study was to compare the effects of inhibiting MD-2 and CD14 on ultra-pure LPS - versus whole E. coli bacteria-induced responses. METHODS Fresh human whole blood was incubated with upLPS or whole E. coli bacteria in the presence of MD-2 or CD14 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, or their respective controls, and/or the specific complement-inhibitor compstatin. Cytokines were measured by a multiplex (n = 27) assay. NFκB activity was examined in cells transfected with CD14, MD-2 and/or Toll-like receptors. RESULTS LPS-induced cytokine response was efficiently and equally abolished by MD-2 and CD14 neutralization. In contrast, the response induced by whole E. coli bacteria was only modestly reduced by MD-2 neutralization, whereas CD14 neutralization was more efficient. Combination with compstatin enhanced the effect of MD-2 neutralization slightly. When compstatin was combined with CD14 neutralization, however, the response was virtually abolished for all cytokines, including IL-17, which was only inhibited by this combination. The MD-2-independent effect observed for CD14 could not be explained by TLR2 signaling. CONCLUSION Inhibition of CD14 is more efficient than inhibition of MD-2 on whole E. coli-induced cytokine response, suggesting CD14 to be a better target for intervention in Gram-negative sepsis, in particular when combined with complement inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Christiansen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Research Laboratory, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway.
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