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Almeida-da-Silva CLC, de Abreu Moreira-Souza AC, Ojcius DM. Traditional approaches and recent tools for studying inflammasome activity. J Immunol Methods 2024; 533:113744. [PMID: 39147232 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2024.113744] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Inflammasomes play a major role in the immune response to infection, development of autoimmune disease, and control of cancer. Western blots were originally used in the early 2000s to characterize inflammasome activation. Since then, a panoply of techniques has been developed to characterize and visualize inflammasome activation in cells, tissues, and animals. This review article describes the most common techniques used by researchers in the inflammasome field and proposes that cell-specific characterization of inflammasome activation in tissues or animals may soon be commonly reported.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David M Ojcius
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni, School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA.
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2
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Sun Y, Li F, Liu Y, Qiao D, Yao X, Liu GS, Li D, Xiao C, Wang T, Chi W. Targeting inflammasomes and pyroptosis in retinal diseases-molecular mechanisms and future perspectives. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 101:101263. [PMID: 38657834 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Retinal diseases encompass various conditions associated with sight-threatening immune responses and are leading causes of blindness worldwide. These diseases include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and uveitis. Emerging evidence underscores the vital role of the innate immune response in retinal diseases, beyond the previously emphasized T-cell-driven processes of the adaptive immune system. In particular, pyroptosis, a newly discovered programmed cell death process involving inflammasome formation, has been implicated in the loss of membrane integrity and the release of inflammatory cytokines. Several disease-relevant animal models have provided evidence that the formation of inflammasomes and the induction of pyroptosis in innate immune cells contribute to inflammation in various retinal diseases. In this review article, we summarize current knowledge about the innate immune system and pyroptosis in retinal diseases. We also provide insights into translational targeting approaches, including novel drugs countering pyroptosis, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Fan Li
- Eye Center, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, 528403, China
| | - Yunfei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Dijie Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Xinyu Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Guei-Sheung Liu
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia
| | - Dequan Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Chuanle Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518132, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xitoutiao You'anMen Street, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Wei Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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3
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Brandli A, Vessey KA, Fletcher EL. The contribution of pattern recognition receptor signalling in the development of age related macular degeneration: the role of toll-like-receptors and the NLRP3-inflammasome. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:64. [PMID: 38443987 PMCID: PMC10913318 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03055-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss, characterised by the dysfunction and death of the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Innate immune cell activation and accompanying para-inflammation have been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of AMD, although the exact mechanism(s) and signalling pathways remain elusive. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are essential activators of the innate immune system and drivers of para-inflammation. Of these PRRs, the two most prominent are (1) Toll-like receptors (TLR) and (2) NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3)-inflammasome have been found to modulate the progression of AMD. Mutations in TLR2 have been found to be associated with an increased risk of developing AMD. In animal models of AMD, inhibition of TLR and NLRP3 has been shown to reduce RPE cell death, inflammation and angiogenesis signalling, offering potential novel treatments for advanced AMD. Here, we examine the evidence for PRRs, TLRs2/3/4, and NLRP3-inflammasome pathways in macular degeneration pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Brandli
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kirstan A Vessey
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Erica L Fletcher
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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Sutton SS, Magagnoli J, Cummings TH, Hardin JW, Ambati J. Alzheimer Disease Treatment With Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors and Incident Age-Related Macular Degeneration. JAMA Ophthalmol 2024; 142:108-114. [PMID: 38175625 PMCID: PMC10767642 DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.6014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Importance Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a serious and common ophthalmologic disorder that is hypothesized to result, in part, from inflammatory reactions in the macula. Alzheimer disease (AD) treatment, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), have anti-inflammatory effects and it remains unclear if they modify the risk of AMD. Objective To investigate the association between AChEI medications and the incidence of AMD. Design, Setting, and Participants This propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study took place at health care facilities within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system from January 2000 through September 2023. Participants included patients diagnosed with AD between ages 55 and 80 years with no preexisting diagnosis of AMD in the VA database. Exposure AChEIs prescription dispensed as pharmacologic treatments for AD. Main Outcomes and Measure The first diagnosis of AMD. Results A total of 21 823 veterans with AD (mean [SD] age, 72.3 [6.1] years; 21 313 male participants [97.7%] and 510 female participants [2.3%]) were included. Propensity score-matched Cox model reveals each additional year of AChEI treatment was associated with a 6% lower hazard of AMD (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, (0.89-0.99). Conclusions and Relevance This observational study reports a small reduction in the risk of AMD among veterans with AD receiving AChEIs. Randomized clinical trials would be needed to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship and further research is required to validate these findings across diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Scott Sutton
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Joseph Magagnoli
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Tammy H. Cummings
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - James W. Hardin
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, South Carolina
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
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Brochard T, McIntyre RL, Houtkooper RH, Seluanov A, Gorbunova V, Janssens GE. Repurposing nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) to slow aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 92:102132. [PMID: 37984625 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Repurposing drugs already approved in the clinic to be used off-label as geroprotectors, compounds that combat mechanisms of aging, are a promising way to rapidly reduce age-related disease incidence in society. Several recent studies have found that a class of drugs-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)-originally developed as treatments for cancers and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, could be repurposed to slow the aging process. Interestingly, these studies propose complementary mechanisms that target multiple hallmarks of aging. At the molecular level, NRTIs repress LINE-1 elements, reducing DNA damage, benefiting the hallmark of aging of 'Genomic Instability'. At the organellar level, NRTIs inhibit mitochondrial translation, activate ATF-4, suppress cytosolic translation, and extend lifespan in worms in a manner related to the 'Loss of Proteostasis' hallmark of aging. Meanwhile, at the cellular level, NRTIs inhibit the P2X7-mediated activation of the inflammasome, reducing inflammation and improving the hallmark of aging of 'Altered Intercellular Communication'. Future development of NRTIs for human aging health will need to balance out toxic side effects with the beneficial effects, which may occur in part through hormesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Brochard
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca L McIntyre
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Riekelt H Houtkooper
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrei Seluanov
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Vera Gorbunova
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Georges E Janssens
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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6
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Molcak H, Jiang K, Campbell CJ, Matsubara JA. Purinergic signaling via P2X receptors and mechanisms of unregulated ATP release in the outer retina and age-related macular degeneration. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1216489. [PMID: 37496736 PMCID: PMC10366617 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1216489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disease of the retina characterized by photoceptor loss and significant central visual impairment due to either choroidal neovascularization or geographic atrophy. The pathophysiology of AMD is complex and multifactorial, driven by a combination of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, molecular mechanisms, and cellular processes that contribute to overall disease onset, severity, and progression. Unfortunately, due to the structural, cellular, and pathophysiologic complexity, therapeutic discovery is challenging. While purinergic signaling has been investigated for its role in the development and treatment of ocular pathologies including AMD, the potential crosstalk between known contributors to AMD, such as the complement cascade and inflammasome activation, and other biological systems, such as purinergic signaling, have not been fully characterized. In this review, we explore the interactions between purinergic signaling, ATP release, and known contributors to AMD pathogenesis including complement dysregulation and inflammasome activation. We begin by identifying what is known about purinergic receptors in cell populations of the outer retina and potential sources of extracellular ATP required to trigger purinergic receptor activation. Next, we examine evidence in the literature that the purinergic system accelerates AMD pathogenesis leading to apoptotic and pyroptotic cell death in retinal cells. To fully understand the potential role that purinergic signaling plays in AMD, more research is needed surrounding the expression, distribution, functions, and interactions of purinergic receptors within cells of the outer retina as well as potential crosstalk with other systems. By determining how these processes are affected in the context of purinergic signaling, it will improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive AMD pathogenesis which is critical in developing treatment strategies that prevent or slow progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haydn Molcak
- Matsubara Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Eye Care Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kailun Jiang
- Matsubara Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Eye Care Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Joanne A. Matsubara
- Matsubara Lab, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Eye Care Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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7
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Maran JJ, Adesina MM, Green CR, Kwakowsky A, Mugisho OO. The central role of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases in the eye and the brain. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 88:101954. [PMID: 37187367 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
With increasing age, structural changes occur in the eye and brain. Neuronal death, inflammation, vascular disruption, and microglial activation are among many of the pathological changes that can occur during ageing. Furthermore, ageing individuals are at increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases in these organs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Although these diseases pose a significant global public health burden, current treatment options focus on slowing disease progression and symptomatic control rather than targeting underlying causes. Interestingly, recent investigations have proposed an analogous aetiology between age-related diseases in the eye and brain, where a process of chronic low-grade inflammation is implicated. Studies have suggested that patients with AD or PD are also associated with an increased risk of AMD, glaucoma, and cataracts. Moreover, pathognomonic amyloid-β and α-synuclein aggregates, which accumulate in AD and PD, respectively, can be found in ocular parenchyma. In terms of a common molecular pathway that underpins these diseases, the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, and pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is thought to play a vital role in the manifestation of all these diseases. This review summarises the current evidence regarding cellular and molecular changes in the brain and eye with age, similarities between ocular and cerebral age-related diseases, and the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome as a critical mediator of disease propagation in the eye and the brain during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack J Maran
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Moradeke M Adesina
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Colin R Green
- Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Kwakowsky
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Galway Neuroscience Centre, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Odunayo O Mugisho
- Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology and the New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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8
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Zabłocki K, Górecki DC. The Role of P2X7 Purinoceptors in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Muscular Dystrophies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119434. [PMID: 37298386 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies are inherited neuromuscular diseases, resulting in progressive disability and often affecting life expectancy. The most severe, common types are Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Limb-girdle sarcoglycanopathy, which cause advancing muscle weakness and wasting. These diseases share a common pathomechanism where, due to the loss of the anchoring dystrophin (DMD, dystrophinopathy) or due to mutations in sarcoglycan-encoding genes (LGMDR3 to LGMDR6), the α-sarcoglycan ecto-ATPase activity is lost. This disturbs important purinergic signaling: An acute muscle injury causes the release of large quantities of ATP, which acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP). DAMPs trigger inflammation that clears dead tissues and initiates regeneration that eventually restores normal muscle function. However, in DMD and LGMD, the loss of ecto-ATPase activity, that normally curtails this extracellular ATP (eATP)-evoked stimulation, causes exceedingly high eATP levels. Thus, in dystrophic muscles, the acute inflammation becomes chronic and damaging. The very high eATP over-activates P2X7 purinoceptors, not only maintaining the inflammation but also tuning the potentially compensatory P2X7 up-regulation in dystrophic muscle cells into a cell-damaging mechanism exacerbating the pathology. Thus, the P2X7 receptor in dystrophic muscles is a specific therapeutic target. Accordingly, the P2X7 blockade alleviated dystrophic damage in mouse models of dystrophinopathy and sarcoglycanopathy. Therefore, the existing P2X7 blockers should be considered for the treatment of these highly debilitating diseases. This review aims to present the current understanding of the eATP-P2X7 purinoceptor axis in the pathogenesis and treatment of muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Zabłocki
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz C Górecki
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK
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9
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Huang P, Thomas CC, Ambati K, Dholkawala R, Nagasaka A, Yerramothu P, Narendran S, Pereira F, Nagasaka Y, Apicella I, Cai X, Makin RD, Magagnoli J, Stains CI, Yin R, Wang SB, Gelfand BD, Ambati J. Kamuvudine-9 Protects Retinal Structure and Function in a Novel Model of Experimental Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:3. [PMID: 37129905 PMCID: PMC10158986 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.5.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a vision-threatening event that benefits from surgical intervention. While awaiting surgical reattachment, irreversible hypoxic and inflammatory damage to the retina often occurs. An interim therapy protecting photoreceptors could improve functional outcomes. We sought to determine whether Kamuvudine-9 (K-9), a derivative of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) that inhibits inflammasome activation, and the NRTIs lamivudine (3TC) and azidothymidine (AZT) could protect the retina following RRD. Methods RRD was induced in mice via subretinal injection (SRI) of 1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). To simulate outcomes following the clinical management of RRD, we determined the optimal conditions by which SRI of CMC induced spontaneous retinal reattachment (SRR) occurs over 10 days (RRD/SRR). K-9, 3TC, or AZT was administered via intraperitoneal injection. Inflammasome activation pathways were monitored by abundance of cleaved caspase-1, IL-18, and cleaved caspase-8, and photoreceptor death was assessed by TUNEL staining. Retinal function was assessed by full-field scotopic electroretinography. Results RRD induced retinal inflammasome activation and photoreceptor death in mice. Systemic administration of K-9, 3TC, or AZT inhibited retinal inflammasome activation and photoreceptor death. In the RRD/SRR model, K-9 protected retinal electrical function during the time of RRD and induced an improvement following retinal reattachment. Conclusions K-9 and NRTIs exhibit anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities in experimental RRD. Given its capacity to protect photoreceptor function during the period of RRD and enhance retinal function following reattachment, K-9 shows promise as a retinal neuroprotectant and warrants study in RRD. Further, this novel RRD/SRR model may facilitate experimental evaluation of functional outcomes relevant to RRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peirong Huang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Claire C. Thomas
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Kameshwari Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Roshni Dholkawala
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Ayami Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Praveen Yerramothu
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Siddharth Narendran
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, India
| | - Felipe Pereira
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Yosuke Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Ivana Apicella
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Cai
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Ryan D. Makin
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Joseph Magagnoli
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States
| | - Cliff I. Stains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Virginia Drug Discovery Consortium, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
| | - Ruwen Yin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Shao-bin Wang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Bradley D. Gelfand
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
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10
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Gόrecki DC, Rumney RMH. The P2X7 purinoceptor in pathogenesis and treatment of dystrophino- and sarcoglycanopathies. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2023; 69:102357. [PMID: 36842388 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2023.102357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
Dystrophinopathy and sarcoglycanopathies are incurable diseases caused by mutations in the genes encoding dystrophin or members of the dystrophin associated protein complex (DAPC). Restoration of the missing dystrophin or sarcoglycans via genetic approaches is complicated by the downsides of personalised medicines and immune responses against re-expressed proteins. Thus, the targeting of disease mechanisms downstream from the mutant protein has a strong translational potential. Acute muscle damage causes release of large quantities of ATP, which activates P2X7 purinoceptors, resulting in inflammation that clears dead tissues and triggers regeneration. However, in dystrophic muscles, loss of α-sarcoglycan ecto-ATPase activity further elevates extracellular ATP (eATP) levels, exacerbating the pathology. Moreover, seemingly compensatory P2X7 upregulation in dystrophic muscle cells, combined with high eATP leads to further damage. Accordingly, P2X7 blockade alleviated dystrophic damage in mouse models of both dystrophinopathy and sarcoglycanopathy. Existing P2X7 blockers could be re-purposed for the treatment of these highly debilitating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariusz C Gόrecki
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Robin M H Rumney
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
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11
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Magagnoli J, Yerramothu P, Ambati K, Cummings T, Nguyen J, Thomas CC, Wang SB, Cheng K, Juraev M, Dholkawala R, Nagasaka A, Ambati M, Nagasaka Y, Ban A, Ambati VL, Sutton SS, Gelfand BD, Ambati J. Reduction of human Alzheimer's disease risk and reversal of mouse model cognitive deficit with nucleoside analog use. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.03.17.23287375. [PMID: 36993694 PMCID: PMC10055589 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.17.23287375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Innate immune signaling through the NLRP3 inflammasome has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia. We previously demonstrated that nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), drugs approved to treat HIV and hepatitis B infections, also inhibit inflammasome activation. Here we report that in humans, NRTI exposure was associated with a significantly lower incidence of AD in two of the largest health insurance databases in the United States. Treatment of aged 5xFAD mice (a mouse model of amyloid-β deposition that expresses five mutations found in familial AD) with Kamuvudine-9 (K-9), an NRTI-derivative with enhanced safety profile, reduced Aβ deposition and reversed their cognitive deficit by improving their spatial memory and learning performance to that of young wild-type mice. These findings support the concept that inflammasome inhibition could benefit AD and provide a rationale for prospective clinical testing of NRTIs or K-9 in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Magagnoli
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC 29209
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Praveen Yerramothu
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Kameshwari Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Tammy Cummings
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC 29209
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Joseph Nguyen
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Claire C. Thomas
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Shao-bin Wang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Kaitlyn Cheng
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Maksud Juraev
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Roshni Dholkawala
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Ayami Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Meenakshi Ambati
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Digital Image Evaluation, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yosuke Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Ashley Ban
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Vidya L. Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Center for Digital Image Evaluation, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - S. Scott Sutton
- Dorn Research Institute, Columbia VA Health Care System, Columbia, SC 29209
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Bradley D. Gelfand
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908
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12
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Huang P, Narendran S, Pereira F, Fukuda S, Nagasaka Y, Apicella I, Yerramothu P, Marion KM, Cai X, Sadda SR, Gelfand BD, Ambati J. Subretinal injection in mice to study retinal physiology and disease. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1468-1485. [PMID: 35418688 PMCID: PMC11146522 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00689-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Subretinal injection (SRI) is a widely used technique in retinal research and can be used to deliver nucleic acids, small molecules, macromolecules, viruses, cells or biomaterials such as nanobeads. Here we describe how to undertake SRI of mice. This protocol was adapted from a technique initially described for larger animals. Although SRI is a common procedure in eye research laboratories, there is no published guidance on the best practices for determining what constitutes a 'successful' SRI. Optimal injections are required for reproducibility of the procedure and, when carried out suboptimally, can lead to erroneous conclusions. To address this issue, we propose a standardized protocol for SRI with 'procedure success' defined by follow-up examination of the retina and the retinal pigmented epithelium rather than solely via intraoperative endpoints. This protocol takes 7-14 d to complete, depending on the reagent delivered. We have found, by instituting a standardized training program, that trained ophthalmologists achieve reliable proficiency in this technique after ~350 practice injections. This technique can be used to gain insights into retinal physiology and disease pathogenesis and to test the efficacy of experimental compounds in the retina or retinal pigmented epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peirong Huang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Siddharth Narendran
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, India
| | - Felipe Pereira
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Shinichi Fukuda
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yosuke Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ivana Apicella
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Praveen Yerramothu
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Xiaoyu Cai
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Srinivas R Sadda
- Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bradley D Gelfand
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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13
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El-Darzi N, Mast N, Buchner DA, Saadane A, Dailey B, Trichonas G, Pikuleva IA. Low-Dose Anti-HIV Drug Efavirenz Mitigates Retinal Vascular Lesions in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:902254. [PMID: 35721135 PMCID: PMC9198296 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.902254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A small dose of the anti-HIV drug efavirenz (EFV) was previously discovered to activate CYP46A1, a cholesterol-eliminating enzyme in the brain, and mitigate some of the manifestation of Alzheimer's disease in 5XFAD mice. Herein, we investigated the retina of these animals, which were found to have genetically determined retinal vascular lesions associated with deposits within the retinal pigment epithelium and subretinal space. We established that EFV treatment activated CYP46A1 in the retina, enhanced retinal cholesterol turnover, and diminished the lesion frequency >5-fold. In addition, the treatment mitigated fluorescein leakage from the aberrant blood vessels, deposit size, activation of retinal macrophages/microglia, and focal accumulations of amyloid β plaques, unesterified cholesterol, and Oil Red O-positive lipids. Studies of retinal transcriptomics and proteomics identified biological processes enriched with differentially expressed genes and proteins. We discuss the mechanisms of the beneficial EFV effects on the retinal phenotype of 5XFAD mice. As EFV is an FDA-approved drug, and we already tested the safety of small-dose EFV in patients with Alzheimer's disease, our data support further clinical investigation of this drug in subjects with retinal vascular lesions or neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole El-Darzi
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Natalia Mast
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - David A. Buchner
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Aicha Saadane
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Brian Dailey
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Georgios Trichonas
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Irina A. Pikuleva
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Cleveland, OH, United States,*Correspondence: Irina A. Pikuleva,
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14
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Ruiz FX, Hoang A, Dilmore CR, DeStefano JJ, Arnold E. Structural basis of HIV inhibition by L-nucleosides: opportunities for drug development and repurposing. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1832-1846. [PMID: 35218925 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Infection with HIV can cripple the immune system and lead to AIDS. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepadnavirus that causes human liver diseases. Both pathogens are major public health problems affecting millions of people worldwide. The polymerases from both viruses are the most common drug target for viral inhibition, sharing common architecture at their active sites. The L-nucleoside drugs emtricitabine and lamivudine are widely used HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) and HBV polymerase (Pol) inhibitors. Nevertheless, structural details of their binding to RT(Pol)/nucleic acid remained unknown until recently. Here, we discuss the implications of these structures, alongside related complexes with L-dNTPs, for the development of novel L-nucleos(t)ide drugs, and prospects for repurposing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc X Ruiz
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Anthony Hoang
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christopher R Dilmore
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Jeffrey J DeStefano
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Eddy Arnold
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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15
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Identification of fluoxetine as a direct NLRP3 inhibitor to treat atrophic macular degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102975118. [PMID: 34620711 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102975118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The atrophic form of age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) affects nearly 200 million people worldwide. There is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapy for this disease, which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness among people over 50 y of age. Vision loss in dry AMD results from degeneration of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE). RPE cell death is driven in part by accumulation of Alu RNAs, which are noncoding transcripts of a human retrotransposon. Alu RNA induces RPE degeneration by activating the NLRP3-ASC inflammasome. We report that fluoxetine, an FDA-approved drug for treating clinical depression, binds NLRP3 in silico, in vitro, and in vivo and inhibits activation of the NLRP3-ASC inflammasome and inflammatory cytokine release in RPE cells and macrophages, two critical cell types in dry AMD. We also demonstrate that fluoxetine, unlike several other antidepressant drugs, reduces Alu RNA-induced RPE degeneration in mice. Finally, by analyzing two health insurance databases comprising more than 100 million Americans, we report a reduced hazard of developing dry AMD among patients with depression who were treated with fluoxetine. Collectively, these studies identify fluoxetine as a potential drug-repurposing candidate for dry AMD.
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16
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Fukuda S, Narendran S, Varshney A, Nagasaka Y, Wang SB, Ambati K, Apicella I, Pereira F, Fowler BJ, Yasuma T, Hirahara S, Yasuma R, Huang P, Yerramothu P, Makin RD, Wang M, Baker KL, Marion KM, Huang X, Baghdasaryan E, Ambati M, Ambati VL, Banerjee D, Bonilha VL, Tolstonog GV, Held U, Ogura Y, Terasaki H, Oshika T, Bhattarai D, Kim KB, Feldman SH, Aguirre JI, Hinton DR, Kerur N, Sadda SR, Schumann GG, Gelfand BD, Ambati J. Alu complementary DNA is enriched in atrophic macular degeneration and triggers retinal pigmented epithelium toxicity via cytosolic innate immunity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj3658. [PMID: 34586848 PMCID: PMC8480932 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj3658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (L1)–mediated reverse transcription (RT) of Alu RNA into cytoplasmic Alu complementary DNA (cDNA) has been implicated in retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) degeneration. The mechanism of Alu cDNA–induced cytotoxicity and its relevance to human disease are unknown. Here we report that Alu cDNA is highly enriched in the RPE of human eyes with geographic atrophy, an untreatable form of age-related macular degeneration. We demonstrate that the DNA sensor cGAS engages Alu cDNA to induce cytosolic mitochondrial DNA escape, which amplifies cGAS activation, triggering RPE degeneration via the inflammasome. The L1-extinct rice rat was resistant to Alu RNA–induced Alu cDNA synthesis and RPE degeneration, which were enabled upon L1-RT overexpression. Nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs), which inhibit both L1-RT and inflammasome activity, and NRTI derivatives (Kamuvudines) that inhibit inflammasome, but not RT, both block Alu cDNA toxicity, identifying inflammasome activation as the terminal effector of RPE degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichi Fukuda
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Siddharth Narendran
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Aravind Eye Hospital System, Madurai, India
| | - Akhil Varshney
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yosuke Nagasaka
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shao-bin Wang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kameshwari Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ivana Apicella
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Felipe Pereira
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Benjamin J. Fowler
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Tetsuhiro Yasuma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Departamento de Oftalmologia e Ciências Visuais, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Shuichiro Hirahara
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Reo Yasuma
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Peirong Huang
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Praveen Yerramothu
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ryan D. Makin
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Mo Wang
- Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Elmira Baghdasaryan
- Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California–Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Meenakshi Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Digital Image Evaluation, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Vidya L. Ambati
- Center for Digital Image Evaluation, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daipayan Banerjee
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Genrich V. Tolstonog
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Held
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Yuichiro Ogura
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiroko Terasaki
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Oshika
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Deepak Bhattarai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kyung Bo Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Sanford H. Feldman
- Center for Comparative Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - J. Ignacio Aguirre
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David R. Hinton
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nagaraj Kerur
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Srinivas R. Sadda
- Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California–Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Gerald G. Schumann
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Bradley D. Gelfand
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jayakrishna Ambati
- Center for Advanced Vision Science, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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